I was just wondering whether you decided to leave to Japan first and have your family arrive later?
I’m stuck in a rut, as I just confirmed the costs of having 3 family members accompany me to Tokyo and then my prefecture and they’re crazy high! The travel agent I spoke to who is responsible for the Canadian JETS said it’s better if I settle in first and have my family show up a week or two later.
6 comments
I only came with my husband so I’m sure the costs are even more astronomical with three people, but if we could do it over again, I would have just made my husband come separately. If your family members are resourceful enough to navigate Japan, it will really only help you guys financially if they come separate so you can save costs on flights. Additionally, if they come at the same time as you, you have to factor in orientation for 2 or 3 nights where you need to pay additional fees for their hotel.
If your family members are nervous about traveling to Japan/don’t speak a lot of Japanese, trying setting them up for success by getting them an app for an e-sim or a pocket Wi-Fi. I’ve been using Airalo for an e-sim all over Asia and you don’t have to physically move your SIM card and it sets up on your phone really quickly. If they have internet service they can easily use google translate or deepL. Additionally, most Tokyo transit workers will be able to communicate in basic English to help them get to their next flight or train to your placement. I know it’s a stressful time but sending you and your family lots of good vibes!
My partner came a week or two later than me. The costs were basically the flight and a bus from the airport to our prefecture. If I did it again, I would do the same thing. Except I would send a sim card for them to pick up at the post office in the airport before they left to meet me.
I’ve heard of other JETs who brought their families with them to Japan and instead found a cheaper hotel for the accompanying family members and met up in the evenings after orientation was finished. The costs of Keio Plaza hotel are very high, considering Japan charges the rooms per person not per room.
My husband came with me. He stayed in an Airbnb, and I arranged with my BOE to book his flight from Tokyo to our placement. I obviously had to pay for all his flights, and the airport bus.
My husband and son came over 1 day after I did, and we met up at the orientation hotel. The flight they took was cheaper than having them fly with the JET group, plus I had a bunch of airline miles that helped too. I originally thought about maybe getting a cheaper airbnb nearby but it was just easier to have us stay at the orientation hotel even though it was more expensive since I had to pay for the room.
Our situation in the US didn’t allow for them to come later, it was with me or nothing. I can definitely see the wisdom in having your family come later, but since we have a young child it would have been very difficult for them to come later. It was easier for us to be all together at the time.
My wife is a 2023 incoming JET leaving end of July. We have two kids, 7yo and 9yo, we are just planning to travel 2 weeks later to give her time to do the orientation, settle in at her job and hopefully get the accommodation in decent order before the kids arrive. We arrive 8pm into Tokyo so have just booked a hotel right near Haneda airport and then will travel to Kyoto the next day
Visa wise, as long as they arrive within three months, dependents can arrive after the JET.
My kids came over two weeks later with my mom. I’m glad I took the time to settle things first.