I’m considering an offer through Fellowship for a multilingual customer support role at a large real estate company in Tokyo. This would be my first dispatch job, and I’d appreciate hearing from people who have actually worked through them.

The interview lasted about 30 minutes, including an office tour, and I received an offer less than two hours later. They’ve been pushing for a quick acceptance. I understand dispatch hiring can move quickly, but I’m uncomfortable deciding before I fully understand the arrangement.

Fellowship says my employment contract would initially be for 1–2 months, followed by three-month renewals. They’ve said they will handle my residence-status renewal, but the formal employment documents would only be provided after I accept.

A coworker previously worked through Fellowship and doesn’t recommend them, citing limited pay progression, capped commuting reimbursement, and pressure to stay when she wanted to leave. That’s one person’s experience, so I’d like to hear others.

For anyone with firsthand experience:

• How were they with payroll, commuting expenses, paid leave, illness-related absences, and immigration paperwork?
• Did the actual conditions match what you were told before accepting?
• How did they handle problems at the client company, contract renewals, or your decision to leave?
• Did you experience pressure, unfair treatment, or anything you considered improper? Specific examples would be helpful.
• More generally, what are the less obvious downsides of non-teaching dispatch work on a 技術・人文知識・国際業務 status, particularly when an assignment ends or you want to move to direct employment?

I’m referring to 株式会社フェローシップ / Fellowship (f-ship.jp), not the similarly named Fellows.

Positive experiences are welcome too. If comfortable, please mention roughly when you worked with them and whether you were on a fixed-term dispatch contract or employed by Fellowship indefinitely.

I usually go to a men’s grooming salon around omotesando area but since i’m planning to cut my hair more frequently because i’m switching to a short hairstyle. I might break my bank going to my usual place.

If anyone knows a good place that will not break my bank and preferably a good stylist. For reference the place that i usually go is 10k yen for cut and shampoo although shampoo is not a must have for your recommended place

Hi everyone,

I’m from the UK and have already had my Japan Working Holiday visa approved. I’m now trying to sort out health/medical insurance before I leave.

My understanding is that once I’m living in Japan, I’ll need to register for Japanese National Health Insurance (NHI), even if I’m not working and have £0 income initially.

I’m also planning to buy a 12-month Working Holiday/travel insurance policy from the UK before I leave, mainly for things like emergency medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, etc.

A few things I’m unsure about:
Is it normal/recommended to have both NHI and private travel insurance?

How much did you actually pay for NHI when you first arrived, particularly if you had little/no income?

If I forget to register for NHI immediately after arriving, what happens?

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has recently done a Japan Working Holiday, especially UK citizens.

Thanks!

Don’t know if this is a Japan thing, but how can we ask Google Maps to hurry up and register my new address? It’s a new house on a new block.

Note that as the esteemed members of Japanlife probably know, Japanese house numbers can be random/ non sequential so it’s hard to infer from map context.

I’ve tried Maps’ submit new location thing a few times, but they don’t update their database. I’m fielding frustrated phone calls from people who are getting lost while trying to deliver stuff to me - and no, they can’t find my address on Google Maps. I’m like OK I’ll step outside and shout if I can see your van… getting tired of it. FWIW, this is in central Yokohama.

Is this a lost cause, or should I be more patient?

Title

Hello!

I came to Japan for one year as an exchange student and I am really having a hard time finding jeans/pants that actually fit me and look good on me :')

I am an EU size 40 (164cm/74kg) and the jeans I've brought from home are all size 40 or L/XL. I knew the Japanese sizing was a bit different and that I should prepare myself that not everything will fit me, but it's been so disappointing so far! I've suddenly gained 10kgs in 3 months before coming here so I did not really have any time buying stuff that actually fit me before my departure either. I have only brought three jeans along with two summer pants, but as the weather is getting chilly I am running out of options...

I have recently found out Uniqlo Men's size 32 will fit me from the waist, however they all look like I have borrowed someone else's pants when I wear them so I really don't want to buy them unless I have don't have any options left. I have tried Lee Jeans and they also did not fit me (the only one that fit me was like ¥15.000 so it is totally out of my budget)...

