Practical Information for Mobile Students

Public Transportation

It takes about 15 minutes by foot from TUMSAT to Shinagawa station.
Shinagawa Station is an increasingly important transportation nexus in central Tokyo (it takes about 11 minutes to Tokyo station by Yamanote or Keihintohoku line), offering rail services to Tokyo's two international airports as well as bullet trains to Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka. It's also a hub for traveling within Tokyo, being a stop on the JR Yamanote loop line, Keikyu line to Haneda airport (about 13 minutes), and several important commuter lines linking Tokyo with neighboring prefectures.
Tennozu Isle station is both for Tokyo Monorail (15 minutes for Haneda Airport) and for Rinkai Line, and both of them are also walking distance from TUMSAT (15-20 minutes). Electric money card as SUICA and PASMO is useful to use public transportation.

General Information on Climate of Japan

Japan has four distinct seasons with a climate ranging from subarctic in the north to subtropical in the south. Conditions are different between the Pacific side and the Sea of Japan side.
Northern Japan has warm summers and very cold winters with heavy snow on the Sea of Japan side and in mountainous areas.
Eastern Japan has hot and humid summers and cold winters with very heavy snow on the Sea of Japan side and in mountainous areas.
Western Japan has very hot and humid summers (with temperatures sometimes reaching 35℃ or above) and moderate cold winters.
Okinawa and Amami have a subtropical oceanic climate. These areas have hot and humid summers (with temperatures rarely reaching 35℃ or above) and mild winters.

Climate of Tokyo

The hottest season is in the beginning of August, and the coldest season is in the end of January.
Temperature difference is about 20℃ between the hottest and coldest season. The average temperature is 27.1℃ and average humidity is 78% in summer (August 2016), Tokyo. The average temperature is 6.9℃ and average humidity is 49% in winter (February, 2017), Tokyo (c.f. HP of Japan Meteorological Agency). Plenty of rainfall and high humidity are characteristics of climate of Japan. The average of humidity of whole of Japan is 60-70% yearly. Hot and humid weather which is over 75% continues in summer.

Language

Official and main language is Japanese. That is separated into a large number of daialects with Tokyo dialect considered standard Japanese. Guide sign written both in Japanese and English in public place is increasing. Guidance in Chinese and Korean is getting popular nowadays.

Arriving in Shinagawa

Student Visa and Residence Permit

According to the laws of Japan, foreigners who wish to live in Japan must complete various procedures related to residence at the Immigration Bureau and at their local municipal office service counter. For more information on these procedures, please check the Immigration Bureau's website below.
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/

Residence management system

Residence card

Foreign residents living in Japan for more than three months (mid- or long-term stay) are issued residence cards, while special permanent residents are issued special permanent resident certificates. You will be issued a residence card if there are any changes in your landing permit or visa status, or when you renew your visa. If there is any change in the information written on your residence card--such as (1) your name, date of birth, sex, nationality/region; and (2) renewal of the period of validity--or if your card is stolen or lost, please complete the designated procedures at the Immigration Bureau within 14 days. However, procedures related to a change of address or to your special permanent resident certificate should be completed at the municipal office. Please note that your residence card is valid until the expiration date of your visa.

Residence records

Residence records list and certify such information as your address, the constitution of your household(not only the people who live together, but all those the household supports financially) and the head of your household (the person who represents the household, or the person who financially supports the household).
Records are kept for foreign residents (such as special permanent residents and those issued residence cards) as well. If your address or the constitution of your household changes, you or a representative of the household should complete the designated notification procedures. If you need a copy of your residence record or a certificate of items registered in that record, please bring some form of personal identification-- such as your residence card or special permanent resident certificate--and file a request at your local municipal office.

Orientation meeting

Orientation meeting will be held. We will offer the detail information afterwards.

Communication Service

International Telephone Calls

KDDI is the most widely used company for international calls. Alternative companies include SoftBank, NTT Communications and others. As with domestic calls, there are some slight rate differences among these companies. All offer night-time and holiday discount rates.
The prefix codes and contact numbers for these companies are as follows:

Main Telephone CompaniesPrefixContact Numbers(toll-free)
KDDI 001 Tel: 0057
SoftBank 0061 Tel: 0120-85-0061
NTT Communications 0033 Tel: 0120-506506

How to Make an Overseas Call

Dial

Telephone Company Prefix + 010 + Country Code + Area Code (without first 0) + Telephone Number in the correct order.

Cellular Phones, Smart Phones

Main mobile phone companies (as of July 2017)

Unlocking SIMs and Using Mobile Phones from Outside Japan

Smartphones and cell phones in Japan are usually sold together with a SIM (subscriber identification module) card, and the SIMs in most devices are locked. You can ask the mobile phone company where you purchase your device to unlock it, which may involve additional fees. When you insert a SIM card purchased and contracted in Japan into the smartphone/cell phone (without the Japanese technical standard mark) you use in your home country, you may use it for a maximum of ninety days after arrival to Japan. If you continue to use your device with the unlocked SIM card beyond the authorized period, however, you will be in violation of the Radio Act.

Cellular Phone Rental Service

There are many companies providing rental services of cellular phones that can be used in Japan and overseas. The companies above and their group companies also offer such services. Since the fees and application systems differ depending on the company,
you should confirm the details with each company. In the arrival lobby at airports, some companies rent cellular phones without a reservation.

Public Telephones

Public telephones can be used with 10-yen or 100-yen coins or a prepaid telephone card. Telephone cards are available at kiosks or automated vending machines, etc. Some public telephones allow users to make international calls. No coins or telephone cards are needed when making emergency calls for police (110) or fire/ambulance (119) services.

Post-Cargo-Courier Service (Mail and Takkyubin)

Post Offices

Besides handling all types of mail, the post office offers banking, insurance, and other services. Most post offices are open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for mail, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for insurance or savings transactions. Although the counter is usually closed on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays, one post office in each district is open for business on these days. Please ask at your local post office for more information. Besides post offices, stamps and postcards are also sold at convenience stores. If you are not at home when the mail-carrier delivers mail such as a parcel or registered letter that requires your signature (or inkan, hanko), he/she will take these back to the post office and leave a notice of delivery instead. You can arrange a redelivery, or, if you would like to pick it up, you must bring the notice of delivery, personal identification such as your Residence Card and your inkan if you have to the designated post office.

Overseas Courier Services

Besides the post office, there are also private courier companies that deliver letters and parcels both within Japan and overseas.

Currency

Japanese national currency is Japanese Yen (JPY). There are four kinds of bills (10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, 2,000 yen, 1,000 yen) and six kinds of coins (500 yen, 100 yen, 50 yen, 10 yen, 5 yen, 1 yen) used. Official exchange rates can be obtained from the Bank of Japan.
https://www.boj.or.jp/en/statistics/market/forex/fxdaily/index.htm/

Banking Services and Credit Cards（Life in Japan）

Opening a Bank Account

Opening a bank account is a convenient way to receive your living allowance, pay utility bills, and conduct other transactions. Since you will be asked to present some form of personal identification for verification purposes when opening a bank account, you should bring your Residence Card, passport, or other form of identification, as well as your inkan stamp. Some banks will also allow you to open an account with your signature, so it is best to ask in advance.

Credit card

"VISA" and "Master Card" are the major credit cards accepted in Japan.

Main Shopping Center

http://www.shou.edu.cn/eng/

http://english.kmou.ac.kr/english/2013/main/main.jsp