Living in Tokyo, Japan:
Tips for Moving and Visiting

If you’re moving to Tokyo, be prepared for a steamy summer that feels like living in a sauna when you’re outdoors. Trains arrive every five minutes and are punctual. People might not seem friendly at first as they are generally shy, but they’ll warm up if you initiate conversation. While rent can be high, food is affordable. With the current significant depreciation of the yen, now is an ideal time to relocate to Tokyo.

If someone were to move to Tokyo, the most important thing to know about would be hidden costs. Public transportation is extremely convenient, but the price can add up quickly. Move-in fees are also quite costly here, sometimes totaling up to 3 months rent. Taxis are quite affordable within the first kilometer or two, but after that they quickly become expensive.

Tokyo is a multiethnic city that provides young and old people with plenty of opportunities. Some might argue it is too hectic but its sounds and lights and people is what makes you feel alive. Besides, it takes less than an hour to get out of the metropolis and find yourself plunged into nature, by hiking on the wilderness trials of the nearby Mt Takao or by enjoying the sun setting behind Mt Fuji while surfing in the neighboring Shonan area.

Tokyo is a metropolitan urban jungle. It’s modern and technologically-advanced, and yet backwards in many ways. Living here as a foreigner, you’ll soon be made aware of how different you are—if not by the blatant stares you receive from passers-by, then by the “No Foreigner” signs hanging on numerous establishment doors.

Tokyo has been ranked one the most expensive cities in the world. Although this might be true, I have found that certain things are much more affordable here than their counterparts in other major cities like Chicago. For example, in the States I often found it difficult to spend less than 10 USD when eating out. In contrast, it is easy to find meals for under 1000 JPY (approximately 9.30 USD) anywhere in Tokyo.