Registering your address is the single most important first errand after you arrive. In Japan this is done through a moving-in notification (転入届, tennyū-todoke) at your local town or city hall, and it is the step that unlocks nearly everything else — National Health Insurance, your My Number, and even a bank account all depend on your address being on the record. This guide explains the deadline, the documents, and how the procedure changes depending on whether you came from abroad or from another part of Japan. If you have just arrived, read Moving to Karuizawa: A Foreigner's Guide first, and see our Karuizawa Town Hall guide for what the building itself is like.
TL;DR
- File a 転入届 (moving-in notification) at Karuizawa Town Hall within 14 days of moving in.
- Bring your residence card (在留カード) and passport for every family member.
- Moving from another Japanese town? First file a 転出届 there and bring the 転出証明書 (moving-out certificate) to Karuizawa.
- Once registered, your new address is written on the back of your residence card and you can get a 住民票 (residence certificate) — the document the bank, insurer, and others will ask for.
What is a 転入届 (moving-in notification)?
A 転入届 is the notification you file at your new municipality to be added to its resident register (住民基本台帳, jūmin kihon daichō). It is the legal record that you live in Karuizawa. After it is processed, the town can issue your residence certificate (住民票, jūminhyō), and your address is recorded on the back of your residence card (在留カード).
How long do I have to register?
You have 14 days from the day you move in to file the notification. This applies whether you arrived from overseas or relocated from another Japanese municipality. Filing late is technically an offence under the Basic Resident Registration Act and can carry a fine of up to ¥50,000, so it is best treated as a hard deadline even though enforcement is rare.
What documents do I need?
Bring the following to the Resident's Affairs (住民課) counter at Karuizawa Town Hall:
- Residence card (在留カード) — for every family member who is moving, not just the head of household.
- Passport — for each person.
- Moving-out certificate (転出証明書) — only if you moved from another municipality in Japan (see below).
- My Number Card or notification (マイナンバー) — if you have one; card holders may be able to use a simplified procedure.
- Personal seal (印鑑) — not always required, but useful to have on hand.
I moved from abroad — what do I do?
If Karuizawa is your first address in Japan, there is no move-out step. Go to the town hall within 14 days with your residence card and passport for each family member and file the 転入届. The staff will register your household and record the address on your residence card. This is also the moment to ask about National Health Insurance enrolment and your My Number, which are usually handled at nearby counters the same day.
I moved from another town in Japan — what do I do?
This is a two-municipality process:
- At your old town hall: file a moving-out notification (転出届, tenshutsu-todoke) and receive a moving-out certificate (転出証明書). You can often do this from a few days before your move.
- At Karuizawa Town Hall: within 14 days of moving in, file the 転入届 and hand over the moving-out certificate along with your residence cards.
If you hold a My Number Card, you may be able to use the special continuous procedure (特例転入) that skips the paper certificate — ask either town hall.
What if I'm just moving within Karuizawa?
If you change address but stay inside the same municipality, you file a moving notification (転居届, tenkyo-todoke) instead of a 転入届 — also within 14 days. The documents are similar, minus the moving-out certificate.
What happens after I register?
Once your 転入届 is processed you can immediately:
- Get a residence certificate (住民票) — needed to open a bank account, sign a phone contract, and more.
- Enrol in National Health Insurance if you are not covered through an employer.
- Receive or update your My Number.
- Have your new address written on the back of your residence card.
How ERISA helps
ERISA (有限会社えり紗) goes with you to Karuizawa Town Hall, confirms in advance exactly which documents your situation needs so you avoid a wasted trip, and interprets at the counter so the 転入届 and the related insurance and My Number steps all get done correctly in one visit. If you are coming from another town, we can also help you understand the 転出届 you need to file before you leave.
Planning your move to Karuizawa? Get in touch.