The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[sj33]

Slightly off-topic because this isn't really a tourist-y question, but I felt it wasn't worth making a new topic for this. I'll be moving to Japan in 3 weeks, it looks like I have an apartment arranged (and looks very nice in the pics), so now's the time to be asking this kind of thing.

How do things work with regards to paying the NHK TV Licence thing? I'll be getting a TV eventually of course - is it like in the UK where you have to fill in a licence form when you buy your TV? I know the fee isn't as rigorously enforced as it is in the UK, but I do want to do things 'by the book' rather than risk landing in trouble.

Also, bicycles have to be registered with the police due to rampant bike theft - do I have to take some special form down to the Koban or something?

Because I lived in a dormitory last time I was in Japan, I didn't have to deal with the little things like this!

[tokyochojin]

Basically the law on NHK is that there is no law. Take on that what you will, some people pay it, some people don't (especially after the expenses scandal).

Bicyles, I never registered mine but many people do.

[tokyochojin]

Double post.

[sj33]

It's really so lax? That's reassuring. I still intend to do both, but my main concern was making sure I'm correctly prepared when buying these things (for example, going to buy a TV, getting a form given to me and realising I've not brought half the details with me etc.). If these procedures are done in our own time, then no panic.

[kryss]

Never paid NHK. The second apartment we lived it had a security gate downstairs and whenever they buzzed we just never let them in.

If you are there over a year, be ready to get hit by city taxes June the following year.
Don't ask me how much I still owe.

[sj33]

Cheers for the info. By the way, I did a little bit of searching on the internet. It seems that bike registration is handled differently depending on the region - some regions require registration when you purchase the bike in the store, whereas other regions require you to register at the Koban. Either way, I better memorise how to write my new address in kanji.

It does seem like NHK are cracking down on non-payers, so I will probably just bite the bullet and pay. From what I can tell, the entrance to my apartment is on the ground floor, on the street. My Japanese is alright, but I don't fancy arguing with people on the doorstep (especially if I don't really have a leg to stand on).

[noobish hat]

Your address will be on your alien registration card. I usually took it out to copy it, and whoever was at the desk usually took it and copied it for me. Another win for the lazy man.

EDIT: Never paid the tv licence either, never heard a peep from them.

[sj33]

The alien registration cards have been abolished - now you just get a regular registration card, which is given to you when you enter immigration (how unusually efficient for Japan!). That does make me wonder though - presumably I will need to give the address of my new apartment when entering immigration, which is fine - except I won't actually be moving into the apartment straight away because the realtor is helping me find a guarantor (so I'll be in a youth hostel in the short term). Ah well, I'm probably over thinking that!

I wasn't initially going to bother with a TV - I never even watch TV over here. But the fact that I'm furnishing this place out from scratch has me wanting to do it 'properly', including grabbing a TV and a PS3 (preferably with PS2 compatibility) at some point.

Cheers for the advice! Hopefully I won't be back here in 3 weeks time complaining about how they wouldn't let me buy a bike!

[noobish hat]

Say what?

[nuskool]

Not yet, but we're going to use JTB.

Just to let you know I had no problems and it was delivered really quickly.

[tokyochojin]

But the fact that I'm furnishing this place out from scratch has me wanting to do it 'properly', including grabbing a TV and a PS3 (preferably with PS2 compatibility) at some point.

Cheers for the advice! Hopefully I won't be back here in 3 weeks time complaining about how they wouldn't let me buy a bike!

Bah! I just sold my 60 gig PS3 to trader last week....

[sj33]

Damn! I'll have to check the couple of stores that I know, but Kyoto isn't really that great for game stores so a trip to Osaka or Kobe might be required (Kobe has better game stores than Kyoto, how weird is that?). Else, Amazon JP maybe.

I'd like a PS2 compatible machine because there's a pile of games I plan to grab from Book-Off.

[Jay]

Just to let you know I had no problems and it was delivered really quickly.

Who did you use in the end?

[kryss]

Say what?

This.

No more Gaijin cards? And what? Realtor? Shame you're not going to Kantou, I could have hooked you up with my old apartment manager. No key money, no guarantor, just one month deposit and one month in advance.

Peel the NHK sticker off the door. See if they bug you then. Let them in to see you don't have a TV and then see what they say.

[noobish hat]

Somehow I managed to keep hold of my last gaijin card (they usually take it off you when you leave). Perhaps they thought I'd be coming back since I had half my visa left. It will surely be a rare collectable in the future