A couple of things need to be taken care of when you first arrive. Firstly this has all been done before and you should not have to worry too much about anything.

What you will actually do during August varies significantly. Junior high school ALTs may have a desk at the local Board of Education and be expected to attend there at least occasionally. English is a problem as the office staff are unlikely to speak any English and the former teachers are unlikely to have been English teachers. There should other ALTs in the office or even a CIR nearby, however if they have renewed from the previous year they will probably be on holiday.

Use this time to ask people about things of interest in the area, transport, sport activities, learn some important kanji (ie the school subjects), review the JET publications, prepare your introduction lesson (see below) and study some Japanese. Don't be afraid to ask for some time away from the office to travel somewhere, sort your apartment out or just make up a story about needing to go to the bank to change money. Chances are the people around you feel awkward about how bored you are and are glad to be offered a way out.

High school ALTs may be in totally different situation. Because your supervisor is teacher, and likely a junior teacher, he or she will feel that you should be at school just like everyone else and very reluctant to ask the boss to approve your absence. A not-so-exciting month but you get plenty of time to explore the school.

Students may be coming to school to attend clubs.

If you are really bored approach the local CIR to see if there is something you can be involved in, if the CIR is starting a second or third year, he or she may well be on holidays.

Most likely before you arrive a name stamp (hanko or inkan) has been made and registered for you with your name in katakana. This is your signature and used on all documents.

Introductions
Most pre-departure orientations will give you more than enough practice on introductions. In spite of all your practice reciting the introduction mantra you are very likely to have your well-practiced routine thrown into complete disarray being greeted in bad English and a half way through your bow you find yourself doing the simultaneous bow-handshake thing.

If you don't speak Japanese "dozo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu" can be a real mouth full; this abbreviated version might be better.

"ha ji me ma shi te"

"<name> de su""

"yo ro shi ku, o ne gai shi masu" (bow)

Saying "onegai shimasu" and bowing is your ticket to Japan. This one expression can be used everywhere, meeting the mayor, asking for help at the bank, post office, at the checkout in the supermarket, even after you've been served (then it means next time be nice as well).

If people are using your name incorrectly, you prefer your family name to your given name or vice versa, or just saying it completely wrong use the following sentence.

<name> to o yobi ku da sai

Alien Registration Card
You need to get a Certificate of Alien Registration (Gaikokujin Touroku Shoumeisho) or more commonly referred to as the Gaijin Card. This is your gateway to just about everything, video store membership, mobile phones, and bank accounts. You will be taken to the city hall (shiyakusho) of the area you live, which may not be where you work, to apply and it will be issued several weeks later. You're supposed to carry this at all times. You should not need your passport for most businesses.

Banks
You'll need a bank account. Postal Savings is strictly not a bank but is one of the few institutions which is truly national, you should have a Postal Savings account for travelling within Japan. Postal Savings cash machines have a English instructions (as soon as you select the English menu the cash machine voice will greet you with a rather loud but reassuring, "welcome to postal savings"). Many JETs get paid in cash, around 24 10,000 yen notes but others are paid by direct debit to a bank account, not a Postal Savings account. Regional banks probably don't have any English instructions on their ATMs. Don't expect any interest.

The staff in banks are usually very helpful, however don't expect the great service you become used to elsewhere in Japan. If you cannot fill in the deposit forms simply offer your money and passbook and they'll do everything for you, a nervous expression, a big smile and a bit of a bow will go a long way. "Onegai shimasu" is the universal expression used to ask for favours or help.

Many payments are made at cash machines, for instance airline tickets. You will receive an invoice with the required codes. It is very complex if you can't read Japanese proficiently, take the invoice to the counter and someone will take you to the cash machine and do everything for you.

First Shopping
Many do not forget their first visit to a Japanese supermarket. This one reason you should make every effort to learn some katakana before you come to Japan, many products have names that are Japanese rendering of English words. For example shan-pu (shampoo), kon-dei-sho-na (conditioner), tsu-na (tuna).

Fresh produce should be no problem, many things are not available outside their season but the basics are always available. Learning the kanji for chicken, pork and beef could be a good idea, if it's important to you.

Larger supermarket and department stores in regional cities will have a greater selection of foreign and specialist food.