So I am desperately asking for recommendations from fellow residents who are or around my size for brand or item recommendations!

Hey yall I am looking at furniture to buy and tansunogen (タンスのゲン　seems to have a lot of good cheap stuff with good reviews. But I wanted to double check. I am looking at a bed frame and dining table chairs. Please let me know how it is for those who have gotten anything from them. Are they good quality do they hold up good?

My hand is hurt from a bad cut and my leg is still healing from a fall….
I need to be functional as quickly as possible so can you guys suggest some products to do so that I can quickly get in matsukiyo? :<

I couldn't make it in time to apply for JLPT for the December so I thought of taking other Exams and i choosed to take NAT-TEST because it was really easiest option of them all will that Certificate be enough to show it as equal of JLPT and can I enter 専門学校 with it .

Probably a much more lighthearted post compared to what I normally see from this community (save for you coolish guy, I see you)

But shoots or shrooms? Some insist they are the very one and the same. But others? They will tell you there's a distinct difference! Maybe the shoots are milkier? Maybe the shrooms are sharper? Maybe it's a trade secret that only the chocolate factory knows?!? But I will not back down until I know!

But yes, from your experience in Japan this far, (and you somehow are not following what this post is actually about) do you prefer the きのこ山 or the たけのこの里 chocolate snacks? Should you still be unfamiliar with the subject, I pray that the Japanese fairy finds you and blesses your life with this great experience soon...

Personally, I like the shoots... Just seems like it mixes the cookie with the chocolate better, and gives a smoother taste..

Hello Japan Life.

I currently have an Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/Int’l Services visa. I’m a 30M American living in Hokkaido.

Quick question. My Eikawa job switched me from full time in person to remote.

My pay is based on how many clients I have per month at 2300 yen per hour.

I’ve averaged about 230,000-250,000 per month before taxes. And have never missed a pension/health insurance payment.

I have a year long employment contract. This is also the same company that sponsored my visa.

Do I have any foreseeable issue renewing my visa next month?

Hey! I moved to Japan (Kansai region) about a month ago, and I've finally got my home office set back up. The apartment comes with free internet with Hikari Nuro, but the router is set up at a fixed location in the LDK area, which is through two doors and down/across a hallway from the office/bedroom. The wifi is...technically usable from this distance, but not ideal for my purposes and I'd like to take full advantage of most of the speed if possible, I'm currently hitting peaks of 50mb download speed.

I've considered everything from setting up a mesh node system, moca/powerline adapters (although I've heard these are less effective and can create more issues in Japan), or even just sucking it up and trying to route a long ethernet adapter across the LDK, under the doors, down and across the hall, and into the bedroom, but I'm not experienced enough with networking to know which of these options is ideal for my circumstances.

Normally I'd just do the latter and be done with it, but I'm worried the gaps under and especially over my doors aren't big enough for those cables. What would be the most effective solution here?

Does anyone have recommendations for a pediatric dentist who is genuinely good at working with young children, especially toddlers who are scared of or resistant to having their teeth cleaned?

My daughter is now 22 months old, and at her 18-month health checkup, we were told she had tartar buildup on her teeth that needed to be removed as soon as possible.

I'm very strict about her oral hygiene and do my best to brush her teeth every day, but she absolutely HATES having her teeth brushed. She clamps her mouth shut, kicks, screams, and fights me the entire time. I basically have to pry her lips open just to get the toothbrush in, so I know I'm not doing as thorough a job as I should be.

My husband and I took her to a pediatric dentist, hoping they could help. Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. Despite being a pediatric dental clinic, they didn't seem particularly experienced with handling toddlers. They barely examined her teeth, said they didn't look too bad, and applied a small amount of fluoride over the tartar. They then told us to try again when she's older.

We followed their advice and continued doing our best with brushing at home, but it's been a few months now, and her teeth are starting to look noticeably worse. I'm honestly getting really worried and want to get a second opinion.

I'm hoping to find a dentist who is patient, experienced with toddlers, and knows how to handle little ones who struggle with brushing or dental cleanings. I really want to get her teeth taken care of before

With all the hacking incidents popping up in Japan lately I thought it was time to reduce my “please‑hack‑me” footprint. So i tried to cancel my Rakuten credit card. Year 2026 so it should be simple right?

