Fukui Leavers Thread
Even though we try to cover everything with seminars and handbooks, leavers always find glitches along their way out of Fukui. If you have found some problems -- like you needed an extra form at the tax rep's office or your school was confused about references, etc -- and you figured out how to overcome them, share with the rest of us. Likewise, if you are still having a problem, throw it up here to see if others have some advice for you.
Also, I've informed some leavers from last year that this thread is active, so hopefully they'll check it out and be able to give you advice for what to expect later on down the line if you have questions about that as well.
My question is this: has anyone ever been able to ship a (large) suitcase? I don't mean to the airport -- I mean ship the sucker home so I don't have to lug it around. Let me know what you did if this is you!
Hey, you should be able to send a suitcase through the post office normal mail. I think to send to the states you have a size restriction, but to NZ it can be any size suitcase.
Thanks, Tracy, I'll look into the U.S. restrictions. Are there no restrictions on the size from the Japanese post office? I mean, this sucker is BIG.
I think its restrictions form the Japan post office, Im not sure why I can send a massive suitcase home whereas you guys cant.....its weird.
If you have Megan Grassos email, I know that she sent a suitcase home when she left, but had to change it so a smaller sized one because it was too big, she might be able to help you with more info.
Speaking of the post office...I went to the Tsuruga main post office yesterday and tried to send a "Printed matter/M-bag/book rate" parcel (which is detailed in the JET diary) and they knew nothing of that option. Is it just not offered at my post office? Melissa, you said the Fukui branch took yours. Does anyone know if any other branches outside of Fukui do surface/book rate shipments (under 5kg)? I don't want to pay 5,000 yen if I could pay 2,000. I can take parcels to Takefu or Sabae pretty easily, but Fukui is pushing it a little.
BTW, size restrictions definitely differ based on where you're shipping them. I inquired a while ago about shipping my bike through sea mail and they gave me a document (in Nihongo) about size requirements. I need to get it translated but I believe two sides have to be less than 2 meters. I know Eben sent some bikes to Sweden last year and I'm hoping to do the same with mine, but he said the requirements might be smaller to the US.
Hope that helps!
Susan,
Did you use the Japanese word for printed matter (insatsubutsu)? Maybe it will help to take your JET diary where the Japanese is printed or, better yet, go to the Japan Post website and print out the information for customers. You can find it in English, so with some assistance, I'm sure you could find it in Japanese as well. Surely, if you are meeting the weight requirements, the clerks are just forgetting they can do this. Surely...
Thanks for the info on size restrictions, too.
Yeah, I took the diary, showed them the page in Japanese and they still said no. Jo had the same problem when she asked in March (she also showed them the diary). Even though I can't read all the kanji, I was assuming it was the direct translation (the facing pages). I also left the box open so they could see it was only books. I dunno what gives. I guess I can try again with "insatsubutsu onegaishimasu".
I'm pretty sure Maren sent lots of boxes last year with no problem, including the M-bag, so I wonder if they just changed their policy since last year? I'll check online first.
Thanks!
hey, I looked online and they only post offices listed that offer the book only mail in Fukui, is Fukui City.
Tracy, can you send me the link?
Hey - I went today to send stuff from the main Fukui Post Office, and I talked to one of the girls who speaks great English. Apparently "Printed Matter" and "Media Mail" are different! So, I think Susan is right and that it is only available at the Main Branch of the Prefecture. It is SERIOUSLY cheap though! Maybe worth the drive!
L
Lauren, can you describe what you sent that qualified for "printed matter"? I'm gonna try to get up there this weekend and try to send an insatsubutsu, but dont' want to have any trouble if mistake what is classified as printed matter. I assume DVDs, CDs etc are media mail and I won't include them in the box. Did they accept a box over 5kg? I think you can send up to 30kg insatsubutsu via Fukui.
Also, does anyone know their hours? Do they have an after hours counter (limited services)?
Thanks for your help!
Susan
The main branch in Fukui has a counter open 24 hours. The after hours counter is located around the back of the main office, through a different entrance.
Media Mail is any printed matter - it doesn't include CDs or DVDs - make sure they put it in a duffle bag and make you fill out a manila tag for it! I'm not sure exactly what printed matter constitutes though...
The Japan Post website describes printed matter (which is what you can put in the M-bags). It's books, magazines, direct mail (like flyers and advertisements), playing cards and personal date books/diaries. It's not supposed to be personal letters or things of that nature. If we would have looked at this site sooner, we could have seen the 30 kg limit (20kg to the UK) on the m-bags AND that the main Fukui branch is the only one that allows them -- the information is there, it's just not all on a single page. Here's a link to the page that describes M-bags and which has links to the other information :
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/service/s_printed_matter_en.html
Hey Melisssa!
You should try asking the shipping companies such as Kuro Neko or Yamato, some big cities have it and they may be able to ship the suitcase, but I can't say it will be cheap. Goodluck and let me know how that goes!
