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1. The living conditions in Japan are a little different from America. The Japanese society is very efficient, but sometimes at a c ost in comfort. Most homes in the city will have running hot and cold water, although the water heater may need to be re-lit for each use (this saves on fuel). In the rural areas it is not uncommon to have to fill the bath tub, and then heat the water w ithin. Central air-conditioning is uncommon in most homes, however window units are available (but expensive). Most homes use space heaters. This way you only have to pay to heat the room that you are in (if you have more than one room). They are usuall y either electric air or kerosene. Kerosene is cheaper, but must be turned off when you leave or sleep to avoid creating a fire hazard. Many people also buy electric rugs and electric blankets. And nearly every home will have a "kotatsu" ...a table with a heater underneath and a quilt that covers you from the waist down (sitting on the floor, of course).
2. Getting housing on your own may not be easy at first. A short term solution in the larger cities is to rent a room in a "gaijin house." These are dorm style rooms for rent that usually share a bathroom and kitchen (if there is a kitchen). Once you have a job, the school usually will assist with finding a real apartment. Apartments are very small, usually one room and a small kitchen and bath. The b athroom often does not have a sink, and some apartments do not come with any light fixtures or curtains.
3. Buying clothing in Japan is not always easy. if you are a large person, I recommend bringing a good supply with you. Shorter, slimmer people will not have a problem with size, but the styles may not be what you're used to. It is common to either loose weight or gain weight while there. Most people I have interviewed indicated that they lost weight, mainly due to the walking and bike riding that many Ame ricans are not used to. If you do find that you need to buy clothes and can't get what you need in Japan, "Land's End" catalog makes international shopping relatively easy. Phoning and shipping are not cheap, but reasonable. Laundry is usually done in a washing machine (it's easy to get a used one if there is not already one in the apartment). This is not what you think of as a washer though. You must turn on a faucet and manually change the system from filling to draining through each cycle. Then y ou can spin you clothes, and hang them to dry. There are some coin laundries for big items, but using them on a daily basis is not often done.
4. Most kitchens in Japan have a sink. You can't always count on anything more than that. Sometimes you will have a small refrigerator and perhaps a gas outlet for a stove (or an electric outlet for a hot plate). But you may need to b uy these things. Ovens are rare, and most people have either a toaster oven or a microwave. All this depends on whether the school is providing you with a "furnished" apartment, or whether you are getting it on your own. So depending on your situation, < b>cooking can be a challenge. Eating out is a wonderful alternative, but can be expensive. Grocery stores in Japan usually stock similar items to those in America, but it's not always easy to figure out what is what. The wave of diet and light foods has not caught on very well in Japan yet, but with all the exercise, that's not usually a big concern.
5. The currency of Japan is the Yen. It's rate has been fluctuating a lot lately, but has been betwe en 80-120 Yen to the Dollar over the past two years. The smallest bill is 1000 Yen (just under $10.00) and all smaller denominations are coins. Nearly everything is done with cash in Japan. Some places will take credit cards, but no one uses checks. The "paycheck" is usually cash, and even the bills are paid at the bank in cash (where they transfer it to the payee's account). You can open an account if you find that you are saving a lot of money and don't want to keep it in your apartment. Japan typical ly uses a signature stamp that you must create and buy. It is not usually your signature, but some type of character.
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