Registration with JAWHM

Going back in time one week, to last Friday. I said that I'd write a post on registering with the Japan Association for Working Holiday Makers (JAWHM) and here it is!

The JAWHM is located in Nakano-ku's impressive Sun Plaza (a big white building that you can see from the exit of Nakano train station, despite me studying the big tourist map when it was right in front of me - it slopes on one side if that helps at all!).

This was the day when it rained all day, real wet Pacific rain, so I ran into the building and immediately found someone who was looking for the same place, in fact she was looking at the map at the same time as me, but seemed to realise where it was before I did.

We went up to the seventh floor of the Sun Plaza and the JAWHM office was directly ahead. I came in and said I wanted to register. It was very easy to do. But my landing permit expiry date was different to the visa expiry date so there was a tiny bit of confusion, but they seemed to think that I could extend my visit from the 17th September 2008 (visa expiry) to 7th January 2009 (landing permit expiry), which I don't want to do, because I do kind of have my heart set on going to Uni! But it contradicts what I thought, that the visa would be valid for a year from the visa issuing date, not from when I arrived in Japan. Oh well...

Their lamination machine was broken but I got my little red registration card from them. You have to bring your passport and two passport-sized photos with your name written on the back. You don't have to have registered as an official alien to register with JAWHM. After they gave me my card, they talked me through everything I should do over the next few days e.g. official alien registration at my nearest ward office. I knew most of what they said already but it was nice to have confirmation that I was doing the right thing.

The JAWHM is extremely useful and helpful. They have loads of job availabilities and will write you a shoukaijou (letter of introduction) for jobs you apply for through them. They have computers to use with links on the desktop to everything you need to know e.g. Softbank phone company, Shinsei bank, train guides etc.

So that was a very good move. If you are coming to Japan on a Working Holiday then definitely register here. It costs Y1,000 at the moment but the information and support they can provide you with is priceless.