Living Essentials - Student

I'm going to be moving to Akita, Japan in mid March this year. I have searched this website and the questions and have been unable to find sufficient information on what i should bring so i thought maybe you guys could help. I'm moving to Japan as an exchange student and am staying there for 1 year as a student and a further month as a traveller. Are there any things that are an absolute must have in Japan? For example a Laptop, i have heard that most exchange students need one. I just need some general idea of the things i should bring, not necessarily that i will definetly NEED to have, but things that i MAY need or may make my trip better or more comfortable.

I already have a digital camera and video camera so there's no need to say them :P.

Any info you guys could give me would be much appreciated!

...are u going to do an exchange at the international university up there?

As far as what u should bring, a ton of warm clothes because it is cold, even in march. A laptop would be a good idea too.

The other things I would sugest u bring: deodorent - Japanese for some reason or another don't use deodorent as much as Americans and the stuff they have just doesn't do it for me.

Other than that, your probably fine because Japan has a Japanese version of almost anything u can get in the States.

As Been san says, almost everything is available here. Bring tons of money will be enough.

and international driving permit will help you to enjoy yourself, you dont need a car when you are in Japanese big city, like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya. but it will be more enjoyable to drive a car if you live in Akita for a while. :)