To do list while moving as a PhD student with a family

Hello everyone,

My husband (U.S., 49) and I (European, 38) are planning to move to Kyoto next year, as I’ll be starting a PhD at Kyoto University. I’ll be on a student visa, and we’ll be living off our savings and other passive income, so neither of us will be working.

I’d be very grateful for any advice or experience regarding a few points:

• Do we need to have our marriage certificate apostilled and translated into Japanese for my husband to apply for a dependent (spouse) visa?
• Is it better for him to come first on a tourist visa and apply for the spouse visa later, or should we apply for both together from the start?
• Since we don’t currently live in our home countries, can I apply for the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) without traveling back to Europe?
• How far in advance should we start looking for an apartment in Kyoto? We’re hoping to find at least a 2LDK, ideally 3LDK.
• Lastly, can the university act as an emergency contact or help with housing matters? (I assume they’ll provide more details closer to the time, but I’d love to hear from others’ experience.)

Thank you so much for any insights or tips you can share — we really appreciate it!