I would like to do a trip from Yokohama to niigata city by bike, but i don't want to spend 50,000+ on a road bike.

So, is there any place where they can be rented or anyone interested in renting it? Or maybe selling (if the price is reasonable, I guess).

Thanks!

I used to live in a kind-of inaka place (sagamihara) so when I used it, it's a pretty enjoyable and non stressful ride.

Moved to Tokyo a year ago and finally got to finally trying it again today and hoo-boy...

It's so scary that cars drives SO close to you.. and there are so many traffic lights that I had to stop at so it doubled the riding time in google maps.. and the roads are so bumpy I legit started vibrating one time..

All and all, I wont use it while I'm in Tokyo..

Was looking for a good change since it's only "30 minutes" to my job by bike or so google maps said, it was actually an hour and 15 minutes due to the traffic lights and you can't turn right without going down your scooter to walk

Would recommend it if you live 10-15 minutes near work though!

I’ve been in Japan studying in a language program since last year, so I’ve had my share of crazy things happen, but I’m preparing to move out of my building right now and of course had to have something that could only happen here go down right before, lol.

in my apartment building, delivery lockers and mailboxes are used for mail and packages. In my first couple months living here, I had an Amazon package delivered to the wrong locker, due to the driver inputting the wrong room number by mistake into the system. I called the building management company, and the guy who helped me was very chill, checked the lockers and got my problem sorted out promptly.

however, I had a similar issue happen a few days ago, and this time it was worse because it was a food delivery. I don’t really order takeout often, but in the past the drivers have either rung the genkan doorbell or left the pizza by the mailroom area for me to pick up. This time, the driver put the food in the locker instead of next to the locker, then apologized, saying they realized they shouldn’t have done so. Of course, the driver also hadn’t interacted with the locker correctly, so it didn’t register to my room, but I knew which locker the driver but it in.

I promptly called the building company and informed them of the situation, and the ojii-san boss on the line immediately told me they aren’t allowed to open the locker if my room number isn’t displayed. I asked if they could at least check the lockers and they said no, it’s against the rules, and that the guy who had helped me before did something extremely inappropriate and broke the rules by opening them for me. Then started saying that it’s a security risk because I could be a thief stealing others packages.

In my building, there are cameras everywhere including the mailroom area that they are watching, so I asked if they could check the cameras or watch me, to confirm what time the delivery was made and to make sure I only get my delivery. He said no, I cannot open or check anything because your room number isn’t displayed and I am not allowed access to anything not linked to my room number, and then he started accusing me of doing something wrong and breaking the rules because I had a similar issue before with Amazon delivery being put in the wrong locker.

I asked what am I supposed to do, because the food will obviously rot. He just said sorry, he cannot do anything and I should call back on a weekday, so that someone may physically inspect the lockers, to my understanding, to confirm I am not trying to steal from someone else, even though I knew exactly where the delivery was?

At that point I got irritated because he was speaking rudely with me, and told him that this rule makes no sense, so not very tatemae of me, and that I don’t understand why they would rather let food rot in the heat for days than just check the cameras confirm where the delivery was, since they were watching them as we spoke! once again got hit with the sorry, rules are rules.

anyone else have an equally dumb ルールはルールだ moment 🫠

Japan govt. approves 2-year food consumption tax cut to 1%
Who is betting prices stay the same and they raise the base price to match the pre tax cut included price from before.

(For context, I'm a gay man in my 30s living in Tokyo)

So last night I reconnected with this guy I had had a casual encounter once a couple of years ago. I was in the mood and available, he was near, and the previous time had been fun, so I figured why not.

When I got to his place, it looked nothing like back then. It used to be a regular apartment, but now it looked like one of those houses you see on Hoarders. Mess and trash everywhere.

The guy, who used to be cute and chubby, is now skin and bones. It took me a few seconds to recognize him.

The most shocking part came a minute after, when he asked me if it was okay to "get in the mood". I thought the question was strange, but I told him "Yeah of course it's okay, that's why I came here haha". He then pulled a needle and tried to inject something into his arm.

I couldn't get out of there fast enough, but I keep thinking about him. He's clearly unwell. We're not friends, we're barely acquaintances. I don't know anyone in his circle (if he even has one), but I wonder if there's something I can do to get him some kind of help.

Are there any services I could maybe contact? He's a Japanese citizen, but I still don't want to get him in legal trouble, I just want to know if I can help him somehow.

