Yokkaichi Immigration Bureau

The Yokkaichi Immigration Bureau (四日市入国管理局 yokkaichi nyūkoku kanri kyoku), officially known as the Nagoya Immigration Bureau - Yokkaichi Port Branch Office (名古屋入国管理局・四日市港出張所 nagoya nyūkoku kanri kyoku yokkaichi-kō shutchō jo) is a small immigration bureau located in Yokkaichi right along the coastline and can handle most tasks that JETs will need to take care of such as re-entry permits, visa extensions, visa changes, etc. It is located a good bit outside of downtown Yokkaichi thus requires a bus or hike to reach but is closer for most Mie residents than the Nagoya office.

Payment

Note that most procedures at the immigration bureau require a fee, and all fees have to be paid via postage revenue stamps -- not in actual cash -- which can be picked up at any post office.

Unfortunately, the Yokkaichi bureau doesn't have a post office nearby, so make sure to get your post office stamps before you go. There is a post office near Kintetsu-Yokkaichi Station.

Hours

• 09:00~12:00; 13:00~16:00, Mon~Fri
• Closed Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays

Contact

• 〒510-0051　三重県四日市千歳町5-1
• 5-1 Chitose-chō, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie-ken, 510-0051
• 0593-52-5695

Map

• Official map Note: city is incorrectly spelled "Yotsukaichi"
• Google map

Directions

First, get yourself to either Kintetsu-Yokkaichi Station or (JR) Yokkaichi Station. The JR Station is closer but either will do.

By Bus

From either station, one must catch the bus bound for the port of Yokkaichi-kō (四日市港). It is bus #94 or #95 and only runs once an hour.

• Catching at JR Yokkaichi

  This is easier option. Catch the bus at the main bus stop just out front of the station.

• Catching at Kintetsu-Yokkaichi

  You are looking for bus platform 10. There are three main clusters of bus stops surrounding Kintets-Yokkaichi Station. The main one is out the west exit. Another one is out the south exit, just on the other side of the Utsube Line platform. A third set of bus stops is southeast of the station, running right along the wide-lane road that runs east of the station. This is where you catch the Yokkachi Port bus. To get there you have to pass Star Island on your left. See this map pin-pointing the exact location of the Yokkaichi Port bus stop (the house icon)

Ride the bus to the final terminal stop (Yokkaichi-kō), and get off the bus. You will be in a small traffic circle from which you'll be able to see the bay and a couple of warehouses. The immigration bureau is the first building back in the direction you came from. Keep in mind that the building is not clearly marked, so printing off a map may be a good idea if you are unsure of the kanji -- there won't be many people around so the ask-a-bystander approach isn't very effective in this case.

On Foot

I missed the bus, and rather than wait an hour, you can walk! Depending on your pace it's anything from 20 to 30 minutes.

1. If you're walking from the Kintetsu station, walk down the long boulevard to the JR station, and check the map just outside the station to help you out.
2. Exiting the JR station, take a left, and walk along til you get to a little bit of water, where you turn left, and go over a train track.
3. Keep going until you get to a place where an overhead motorway comes down to street level. Turn right here, keeping the overpass on your left, and above you.
4. You will walk past a car park on your left (which is under the overpass.) After maybe 200 metres you will come to a road with a second hand car place right in front of you (that's what I assumed anyway - it has lots of bunting around it, little ropes with flags attached.) Go left here, crossing under the overpass, with it now on your right as you begin to walk away from it.
5. Keep going, and you will come to an Eneos gas station - you'll know you're at the right place if you see a rice bowl shop (maybe called Momotaro? Blasted Kanji!) diagonally opposite it, which has a garish orange roof. Turn left and walk along. You're now in the industrial area.
6. You'll come to a big crossroads - keep going in the same direction. Over a bridge and then over some train tracks.
7. Nearly there - past two Trancy buildings (Japan Transport International, something like that, it's in English!) and it's the building on your left.

If you're lucky, when you come out you may be able to catch the bus back. If you enjoy the sort of luck I do, you'll come out of the building just to watch a lovely air-conditioned bus racing off into the sunset. Also, if you do it in the blazing sun, don't worry, there are loads of vending machines along the way - just stay clear of the melon soda, it's surprisingly less thirst-quenching than you'd imagine!

See also

• Nagoya Immigration Bureau
• Re-entry Permit
• Visa Extension

Links

• Yokkaichi Immigration Bureau - Official site (EN) Note: city is incorrectly spelled "Yotsukaichi"
• Yokkaichi Immigration Bureau - Official site (JP)