Move to Japan
from the UK

A magical blend of ancient and modern, Japan is full of contradictions that somehow blend together to create something wonderful – from mystical temples and mysterious geisha to futuristic skyscrapers and far out manga.

The Japanese culture is totally unique, and many expats just can’t resist the temptations of a life in Japan where life is never dull.

It’s an amazing place…

You land, everything works, the trains run to the second, the food is ridiculous, and within about three days you’re wondering why the UK can’t manage a functioning rail timetable or a decent sandwich.

Even the convenience stores will reset your standards… you’ll go back to a Tesco/Sainsbury meal deal and feel like you’ve been royally mugged off.

That’s if you need a convenience store.

Japan has a vending machine for pretty much everything!

There are roughly 20,000 Brits living in Japan, and that number’s been ticking up as Japan slowly opens the door to more foreign workers. It’s still bureaucratic, still paperwork-heavy - but compared to five or ten years ago, it’s a lot more doable.

Most Brits cluster in Tokyo, where roughly 7,300 are registered, gravitating toward Minato (Azabu, Roppongi, Hiroo), Shibuya, Meguro, and Setagaya.

Further afield, Yokohama has around 1,800, Osaka 1,200, and Hokkaido 1,100 - largely thanks to the ski industry around Niseko.

One thing you do probably have to prepare for is the end of the detached house dream.

Your flat will likely be smaller than anything you’d tolerate in the UK. A “nice” Tokyo place for a couple might be 40-60 square metres. But it’ll come with a heated toilet seat, a bath that fills itself to the exact temperature you like, and a level of general competence that has you both amazed and mouthing “WTF?” in the same breath.

The culture shock doesn’t hit all at once - it comes in waves.

The politeness, the indirect communication (where “that might be difficult” actually means “absolutely not, mate”), and the slow realisation that you’ll always be a bit of an outsider.

Japan is welcoming, yes, but it’s not a melting pot in the way London is. It’s hard to ever feel like anything other than an outsider looking in.

And then there’s summer…

Tokyo in August is absolutely brutal - 33–35°C with humidity that can feel downright claustrophobic.

We also think it’s worth mentioning that Japan sits right on the Pacific Ring of Fire, so earthquakes are part of life here. Most are minor - the kind that barely interrupt your day - but bigger ones do happen (most recently, the deadly 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, which claimed over 19,000 lives).

Rest assured, buildings are designed with this risk in mind. You’ll get emergency alerts on your phone, trains will stop automatically, and after a while you’ll find yourself barely reacting to the small ones.

It’s not something to obsess over, but it’s definitely something you need to be comfortable with.

Japan’s healthcare system is one of the best you’ll ever use.

Universal coverage, excellent outcomes, and a life expectancy of around 85.

The biggest difference from the UK? Access.

You don’t wait months - you just go. Same-day or next-day appointments are normal, and seeing a specialist is often as simple as walking in.

How it works for expats

If you’re staying longer than three months, you’ll need to enrol in the system. Employees go onto Shakai Hoken (which is split roughly 50/50 with your employer, around 10% of salary).

Everyone else uses National Health Insurance (NHI), with premiums based on income.

In both cases, the system typically covers 70% of costs - you pay the remaining 30%. Pre-school children pay 20%. There’s also a high-cost medical system that caps what you pay each month based on your income, so you’re protected from huge bills in unforeseen cinrcumstances.

What things actually cost with insurance

Doctor visits are affordable. A standard consultation might cost £10-25, dental check-ups similar, and even scans like MRIs can come in under £50.

Compare that to private in the UK…

Hospital stays in shared wards are also low-cost compared to the UK private system, often including meals.

Prescriptions are cheap but tightly controlled - usually limited to a few weeks at a time. Ambulances are free (dial 119). And unlike the UK, basic dental care is covered under the same system - there’s no separate NHS-style charges.

Compared to the NHS

They are two completely different systems.

