Moving + New Life Admin

Hi Guys! I think I've settled down quite a bit (kinda need a little more time to get used to 105-min lessons but oh well!)! Today I'm gonna summarise the stuff I can remember about moving before lessons and whatnot replace it!

Before you move:
You have to submit a 転出届 (Moving-out Notice) to the city office and return the National Health Insurance card + settle any outstanding payments! This can be done anytime from 2 weeks before the day you move. Don't forget to bring your 在留 Residence card!

There's also a 転居届 (Change of address notice) to submit to the post office so that they can send any mail to your new address if there's some addressed to the old one!

When you move in:
This time, you have to submit a 転入届(Moving-in Notice) to the city office and do the procedures for getting a National Health Insurance card there! This has to be done anytime until 2 weeks from when you move in!

If you've turned 20, you'll be required to pay for the National Pension System, BUT!! as a student, you can apply for an exemption at the city office! (It'll require the student pass from the new university though)

For Tokyo University, the admission procedures require a copy of the 住民票 (Certificate of Residence) which can be obtained from the city office with a processing fee of about 300 yen. As the procedures are quite early (29th Mar in my case, the same day the dorms started allowing students to move in), you can let the university staff know and submit this document at a later date in April!

Mitaka Dorms:
For those who plan to get a bicycle, you have to register the bicycle (after you bought it) with the Dorm Office! You'll get a sticker which allows you to park your bicycle round the premises!
(Got mine at the Mitaka ドンキホーテ Don Quijote, a discount store for around 11,000 yen + 500 yen for insurance excluding tax)

Tokyo University:
There's a 学生諸団体会費 which is not compulsory! I paid and kinda regret it now...perhaps I won't regret it if I find some use out of it! (will update if I do!)

There's this support organisation called 生協Co-op which manages the bookstore, travel counter and cafeteria on campus! Joining it allows you to get a 10% discount on books, and use the 学食パス system where you add money to your Suica or PASMO card for cashless dining! (the money can only be used for cafeteria food if I'm not wrong!) There's something like a deposit when you join though. It costs 16,000 yen but it'll be returned to you when you graduate.

Do apply for the 定期券 student's commuter pass to save up on transport! The uni will give you a student's proof card needed when purchasing one! (From Mitaka Dorms: You can apply for it at Kichijoji Station, 3 months for 7330 yen!)

If you're planning on commuting to the station by bicycle, register for the 定期 bicycle parking at Kichijoji as soon as possible! I registered at the start of April and the wait is 4 months long for the roof parking, 10 months for the second floor .__. The registered parking for the roof is 800 yen per month, way cheaper than the 100 yen I'm paying per day D:

So that's about it for now! (My memory's kinda fuzzy these days...) Random note: Make you save enough for the move, start up costs of getting furniture + appliances, orientation camp (was around 2万), class bonding activities (round 2000-3000 yen for each), joining the Uni Co-op, bicycle and what not! I think 100, 000 yen is a safe amount, but you might wanna save more if you're gonna rent an apartment especially with the extra costs of 礼金・敷金 gratitude money + key money!

Moving Day - Sending Stuff

Today I've finally packed finished and sent my luggage + boxes of stuff! Was supposed to send them earlier but oops .__. (If you're moving in March, do try to pack and send them early as it's the peak period!)

Sent a total of 4 boxes + a big suitcase for around 7,600 yen via Yu-Packゆうパック, a postal service by Japan Post. It's cheaper than using a moving company and renting a truck/van which can cost around 20,000 ~ 30,000 yen or more depending on the distance. The cost of using Yu-Pack depends on the distance and size of the package (Length + Breadth + Height).

The cost shown here is from Kinki Region to the rest of Japan

The dorm sells cardboard boxes at 320 yen for the large size (140cm) and at 220 yen for the small size (around 110cm *since it's over 100cm, it's charged at the 120cm size price). The large size boxes sold out during this week, so yup, do buy them early. Or, you can get free cardboard boxes from the Supermarket but they're are mostly within 100cm... Or, you can use a giant plastic bag to hold a small box, and add on to it! Then at the end, you wrap it up with other plastic bags (or a rice sack which I'd say is thicker) The downside is the end package isn't very sturdy, so pack only non-fragile stuff there (shoes, books, clothes, etc.).

Desperate times call for desperate measures

NOTE: Don't pack in aerosols, batteries, lighters, stuff that don't go into your luggage when you check in for flights! The Post Office won't accept parcels with those and it'll get sent back to your old address... 

On a side note, two more days left in Osaka and 5 more till uni entrance administration starts .__.