Comprehensive Info: 2006年4月アーカイブ

The following 3 public wireless LAN services in Japan is famous. If you are looking for wireless internet access, visit their website and compare it's fee and service area.1st and 3rd services have English web site.Service Name: HOTSPOT
Company: NTT Communications
URL: http://www.hotspot.ne.jp/en/index.html
Monthly fixed fee: ¥1,680
Access speed: 2Mbps
Service Area: Airports, major hotels cafes and more places.
You can get the list of service area from their website.
No subscription with an ISP is needed.

Service Name: Flets Spot
Company: NTT West
URL: http://www.ntt-west.co.jp/flets/spot/
Access speed: 54Mbps
¥900/month
Subscription with an ISP is needed.

Company: JAPAN TELECOM CO
http://www.odn.ne.jp/english/index.html
ODN Support Center
E-mail : support@spinnet.jp
FAX : 0088-228-850
¥157.5 / 20min
Maximum charge of 2,100 yen per month *1
* This is restricted to those using "ADSL" COURSE, "FLET'S ADSL" COURSE, "B-FLET'S" COURSE, "TEPCO HIKARI" COURSE, "ACCESS commuf@" COURSE, "MARUGOTO" COURSE, "FLET'S ISDN" COURSE,"MAIL" COURSE, or "MAIL to Yahoo! BB" COURSE.Service Area: McDonalds, some JR stations and some other places.

The information Plaza provides foreign residents with a wide range of useful information, assistance and facilitates referrals to other counseling agencies. Enquiries are free and condidential.

Mon - Fri: English, Chinese, Korean
Mon: Thai
Tue: Portuguese
Wed: Indonesian
Fri: Spanish
Office hours: 9:00 - 17:00
Tel: 06-6773-6533
Address: 8-2-6 Uehommachi, Tennoji-ku, Osaka 543-0001
URL: http://www.ih-osaka.or.jp/i.house/index-e.html
At i-house you can read foreign magazines as follows.
[English]
Asia Pacific perspectives, The Economist
Flanders, India Perspectives, INDIA TODAY
JapanZine, Kansai Scene, KANSAI TIME OUT
KOREA Policy Review, KYOTO VISITOR'S GUIDE
Maclean's, Newsweek, Passages(Passagen)
REFUGEES, TIME

[Spanish / Portuguese]
Caretas, veja, Made in Japan
[German / French]
DER SPIEGEL, L'EXPRESS

[Korean]
月刊留学生, 週刊韓国, 日本語ジャーナル(韓国語版)

[Chinese]
季刊留学生, 新華文摘, 中国観察

Before you sign the contract, carefully confirm how the following items are specified, especially the shiki-kin (refundable deposit) and rei-kin (Key money), which are a Japanese practice that you may not be familiar with.
You might pay some money to real estate agency to make a temporary booking of the accommodation you like before making a formal contract.
This money is to be used for deposit in later procedures.

1.Guarantor (hosho-nin)
In most cases a guarantor must be appointed and it is best to appoint a Japanese as guarantor.

2.Initial Deposit (tetsuke-kin)
Tetsukekin is the money to be paid as the proof of completion of a contract. It will be part of Guarantee Money.

3.Key Money/Gift Money (rei-kin)
This money is paid to the landlord as a token of gratitude and is not refunded when you move out.

4.Refundable Deposit (shiki-kin)
This is money left with the landlord as security for your rental payments. As a rule, it is paid back to you when you move out. However, if you do not pay the rent or if you damage the property, this money will be appropriated to cover the amount of the repair cost owed. The remainder will be returned to you. It is common practice in the Kansai area to put the Key Money (reikin) and Refundable in the Kansai area to put the Key Money (reikin) and Refundable Deposit (shikikin) together and refer to it as Guarantee Money (hoshokin). It is also a common practice that when the tenant moves out, part of deposit is deducted as the repair fee of any damage in the house caused by the tenant, which is called "Shikibiki (or Kaiyaku-biki)."

5.Realtor's Fee (chukai-ryo)
This is the commission paid to the real estate agent. In principle, the tenant and landload pay respectively one half of the sum of money equivalent to one-month's rent.
However, at time of contract, if both parties to the agreement are of the same mind; the proportion paid by each party may be changed.

6.Period of Lease (keiyaku-kikan)
A normal lease period is two years. The rent may be raised upon renewal of the contract. In addition to the above payments, you may be required to bear expenses needed to restore the accommodation to its original state when you move out.

7.Rental Fee (yachin)
You must pay the monthly in advance by the last day of the previous month.

8.Maintenance Fees (kanri-hi)
These are included to cover the maintenance of communal facilities at condominiums. They are sometimes included in the rent.
Terminating the Contract
When you wish to terminate the lease, you must give advance notice (normally one to two months) to the landlord in accordance with the provisions of the contract. If you move out without giving notice, or if you give notice just before moving, you might be charged extra rent.

More and more huge electronics stores open in Osaka.
You would enjoy looking around the latest digital video cameras, computers and more.
Of corse, you can go each store and compare the price.

Yodobashi Camera, Multimedia Umeda
They sell around 100 billion yen in a year.
total floor space: 20,000?
URL: http://www.yodobashi.com/
Access: in front of JR Osaka Station, Subway Midosuji-line Umeda station
Address: 1-1, Ofuka-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka
Tel: 06-4802-1010
Business hour: 9:30 - 21:00

Yamada Denki, Labi1 Namba
They opened Namba store on 10th May 2006 and deal more than 800,000 items.
total floor space: 20,000?
URL: http://www.yamadalabi.com/
English http://www.yamada-denki.jp/company_e/index.htmlAccess:
Nankai Line Namba Station/ 3 minutes walk
Subway Namba Station/ 6 minutes walk
Kintetu line Namba Station/ 9minutes walk
JR Namba Station/12 minues walk
Address: 2-11-35 Nambanaka, Naniwa-ku, Osaka
Tel: 06-6649-8171
Business hour: 10:00 - 22:00

Bic Camera, Namba
Total floor space: 15,000?
URL: http://www.biccamera.com/bicbic/jsp/w/shoplist/nanba.jsp
Access:
JR Namba Station
Namba Station of Subway Midosuji line, Sennichi line, Nankai line
Address: 2-10-1 Sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Tel: 06-6634-1111
Business hour 10:00 - 20:00