Moving out of one country and into another can be a long process if you don’t know the luxury of having been born in the European Union. There are several important things to remember, from visas to shipping, to vaccination shots and more. With all that in mind, here are some of the most important things to remember when moving out of Japan.
The first thing to remember to do is to look towards cancelling you apartment contract – which in Japan, should usually be done one month in advance. But this may vary from person to person, depending on the contract you’ve struck with your landlord/landowner. For this step, you’ll need to know what date you’re shipping out, and know that you’ll have everything shipped and sorted by then.
This goes the same for you electricity, gas, and water bills (general utilities) as well as certain services, such as phone services or magazine deliveries. Make sure to cancel everything you’d be paying for prior to leaving Japan. Most of these will need to be taken care of, unless you want to continue paying for a service you aren’t using.
Shipping is important – and it’s often the recommended first step. Before you cancel anything, any services or subscriptions, you must make sure your deals are set in whatever country you’re moving to, and that the things you intend to take will travel easily. Packing is an important process, and it’s often a good suggestion to start with the small things. Trinkets and books, DVDs or personal effects that you know you’ll be taking along, but won’t be an everyday necessity like clothes or bedsheets.
Cardboard boxes don’t cost any more than a few hundred Yen each, but the shipping companies are still necessary – for which I’d recommend some Japanese international moving companies. Some international moving companies are excellently ranked companies that will help expats move both in and out of Japan. Depending on the company, they also have several international moving plans, all of which can be adjusted to fit the needs of the buyer. Some plans handle shipping by sea, others by the more expensive air freight, which tends to be far quicker.
Shipping should be reserved for larger transports, such as couches, TVs, and items that would generally weigh too much/be too large for surface mail. If you have nothing of this sort to transport, then surface mail would generally do the trick – it’s less expensive, but the longest option by far. Your boxes should arrive to whichever country you’re moving to within the span of three months, give or take a few days – but again, it’s largely dependant on time and place.
International moving from Japan is an affair that can range from long to short and easy, depending on how you handle it. International shipping companies are always a very good (if pricey) way to go if you’re serious about the move, and making sure all your loose business is settled before you go ought to be a priority. If you keep all that in mind, there’s nothing you won’t be prepared for in your move out of Japan.
