Your First Day at a Japanese Part-Time Job: What to Bring, Say, and Expect
You got hired — now what? The documents Japanese employers ask for (residence card, bank details, My Number), the greetings that matter, and how the first shifts actually go.
The rirekisho worked, the interview went well, and you are hired. The first day at a Japanese workplace has its own small rituals — arrive prepared and you will look like someone who has done this before.
Documents to bring (or prepare)
- Residence card (在留カード): the employer must confirm your status and work permission — bring the original.
- Bank details: your bank book (通帳) or cash card, for salary transfer.
- My Number: employers need it for tax paperwork. Bring the card or the paper notification.
- Hanko (印鑑): some workplaces still stamp contracts; a cheap 認印 is fine. A signature is often accepted for foreigners — ask beforehand.
- Student ID if you are a student, and your work-permission details.
The greetings that matter
Arrive 10 minutes early. At the staff entrance or backroom, greet everyone you meet: 「おはようございます。今日からお世話になります、〇〇です。よろしくお願いします。」 (“Good morning, I'm ___, starting today. I look forward to working with you.”) — おはようございます is the standard arrival greeting in shift workplaces at any hour. When leaving: 「お先に失礼します」, and to someone finishing work: 「お疲れ様です」. These three phrases carry you through week one.
What the first shifts look like
- Expect paperwork, a uniform, and shadowing a senior staff member (先輩) rather than solo work.
- Take notes — a small memo pad signals seriousness, and nobody minds you writing things down.
- Training pay may differ slightly from the ad's headline rate but must never fall below minimum wage — see how part-time pay works.
- Ask when unsure: 「すみません、確認してもいいですか」 is always better than a silent mistake.
The habits that get you more shifts
Reliability beats brilliance in shift work: arrive early, never no-show, message properly if sick (call, do not just LINE-stamp), and greet customers with energy. Managers give the good shifts to the person they never worry about. Do that for a month and you will also have the reference and the confidence for the next, better job — at which point you can update your resume with real Japanese work history.