As of June 2021

- GRIPS Arrival Guide
Fall 2021

Student Office
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
7-22-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8677, Japan
E-mail: studentoffice@grips.ac.jp

Welcome to GRIPS
We are very pleased to welcome you to the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS). This
guidebook is designed to provide useful information to help you to prepare for your stay in Japan. Pleasebring this guidebook with you when you come to Japan, as it includes contact details and information abouttransit from Narita Airport or Haneda Airport to GRIPS International House (GRIPS IH), Tokyo International
Exchange Center (TIEC) and Misato Housing Complex (Misato).

Before Departure◆Measure against COVID-19◆
You may be required to check your temperature daily for 14 days prior to the departure. Should any common
symptoms of COVID-19 including a fever of 37.5°C or higher, respiratory symptoms, strong feeling ofweariness (fatigue) be recognized, you may be required to cancel the trip to Japan. Also you may berequired to undergo a pre-departure PCR test within 72 hours before the flight departure from your country ofresidence and obtain a test certificate. For the latest information, please check the following websites:
Border enforcement measures to prevent the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) | Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Japan (mofa.go.jp)
New Measures for Border Control｜Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (mhlw.go.jp)*English instructions are at the bottom, so please scroll down.
Designated format: 000769988.pdf (mhlw.go.jp)

What to bring
The following is a checklist of the items you will need when you come to Japan.
Passport with a proper
Japanese visa
Flight ticket(s)Certificate of Eligibility
Certificate of AcceptancePhotosCash

Medications
Certificate of Testing for
COVID-19
Face Masks

Please submit your used ticket(s) and boarding passes to GRIPS staff thefirst time you come to campus.
Immigration may request your COE upon your arrival. (Does not apply tothose on Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship.)Immigration may request that you present this document upon your arrival.
TIEC may require you 2 full face photos 3cm H x 2.5cm W.
You are advised to bring cash that can cover at least 2-month living
expenses. Students who will receive scholarships through GRIPS shouldnote carefully that you will not receive your first stipend until the end of
October or the middle of November depending on when your bank accountin Japan will be opened, even if you arrive in Japan in the beginning of
October.
If you require a particular type of medication, you should bring an adequate
supply with you, as it may not be available in Japan. Also, remember tobring prescriptions and packages that show the generic (rather than thebrand) name of each medication. This will make it easier to getreplacements.
If necessary. See “Before Departure” above.
Approx. 20 masks

Thermometer
PC

Your need it to attend the guidance, the online classes, etc.
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Clothes
We do not have a dress code and we welcome the variety of clothing styles from diverse backgrounds andtastes. However, you are advised to bring at least one formal suit or dress for special occasions that require
formal dress, such as ceremonies, receptions and meetings.
For more information about the climate of Tokyo, please refer to the link below.
http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/japan/fahrenheit/tokyo.htm
https://www.japan.travel/en/plan/weather/

Share Your Culture
A great benefit of studying at GRIPS is the chance to experience a diversity of cultural expressions. Your
fellow students come from many different countries, so this is a good opportunity to share and to get anunderstanding of the value of cultural diversity. You are encouraged to bring your home country’s traditional
costume so you can share your culture with other students.

Academic Preparation
We recommend that you start preparing now for your studies at GRIPS. For information about the curriculum,
please refer to GRIPS Bulletin: https://www.grips.ac.jp/en/education/bulletin-3/.
For more detailed information about courses and reading material, please refer to the online syllabus at
the GRIPS website: https://gast.grips.ac.jp/syllabus/

Living Expenses in Tokyo
Expenditures vary from person to person; the following is a conservative estimate of monthly living expenses
for a single person in Tokyo.
Item
Accommodation / rent
Utilities
Food
Transportation
Insurance (health, accident, property)
Books and study materials
Telephone & Internet
Leisure & hobbies
Miscellaneous

Cost (yen per month)
35,000-86,500
5,000-10,000
20,000-40,000
8,000-15,000
3,000
5,000
5,000-10,000
20,00020,000Arrival at Narita or Haneda Airport
Immigration Procedure
Please check the latest border enforcement measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at the following
websites:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page4e_001053.html-2-Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000121431_00209.html*English instructions are at the bottom, so please scroll down.

