Hello! My name is Anika. I'm a former au pair who worked in Japan for a long time. I will tell you about things to do after you arrive in Japan with a working holiday visa. 

• Get your residence card “zairyu card” 
• Enroll in national health insurance 
• Make a phone contract 
• Make a bank account  

Residence Card (“zairyu card”) 

Upon arrival in Japan, you'll show your passport, working holiday visa, and documents to airport staff. They'll check everything and you'll receive your "zairyu card" shortly after.  

Afterward, you need to go to your appropriate ward office "kuyakusho" within 14 days to finalize your residential registration. 

How do you know which ward office is correct? 

In my case, I lived in "Kanagawa-ku," so I had to go to the Kanagawa ward office.  "Ku" (区) always refers to the ward you live in. 

Here's the link to the Kanagawa ward office I went to: https://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kanagawa/ 

National Health Insurance ("Kokumin Kenkou Hoken") 

You also need to go to your designated ward office. You can do this on the same day you register your address or come another day. I recommend doing both at once. 

This is a public health insurance system for individuals who are not employed full-time in Japan. Monthly payments are based on your income and where you live. Since I was on a working holiday visa with no income, my payment was very low. 

It was around 1,500 JPY, which is less than 10 Euros per month as of now. 

You can pay your monthly fee at every convenience store in Japan. Which is pretty convenient!

Making a phone contract in Japan 

Compared to my home country, phone contracts in Japan are rather expensive and you get pretty little for it. But there are many different contracts to choose from. 

I chose OCN (https://service.ocn.ne.jp/mobile/sim/) and had the 3GB/month plan. It costs about 990 Japanese Yen per month. 

Here is a link with a list of various companies and their mobile phone plans. It is in Japanese so don’t forget to set it to English. 
https://kakaku.com/keitai/simulation/  

Opening a bank account in Japan 

My local bank was the Bank of Yokohama. It is important to choose the closest Bank from your home address as I had some issues because I went to a branch that was a little bit further. For opening a bank account it is really important to go to your local branch. 

I’m honest. It was tricky. I wasn’t allowed to open a bank account with a friend who speaks fluent Japanese. You probably have to sit there with the staff all by yourself and try your best to communicate in Japanese. 

What to bring: 

• Residence card ( see? It is so important to make your residence card asap!)
• Passport 
• Proof of address 
• Hanko (personal seal) 
• Japanese mobile number 

Tip: I personally never had a Hanko, but the bank staff understood I was a foreigner and accepted my signature. 
I want to share a small list of few phrases and words I used when I went to the Bank in Japan!

銀行	ginkou	Bank
受付	uketsuke	Information Desk
窓口	madoguchi	Teller Window
口座	kouza	Bank Account
普通口座	futsuukouza	Basic Bank Account
口座番号	kouzabangou	Bank Account Number
預金	yokin	Deposit
現金	genkin	Cash
手数料	tesuryou	Fee

預金口座を作りたいです. 
Futsū yokin kōzawokaisetsu shitai nodesuga. 
I want to open a savings account. 

日本円に両替してください. 
Nihon en ni ryougae shite kudasai.
Please exchange into Japanese yen. 

お金を預入たいです. 
Okane wo azukeiretai desu. 
I want to deposit money. 

お金を引き出したいです 
Okane wo hikidashitai desu. 
I want to withdraw money.

手数料はかかりますか? 
Tesūryō wa kakarimasu ka? 
Are there any fees involved? 

In conclusion, getting your residence card, enrolling in health insurance, securing a phone plan, and opening a bank account are all important steps to take after arriving in Japan with a working holiday visa. While it may seem exhausting, these tasks can be accomplished with a little preparation and the helpful resources provided. In no time you'll be well on your way to enjoying a smooth and amazing working holiday experience in Japan!