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Start Here: Make Friends in Tokyo & Settle Into Japan

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Make friends in Tokyo, starting this week

TIFE is Tokyo’s international community: 50+ events a month where expats, travelers and Japanese locals meet over language exchanges, parties, sports and day trips. Joining is free and most people come alone.

See this week’s eventsHow to join (2 minutes)

Each event shows its price before you sign up. Most cost ¥500 to ¥3,000.

A full room of international and Japanese members at a TIFE event in Tokyo
4.6 from 5,161 ratings on Meetup35,000+ members from 69+ countries500 to 1,000+ people at our events every monthSince 2015; TIFE and its founder on Nスタ, ZIP! and ヒルナンデス!

Where are you right now?

I live in TokyoNew here or feeling isolated. Find a regular event and a community you’ll see every week. I’m visiting TokyoMeet locals on your trip. Tourists are welcome at every event; RSVP on Meetup.

Moving to Japan soon? Jump to the settling-in roadmap for visa, housing, ward office, phone and bank.

Happening soon

The next TIFE events, updated automatically from our Meetup group. Tap one to see the venue, time and price.

🥟 International Dumpling Making Party | Akihabara 🌍 餃子・パーティー@秋葉原

November 1, 2026 12:45 pm
リノスペkitchen秋葉原 レンタルスペース - Japan, 〒101-0021 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Sotokanda, 2-chōme−1−１５ 2階

Karaoke Party @ Kanda 【🎤】 カラオケ・パーティー＠神田

November 1, 2026 04:30 pm
カラオケの鉄人 神田西口駅前店 - Japan, 〒101-0047 Tokyo, Chiyoda City, Uchikanda, 3-chōme−13−３ Tachibana Building, B1F-2F
BachataSport

💃 Bachata Dance & Social Night 🌍Open to beginners 」 / バチャータクラス | 初心者・未経験・大歓迎！

November 2, 2026 08:00 pm
Studio Green 御徒町 - 台東区 上野5-7-7 公徳堂ビル
KickboxingSport

Kickboxing & Muscle Training Class「Open to beginners 」 / キックボクシング & 筋トレ・レッスン

November 3, 2026 07:55 pm
STUDIO LIKEMAD - Japan, 〒150-0042 Tokyo, Shibuya, Udagawachō, 11−２ 宇田川柳光ビル B1
See all events on MeetupBrowse the event calendar

The easiest first events

If you’ve never been, pick something with a built-in format. You won’t have to start a conversation from nothing.

🗣️ Language exchangeEnglish–Japanese every Wednesday in Nippori, Spanish most Saturdays in Jimbocho. Small groups with a host. ¥500 to ¥1,000. 🎉 Parties and the Monthly GatheringThe fastest way to meet many people in one night. A good second event once you know a few faces. 💪 Sports and classesKickboxing, social dance, bootcamp and more. Doing something together makes talking easy. Around ¥2,000 to ¥2,500. 🌿 Day tripsRafting, canyoning and seasonal trips outside Tokyo, back the same day. A whole day together turns strangers into friends.

Join TIFE in 3 steps (free)

  1. Join the TIFE group on MeetupFree, works from any country, and you can RSVP right away.
  2. RSVP to one eventEvery event page shows the venue, time and price first. A language exchange is the easiest start.
  3. Show up and tell the host it’s your first timeThey’ll introduce you. Most people come alone, so you won’t be the only new face.
Join TIFE on MeetupLiving in Japan? Join our LINE

LINE OpenChat may need your phone region set to Japan: how to change your Apple ID region. Visitors can use Meetup and the Facebook group.

What members say

Public reviews from TripAdvisor, quoted as written.

★★★★★

“Being passionate in making new friends in Japan, not only with the Japanese but also from people around the world! … I got those all above things after joining the event!”

Andreas P, TripAdvisor
★★★★★

「私はあまり英語が得意じゃなくても海外の人と楽しめました。」

あや, TripAdvisor (“Even though I’m not great at English, I had fun with people from abroad.”)
★★★★★

“The organisation was perfect and the atmosphere in the group great. Absolute recommendation!”

michael_goesswein, TripAdvisor
Read all reviews on TripAdvisor
Peter Chen, founder of TIFE

Who runs TIFE

I’m Peter Chen. I was born in Taiwan, grew up in Costa Rica and have lived in Japan for more than 18 years. I started TIFE in 2015 because making friends in Tokyo as a newcomer was harder than any of the paperwork. I speak English, Japanese, Spanish and Mandarin.

More about Peter

Moving to Japan? Your settling-in roadmap

Japan’s first-month admin is a chain: you need an address to register at the ward office, a registered address to open a bank account, and a Japanese phone number for almost everything else. Here’s the order that works.

Before you flyVisa, first home, phone and money
First 14 daysResidence card, address and health insurance
  • Your residence card is issued at major airports on arrival: residence card 2026 guide
  • Register your address at the ward office within 14 days of moving in, and join health insurance and pension
  • The My Number Card now works as your health insurance card: what to do
  • The full order of tasks: first-30-days checklist
Weeks 2 to 4Bank, apps and furnishing your place
Week 1 onwardsBuild your social life in parallel, not “later”
Month 2 and beyondSettle in for the long term

Questions before your first event

How can I make friends in Tokyo?
Go to an event with a built-in format, such as a language exchange, a class or a day trip, and go back more than once. TIFE runs 50+ such events a month for internationals and Japanese locals; most people come alone, and joining is free on Meetup.
What is TIFE?
Tokyo International Friends & Events (TIFE) is an international community in Tokyo, founded in 2015 by Peter Chen. It runs 50+ social events a month, including language exchanges, parties, sports and day trips, and has 35,000+ members from 69+ countries. 500 to 1,000+ people attend its events every month.
Is joining TIFE free?
Yes. Joining TIFE and RSVPing on Meetup is free, with no membership fee. Each event shows its price before you RSVP: language exchanges are usually ¥500 to ¥1,000, sports classes around ¥2,000 to ¥2,500, karaoke parties around ¥3,000, and day trips cost more.
Do I need to speak Japanese, or English?
Neither is required. Many international members spoke no Japanese when they joined, and many Japanese members join to practise English. Language exchanges are the easiest place to start either way.
Can I come to an event alone?
Yes. Most people come to their first TIFE event alone. Events have a host and a format, so it’s easy to start talking to people.
I’m only visiting Tokyo. Can I join?
Yes. Tourists are welcome at TIFE events. RSVP on Meetup and follow the Facebook group for updates; the LINE group is for residents. See TIFE for travelers for the best events on a short trip.
I’m moving to Japan. What should I do first?
Before you fly, sort your visa, a place to stay for the first month, a way to move money and a phone plan. In your first 14 days after moving in, register your address at the ward office, join health insurance and pension, and apply for your My Number Card. Then open a bank account. And book one community event in your first week.

More questions? See the full FAQ.

Pick one event this week

Join free on Meetup, RSVP to one event, and tell the host it’s your first time. Follow us on Instagram to see what’s coming up next.

Join TIFE free on MeetupSee this week’s eventsFollow on Instagram

🎟️ Add the TIFE LINE Official Account to enter our raffle for a free ticket to selected events.