Baggage Claim/ Customs Inspection
Upon clearing Immigration, proceed to the baggage claim area, collect your luggage, and proceed throughcustoms inspection. Please note that importation of fresh food into Japan is strictly prohibited.
(Customs Guide for Visitors: https://www.customs.go.jp/zeikan/pamphlet/tsukan_e.pdf)

Used Flight Ticket
Please be sure to keep any used flight tickets and boarding passes, as you will need to submit them to
GRIPS. Bring them to the Orientation Program on your first day at GRIPS.

Money Exchange
You can easily change all major currencies into Japanese yen at Narita and Haneda Airport. You are advised
to bring cash that can cover at least 2-month living expenses. Students who will receive scholarships
through GRIPS should note carefully that you will not receive your first stipend until the end of October or the
middle of November depending on when your bank account in Japan will be opened, even if you arrive inJapan in the beginning of October..
Service facilities Narita: https://www.narita-airport.jp/en/service/
Service facilities Haneda: https://tokyo-haneda.com/en/

Airport Greeting Service
A meet & greet service will be provided for students at the arrival exit. Please look for a sign “GRIPS”.
Please attach the GRIPS sticker to your clothing or show some sign that tells “I am a GRIPS student”, so thatthey can recognize you. Once you meet the staff at the airport, tell them your name, nationality and flightnumber.
If you are not required to quarantine for a certain period of time after your arrival, please note that in principle
you must go directly to your accommodation from the airport in order to complete the move-in proceduresand various administrative matters on the day you arrive. Therefore, be sure to take the transportation
assigned by the staff.
If you need to stay overnight due to a delayed arrival or other unforeseen circumstances, the staff can also
advise you on hotel accommodation in the Narita or Haneda area. If your friends or family will meet you at
the airport and take you to your residence, please inform us in advance.
In the event that you fail to meet the staff at the airport, please inform us of your arrival immediately by phoneor email.

Making a call

Purchase a telephone card worth 500 or 1,000 yen from a phone card
vending machine or kiosk at the airport arrival lobby. The grey-colored pay
phones should be easy to find in all arrival lobbies.
Contact number: 090-3349-1065 (on October 1 only)

Sending an e-mailConnect free wifi (”FREE Wi-Fi NARITA” for Narita airport or “HANEDAFREE-WIFI” for Haneda airport) to use free internet at the airport arrival
lobby using your smart devices.
Contact email address: ipt-ml@grips.ac.jp-3-

If You Are Asked to Quarantine after Your Arrival
You may be asked to quarantine for a certain period of time after you arrive in Japan.
◆Moving from the airport to the hotel◆

Please follow instructions from the staff who will meet you at the airport.
◆Accommodation during the self-quarantine period◆-If you are asked to quarantine for 14 days, you must stay for at least 15 nights and 16 days at thequarantine hotel.
*14 days quarantine period is counted from the day after the day of arrival, so your quarantine period will end
at the end of the 15th day. (e.g. if you check-in on October 1, you will check-out on October 16.)
-You must stay at the hotel GRIPS or your sponsor arranged.
-DO NOT use any public transportation during the quarantine period.
-In case you get infected by COVID-19 during the quarantine period, you will be asked to take the medical
check at the designated medical center.

Access to Accommodation
Moving from the Quarantine Hotel to Your Dormitory
After the quarantine period is over, you will move to your accommodation.

Baggage Delivery Service
For those with lots of baggage, it may be a good idea to have them sent to your accommodation via one of
the many baggage delivery services (e.g., ABC, GPA, ANA and QL). Please make sure to send them to yournew address with a room number. Delivery service counters are located on the arrival floors in both airports.
The delivery charge is around 2,500 yen per suitcase, but it may vary depending on size and weight. Yourbaggage will be delivered within 24 hours.

Dormitory Address and Contact Information
Name of Facilities
1.

GRIPS International House(GRIPS IH)

2.

Tokyo International
Exchange Center (TIEC)

3.

The Misato Housing
Complex (MISATO)

Address and contact information
Managers: Mr. Moroya, Mr. Takanashi, Ms. Sayer
Address IH1: 1-1-12, Nogata, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 165-0027
Address IH2: 3-4-11, Nakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-0001
Phone: 03-5345-7042
E-mail: gripsih@yahoo.co.jp
Address: 2-2 Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-0064
Phone: 03-5520-6000
Fax: 03-5520-6010
E-mail: tiec@klp.ne.jp
https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/kyoten/tiec/index.html
Bridge Life Co.LTD (Support Service Company for residents)
Phone: 0120-972-941
Email: support@bridgelife-japan.com
If you need please send your luggage to the allocated address in
Misato.