For a start, there’s no GP gatekeeping - you can go straight to specialists, and waiting weeks or months is rare. Japan also has one of the highest numbers of MRI scanners (per capita) in the world.

In terms of what you might find different in a bad way, well… you pay at the point of care, appointments can be brief (often 5-10 minutes), and there’s no single doctor tracking your history long-term. You’ll also find yourself going back regularly - prescriptions are short, so monthly visits are not uncommon.

And then there’s the language barrier.

Outside major cities, you might find yourself relying on very basic English, Google Translate, or a hope and a prayer.

Mental health

This is where Japan falls short, and it’s a real problem given that the country has one of the highest suicide rates in the developed world.

Psychiatric treatment is covered, but talking therapy usually isn’t. English-speaking therapists are extremely hard to find (and expensive).

Services like TELL Japan offer English-language counselling and are worth bookmarking before you need them.

Japan is an incredible place to raise children, full of incredible contrasts compared to the UK - but it comes with two big trade-offs: cost and language.

The safety alone is hard to overstate.

Kids walking to school alone, taking trains across the city - it’s all completely normal here. You quickly realise how much mental energy you used to spend worrying in the UK.

This lifestyle is actually repeated in several parts of Asia, but it’s really noticeable in Japan.

International schools

Most Brit families will choose an international school, and there are many good options - not many of them are cheap though.

• The British School in Tokyo (BST): A famous hotspot for expats. English National Curriculum through IGCSEs and A-Levels (IB Diploma added from 2025). Stunning new campus at Azabudai Hills. Expect roughly ¥2.8M–¥3.0M/year (£14k-£15k), but once you factor in enrolment and development fees, first-year costs can push well past £20,000.
• Malvern College Tokyo: Opened 2023 in Minato-ku. British curriculum with IB. Fees are a similar range to BST - roughly ¥2.7M–¥2.9M/year plus one-off costs.
• Rugby School Japan (Chiba): Full British boarding experience. Day fees are higher - roughly ¥4.5M–¥5.5M/year - with boarding on top. Serious money, but a very different (and very British) experience.
• K. International School Tokyo: Outstanding IB results - 25% of its 2025 class scored a perfect 45. Worth considering for the IB pathway.

State schools and childcare

State schools are free and open to foreign children, but everything is in Japanese.

Younger kids might be able to adapt. By secondary age, though? It’s a fiendishly difficult transition for older kids, and simply not a viable choice for most families (unless Japanese is spoken at home).

Childcare is more affordable than you might first expect. Basic nursery provision is free from age 3-5, while under-threes are means-tested and relatively low-cost. The challenge (and it’s a recurring trend) is availability - public nurseries in Tokyo are competitive, with waiting lists common, and the entire system runs in Japanese… so it can be daunting to even research it.

What surprises most parents is the different culture in Japanese classrooms.

The schools here focus heavily on independence and responsibility - kids clean classrooms, serve lunch, and take part in structured after-school clubs. It’s very different from the UK, and for many families, it’s a big positive.

If you can afford international schooling, Japan can be an exceptional place to raise younger children.

Keep in mind though - if you later decide to move back to the UK, there is the potential for reverse-culture shock, too.

Japanese people work hard and play hard.

The majority of the people live in the vibrant but densely populated cities where business is king and working overtime is expected.

Office workers often don’t make it home at night, instead grabbing a few hours sleep in one of the many tiny hotel sleeping capsules dotted around the cities or in their cars or even just napping in public places.

But although the Japanese work ethic may seem extreme, this is a people who also love to eat out and party, and fabulous restaurants and karaoke bars abound.

Japanese culture is also strongly influenced by western culture, so you’ll see plenty of familiar brands and products around.

Deeply rooted traditional values have created a nation of people who are achingly polite and helpful.

For westerners this can sometimes lead to making mistakes when it comes to social interaction. For example, greetings are accompanied by a bow, of which there are 3 separate kinds for different occasions, and you should dress neatly and conservatively if you don’t want to offend.