A Note About Closing Bank Accounts
I'm going to send an e-mail about this, but thought I'd post it here for reference.
Because Susan rightly pointed out to me privately that supervisors have has difficulty closing ALTs' bank accounts after the ALT has left, Mr. Ogata called the main branch of Fukui Bank in Fukui City today to get advice about how to take care of this matter. Here is the official scoop:
If an ALT has more than 100,000 yen in their bank account, they must close the bank account themselves by showing up in person at the bank to close the account.
If an ALT has less than 100,000 yen their bank account, a representative can close the account for them, but they will need the ALT's inkan (hanko) and inkan shomeisho (legal registration certificate for the hanko).
The best possible option for ALTs is to pay all their final bills up front, stick around in Japan long enough to collect their final paycheck and close the bank account themselves shortly before they leave the country. If an ALT chooses not to do this, they will have to decide which of the above scenarios is going to apply to them.
If they leave the country expecting more than 100,000 yen to accumulate in their accounts, the only way they will be able to have a representative close the account for them is if someone agrees to withdraw enough money to put the total below 100,000 yen (probably using the ATM and bit of date spacing) before attempting to close the account. Then that person would be responsible for transferring to the ALT both the withdrawn money and the money left when the account is closed. This does put extra responsibility on whoever helps the ALT close the account, so please take that into consideration when choosing this option!
This might be a tad late to help people leaving this summer, but another possibility is to open an online account with Fukui Bank, and then transfer your final paycheck online through GoLloyd's etc back to your US (etc.) account. If you can't understand much Japanese have your supervisor help you with the application, you can pick up the application from any Fukui Bank branch by saying "onrain bankingu no moushikomi wo onegaishimasu". The online user interface is naturally in Japanese, but as it only has "balance," "recent transactions", "Furikomi" and 2-3 other options it's not too hard to figure out - and you can have your supervisor help you at school. You can also save the account details in the same way as on the ATM, so you'll only need to type in the amount of money and choose the account after you have initially set it up.
--
Viljami
Melissa, thanks for the bank info, as I've been wondering about that.
In other news, I'm pretty sure both my internet and cell phone contracts are for more than a year (18 months and two years, specifically, I believe). I know someone mentioned I can check my Softbank contract online somehow, and I'll probably be asking my supervisor to help me out with this...but does anyone know what the costs might be to cancel those contracts early, or the best way to deal with them? Can I pass my internet on to my successor if he/she is interested? Thoughts?
I don't know about those two issues specifically (internet and cell phone) but another JET was attempting to cancel her NTT landline/internet and was told that if she submitted her flight information to the company, they would waive the 3man cancellation fee. Basically, if you can prove you are leaving the country, many companies don't hold you to the early cancellation charges. It's worth asking about in your situation.
Concerning my cell phone... I was wondering what to do with my Softbank phone when I leave Japan. Should I sell it before I leave Japan, or will it work with some providers in the States? Do I need to do anything to the phone before I leave Japan? Anyone with experience, please clue me in.
Thanks all,
Phil
I realize this is super late, and you probably already figured your shipping situation. Anyways, I have a large suitcase which doesn't meet the Surface mail restriction. After chatting and gesturing with the man at the post, I believe the best option is Economy Air. I'm not sure whether the cost is based on weight and volume or just weight. Good luck!
Michelle, Can you tell me how large your suitcase was? I have a small to medium sized suitcase I'm going to try to send this weekend. Thanks! Susan
New info regarding shipping via Post office:
A clerk at the Takefu main post office explained to me that all branches (except Fukui Central) don't offer the special M bag rates (~2,000 yen) but they do offer a printed matter rates (~5,000 yen) for 5kg. He found out only the Fukui central post office offers the cheap M bag rate (around 2,000 yen price) for 5kg. But I also think he said Fukui Central will accept up to 30kg for the M bag. I could be wrong about this, but in our conversation about M bags and Fukui, he repeated several times "30kg made". So maybe that's why they accepted your box Mel that was a little over 5kg? Not 100% sure about any of this, but it would explain a lot if it were the case.
Anyway, I hope this helps clarify the mud of the JPost!
Susan
Maybe I'm just being stupid but...
I'm trying to sort through everything regarding leaving (and post-leaving) that I or someone else will need my hanko for. My supervisor is leaving my school at the end of July (before I leave Japan), making it more difficult to just leave my hanko with her to use as needed. So. I know I need it to sell my car and cancel my keitai. Can someone clarify if my tax rep will need my hanko to complete my pension refund stuff? And what else, or who else, will need my hanko after I'm gone?
Your tax rep should not need your hanko.
If someone is responsible for closing your bank account for you after you leave, they will need your hanko for that.
Thank you!!! Huge help.
So I know we have to cancel our optional car insurance before we leave, but does anyone know if we have to cancel our compulsory car insurance? Or does that just run its course?
Thanks!
Meena
If you got it through Hiro, he just needs you to hanko a paper!