Hi everyone,
I recently signed a contract for a job in Japan and just applied for my visa, which I should receive at the beginning of November.
Even though my company doesn’t provide relocation support, they introduced me to a Fudosan company to help me find an apartment. From what I’ve discussed with them, it seems like I can rent a room from outside Japan (I’ll need to use a guarantor company, though), so I should have a place ready by the time I arrive. I’ll probably need to stay at a hotel for a few days while waiting for furniture delivery, though.
Now I’m thinking about the timing. I plan to submit my resignation once I get the visa, and my final day at my current job should be in early December. My new company prefers that I start at the beginning of a month, so I currently have two options:
Plan 1: Move to Japan in early–mid December → prepare everything (furniture, juuminhyou, bank account, phone number, etc.) before the end of the year → start work right after the New Year holiday in January.
Plan 2: Move to Japan in early–mid January after the New Year holiday → take some time to prepare everything → start work at the beginning of February.
Which plan do you think would work better?
I’m leaning toward Plan 1 because it means I won’t have a gap without salary. If I choose this plan, though, I’d need to finalize my apartment with the Fudosan sometime in November, which personally feels a bit rushed to me. Or do you guys think a month is actually more than enough time to find and secure a room from overseas?
Also, moving at the end of the year doesn’t sound ideal either, since I heard many offices and services in Japan close or slow down around the New Year holidays, which could delay things like setting up utilities or getting paperwork done. But at the same time, I feel that if I move around December 10, I might still be able to finish most of the important things before everything shuts down for Christmas and New Year.
Plan 2 gives me more breathing room, and I’ll also have some time to rest, but it also means I’ll have no income in January. I’ve also heard that rent tends to increase significantly between January and March because it’s the high moving season in Japan, so that might be another downside.
I’d love to hear your opinions or experiences. What would you recommend?
P.S. This will actually be my first time in Japan! I can speak Japanese fluently, but I’ve never visited before. (not even as a tourist)
by godfast43