My first month in Tokyo: the ward office, a bank and a bicycle

Week one was all about the residence card and registering my address at the ward office. Bring your passport, your lease and a lot of patience, but the staff were kind and spoke slowly for me. In week two I opened a bank account at a branch near work; online banks refused me until I had been here six months. By week four I had bought a second-hand bicycle, registered it at the police box and discovered the best bakery in Nakano. My advice: rent a furnished share house for the first two months while you learn the neighbourhoods.