Use Jorudan, signs, language (Score 1)

Welcome to Japan. I've been reading your journal up to here and I just had to comment.

Have you tried using Jorudan's train station search page? It calculates for you how to get from one station to the other, with different criteria such as cheapest, fastest, easiest. I use it all the time for my longer trips.

achurch is right about the bill paying. You don't have to read that much japanese, just look for the friendly convenience store icons such as 7-11, family mart, lawson's, etc.

Also about language. Use every opportunity to speak/read/write/think Japanese. If you need to network with other expatriates to get your creature comforts, that's all well and good, but...

piyo