Daruma
People actively moving to or already living in Japan who want paperwork tasks and deadlines organized in one place.
Daruma is made by the same person who runs YenHacks.
- Works in English
- Yes: Daruma's checklist, app and web guides are in English.
- Platforms
- iOS, Web
What it does
A planning aid for people moving to or living in Japan who want paperwork tasks and deadlines in one place. Use it for organization while confirming consequential requirements with the actual office.
Daruma’s official site describes plans tailored to visa, city and arrival date, document scanning, calendar exports and counter-specific Japanese phrases. It also advertises an AI coach and free web guides. These serve different needs: reading a guide is not the same as having a personalized plan in the app.
The catch
The site currently lists iPhone availability, requiring iOS 15.1 or later, and says Android is still in development. Its AI coach can be wrong. Neither the app nor this listing determines immigration eligibility or replaces instructions from your municipality, the agency or a qualified professional.
Cost and plans
The official site says its web guides are free and need no account. App pricing and purchase conditions should be checked in the linked App Store listing; the website alone does not establish a complete app price schedule. Daruma is made by the people behind Japan Toolbox.
How to get started
- Read the relevant free web guide to understand the task you are trying to organize.
- Use the official App Store link if you want the iPhone app; check current device and pricing details there.
- Review any generated tasks or dates against the responsible office before acting on them.
Sources
Checked 2026-11-02. Prices and conditions change, check the official source before relying on this.