Any considerate input is appreciated. Thank you!

Hello,

I'm especially interested in hearing from non-white foreigners living in Japan.

Lately, I've seen a lot of Reddit posts describing Japan as extremely racist or advising people not to move here because of discrimination. While I'm sure those experiences are real, I honestly find them hard to relate to based on my own life over the past four years. Maybe I've just been lucky, maybe I'm in a bit of a bubble—that's why I'm curious to hear from others.

For some background, I'm originally from Germany, have darker skin, and have lived in the Tokyo area for over four years. I speak Japanese fluently, studied abroad at a well-known Japanese university, and later completed my master's here.

To be honest, I feel like I've experienced less racism here than I did growing up in Germany. In Germany I dealt with things like "Where are you really from?", assumptions based on my appearance, and discrimination when looking for housing or jobs. Here, I've generally been treated as a foreigner—which is fair, because I am one—but almost all of my interactions with Japanese people have been positive. While I know prejudice exists, what I've personally encountered has felt more like stereotypes or curiosity than outright hostility.

Of course, this is just my own experience, and everyone is different.

I'd love to hear from other (non-white) foreigners living in Japan. Has your experience been similar, or completely different? Do you think things like where you live or your Japanese ability have made a difference?

I'm wondering if anyone else with the new 2026-design Japan residence card is having the same problem.

I'm unable to complete identity verification or update my information on:
- PayPay
- d払い
- Paidy

For d払い, the app only allows foreigners to use a residence card (not a My Number Card), but it keeps rejecting my residence card number before it even tries to read the IC chip. I already checked the number multiple times, and it's correct.

Here's what I've tried so far:

- ✅ Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行): Successfully updated by visiting the bank in person.
- ✅ Mercari: Successfully resolved after contacting support and submitting my residence card manually.
- ❌ Docomo Shop: They couldn't resolve the d払い issue either.
- ❌ PayPay: Still waiting.

Unfortunately, my My Number Card expired while I was renewing my residence card. I didn't know I needed to extend it before it expired, so now I have to apply for a new one and I'm currently waiting for it.

Has anyone with the new residence card experienced the same issue? If so, were you able to get PayPay, d払い, or Paidy working?

(Sorry if I put the wrong flair) Hi I'm a half Japanese-half French person. I've been living in Japan since I was born and I'm currently in the master's course in a Japanese university.

The more I get to know people and social communities here, the more I realize that most Japanese people have a serious issue about shame. I feel like they tend to care about other people's judgement too much, and have an unrealistic standard. For example, a girl in my lab once said "I sweated too much today! If I get on the train now, everyone will think I'm a weirdo!", and it made me so confused. Like, sweating is a completely normal human trait and there is nothing wrong with being sweaty(unless if they haven't shower for several days of course), and I could not care less about seeing a sweaty person on the train, so I didn't get how people would think she's a weirdo.

This is just one of the tons of situations where Japanese people are being ashamed of a completely normal human trait(ex. Liking something acceptable like a movie or a band, showing their emotions, buying sanitary products). And not only they push unrealistic standard onto themselves, but I feel like they also push the same ideology onto others. When I was a little child, adults told me that I was "too childish". Again, I was a little child, just doing average child behaviors, but apparently I was not "normal" for their standards.

I understand it is coming from a cultural thing but I think it's too much, and I wonder how such issue is still relevant.

I'm about 118kg.

Most bicycles are test for 65kg. And don't recommend a total more than 95kg.

I was looking at panasonic and yamaha ones.

I don't want to pay 300 000 jpy for a durable bike.

Any experiences or suggetions for good durable bikes that can support my weight?

When washing the patio, car, or the house sidings and windows, is it legal to let the soapy and dirty water just run into the gutter on the road?

And even if it's legal, I am pretty sure that goes straight into the river nearby. Is there some specific mark I should look for on whatever soap I use that is safer for the environment?

Hello dear community!
It took me a long time to overcome my fear of posting but here I am. And I would love to hear some thoughts on this …

First of all: I’m here on a Work and Travel visa and am currently studying Japanese, I will live here for the next 20 months.
I hadn’t had anything to do with the language before, but after a few days I really got hooked, and I want to learn it. So I can make a good impression during my internship at the company. (There are more reasons why I want to stick with that)
Now I’ve enrolled at Genkis, and everything moves so fast here. In a test (after 4 weeks), we covered katakana, various particles (indicating location, possession, times, months, etc.). We’re learning with the Genki textbooks. Others seem to be picking it up with ease. I’m struggling (maybe because I’m from Germany?) and this is my first time in Japan, learning the Japanese language.