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You need to arrive your accommodation by 5:30 pm at the latest in order to complete the moving-in
procedures and receive your room key.

Facility Orientation
After arriving at the accommodation, you are required to attend facility orientation, which takes about one
hour.

Access to each facilities

Due to the influence of COVID-19, public transport may be disrupted and you may not be able
to use it the same as usual. The following description is for reference only.
For the airport limousine service information, please check below website.
http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/
For train timetables, please check the following website:
https://world.jorudan.co.jp/mln/en/

1) GRIPS International House (GRIPS IH, Nakano, Tokyo)
From NARITA airport to GRIPS IH
Access:A simple, inexpensive way of getting to International House is to take the Airport Limousine bus to the KEIO
PLAZA Hotel Tokyo (Shinjuku) and then take a taxi to GRIPS IH from there showing the map to a cab driver.
In order to arrive GRIPS IH by 5:30 pm, you need to take a bus departing Narita by 3:00 pm.
The bus fare is 3,100 yen; the taxi fare is approximately 1,500-2,000 yen.

From HANEDA airport to GRIPS IH
Option 1: Airport Limousine to Nakano Station
The Airport Limousine bus service runs between Haneda Airport and Nakano Station. To arrive at GRIPS IH
before 5:30 pm, you must take the Airport Limousine bus departing Haneda by 4:00 pm. Purchase a ticket(1,230 yen) at the Airport Limousine counter in the airport arrival lobby. The bus stops are located justoutside the arrival lobbies.
Get off at Nakano Station North Exit (In front of Sun Plaza), which is located approximately 10-15 min walkaway from GRIPS IH. Take a taxi to the IH showing the map to a cab driver or walk for 10-15 min. The taxi
fares are about short-distance and the cheapest.
Option 2: Airport Limousine to Shinjuku Station
The Airport Limousine bus service runs between Haneda Airport and Shinjuku Station as well. Take the
Airport Limousine bus to the KEIO PLAZA Hotel Tokyo (Shinjuku) and then take a taxi to GRIPS IH fromthere showing the map to a cab driver. In order to arrive GRIPS IH by 5:30 pm, you need to take a bus
departing Haneda by 3:20 pm. The bus fare is 3,100 yen; the taxi fare is approximately 1,500-2,000 yen.

2) The Tokyo International Exchange Center (TIEC, Odaiba, Tokyo)
For maps and access information, please also check the TIEC website:
https://www.jasso.go.jp/en/kyoten/tiec/access.html-5-

From NARITA airport to TIEC
Option 1: Airport Limousine to Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba
A relatively cheap way of getting to TIEC – and the one we recommend – is to take the Airport Limousine bus
to the nearby Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba Hotel (Odaiba) and then take a taxi from there.
The Airport Limousine bus service runs between Narita Airport and Ariake, Odaiba, Takeshiba, Shiodome,
Shiba area. To arrive at TIEC before 5:30 pm, you must take the Airport Limousine bus departing Narita by
4:00 pm. Purchase a ticket (2,800 yen) at the Airport Limousine counter in the airport arrival lobby. The bus
stops are located just outside the arrival lobbies. You can ask questions to clerks at the Airport Limousine
counter.
Get off at Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba Hotel, which is located approximately 850m from the TIEC ResidenceHalls. Take a taxi to the TIEC. The fares are about short-distance and the cheapest.
Option 2: Train from Narita airport to Tokyo International Cruise Terminal station
Youu can take one of the several trains going downtown from the airport. The easiest way is to take the JR
Narita Express to Tokyo station (60 min; approx. 3,070 yen); transfer to the Yamanote line; then get off at
Shimbashi station (2nd stop). At Shimbashi station, follow the signs for the Yurikamome line. Board any train
there and get off at Tokyo International Cruise Terminal station (16 min; 390 yen). The TIEC buildings are a
3-minute walk from the station.

NaritaAirport
成田空港

JR Narita
ExpressTokyo
St.

