Japan has one of the best postal services in the world. 

The approximately 24,000 post offices provide a range of postal services including the shipping of letters, parcels, post cards, postal orders and registered mail as well as banking and insurance services.

Small post offices are open from 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday, and are normally closed on weekends and national holidays.

However, larger post offices may stay open until 19:00 on weekdays and open for restricted times on weekends.
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​Today, more and more elderly people or people with disability are traveling in Japan. 

Japan has put into force a law to ensure accessibility at many places throughout the country. 
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Organizations at different levels such as the Japanese government, local authorities and NPOs have worked on the development of an accessible travel environment for everyone including people with disabilities and special needs.
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​Ryokan "旅館" are traditional Japanese inns, and a visit to one is the highlight of many, a trip to Japan.


​They can be found throughout the country, especially around tourist areas such as hot spring resorts, ski resorts and in mountains.
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​There are two types of Ryokan; the small traditional-style one with wooden buildings, long verandas, and gardens, and the more modern high-rise sort that are like luxury hotels with fancy public baths.

Since some knowledge of Japanese mores and etiquette is required to visit one, many hesitate to take non-Japanese guests especially those who don't speak Japanese, but some cater specially to this group.
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February and March in Japan is tax season. Filing a tax return isn’t easy at the best of times, but doing it in another country can be particularly challenging. 

Fortunately, if you work for a company and that’s your sole source of income in Japan, they will take care of everything for you.

​However, those who are self-employed or have multiple sources of income will have to file a Tax Return "Kakutei Shinkoku - 確定申告". 

The two main forms of tax are Income Tax "Shotokuzei - 所得税", and residence Tax "Juminzei - 住民税". The rates you pay for both kinds of tax are calculated according to your earnings.
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​To rent an apartment in Japan, would-be tenants visit real estate agents located in every neighborhood and browse through copies of apartments for rent. Apartments are usually rented through real estate agents rather than landlords. 

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Real estate agents usually have the layout of the apartment for rent and the costs to rent this apartment. Real estate offices can be recognized by listings of available apartments in their show windows. They also advertise on signs in the neighborhood and in various publications.
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