The following is a short guide for navigating the city based on what I've experienced living in Osaka so far. I hope it can be some help to those who are planning to live in the city for a temporary but extended period of time, especially for the first time.
1. The Plane Ride
Depending on where you're traveling from, it's likely that the plane ride to Japan will be quite a few hours. For me, traveling from the American Midwest, it was 13 hours to Narita followed by another 2 hours to Osaka--certainly a shock to the system for my first time traveling abroad. Make sure to check your flight duration, and always arrive to your flight 2-3 hours in advance. Customs can take a long time, and there might be holdups; you always want to be early instead of trying to rush through security.
Secondly, it may be helpful to research what going through customs declaration looks like. How strict customs are depends on the country, but there are always specific things that customs are looking out for. If you are unsure of your answers, you may be held up for an extended period of time, or even miss your flight. In my experience, they handed us customs declaration sheets on the plane ride that passengers could fill out before arriving. If you find yourself unsure of anything at the airport, never be afraid to ask someone at a desk or to research your question online. You can see what customs declaration looks like for Japan here: https://www.customs.go.jp/english/passenger/declaration/declaration_app.html
The bottom line: Try not to stress about the flight, but do your best to be prepared!
2. I'm Here. How Do I Get Around?
Navigating a new public transportation system can be confusing. In my case, I was familiar with using public transportation in my home city, so I found myself getting used to Osaka public transportation quickly. However, there will always be surprises.
I used Google Maps to figure out new routes, because it tells you the train station, the train line, and the direction your train is going in. Generally, these are the three things you want to know before getting on the train, as well as what stop to get off at. However, the train stops always have plenty of signage and station workers who can help.
There are a few ways you can pay the train fare. In Osaka, you can use an electronic station to buy a ticket based on the line you're taking, or you can use your debit card/phone if it has tap-to-pay. Also, you can buy a transportation card that you can put money on. I personally recommend using tap-to-pay if it's an option, or getting a transportation card, as it's the most convenient. Note that buses do not usually accept tap-to-pay, at least in Osaka. This is where having a transportation card is useful.
Finally, in Japan, you can hail a taxi with the Uber app. Unlike other places such as the US, Uber encompasses taxi companies instead of independent drivers. Personally, I recommend having the Uber app installed just in case. There were a few times during my first week where I needed to call a cab that I couldn't have predicted.
3. Money Exchange/Using Yen
When you get off the plane, I recommend not using the airport currency exchange, as the rates can be worse than other places. Generally, the best place to exchange your money for yen is at any 7-11 ATM, or any ATM labeled with the 7-11 logo.
For some reason, one of the things I've had to ask for quite a few times is to split my yen bills into change. If you want a clerk at a convenience store to turn a 1000-yen bill into ten 100-yen coins, for example, you can begin by asking: 「すいません。この せんえん くずして もらえませんか？」
7-11 counters will usually break your change if you don't buy anything, but Lawson and Family Mart won't. You can buy a 10 yen candy if you happen to need change there.
4. How To Say Thank You
When interacting with services, there are a few ways people go about expressing their gratitude. In English, "thanks" or "thank you" will always suffice, but it can be different in Japanese. Let's take paying at a restaurant counter for an example:
・ When you are handed your food, you can say 「ありがとうございます」(saying thanks)
・ When the cashier asks if you want a receipt, you can say 「はい、おねがいします」(saying thanks when someone is about to do a task)
・ Before you exit, you can say 「ありがとうございました」(saying thanks with finality, "thanks for everything")
Obviously, every situation is different, but this is a pattern I've noticed among my native speaker friends. Listen and watch how native speakers handle service exchanges, because it can be really useful.
These are the main points I've observed in my stay so far. If you have any questions or personal experiences, feel free to share in the comments!
1. The Plane Ride
Depending on where you're traveling from, it's likely that the plane ride to Japan will be quite a few hours. For me, traveling from the American Midwest, it was 13 hours to Narita followed by another 2 hours to Osaka--certainly a shock to the system for my first time traveling abroad. Make sure to check your flight duration, and always arrive to your flight 2-3 hours in advance. Customs can take a long time, and there might be holdups; you always want to be early instead of trying to rush through security.
Secondly, it may be helpful to research what going through customs declaration looks like. How strict customs are depends on the country, but there are always specific things that customs are looking out for. If you are unsure of your answers, you may be held up for an extended period of time, or even miss your flight. In my experience, they handed us customs declaration sheets on the plane ride that passengers could fill out before arriving. If you find yourself unsure of anything at the airport, never be afraid to ask someone at a desk or to research your question online. You can see what customs declaration looks like for Japan here: https://www.customs.go.jp/english/passenger/declaration/declaration_app.html
The bottom line: Try not to stress about the flight, but do your best to be prepared!
2. I'm Here. How Do I Get Around?
Navigating a new public transportation system can be confusing. In my case, I was familiar with using public transportation in my home city, so I found myself getting used to Osaka public transportation quickly. However, there will always be surprises.
I used Google Maps to figure out new routes, because it tells you the train station, the train line, and the direction your train is going in. Generally, these are the three things you want to know before getting on the train, as well as what stop to get off at. However, the train stops always have plenty of signage and station workers who can help.
There are a few ways you can pay the train fare. In Osaka, you can use an electronic station to buy a ticket based on the line you're taking, or you can use your debit card/phone if it has tap-to-pay. Also, you can buy a transportation card that you can put money on. I personally recommend using tap-to-pay if it's an option, or getting a transportation card, as it's the most convenient. Note that buses do not usually accept tap-to-pay, at least in Osaka. This is where having a transportation card is useful.
Finally, in Japan, you can hail a taxi with the Uber app. Unlike other places such as the US, Uber encompasses taxi companies instead of independent drivers. Personally, I recommend having the Uber app installed just in case. There were a few times during my first week where I needed to call a cab that I couldn't have predicted.
3. Money Exchange/Using Yen
When you get off the plane, I recommend not using the airport currency exchange, as the rates can be worse than other places. Generally, the best place to exchange your money for yen is at any 7-11 ATM, or any ATM labeled with the 7-11 logo.
For some reason, one of the things I've had to ask for quite a few times is to split my yen bills into change. If you want a clerk at a convenience store to turn a 1000-yen bill into ten 100-yen coins, for example, you can begin by asking: 「すいません。この せんえん くずして もらえませんか？」
7-11 counters will usually break your change if you don't buy anything, but Lawson and Family Mart won't. You can buy a 10 yen candy if you happen to need change there.
4. How To Say Thank You
When interacting with services, there are a few ways people go about expressing their gratitude. In English, "thanks" or "thank you" will always suffice, but it can be different in Japanese. Let's take paying at a restaurant counter for an example:
・ When you are handed your food, you can say 「ありがとうございます」(saying thanks)
・ When the cashier asks if you want a receipt, you can say 「はい、おねがいします」(saying thanks when someone is about to do a task)
・ Before you exit, you can say 「ありがとうございました」(saying thanks with finality, "thanks for everything")
Obviously, every situation is different, but this is a pattern I've noticed among my native speaker friends. Listen and watch how native speakers handle service exchanges, because it can be really useful.
These are the main points I've observed in my stay so far. If you have any questions or personal experiences, feel free to share in the comments!
