Life in Japan, without paperwork surprises.
Tebiki tells you what’s coming, what you need, and what to write in every box.
Free for 14 days. No card needed.
Your timeline
Visa renewal
Window opens in 3 weeks
Residence tax, 3rd payment
Due in 2 months
Checklist
Visa renewal
4 of 7 documents
- Done住民票Residence certificate
- Done課税証明書Tax certificate
- Done証明写真Photo, 4 × 3 cm
- To do申請書Application form
Scanned form
Change of address form
住民異動届
- フリガナ
- ヤマダ タロウ
Your name in katakana
- 届出日
- 令和8年10月13日
Today in the Japanese era
- 新住所
- ほしの市 みずべ区 1-2-3
- 電話番号（任意）
- 職員記入欄
- Fill in
- Office use, leave blank
- Optional
Japanese paperwork is hard. It’s not just you.
Deadlines you find out about too late
Visa renewal, residence tax, school forms. Nobody reminds you. You find out when the letter arrives, or when it’s already urgent.
One procedure, three offices
City hall for the 住民票 (residence certificate), the tax counter for another paper, immigration for the application. Each with its own hours and rules.
Forms you can’t read
Kanji, tiny boxes, sections only the office should touch. And the 手引き, the official guide that explains it all, is usually only in Japanese.
How it will work
- 1
Tell us your situation
Visa type and expiry date, city, family. It takes two minutes.
- 2
Get your timeline and checklists
See what’s coming and what each procedure needs: which document, where to get it, how much it costs, and the deadline.
- 3
Scan your documents
Take a photo. We explain what it is, show what to write in each box, and tick it off your checklist.
- Fill in
- Office use, leave blank
- Optional
Why “Tebiki”?
In Japan, every procedure comes with a 手引き (tebiki), an official handbook. It also means “to lead by the hand.” That’s what we do.
Procedures we help with
We start with the most common ones and add more over time.
Visa renewal
At launchDocuments, photo, fees, and when your renewal window opens.
Moving address
At launchNotify the new city hall within 14 days, then update your residence card, insurance and bank.
Changing jobs
At launchHealth insurance and pension when you leave a job or start a new one.
Child starting school
At launchThe letters from your child’s school, enrollment forms, and the 入学の手引き (school guide) in plain words.
Permanent residence
Coming soonThe long list for 永住 (permanent residence), including which years of tax records you need.
Taxes and residence tax
Coming soon住民税 (residence tax) letters, payment slips, and tax certificates.
Details that matter
The small things that send you back to the counter. We know them, so you don’t have to.
- フリガナ / ふりがな
Katakana or hiragana?
If the form says フリガナ, write how your name sounds in katakana. If it says ふりがな, use hiragana.
- 令和8年10月13日
Dates in the Japanese era
Many forms use the era year, not 2026. This year is 令和8年 (Reiwa 8).
- 太枠内
Only inside the bold frame
太枠内 means you write only in the boxes with a thick border. The rest is not for you.
- 職員記入欄
Office-use boxes
Boxes marked 職員記入欄 (for staff) stay blank. Writing there can mean starting over.
- 任意
Optional fields
任意 means optional. You can leave it blank.
- 印 / 署名
Seal or signature
印 marks where a hanko (personal seal) goes. Many offices accept a signature (署名) from foreign residents.
- 発行後3か月以内
Certificates that must be recent
Many procedures only accept certificates issued in the last 3 months (発行後3か月以内). Too early, and you need a new one.
- 〒 → 都道府県 → 市区町村
Japanese address order
From big to small: postal code, prefecture, city, block number, building, room. The opposite of what you’re used to.
Pricing (preview)
Prices aren’t final yet. Here’s how it will work.
Everyone starts with 14 days of Plus, free. No card needed. After that, you move to Free, unless you choose to subscribe.
Free
To keep track of what’s coming.
¥0/ month
- Your personal timeline
- Deadline reminders by email and calendar
- A few scans per month
Tebiki Plus
First 14 days freeFor when a procedure is coming up.
Price coming soon
Annual: 2 months free
- Everything in Free
- Unlimited scans and questions
- Full procedure checklists, tracked automatically
- Alerts before a document gets too old
A Family plan is planned for later.
Join the waitlistPrivacy and honesty
Facts, not photos
We keep what we need, like document type and dates. Your photos are only saved if you choose.
Never your My Number
We never store your マイナンバー (My Number, your 12-digit ID).
Delete anytime
Ask us and all your data is deleted.
We explain. We’re not lawyers.
Tebiki explains and organizes. We’re not lawyers or 行政書士 (licensed scriveners). For complex cases, talk to a licensed professional.
Questions
Is it free?
There will always be a Free plan with your timeline, reminders and a few scans a month. Everyone starts with 14 days of Plus, free, with no card. Plus will be paid; prices aren’t final yet.
Which languages?
Portuguese, Spanish and English. Japanese documents are explained in your language.
Is this just Google Translate or ChatGPT?
No. A translator tells you what words mean. Tebiki knows your timeline, tells you before deadlines, tracks your documents across procedures, and shows exactly what to write in each box.
Do I need to install an app?
No. It works in your phone’s browser, and you can add it to your home screen like an app.
What happens to my documents?
We keep the facts we need, like document type and dates. Photos are only saved if you choose. We never store your My Number, and you can delete everything at any time.
Is this legal advice?
No. Tebiki explains and organizes information. It isn’t legal, tax or immigration advice. For complex cases, talk to a licensed professional, like a 行政書士 (licensed scrivener) or a lawyer.
What does “Tebiki” mean?
手引き (tebiki) is what Japanese offices call the official guide for each procedure. It also means “to lead by the hand.” That’s the idea.
When does it launch?
We’re building it now. Join the waitlist and we’ll email you when it’s ready. Only real news, no spam.
Join the waitlist
Be the first to know when Tebiki opens. Tell us what’s coming up for you, so we build that first.