Japanese people can be very hard to read, with their actions not necessarily reflecting their true thoughts and feelings.

Older generations can often be shy and reserved around foreigners, but the younger crowd are generally much more accepting and often great fun to be around.

If you want to make the move to Japan, here are some extra practicalities you may wish to consider:

Transport

Tokyo’s rail and subway system… is about as good as it gets.

It’s vast, spotless, and runs with a level of punctuality that makes the UK feel like a different century. You’ll quickly stop checking timetables - trains just turn up when they’re supposed to. It’s amazing.

IC cards like Suica or Pasmo make everything seamless. You tap in, tap out, and you can use them for shops, vending machines, even some restaurants.

A monthly commuter pass will typically set you back around £40-60 depending on distance covered - it’s not “cheap”, exactly, but it’s exceptional value for what you get.

As for driving…

Whether you will need to depends on where you choose to live.

Japan drives on the left, and UK licences can be converted without a full test. The process is fairly straightforward but not quite as simple as it sounds - you’ll need a JAF translation (around ¥6,000), an eye test, proof you lived in the UK for at least three months after getting your licence, and a trip to the licence centre.

Expect a bit of paperwork and patience.

Phone and internet

No surprises here…

Internet infrastructure is excellent.

Fibre connections of 1-2 Gbps are the norm in cities, usually costing around £20-35/month.

For mobile, we’d say Rakuten Mobile is still the most foreigner-friendly option, with an English sign-up and an unlimited plan around ¥3,000/month. Mobal is another decent entry point - slightly more expensive, but it works with a UK card and doesn’t require a Residence Card to get started.

Banking

Opening a bank account is a bit of a process, and rules vary by bank.

In general, you’ll need a Residence Card, a Japanese phone number, and proof of address. Some banks also expect you to have been in Japan for a few months or to be employed locally.

Japan Post Bank is often the easiest starting point (just make sure you access the English language version!). SBI Shinsei is popular with expats and has a slightly more modern English interface.

Either way, don’t expect UK-level convenience - this is still a system built around paperwork and in-person verification. And the English-website versions often feel like a bit of an afterthought.

Language

Spain, it is not!

While, yes… you can get by in central Tokyo with basic English, especially in shops, restaurants, and on transport... that’s about as far as your English will take you.

Step outside that bubble and you’re dealing in Japanese everywhere. You’ll quickly hit a wall, or a roaming charge on Google Translate.

Japanese is one of the hardest major languages for English speakers (the US Foreign Service puts it in the top tier), and it takes time to master.

If you are planning to move to Japan, we would actually recommend learning some basics before you even get here.

The upside is that you don’t need fluency to massively improve your life.

Reaching a conversational level (around JLPT N4–N3) within a year or two makes everything - renting, admin, social life - a whole lot easier.

Property

Foreigners can buy property in Japan with virtually no restrictions - there is no overriding residency requirement, and no special status needed.

The problem is financing the purchase.

Most banks require permanent residency, and without it you’re often looking at large deposits (30-50%) or limited lending options. Fine if you have the money burning a hole in your pocket, but impractical for many expats.

Renting is where most people start, and even here… the expenses can pile up fast.

It’s not the monthly rent - it’s the upfront costs. Deposits, agency fees, and “key money” (a unique non-refundable payment to the landlord) mean you’ll typically need 4-6 months’ rent upfront.

Pets

Bringing a pet to Japan is possible, but it’s a long process - and one you need to start well in advance to prevent it from delaying your move (with best friend in tow).

You’ll need a microchip, two rabies vaccinations, a blood antibody test, and then a 180-day waiting period before travel. On top of that, you also have to notify Japan’s Animal Quarantine Service at least 40 days before arrival and get an export health certificate from the UK.

Miss a step, and your pet can be quarantined for up to 180 days at your expense - which is exactly as painful as it sounds.

It’s highly recommended that you use a specialist pet export/import agency to get the process done properly.