If you are a newly arrived English instructor in Japan, you are about to face two of the biggest headaches ever: sending money back home and getting a Japanese phone number.
Make the wrong call on either one, and you will waste over ¥5,000 in your first month alone — plus hours trapped in paperwork loops that nobody warned you about.
I work with foreign instructors every day. I have watched teachers bring translators just to open a basic bank account. I get stressed-out phone calls from people stuck at phone shops because the staff refused to process their application without a Japanese speaker present. This is not an edge case. It happens constantly.
Here is how to avoid it.
Part 1: The JP Post (Yucho) Trap vs Wise
Once you get your residence card, your company will almost certainly make you open a JP Post Bank (Yucho) account to receive your salary. That part is fine. The problem starts when teachers use that same account to send money home.
Traditional Japanese banks charge a flat remittance fee of ¥3,000 or more per transfer. On top of that, they quietly take another 2–3% by giving you a worse exchange rate than the real one. On a single ¥100,000 transfer, you are handing the bank ¥5,000+ for no reason.
Wise uses the real mid-market rate — the same number you see on Google — and shows you exactly what the fee is before you confirm. No hidden margins.
Your first transfer fee is completely free through this link.→ Open your Wise account here.
Part 2: Why Getting a Japanese SIM is a Nightmare
To open a bank account or sign a housing contract in Japan, you need a local phone number. But walk into Docomo, Au, or SoftBank as a newly arrived foreigner and you will hit this loop almost immediately:
- They ask for a Japanese bank account – which you cannot get without a phone number.
- They require a Japanese credit card – impossible for a newcomer.
- They lock you into a 2-year contract with steep cancellation fees.
I see teachers turned away from these shops every week. Do not spend your first weekend in Japan trying to fight through this.
These are the only three options worth your time:
For an eSIM you can activate before your flight: Mobal If you want data connectivity the moment your plane lands — for Google Maps, messaging your company, finding your way to the hotel — Mobal’s eSIM installs directly on your phone before you leave home. No physical SIM, no airport queues, no paperwork.
For a real Japanese phone number: Mobal If your dispatch company requires a local 070/080/090 number immediately for your contract, Mobal handles this too. Foreign credit cards accepted, full English support, no hidden cancellation fees.
For long-term use and pocket Wi-Fi: Sakura Mobile If you need a pocket Wi-Fi for your apartment, or want a reliable long-term SIM with English customer service, Sakura Mobile is the most trusted option among long-term foreign residents in Japan.
Quick Summary
- Salary: Use your Yucho only to receive your paycheck. Nothing else.
- Remittance: Never send money home through traditional banks. → Use Wise to save ¥5,000+ per transfer.
- Data before arrival: Install a Mobal eSIM on your phone before your flight.→Check Mobal eSIM plans here.
- Voice Number: Need a local Japanese phone number fast? → Get Mobal with full English support.
- Long-term / Wi-Fi: →Check Sakura Mobile.
Already in Japan and still figuring out the basics? Download the free Japan First 30 Days Checklist — bank account, SIM, health insurance, pension. The exact order that saves you from missing deadlines. Drop your email below and it lands in your inbox in under a minute.
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