This article is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails. Read the Japanese original（日本語版を読む）
The Japanese language barrier, managing money, procedures at city offices and banks, and cultural differences are said to be troubles that many students meet. Do not carry them alone. The key to getting past them is to use your school's support for international students, local places where people meet, and specialists.
A guide for readers who want to know the troubles that often come up in student life in Japan, and what to do about them.
Polite language, and understanding the real meaning behind the words, tend to be the hard parts.
You may be able to talk with friends and still find the polite language used at your part-time job or at the city office difficult. Japanese also often leaves things unsaid, so it can be hard to work out what someone really feels. The katakana words that come up in 研修 (training) at a part-time job can be confusing, and talking on the telephone can feel especially hard. To get past this, make many chances to speak, ask straight away when you do not understand, and build confidence by practising for interviews and telephone calls.
Rent and living costs, and being ready for sudden expenses, tend to be the hard parts.
Rent in Japan is high, and moving can require a lot of money for a deposit, key money, an agency fee and so on. Food and transport also cost more than you might expect, and sudden expenses can come up when you are unwell or your mobile phone breaks. To get past this, prepare properly before you come to Japan, keep a record of what you spend, cook for yourself as a rule, use student discounts, and keep a balance between part-time work and study.
Difficult words and the number of documents needed tend to be a burden.
Forms at the city office and contracts at the bank use difficult Japanese and technical terms that you do not meet in daily life. Understanding a complicated explanation in a short time at a busy counter is hard, and there are many documents to bring, which can be confusing. To get past this, look things up beforehand on the city office website or at your school's support centre, use notes and a dictionary, use your school's support, and go with plenty of time to spare.
Real feelings versus what is said, reading the atmosphere, and relations with neighbours tend to cause confusion.
Japanese people avoid direct expression, so it can be stressful when opinions are not stated clearly. Some people find it hard to read the atmosphere, that is, to sense what the other person feels and what the situation calls for without it being put into words. Living in a flat can also call for care over noise, rules for putting out rubbish, how to greet people, and other small points of neighbourly life. To get past this, watch and learn from those around you, ask openly without fear of asking, join local events, and take cultural differences as a chance to learn.
The most important thing is not to carry your worries alone. When you are in trouble, you can always talk to senior students who have been through the same thing, to Japanese friends and teachers, and to specialists such as a 行政書士 (certified administrative procedures legal specialist, gyoseishoshi).
It is said to be effective to make more chances to speak with Japanese people, and to join Japanese language exchange meetings and local events.
Keeping a record of what you spend so that you can see where money is wasted, cooking for yourself as a rule, and using student discounts are among the suggestions.
Watching and learning from those around you, asking openly when you do not understand, and joining local events are recommended.
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This page is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails.