I would bring a rain coat and umbrella...the selection of rain coats at the NEX are not all that great and they sell out. Umbrella that fits in your purse or if you plan on walking (like we did for the first month) bring a golf size one you will need it.., it rains side ways sometimes.

If you have a dog..bring extra poop bags and one of those little poopie bag carries to put on your pets leash. It's annoying to walk around the base and see other dogs poop.

My husband is getting station in Yokosuka in April and I have to say this is an awesome website on what to expect and to bring when we get there. I have a couple of questions about somethings. We have USAA banking right now. Should we change when we get there or are we good with keeping it. For the parents that come over with small children. How did you keep them entertained on the flight over? My daughter is 4 and my son is going to be 2 before we come and i'm flipping out about the plane ride and how to handle it with them. Thanks for your time.

Thanks, Okumura! That's great news about 7-11 taking credit cards! I didn't know Lawson's took credit cards -- but that's good to know as well.

I just wanted to ad a link to all looking for more info on planning trips to Yokosuka.  This link provides numbers to the base kennel, command numbers, etc.  I find it very useful! Enjoy!

https://www.cnic.navy.mil/navycni/groups/public/@pub/@japan/@yokosuka/documents/document/criticalprearrivalinfo-e072309.pdf

Okay, so everyone says to bring rain coats, but do you really wear a rain coat in summer? Or is that just for the winter months?

actnsweet, the rainy season here is June and July. It really doesn't rain all that much in the winter (at least in Yokosuka) and is colder (in the 40's). Make sure your raincoat "breathes" and lets air through because it is very very humid here in the summer and while you want your raincoat to protect you from the rain that comes in sideways, you also don't want to be sweating profusely b/c of the humidity.

actnsweet, the rainy season here is June and July. It really doesn't rain all that much in the winter (at least in Yokosuka) and is colder (in the 40's). Make sure your raincoat "breathes" and lets air through because it is very very humid here in the summer and while you want your raincoat to protect you from the rain that comes in sideways, you also don't want to be sweating profusely b/c of the humidity.

Oh, so much this!!

I gave up on umbrellas over here because of that sideways rain thing. A rain coat (or even a wind breaker that's been scotch guarded to death) works so much better.

Thanks guys.... So yes, bring a light weight raincoat for summer. Got it

I actually have a huge umbrella, and I like it...But regardless of raincoats or umbrellas plan on getting wet.

Thanks for all the tips. We are PCSing around Thanksgiving and very excited/nervous. THis site has been very helpful as I read and gain info.

Hey Guys! Thank you so much for all the advice that you have placed on this awesome web site. We got orders to Yokosuka and will be arriving mid September. This would be our second overseas assignment. We are both very excited. I am organizing and sorting all of our belongings as it seems the houses there are even smaller than in Europe.
Any advise anybody could give us regarding the on base / off base housing would be great. We lived on base during our last tour in Sicily and we would like to experience living off base this time. Still not 100% sure what the best option would be for us.


Thanks in advance for everything!

Monse Jorden

Any advise anybody could give us regarding the on base / off base housing would be great.

Toothbug. I just sent you a private message. I granted you access to see our hidden area, that is going to be launched soon. It has a massive amount of information to help reporting personnel with housing questions. Hope it helps.

Can anyone direct me to information on orthodontic treatment? Our youngest has about six months of work left, but the orders start in four months. Is it possible for him be approved to go or would we have to wait?

Hi all, my husband has been Japan for quite awhile now and I will finally be joining him in the next few months. Even though we will have command sponsorship, we will be paying for the plane ticket and lodging out of pocket.....therefore i am trying to find out all I can about housing. My husband is on the GW and trying to take care of what paperwork he can while in port this time. We are debating off base (although I am worried because of all the controversy surrounding COLA and yen rates) or a tower home in Ikego. Im not sure exactly what we will qualify for, hes an E-4, we have no children yet. I'm just worried about being stuck in the NAvy Lodge for 2 months and paying out of pocket! Any advice, tips, info on the housing process would be so greatly appriciated?? Also anyone who has an opinion of off base vs on base?? THanks so much, I am so grateful for everyone on this website (its a major anxiety calmer to have all this info)

Seems strange that if you have command sponsorship and FEA that you have to pay for the plane ticket and lodging out of pocket.
Since your husband will not be home very much, I would recommend living on base.

I thought it was odd too, because we assumed they would pay. However my husband has been in Japan since December 2009, so they said since he doesnt have quite enough time yet (I'll be coming in December and he will only have 15 months left in Japan), we don't qualify to have moving/travel/lodging expenses to Japan covered but that everything going back will be covered. The plane ticket wont be so bad (even though still expensive!! yikes!) since we can use military discount tickets but I am worried about being stuck in the lodge cause thats going to add up!

@Jen - if you don't have UCCI yet its best to apply before you get to japan, most of the cases unless the dental facility deem it to be high priority will be referred to an off base dentist.

@topic - i found this cool website, not really for military but it has good information for reporting to Japan
http://thejapanfaq.com/

mrs leonard, will you be able to get a no fee passport? Im currently in the command sponsorship phase right now. SOme of my friends are insisting that I just get a regular passport instead of waiting on the no fee passport. I refuse to take any shortcuts. BUt I was sure that you are supposed to get your stuff moved at govt expense. Maybe they dont have to...oh well, as long as you are command sponsored is all that matters. Good luck!

I didnt get the no fee passport. I actually paid for the regular one and a HUGE expedited fee to get it here, quickly because we were tod I'd be coming over end of September. After paying like 120 bucks to get it here so fast, they pushed back my date 2 months....that was annoying! Now we've been told two different things : 1) In the Navy, if you get married after your spouse i stationed overseas, you will not be added to their orders unti you arrive overseas; so you are responsible for all travel, lodging, moving expenses 2) If you spouse is of a certain rank/rate and has enough time left overseas, you may qualify to have travel/lodging expenses reinbursed. ** We will have 15-18 months left when I arrive and we didnt qualify lol so who knows. The command sponsorship really just means Japan will accept you in their country and the Navy will take responsibility for you once you get there. I agree though, if you can wait and get your no fee passport, do it! I wish we had not wasted money on the regular one plus expedited fees!!

Welll, I am not sure how true that is, my husband was specifically told that I needed to complete a medical/dental screening, take an anti terrorist course, and apply for a no fee passsport. Then submit all that info to him, and his orders wil be amended. Then a move and tickets will get set up.

Per what your husband said, you need to APPLY for the no-fee, but you don't have to actually have the passport in hand. Send him the completed application, especially if there is a stamp or signature to show that it has been submitted. That generally is "good enough" to satisfy your travel arrangements, along with the other things GM1 mentioned.

I never took any "anti terrorist" course and they told me the tourist passport was enough. Maybe its different for everyone, idk.

yeah, different commands ask for different things. Thats why when my friend was suggesting I do things against what my hubby asked me to do, I reeally didnt listen to her lol..... like when I was getting my decal on my local base here, they only asked me for the insurance cards with me and my hubs name on it, and the license plate of my car. But on her base, they asked to see registration with her name on it and other stuff my base didnt ask for. So dont be too alarmed if you hear some people need some things and others dont. I say whatever you husband told you to do, do that....everything else will work itself out. I still think its good to come on this forum though. I learned so much on here. THis time last year, we were in the process of transitioning from bf/gf to engaged, and we tied the knot in april, now its time for me to join him. I learned stuff he didnt really know either! lol I dont mind asking questions....

I completely agree! I think too often husbands and wives get stuck in the mindset that its always the same for everyone and in the military its really not. There are always new things to learn in military life and this site is amazingly helpful! My husband got alot of great info from people in his shop and some of his chiefs. And I second the motion for asking questions, because eventually someone will have an answer that helps you.

From what I understand, you need to get the no-fee passport even if you have a tourist passport if the Government is paying for your trip. You also need to do the screenings and I did the Anti-terrorist course as well. This is if you are on his orders. Otherwise I do not know.

We are working on our process and the way it was explained was the No Fee Passport was basically what allowed my family to stay in Japan vice leaving every 90 days. That is how you show you prove you are sponsored if questioned by authhorities. Is that not the case?? Do I need something else to show that my family is sponsored?

Mrs Leonard - regardless of what others are saying, I went through something similar to you. We got married after my husband was stationed in Hawaii (Marine Corps). They also wouldn't amend his orders. It was on us to pay for my move, lodging, travel and all that. We were married almost eight weeks before they'd finally amend his records to show that he was married and adjust for dependent pay and all of that! It was a pain. I don't know anything about the other stuff though - that was over 10 years ago and still a state so passports weren't an issue.

Adam - is there a way I can get that information as well? We are heading there in June and I am torn as to which option of housing will be best for us (two adults, two kids, maybe one cat - haven't decided if we're leaving her stateside or not).

Thanks!

Posted By Seamonkey912 on 12-02-2011 1:09 AM

the way it was explained was the No Fee Passport was basically what allowed my family to stay in Japan vice leaving every 90 days. That is how you show you prove you are sponsored if questioned by authorities. Is that not the case?? Do I need something else to show that my family is sponsored?

Whoever told you this had no idea what they were talking about.  I do not have a no-fee passport, and I've been here 2.5 years.  The no-fee passport has nothing to do with it.

What allows you to stay here without leaving every 90 days is a SOFA stamp in your passport.  My SOFA stamp is in my tourist passport, for others it's in their no-fee passport.  It doesn't matter, as long as you have the stamp.

You get the stamp AFTER you arrive at your new duty station. When you get to Japanese immigration, just show them your orders, ID card, and either passport.  They will let you in.  Within the first few weeks at your new command drop by PSD and get your SOFA stamp.  Now you can stay indefinitely, and come & go at will.

You are supposed to have a no-fee passport to travel on official government business.  This means when you come to Japan on orders, and when you leave Japan on orders.  Some commands enforce this, some don't, it mostly seems to be who you talk to. The Japanese don't seem to care.  Best advice is get both.  And don't delay on the tourist passport.  There are dozens or more on this website who wait & wait & wait, and then have to shell out hundreds in fees to expedite their passport cuz they waited so long. There is NO reason to wait. Every American should have a passport (my personal philosophy) and definitely everyone coming to Japan should have a tourist passport, so if you haven't ordered one yet, do so today.

Adam I am new to this site can I please have this info, we are reporting in August.

Posted By ThaiGuy on 12-14-2011 2:02 PM

Posted By Seamonkey912 on 12-02-2011 1:09 AM

the way it was explained was the No Fee Passport was basically what allowed my family to stay in Japan vice leaving every 90 days. That is how you show you prove you are sponsored if questioned by authorities. Is that not the case?? Do I need something else to show that my family is sponsored?

Whoever told you this had no idea what they were talking about.  I do not have a no-fee passport, and I've been here 2.5 years.  The no-fee passport has nothing to do with it.

What allows you to stay here without leaving every 90 days is a SOFA stamp in your passport.  My SOFA stamp is in my tourist passport, for others it's in their no-fee passport.  It doesn't matter, as long as you have the stamp.

You get the stamp AFTER you arrive at your new duty station. When you get to Japanese immigration, just show them your orders, ID card, and either passport.  They will let you in.  Within the first few weeks at your new command drop by PSD and get your SOFA stamp.  Now you can stay indefinitely, and come & go at will.

You are supposed to have a no-fee passport to travel on official government business.  This means when you come to Japan on orders, and when you leave Japan on orders.  Some commands enforce this, some don't, it mostly seems to be who you talk to. The Japanese don't seem to care.  Best advice is get both.  And don't delay on the tourist passport.  There are dozens or more on this website who wait & wait & wait, and then have to shell out hundreds in fees to expedite their passport cuz they waited so long. There is NO reason to wait. Every American should have a passport (my personal philosophy) and definitely everyone coming to Japan should have a tourist passport, so if you haven't ordered one yet, do so today.

That's good advice, we arrived on a very short notice maybe 3 weeks.  The government payed for and expedited our no fee passports it took them maybe 5 days to overnight them to us in Denver.  Individual results may vary, if you know you are coming now get them all.  We carry all passports (Blue/Brown) ID cards, and orders when we cross borders.  It seems some locations want to see different items when we travel to other countries.

Another thing to understand is that you need at least 6 months on them before the expiration date to get into many countries so know the dates and plan accordingly, children's passports expire sooner and need to be renewed more frequently.

kymme, did you have a specific question? I may be able to help...I got here in December so a lot is still fresh.