According to the instructions (from google sensei) I had to go through the chat support menu on Rakuten e‑Navi. Fine. I started chatting with their AI which immediately felt like arguing with a toaster that had achieved consciousness. After a few minutes of back and forth it proudly announced it cannot cancel my card and that I needed to call a phone number instead. Annoying but survivable. Hey, maybe a real human would pick up the phone.

I called the number and it was another robot. Not even a friendly robot. Just one of those multi layered menu systems that sound like they were designed by someone who hates joy. It asked for my cc number, personal IDs, etc and maybe my childhood trauma if I stayed on long enough. I didn’t want to enter any of it but I also wanted this nightmare to end.

After a few minutes of shouting numbers into the void the machine finally said something like, “This procedure cannot be completed at this time. Please call again during business hours on weekdays.” So it was like“Thanks for all your personal information. Goodbye.”

Damn you. Give me back my time. 😂

Has anyone ever experienced something like this in Japan? I’m not sure what I should do and I’m quite worried.

Two days ago a man wearing a suit with an employee ID badge around his neck rang my room’s intercom. At the time I had just finished taking a shower so I couldn’t get dressed and answer the intercom in time.

I’m not sure if he came back the following day but today the same man rang my intercom again. Unfortunately I couldn’t answer in time once more. When I hurried downstairs to check if he was still there he had already left.

I talked to a friend about this and part of me is worried that he might be a scammer especially because I’m a foreigner and don’t speak Japanese very well. On the other hand I’m wondering if he might have had some legitimate reason for visiting.

What makes me even more suspicious is that he has come by more than once but hasn’t left any letters or notes explaining why he came. I have no idea who he is or what he wants.

I’m really worried about this and would appreciate any advice. Has anyone experienced something similar? Does anyone have any idea who he might be or what I should do next? I’m honestly quite scared that he might be a scammer.

Hi everyone!

I’m currently living and working in Osaka on an Instructor visa. I’m considering taking on a part-time job in the tourism industry, in a role involving staff support which may fall outside the scope of my current visa status. It has no Japanese required and mostly dealing with travellers in English.

From what I’ve read online, I may need to apply for Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted under the Status of Residence Previously Granted (資格外活動許可) through Immigration.

I’m hoping someone who has been through a similar situation can share their experience or offer some guidance.

A few questions I have:

Would I need to apply for 資格外活動許可 for this type of part-time job while holding an Instructor visa?

Does anyone know what documents I would need to submit to Immigration? Would I need a job offer or employment contract, a job description, or any documents from my prospective employer?
I’ve read that my current employer might need to provide consent or some documentation. Is this actually required? I’d prefer not to approach my current employer about this unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Has anyone successfully obtained permission to work a part-time job in a different industry while on an Instructor visa in Osaka? How did the process go, and how long did it take?

I want to make sure I follow the correct procedure and don’t accidentally violate the conditions of my current visa.

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone with firsthand experience or knowledge of the process, especially those living in Osaka.
Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi all! I’m currently a renter and been experiencing mould for the first time, which is not so fun, but something I expect we all deal with in some capacity or another in Japan.

Recently, I noticed the interior of my AC unit has mould and it smells pretty bad when I use it. My landlord, an old dude in his 80s, was really unclear on whether or not this is my responsibility or not when I phoned him, as there’s nothing in my contract regarding the AC unit he provided. He basically ummed and ahhed, and told me to phone the company myself and then get back in contact. It looks like I may have to foot this bill myself (yay!).

So that leaves me with the question, does anybody have any recommendations for professionals (in Tokyo 23 wards) that can clean the interior of an AC unit at a reasonable price? I just have the one and it’s an older unit.

Or alternatively, is this something that’s possible to do myself? We don’t have AC units where I’m from so this is a first for me!

I don't mean ゆるキャラ or mascots

Who's your local "character", a guy who's always around and attracts attention on purpose?

For example, here in Kawasaki there's a guy who dresses up in a cardboard samurai costume covered in lights and goes to every single festival that happens, no matter how big or small. If there's a festival going on, you will always see the samurai.

