Information for Visitors

Visas

The necessity for obtaining a visa depends on the country from which your passport was issued. Visitors from many countries will not need a visa if your stay is 90 days or shorter and if you will not receive a salary or honorarium during your stay in Japan.

For Visits Under 90 Days

Please look at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website to find out about the Japanese entry visa.
Necessary documents can be found on the website above. However, if you are not sure, we recommend that you contact the nearest Japanese Embassy or Consulate General of Japan.
ELSI will prepare the support documents for your application. Please contact us for the details of necessary material you must prepare. Once everything is ready, ELSI will send it to you by email and by post.
Submit all the documents to your nearest Japanese Embassy or Consulate General of Japan.

For Visits Over 90 Days

All visitors staying longer than 90 consecutive days in Japan or those will receive a salary or remuneration (this excludes travel expenses) must obtain what is called a "Professor Visa" even if you will not fulfill professorship duties.

Please refer to "Certificate of Eligibility" below for more details. For all foreigners staying in Japan over 90 days, regardless of whether you are staying in a hotel or temporary housing, you must register your address at your city office. We can advise you about this after your arrival.

Certificate of Eligibility (COE)

Please make sure that there is a safe window of well over 6 months in the validity of your passport to avoid possible denial of entry.

1）ELSI must submit an application for COE to the Immigration Bureau.

2）In order for us to process step (1), you must send us a copy of your passport (photo page), digital image of your face, and other data (please ask ELSI), at least three months before the day you plan to enter Japan.

3）When the Immigration Bureau issues this COE, which can take between four to six weeks, they will send it to ELSI. We will then send it to you by express mail.

4）You take this COE to your nearest Japanese Embassy or Consulate to apply for your Professor visa. The visa will generally be issued in two weeks.

Please keep in mind that the COE is valid for three months after its issue date. You must obtain your visa and enter Japan during this 3-month validity period. When you enter Japan with your Professor visa, the immigration officer will authorize your status of residence as Professor and you will receive your resident card at a Japanese airport.

All foreign nationals staying in Japan for 90 days or more, regardless of whether you are staying in a hotel or temporary housing, are required to register information such as name, nationality, address, and others at your local city office within 14 days of entering Japan. Please ask ELSI for details upon your arrival.

Accommodations

There are numerous hotel options in Tokyo, and depending on various factors such as what part of the city you would like to stay, what your budget is, and how familiar you are with the city, the accommodation recommendation would be different. We have therefore compiled a limited hotel list which focuses on

relatively convenient access from airport -> hotel -> ELSI, and
reasonable in cost while providing quality for value.

If you experience difficulty booking a room, please contact us and we will assist you.

Please also note that hotel room rates in Japan are often based on per person, not by room. (For example, a twin room booked by a single person will be cheaper than when the same room is reserved for two.) We also advise you to specify whether you would like a smoking or non-smoking room, especially if you are sensitive to the residual smell of cigarettes.

Coming from Narita Airport

Shinagawa is a good area to stay as it is conveniently accessible by a direct train (Narita Express; see "Directions") and is also an easy commuting distance to ELSI.

Coming from Haneda Airport

Oimachi Station area may be ideal as it is accessible by direct Limousine Bus from the airport (bus boarding area #4). Oimachi is also the starting station of the Tokyu Oimachi train line that runs to Ookayama station where ELSI is located.

International ATM Locations

Where to Eat

Please check here for restaurants and shops in and near Ookayama campus where ELSI is located. There are also numerous casual and reasonably priced eateries in the neighborhood around Ookayama campus.

For Vegetarians

Please note that despite the attention given to fresh and seasonal vegetables, Japanese by and large do not comprehend the full meaning of what constitutes a vegetarian meal unless you are eating at a vegetarian restaurant. On many occasions, dishes of vegetables or tofu will be served with a little bit of seafood or meat topping so it is worth specifying very clearly for no meat or fish.

Emergency Care

Please note that the emergency telephone numbers in Japan are as follows:

For police: 110
For fire or ambulance: 119

Please program the following emergency number in your mobile in case of an emergency on Tokyo Tech's Ookayama campus:

(03) 5734-3119.

It will connect you to the main gatehouse.

In case you need to give the Ookayama campus address when calling 110 or 119, it is:

Ota-ku, Ishikawa-cho, 1-chome, 31-ban.

In the event of an Earthquake

1) Hide under a desk to protect yourself from falling objects if the shaking is severe. If conditions allow, make sure that any sources of fire are put out or turned off. Open the door and plan for quick evacuation.

2) When shaking subsides, quickly evacuate. If conditions allow, make sure again that the gas is turned off and any sources of fire are put out. Make a quick count of the number of people evacuating. Do not use lifts.

3) When evacuating, please check for fires, for whether there are injured people that need assistance, and to take out any emergency bags/kits with you.