Things I Wish I Knew Before Going to Japan: Part 3

So here we go with another set of things I wish I knew before going to Japan... wow I didn't know a lot of things! I hope that some of this stuff can help you out before you leave on your trip to Japan or studying abroad there. 

One thing I did know before going to Japan was how to communicate with my family in the states. I used the app Line to text back to my parents. Its an app most people here use to call and text and you can also video call so you only use data and don’t need a number. But the thing to know is to install it and make an account before you go because you need to confirm the account with your number. 

I wish i hadn’t bought a cell phone plan while I was there. I didn’t use it very often and used my pocket wifi more. My friend used a company called sakura mobile which does data only sim card rentals and they send it to your dorm or hotel and when you run out you can order it again. So much better. 

When it comes to banking I wish I hadn’t done it because you can’t wire money from the US until you've been in Japan 6 months. I was only staying 6 months.... 

 But I made one with the Japan Post Bank which is the most convenient and it is the only one to easily accept foreigners. I also can use this account with them if I go back to Japan in the future cause it never had money in it. 

Even if you’re just visiting japan for a few days or a long time I suggest buying a pasmo or suica card because its so much easier. The other option is to try and figure how much the little tickets are every time you travel. Also then you get to keep the card as a souvenir and they're so cute!

And if you are studying abroad and you have to travel a bit to your university you can get a student discount between your house and university. You have to show a station attendant your student ID or acceptance letter and your zairu card, or foreign residence card when you buy the original pass.