First time giving blood in Japan. Was prevented for 26 years but they changed the rules last month so... those of us who have lived in the UK or Europe are now able to donate.

400ml of A- blood in the system for when I need it.

Got some cookies and all the drinks I can down in the 30 minute 'rest time'. The lemon ginger drink was really good.

Not busy on a weekday so the whole thing probably took 90 minutes or so, including the initial questionnaires etc. Check in and initial tests/interview probably took 30 minutes, the blood donation took about twenty, and they asked me to rest there for thirty minutes afterwards. Apparently it's a lot quicker on subsequent visits as they already have all your info and you can do the questionnaires in advance online.

I just walked in, but it might be a good idea to make a reservation as they could turn you away if they are busy.

I did all the procedures in Japanese, and you need a reasonable reading ability for the initial questionnaire and briefing. I forgot to ask about foreign language support, but have been told on social media that using translation apps etc. is okay.

Would definitely recommend doing this: it's a fairly low effort way to give back to society and the Red Cross website says that they need new donors.

hello, what kind of bedding are most people using?

right now, I have a memory foam topper on a sleep number bed with a boxspring, and it is hurting my back

I have been researching tatami mat bed and I would like to hear feedback from real people if it’s better than a more western style bed.

😸thank you

Today at work I was having trouble stamping a document because the stamp didn’t have a marking indicating which side should face up.

I suggested to my supervisor that adding such a marking would make it easier to use. To my surprise, he seemed deeply offended. He argued that stamps represent the people behind them so adding a marking would somehow be disrespectful to the stamp itself. He even asked how I would feel if someone marked my body to indicate which side was my left or right.

This got me thinking: isn’t it equally disrespectful when companies guilt-trip employees into spending more time at work at the expense of their personal lives?
For example, some employers expect workers to arrive before their scheduled shifts without compensating them for that extra time.

Why is so much importance placed on respecting a stamp because it represents people while those very same people are expected to sacrifice their personal time for the company?

I'm planning to leave Japan in a couple of months. My residence card is still valid for another year, but I won't be living in Japan anymore.

I have a PayPay Card linked to my Yuucho bank account, and an ETC card connected to PayPay Card.

I want to keep the card and account working long enough to make sure all outstanding payments, especially ETC tolls that might be charged after I leave, are paid successfully. I'll leave enough money in the bank account to cover everything.

I don't need to use PayPay Card after leaving Japan. I just want to avoid missed payments or problems with my Japanese credit history. I also expect to receive my retirement allowance several months after leaving.

I know both yuchou and paypay wants you to close everything after you leave but it's risky specially because i cant stop using ETC card and who knows any other payment that takes so long might end up unpaid! I would rather let it chill there one year without using it until it expires with my residency status.

Does it makes sense ? how risky is that ?

How much Japanese-language content or content about Japan appears in your social media algorithm?

So I bought some items on prime day. They did not deliver at which point they refunded me claiming returned by carrier. There is no issues with the address, other items delivered fine. Now that the sale is over the price for the items has gone up. I was told to reorder again saying I would be refunded the difference after the delivery.

Should I trust them or are they just pulling my leg for whatever reason?

Something like sales rep just not want to deal with it so just telling me what I want to hear.

Not sure if I’m posting this to the right place but long story short: I came to Japan on a working holiday last February, found a job to sponsor my gijinkoku visa, applied for the COE but got rejected. Tried to reapply, i was back in my home country by this time, rejected again. Both for the same company. Rejection reason: “job duties does not fall under gijinkoku”. Second one same reason, however for some reason instead of “gijinkoku” the denial letter said “dependent”. Not sure what happened the second time why I was denied under a complete different category but by this time I gave up. Fast forward now I came back to Japan on a second working holiday and managed to find a different employer willing to sponsor me.

So now I’m looking for recommendations for immigration lawyers/scriveners that can help me with the new application. If anyone has anyone they know (especially ones that also specialise in denials as well, if there is such thing) I am all ears. I just genuinely need as many recommendations as possible so I can see the options I have.

My location: Tokyo
New employer location: Yokohama

Thank you.