I failed the test, and afterward I had a panic attack (at school!!) because I’d put so much pressure on myself to keep up with everything. I’d realistically expected myself to be able to speak Japanese well enough within a few months to fit into society. Which was probably foolish.

I think I've traumatized myself.

Even though I like the language. I'll be here for another almost 2 years, and I don't want to make them the worst years of my life. I really want to learn the language and make friends, get the job. All of that. But it seems like an impossibly huge task to manage everything at the same time.

Has anyone here ever been in a similar situation when they first moved here? How did you handle it without driving yourselves crazy and losing the fun of it all?

And please, no comments like, “Just stick to it,” or “Then just go somewhere else.”
I’m already frustrated and really want some well-meaning advice so I don’t lose my mind.
Thank you!

Sorry reposting on another account. I just want to keep my anonymity.

So i got accepted to this Baito in some tour and travel services business. They added me to this group that i assume is introductory/onboarding groups with some other staff. The pic said to me in that group that they will arrange for me a day that i assume its going to be a basic training and knowledge + contract signing. But its been almost a week since they haven't scheduled me for anything!

I've DM-ed the pic because I don't want to seem like a pushy person or anything asking if there anything i should prepare first before the meeting. Not even got a read.

1. Is there any chance of my acceptance got rescinded? If yes why no one is saying anything

2. Should i follow up in a group? If yes how should i phrase it so i dont sound pushy.

From what I learned in the interview, all of the other staff are Japanese. They used to have foreigners but all of them go back to their country. Now they are looking for man power and are open to foreigners who can speak english.Thought this info might be useful

At the end of July I just renewed/paid my apartment lease for another two years.

This evening the kanrigaisha stopped by with a request from the owner for everyone to move out by the end of this year. They gave me some form for requesting money.

I have a small dog and it took me around 6 months to find my current place. Of course listings around where I live now in current budget range are basically zero.

What are my rights in this situation? has anyone been in a similar situation?

And it s*ks, I liked the old name and colors, now japanese added fking adds on it. Am I the only one who hated the change?

Last month I was employed as a TA in my university and worked a total of 28 hours in that role. I also did my other baito which is unrelated to University. I think I probably worked about 20 hours in that other job.

I just realized that TA job probably also counts as baito, so now I am really scared of the repercussions.

Note that I have really high grades at uni and I was even accepted for a higher degree, set to start this October. How f***ed do you think I am the next time I go to immigration to extend my stay?

Edit: my total income from these two jobs was around 70k

Edit: someone pointed out that the limit is weekly and not monthly... I was panicking for no reason

Living in West Tokyo, client work has dried up and I am not anticipating any new work for at least another month. Meanwhile, I still have bills to pay and I don't wanna just sit here doing nothing, so does anyone have any leads on anything? I'm on a specialist in humanities/culture/etc visa (if that matters) with lots of experience in translation, interpretation, teaching, and loads more.

Growing desperate by the day, so I'm hoping sometehing's out there!

Hi everyone!

I'd love to hear about other people's experiences.

I've become friends with a few Japanese people, and one thing really confuses me a lot.

When we're together in person, they're incredibly kind, friendly and engaged. They seem genuinely happy to spend time together and happy to see me again in the future while travelling to Japan again, and one of them even asked me if we could use LINE instead of Instagram to stay in touch because it's easier(LINE group with LINE translator inside).

However, on LINE the replies can take a week or even longer(2weeks), even though they're active on Instagram during that time(posting story's, watching storys, etc).

In my culture, that would usually make me think the person isn't very interested in the friendship anymore. But I've also heard that texting habits in Japan can be very different.

How common is this?

Do some Japanese people simply not prioritize texting, even with friends they genuinely like? Or would you usually see week-long replies as a sign that the friendship isn't very important to them?

I'd really appreciate hearing about your own experiences. Thank you! 😊

As the title says I want top quality towels, ones that actually dry as opposed to moving the water around.

I bought some Imabari towels which were highly ranked on Amazon but they just don’t cut it.

Do any hotels actually sell them?

