Everyday life/Practical Guide

City Hall
Reception desk phone number is 23-6495
Closest bus stop is shiyakusho-mae.

Alien Registration
You need your passport, 2 photographs (4.5cm X 3.5cm) and your address.

Inkan Registration
In the "citizen's Affairs Division" in City Hall, apply for an "inkan stamp certificate" (inkan shoumeisho).

National Health Insurance (back to top)
If you have an Alien Registration Card, you are by definition required to subscribe to the health insurance program. Subscribe at the "National Health Insurance & Pension Division" in City Hall.

Cash, Foreign Exchange and Traveller's Checks
Travellers checks aren't very common in Okazaki. Bring a Visa card and use the ATMs operated by the post office.

Opening a Bank Account
You'll need an Alien Registration Card from the City Hall to open a bank account.

Cash Card (back to top)
When you open an account, you can also apply for a cash card at the same time so that you can use at ATMs.

Overseas Remittances and Foreign Currency Exchange
Remittances can be made from both banks (bank transfer) and post offices (giro). Remittances from foreign banks to post accounts are not possible.

Embassies and Consulates
There are no embassies or foreign consulates in Okazaki.

Pre-Paid Cellphones (back to top)
Telephones that anyone can use. You can buy replacement cards from convenience stores.

Subscription Cellphones
For these you mostly need an Alien Registration Card.

Bookshops
The largest being Miraiya-shoten on the 3rd floor of the AEON shopping complex. For the most part the bookshops only sell Japanese language content. Magazines, maps, dictionaries and so on are also available in most of the shops.

Courier Services, Moving/Leaving (back to top)
If you move into Okazaki, remember to go to City Hall for Alien Registration. You will need to contact the Utilities companies about 7-10 days before you leave.

The telephone numbers are:
Electricity: Chubu Electric Co. (Chubu Denryoku)
Tel: 51-5911

Gas: Okazaki Gas (Okazaki Gasu)
Tel: 21-2231

Water: Okazaki City Water Works
(Okazaki-shi Suidokyoku)
Tel: 23-6350

Time Difference (back to top)
All of Japan is on the same time zone, the country is 9 hours ahead of GMT.

Electricity
Household current is AC100V on 60Hz. The required plugs are flat two-pin, usually with no earth. Battery sizes A, AA, AAA, are common and sold in virtually any convenience stores.

Libraries
Okazaki Public Library
Myodaiji-cho
Azachaen 11-3 Tel: 0564-51-2251
As of 2004: Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (July and August until 6 p.m.), closed Mondays, the 3rd Friday of the month, and the period between December 28th and January 4th.

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