[sarasi]

kashitta, don't count on being able to stay in Japan for more than 6 months on tourist permits. The unwritten rule is that in any 365 day period, you can only spend 6 months in Japan. If you leave Japan for a few days and then try to come back in again, you will most likely be put on the next plane back to where you came from. Japan Immigration considers stays of more than 6 months in a year on tourist visas to be abuse of the tourist visa, and therefore will not allow it.

Nyororin is correct in saying that it doesn't matter how long your husband gets on a tourist visa, if you are from a country whose citizens are only given 90 days or less, that is all you will get. You can try leaving Japan and coming back in for another 90 days, but as above, you will most likely only get away with that once.

Your husband will need to show serious previous commitment to his karate studies to qualify for a cultural visa, as well as arranging in advance a dojo that will sponsor him, and commitment to spend a lot of time practicing while in Japan.

If you are only on a tourist permit, your accommodation choices are limited because most agencies won't rent to people who don't have a visa allowing them to stay longer-term in Japan.

In Japan, as in other countries, there is no system that makes it possible for people to just come and hang out here long term. You have to either get a visa that shows you have some reason to be here (spousal, working, student), or you accept the shorter time that a tourist permit allows you. That's just how it works.