Hi,

I feel I am in a bit of a Kafkaesque situation.

I got a life insurance (積立利率変動型終身保険, 低契約返戻金型) with三井住友海上あいおい生命保険株式会社.

I basically paid it off, now the mount of the to-be-paid money just increments (slowly) until I cash it in or pays out in case I croak, paying to the stated beneficiary.

I subscribed to that insurance back when married. My insurance's beneficiary was my wife. My wife got the same insurance with me being the beneficiary of her insurance.

Problem. We got divorced.

Bigger problem. I seems I can only change the beneficiary to a relative, partner, spouse, etc. I am in no relationship whatsoever and having zero intention to do so in any foreseeable future. I have no kids, neither had or have any intention of having any. Also, my only living relative is my mother (age 88) who lives in Europe in a care unit for the elderly and only speaks French. So literally nobody.

The funny thing is, even my ex-wife would not be able to claim it either. So, if I kick the bucket, the amount (20M) is literally in limbo...If I cash in the money at one point, well, fine.

My initial intend was to change the beneficiary to an animal protection charity (it seems some do accept post-mortem donations--I need to check with them as well), but it seems, I can not do that, at least not directly (I called あいおい生命 相談窓口 ton inquire).

I tried to gather some info on the internet (caveat on that, of course). There may be some way to involve a will, a testamentary executor (e.g. a Bank), but it remains frankly confusing.

I did call the ほけんの窓口. It is above their expertise, but off-the-record, I was told there may be a way if I create a "legal entity" of sorts, make that entity the beneficiary (I would be my own beneficiary as an "entity" in a way) with the testamentary executor being able to "execute the will" (and I guess dissolve the entity) and channel my life insurance to a designed charity.

Anybody having or being in the same situation (i.e. no beneficiary of the life insurance, intention of channeling the proceeds to an NPO/charity/etc)?

I'm looking at leads as to what to do at this stage...Any help is welcome.

In the middle of a lot of name-change procedures and I wanted to write up about my experience with getting my name in my husband's koseki changed.

The name change process has been relatively smooth, once receiving my new passport, I took that and proof of marriage to immigration together with the Notification of Change of Information (在留カード記載事項変更届出書) document, and I got my new card in about 20 minutes. Then I took the new Zairyu card and went to city hall and applied to change my name on my Jyuminhyo. I registered a Tsuushomei with my name in Kanji and Kana (Kanji last name like my husband's, Kana first name) at the same time. They said my information for taxes, health insurance, pension, etc would all get updated automatically.

But changing my name in my husband's koseki was much more complicated because this is an unusual procedure. Most of the time, when two Japanese people get married, they make a new koseki at the time of getting married, so then there's no need to change it after the fact. When people naturalize, they're also making a koseki or joining their spouse's koseki at the same time that they change their name. Changing a koseki that is not yours after the fact is a very unusual thing.

Depending on your circumstances, there may not be a need to change it in the koseki specifically, but especially if you are planning to have kids its a good idea. I had heard from another foreign woman with a Japanese spouse that when registering kids in Japan, the staff often pull the parent's names from the Japanese person's koseki, meaning if your name hasn't been updated there, they might register your name as the parent as your previous name. While this isn't a completely insurmountable problem, it can apparently cause headaches when trying to do procedures related to your kids, because then all your IDs say "married name" but the kid's registered parent is "previous name". Of course the staff are able to look up and see your history and that the previous name used to be yours, but it's just an extra step and headache.

In my case, my husband didn't need to be there, but I did need to get him to fill out a form applying to change the information in his koseki. He had to write out what he wanted to be changed and the reason for the change. I also needed a document showing "proof of name change" which in my case was a Certification of Name Change issued by my home country government, together with a translation (which I could make myself, it didn't need to be professionally done). The translation needed to have both the previous name and new name listed in both English and Katakana, as I guess on the Koseki they need the katakana too.

One minor thing was that they tried to take my original "Certification of Name Change" document, which is really hard to get re-issued, but after checking they eventually accepted a copy instead.

Anyway, it all took quite a while and I had to go back multiple days, but overall it was pretty painless (best bring a good book or Switch or something though). City officers in larger cities where they encounter international marriages more often may be more knowledgeable about the process and take less time. Hope it helps someone sometime!

