Advice on applying for trademark on my own in Japan (Class 41)

I would like to apply for a trademark personally (not through a corporation) for brand names I have created (Class 41). I can speak/write Japanese. I initially was planning to do this through a lawyer, but their fees are way out of my budget. I have an idea/understanding of the process for filing + pricing if done on my own.

For those with experience filing on their own, how was it? Is the Patent Office relatively helpful in case I have any questions with the process? I only saw a couple of posts about trademarking in Japan on Reddit so I wanted to see if anyone had any advice/stories to share!