Toshima City Office — Local services in Tokyo

Government paperwork is never fun, especially for foreigners with limited language skills. However the staff here was extremely helpful and there are people with very good English skills. They guided me through the various forms, what they mean and even clarified some aspects for me because I didn’t have some of the certificates with me. Waiting for English-speaking staff did increase my waiting time a bit, but not very much compared to people that arrived at similar times as me, that’s a big plus too. There are even numerous people around to guide you to the correct station, answer general questions or that find you, if you’re not quick enough when they call your number. All in all I was very happy with my interactions with staff here and am grateful for their...

"closes at 5"...turn up at 3:15pm, and the counter I wanted closed at 3pm. Previous visit, they told me to wait, so I waited, then an hour or so later I asked why it was taking so long, but apparently my documents were ready 40 minutes ago at a different location- they could have told me to go there. Another time, they tell me to wait for a letter then bring it. I never got the letter. They say they tried to deliver it, yet I have no problem getting Amazon deliveries 3 x a week. Lady next to me was told they can't help her because it is Sunday- she said that she was told to come in on Sunday... Generally Japanese people believe staff in Kuyakusho are idiots- it is...

I recommend coming here as early as you can so you can avoid the crowds. I am a Japanese language student from America who is studying in Japan for 1 year. My Japanese ability is poor but I was happy that a few workers spoke enough English to make the process less scary. I needed to register my address and get my student health insurance here. Very patient and kind workers! Give yourself two hours here, but if you come early, the time...