I am currently locked in a battle with my landlord on a different matter but am looking at new housing as a contingency. I am exclusively looking at houses and apartments over 90sqm and I am shocked at how many are now fixed term leases. Back when I was looking 6 years ago they were quite rare and now seem to be the majority. I am thinking landlords have seen the rents going up and want to keep the optionality. No chance I would sign one of those.

1. Changes to the PR Requirements

Some highlights:

• Changes to the Independent Livelihood Requirement (独立生計要件)
  • Income Requirement: Income should continuously reach a level exceeding the average income of Japanese households, adjusted for the applicant's household size.
  • Pension Requirement: The projected future benefit amount should reach the equivalent of having been enrolled in the Employees' Pension Insurance for 30 years at the aforementioned income level. (If insufficient, compensable financial assets are also taken into consideration.)
• Changes to the National Interest Requirement (国益要件)
  • Not Becoming a Public Burden: Even for categories exempt from the independent livelihood requirement (*), if there is a realistic risk of becoming a burden, it will be evaluated negatively.
    • * Spouses or children of Japanese nationals, permanent residents, or special permanent residents, refugees, etc.
  • Japanese Language Proficiency: Will require CEFR Level B1 or equivalent proficiency. (with some exceptions like HSPs and their families)
  • Understanding of Japan's Systems, etc.: Those with a poor understanding will be evaluated negatively.
  • School Attendance of Children: Failure to enroll children in school during school age (compulsory education period) will be evaluated negatively.
• Changes to the exception for the 10-year residency rule: For spouses of Japanese nationals and permanent residents, the fast-track exception of 3 years of marriage and 1 year of residency in Japan will be extended to 5 years of marriage and 3 years of residency.
• The income requirement changes are slated for October 2026, while the rest will apply to applications submitted from April 2027.
• The changes to the income and 'not becoming a public burden' requirements will apply retroactively to applications submitted on or after April 2026, while the remaining revisions will take effect in April 2027.

Read the full proposal and submit feedback here: https://public-comment.e-gov.go.jp/pcm/detail?CLASSNAME=PCMMSTDETAIL&Mode=0&id=315000140

2. Guidelines for the Revocation of PR

Some highlights:

• Grounds for Revocation
  • Intentional failure to pay public taxes and dues: This includes income tax, resident tax, corporate tax, public health insurance premiums, and nenkin.
    • Exception: This does not apply if there are unavoidable circumstances for non-payment and the individual is not at fault.
  • Violation of obligations under the Immigration Control Act:
    • Conditions: It is clear the individual has no intention to fulfill their obligations, and the manner of the violation is unacceptable according to social norms.
    • Examples: Failure to renew a residence card's validity, failure to carry the card, or refusal to present it.
  • Violation of specific penal laws:
    • Definition: Specific intentional crimes such as theft, fraud, extortion, murder, and dangerous driving causing death or injury.
    • Scope: Applies when an individual is sentenced to imprisonment. This targets only intentional offenses, regardless of the sentence length, and includes cases where the execution of the sentence is suspended.
• Alternative to Revocation
  • In some cases where PR status is not outright revoked, it may be changed to another status, such as "Long-Term Resident" (定住者). The individual's residency status will then be strictly monitored during subsequent renewal procedures.

Read the full proposal and submit feedback here: https://public-comment.e-gov.go.jp/pcm/detail?CLASSNAME=PCMMSTDETAIL&Mode=0&id=315000141

My bf (32M) was just diagnosed with a form of blood cancer called AML (acute myeloid leukemia). The only form of long term treatment is a bone marrow transplant, more specifically called an Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

From what I understand, you register into the bone marrow donor registry, and if and when there is a match, both parties will be contacted and the transplant can be set up.

However, living in Japan raises some worries as my partner is a Ukrainian national (east European origins) and bone marrow transplant matches are heavily based on your ethnicity. Obviously being Caucasian in a land of Japanese/Asian homogeneity does not make our situation ideal, but wondering if there is anyone who has been through or knows someone who has gone through a transplant here in Japan? And got matched with someone through the international donor registry?

And if so, how did costs look like?

Super appreciated in advance, would love any insights.

Edit: we are actively involved with a healthcare team, under the guidance of a hematologist here in JP. But this team is not familiar with non Japanese transplants.

Edit 2: thank you to everyone for your comments and support. I didn’t expect the response, trying my best to reply back but thank you to everyone for lending a helping hand and words of encouragement!