JR 成田エクスプレス

東京

JR YamanoteLine
JR 山手線

ShimbashiSt.
新橋

Yurikamome
Line
ゆりかもめ

Tokyo International
Cruise TerminalSt.
東京国際クルーズ
ターミナル

From HANEDA airport to TIEC
Option 1: Airport Limousine to Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba
The Airport Limousine bus service runs between Haneda Airport and Odaiba, Ariake area. To arrive at TIEC
before 5:30 pm, you must take the Airport Limousine bus departing Haneda by 4:00 pm . Purchase a ticket(630 yen) at the Airport Limousine counter in the airport arrival lobby. The bus stops are located just outside
the arrival lobbies. You can ask questions to clerks at the Airport Limousine counter.
Get off at Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba Hotel, which is located approximately 850 m from the TIEC ResidenceHalls. Take a taxi to the TIEC showing the enclosed information card to a cab driver. The fares are about
short-distance and the cheapest.
Option 2: Train from Haneda airport to Tokyo International Cruise Terminal station
If your flight arrives after 4 pm, you can take one of the several trains going downtown from the airport. The
easiest way is to take the Tokyo-Monorail from Haneda Airport Terminal 3 Station to Tennozu Isle station (15min; 350 yen); transfer to the Rinkai line; then get off at Kokusai-Tenjijo station (2nd stop, 6 min; 280 yen). At
Kokusai-Tenjijo, follow the signs for the Ariake station on the Yurikamome line. Board any train going towards
Shimbashi and get off at Tokyo International Cruise Terminal station (8 min; 260 yen). The TIEC buildings are
a 3-minute walk from the station.

HanedaAirportTerminal 3
St.
羽田空港

TokyoMonorail
東京モノ
レール

Tennozu-Isle St.
天王洲
アイル

RinkaiLine

Ariake Yurikamome
St.
Line

KokusaiTenjijo
St.
国際展示場

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270m

有明

ゆりかもめ

Tokyo
International
Cruise TerminalSt.
東京国際クルー
ズターミナル3) Misato Housing Complex (Misato, Saitama Prefecture)
From NARITA airport to MISATO
Access:
You take the Airport Limousine bus from Narita airport to Shin-Koshigaya station (3,200 yen) . Bridge Life
staff will meet you there and take a train to Shin-Misato station (170 yen). A detail instruction will be given to
you by the staff.

From HANEDA airport to Misato
Access:
You take the Airport Limousine bus from Haneda airport to Shin-Koshigaya station (1,350 yen) . Bridge Life
staff will meet you there and take a train to Shin-Misato station (170 yen). A detail instruction will be given to
you by the staff.
There is no resident manager living in Misato housing complex. GRIPS Student Office and a support service
company (Bridge Life Co., LTD) will assist you to reside in Misato housing complex.
*If you encounter any problems upon arrival, please contact the support service company (Bridge Life Co.,LTD) or us at GRIPS. BL’s contact numbers are also listed above on the” Address and Contact Information”.

Schedule after Arrival in Japan
Your first couple of days (after quarantine period if you are asked to quarantine after your arrival) in Japan
will be taken up by various administrative arrangements, including resident registration, signing up fornational health insurance and comprehensive insurance, purchasing a commuter railway pass and opening abank account. Further details and instructions will be provided when you arrive.

Insurance
National Health Insurance (NHI)
All international students must enroll in the Japanese National Health Insurance (NHI) system (kokumin
kenko hoken). NHI covers 70% of the cost of all standard medical and dental treatment in Japan. Further
details will be explained when you arrive, and the GRIPS staff will help you with the enrolment procedures.
NHI costs approximately 1,500 yen per person per month.

Other Insurance
All international students (depending on the program, the insurance will be arranged by the sponsor) mustsign up for Comprehensive Insurance, which costs about 12,000 yen per year. This insurance covers costs
related to death resulting from injuries as well as expenses incurred through unexpected accidents orillnesses; medical treatment for injuries to other people; compensation for property damage; and rescue
expenses in the event of critical illness or death of students.
*The insurance during your quarantine will be provided by GRIPS or by your sponsor.

OthersAccompanying Family Members
International students can bring their families to Japan AFTER they arrive in Japan. If you plan to bring yourfamily members to Japan as dependents, you can apply for Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for the status of
Dependent at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau on behalf of your family members. Please-7-note that if you plan to bring your family members to Japan, you need to choose family accommodationfrom the beginning.
We ask you to think very carefully about bringing your family to Japan. Before making the final decision,please take all aspects into consideration. For example, your family may have difficulty in communicatingwith the neighbors and other locals; it is not easy to find a spot in a kindergarten here; and there may be
unexpected extra financial burdens.
If you are inviting family members, please contact the Student Office and provide the information we require
once you fix flight schedule of your family members.
Have a safe trip to Japan!
We look forward to meeting you soon at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.

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