• Event Calendar
• Scholarships
• Living Costs
• Housing
• Health and Insurance
• Voices of Our Current Students

Transportation

Tokyo has an efficient public transportation such as subways, rail trains, buses and taxis. Railway networks are particularly well developed and you will be able to travel at relatively low cost by making use of subways and trains.

Commuting to school

Students who study for a year or more with a college student visa or other visas can purchase a student commuter pass (issued at a student discount rate). Student commuter passes are available for durations of 1, 3 or 6 months. Commuter passes allow for unlimited travel between designated stations and the discount rate is quite advantageous. Students who have a visa other than a college student visa are recommended to purchase a normal commuter pass to save on transportation costs.

Travel

Buses, trains, and airplanes are popular public transportation means for traveling to and from Tokyo. Ticket prices may vary depending upon where, when and how you purchase tickets. There is a significant variation in airplane tickets. For example, during the off-season, the price for a package tour for skiing in Hokkaido may be equivalent to the price of a one-way flight from Tokyo to Hokkaido. It holds true also for package tours to Okinawa. If time is not important, it is recommended that you use conventional railway trains or night buses for moving over long distances to cut traveling costs. In some cases, a student discount rate is applied for such travels.

Food Costs

There are many restaurants and eateries, ranging from comparatively inexpensive places to prestigious restaurants. The cost of a lunch is around 350 yen to 700 yen at the more inexpensive restaurants. You can find many convenience stores where packed lunches and beverages are available for about 500 yen,and 120 yen respectively. If you wish to save on food costs, it is recommended that you cook your own meals at home. This may allow you to reduce food expenses to about 30,000 yen per month.

Housing Costs

The largest expenditure when living in Japan will be housing. However, there are many options for housing in Tokyo, and the school can provide students with information about properties at affordable rates. For example, the rent for a bachelor apartment may range from 45,000 yen to 80,000 yen per month, and that for a shared apartment from 30,000 yen to 45,000 per month.