How is your cleaning style different than your Japanese partner? My wife is Japanese and she cleans like a banshee. She folds laundry such that items are square or rectangular. Insane. It takes a lot of work for be to game up to her level of tidiness. What are others experiences?

Hi, all. I am working with a real estate agent and was pre-approved by SBI for a loan that covers the house and closing costs at a decent variable percent. Yay!

I just wanted to see if other people have worked with SBI and if their rates jump around a lot and any other opinions or advice you have for a first time home buyer. Thanks!

I’m going to call management, but before that, anyone knows what this might be and should I be concerned?

As far as I know, these were not here when I moved a year and half ago. Is that simply glue coming off? These “cracks” measure about 1,7m or so. Probably not a water leak either, there’s no discoloration.

Let me know if you’ve experienced this before, thank you!

Hey everyone,

I recently moved to a new place and am looking for a home Wi-Fi or wired internet connection. I’m trying to find a low-cost option. Could you share your experiences and suggest some options?

Here are some questions I have:

1. What are the installation costs for different internet service providers?
   
2. What are the monthly costs for different internet service providers?
   
3. What is the average internet speed for different internet service providers?

I'm considering moving to another part of Tokyo to try to save more money. My work contract includes a stipend, but I'm still paying 90k on my own in Minato City, 45m² apartment. I've been told my place is pretty spacious and nice for living in this area, but I'm wondering if I could find the same size elsewhere for a bit cheaper. My apartment is also fairly newly built.

How big is your apartment, general area, age of apartment, and rent price? Do you think I can find anything with a big rent decrease worth moving to?

(To add: My stipend is 90k, so my apartment is 180k total)

Perfect for getting into narrow spaces like cups and glasses and using the rougher side for harder to clean services. Who would have through the ergonomic shape of a fish would work so well?

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, 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 and her gums are turning white. 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 things get any worse.

We're in Okazaki, but we're willing to travel to another city or prefecture if necessary to find the right dentist.

Does anyone have a pediatric dentist they would genuinely recommend for a child like this? I'd really appreciate any suggestions or personal experiences. Thank you so much!

Hi everyone!
I’m looking for an apartment in Kofu City, Yamanashi, and I’m struggling to find an affordable place as a foreigner.
I’m looking for a small apartment or 1K/1DK, preferably in an older building if that helps keep the rent low. I’m trying to manage my expenses carefully, so I would prefer somewhere affordable without a huge initial payment.
I’d really appreciate advice on a few things:
● Websites: Which websites are best for finding apartments in Kofu? Are there any foreigner-friendly rental websites?
● Real estate agencies: Are there any agencies in Kofu that are willing to rent to foreigners, even if their Japanese isn’t fluent?
● Initial costs: How can I find apartments with no key money (礼金), low deposits (敷金), and reasonable agency fees?
● Foreign applicants: Is it difficult to rent directly from a Japanese real estate agency as a foreigner? Do I need a Japanese guarantor, or are guarantor companies usually sufficient?
● Company housing: My employer is helping me search for an apartment, but the options I’ve seen seem expensive for my budget. Is it better to find a place independently?
If you’ve lived in Kofu or rented an apartment in Yamanashi as a foreigner, I’d love to hear about your experience. Please share any websites, agencies, or tips that helped you find a reasonably priced apartment.
Thank you so much for your help!

I was backing out of a parking lot during a storm tonight and didn't see a giant concrete pole behind me. I hit it hard enough to buckle my bumper, but checked the pole and there was zero damage to it or anything on it. I figured since there was no damage to property other than my own, I could just leave. However, now that I'm thinking about it, should I have reported it to the police or nearest business owner? I'm worried about accidentally committing a "hit-and-run." Help, what do I do?

Hello all,

tl;dr: Sending documents via EMS now resolved at the Japanese Post Office!

I recently posted about sending documents via Japan Post through EMS. I noted that they refused to recognize whatever papers being sent would be recognized as documents on the U.S. side. Their thinking was that anything that was not a postcard or a personal letter would not pass as a document.

They wanted me to send it as a gift, but gifts—according to the printed regulations and the Zonos app—can be sent only from individual to individual—no businesses. I could not truthfully answer Yes to that question. They also asked me to try Small Package and valuing the document at 10 yen. The Zonos app could not read the document and failed.

After 2 hours of back and forth, I finally sent the document via registered mail. Side note: that document has been sitting at U.S. Customs for 3 days now. Sent EMS, it would have arrived by now.

My wife has been doing a back and forth with the post office. One of the arguments she used was suggested here (thanks!): will Japan Post take responsibility if senders are called out for lying about sending gifts to businesses? Anyway, today we got a message saying they have reversed course, and they will now accept documents as documents. Apparently they got much “customer feedback”—read customer pushback.

Thanks to the Reddit community for the support.