All visitor with long/mid-term staying visa will receive a little green card in most of the main airport e.g. Narita, Haneda, Chubu and Osaka...etc.

The card, which is called "Resident Card" (在留カード Zairyu ka-do) will be your ID card during your stay in Japan.
You will need to bring it with you all the time, and should lose it The card is like another you, a tiny card version you.
However, there is still 1 step left after receiving the card. Address registration.

According to Japanese law, you will need to register your address on the card within 14 days you you arrive at Japan.
Some might worry that "I am now staying in hotel" or like "I am just staying in this little flat share temporarily!"
Don't worry, just register the first address you have, and you can still be able to change it when you are going to move.
However, better confirm with the front desk or share house owner if you can register the address.

So for registering the address, you will first of all visit the ward / city office, and get the "Resident registration change document".

1. Let's take the sheet in Toyota-shi as an example.

1. 
2. Currently most of the ward / city office are available with English version of the form.

 

2. １．You will need to fill in the "date of notification", which is the date you hand in the document,
   　　and "date of change", which is the date you arrive at Japan first.

9. ２．Than please fill in your name, notice, you will need to fill in exactly the same with your resident card.
   　　If it is written in English alphabet (Romaji), fill it in English.

16. ３．Than your new address, English will be fine, no worries. Please remember to write the building name as well.
    　　In the "householder blank," please fill in your name, same as resident card, again.

24. ４．For your former address, the country name only will be fine e.g. America.
    　　In the "householder blank," please fill in your name, same as resident card, again.

31. ５．The personal information, in the bottom, you will need to fill in the "Furigana", Japanese words of your name.
    　　However, if you have no idea what to write, no worries, just leave it.
    　　For the "relationship to the householder" area, please fill in "SELF" as you are handing in the form by yourself.

38. ６．DONE! Just hand it in the the reception with your passport and resident card,
    　　and they will register your address on the card.

If you are here on your own, and temporary not working for any local company,
you will need to join "health insurance" as well, but let's leave it to our next topic!

or contact atinn!

Email us at nukumori@atinn.jp ,
or leave comments through "contact us" 
on the upper-right side to achieve more information!

Hope the above information helps!

Please note that the content is based on information in September 2017. Please contact us or check the website of the companies mentioned above for latest information.

※The photos of resident card is taken from the webpage of Immigration Bureau of Japan.
　http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/tetuduki/zairyukanri/whatzairyu.html

※The photo of resident registration change document is taken from the webpage of Toyota city office.
　http://www.city.toyota.aichi.jp/kurashi/todokede/jumintouroku/1002815.html