Rental video shops

I will be staying in Japan for close to 90 days. My apartment will be very close to Tsutaya and Evo people. Since I've never been to Japan and don't know what they requirements in order to rent videos. Please let me know. I heard that foreigners who go to Japan on temporary visa can't rent video. You need an alien card? Any truth to that? All that I would be able to show would be my passport and my credit card.

Gokikenyo,

Usually you need to provide proof of an address in Japan, which for non-Japanese usually means an Alien Registration Card. Since your passport and credit card don't show that information, you probably won't have any luck, but there is no harm in asking at the rental shop.

My friend, who's Japanese but now living in the States, was very upset to find that he couldn't rent from Tsutaya because he's not a current resident. I rented the videos for him.

Maybe you could ask the folks at your hotel for help.

Thanks for people who responded. I'll be staying at Sakura guest house for 90 days. So, If I can show Tsutaya that I live in one of the Sakura house perhaps they can let me rent their videos. I see how it works now.

How does the rental vending machine work? Same gaijin card requirement?

Why not just apply for an alien registration card, with Sakura House as your residence.I'm not positive, but the rental shops are probably just looking to verify your address and may not even pay attention to your visa status. And yes, you can get an ARC while on a temporary visa. Just go down to your local city hall or ward office with your passport and apply. It takes about a week to process and costs around 300 yen.

thanks yllwsmrf. You learn something everyday. I certainly can do that. Will there be any ramification for doing such a thing? With the immigration I mean. Are there any links you can provide for me to read or learn more about? I think with this ARC, I could also buy a prepaid sim card.

From what I understand prepaid sim cards are no longer being sold (to anyone for that matter), but you should be able to purchase a prepaid phone, even without an ARC. Some Softbank stores in Tokyo and Narita, for example, allow you to purchase one with just your passport and a hotel address.

Here's some basic info on applying:

http://www.tokyo-icc.jp/guide_eng/proce/02.html

Also search around google for more info, but basically you need to take your passport and 2 passport photos to the local ward office where you live and fill out a form that includes your passport info and your address in Japan. Then you go back in one week to pick up your card.

thanks yllwsmrf. I was reading some of your older postings about softbank shibuya and softbank roppongi. That's nice to know where I can get one. So I'm assuming that the prepaid phone will already have a SIM card and all I have to do is buy one of the 3000 or 5000 phone card to load the minutes? Sorry I'm not familiar with Japanese phone system.

So I'm assuming that the prepaid phone will already have a SIM card and all I have to do is buy one of the 3000 or 5000 phone card to load the minutes?

Yup, that's about it. And the handsets themselves start around 5000 yen.