Sadly, the study abroad will come to an end. However, you will leave with irreplaceable memories and numerous new experiences! I will guide you through what the process is like during the last week of your study abroad:
1) You will need to return your student ID card to your office. This was a specific rule for Waseda University, but you should check with your host university if they have the same rule.
2) Change your address at the Ward Office: When it gets close to your departure date, you need to go back to the Ward Office that you first registered your address. Here, you will need to fill out forms saying that you're returning to the U.S. and will no longer be staying at your current dorm/apartment.
3) Cancel your National Health Insurance: After changing your address, you will need to cancel your national health insurance at the Ward Office. The office worker will let you know if you still owe them money and will go through the process of cancelling your insurance. They will give you an envelope that is pre-paid, and all you need to do is send back your insurance card in that envelope on the day you depart Japan.
4) Make sure your bag is under 50 pounds or 70 pounds: For Hawaiian Airlines, there is a baggage fee of 5,000 yen you will need to pay at the check-in counter if the weight is above 50 pounds. However, this price jumps up to 40,000 yen if it gets over 70 pounds! So make sure you know how much your bag weighs before getting to the airport! You can buy a scale from Donquihote for around 2,000 yen (my advice is to split the cost with your friends and just pass the scale along one person at a time).
5) Ship your bags through Yamato Transport or get a taxi: If you have more than 2 luggages, I suggest that you ship your luggage through Yamato Transport from either a hotel you're staying at or a convenience store. You have to check the procedures online, and they will guide you to the process of sending your luggage to the airport a couple days prior to your departure. You could also hire a taxi to pick you up. This is the simplest way, but it is a bit costly. The pro to this is that you don't have to worry about shipping your bags and figuring out the logistics, but the con is that it is more expensive.
6) Save room in your carry-on/bag for some omiyage: The airport is a great place to buy any last minute gifts (especially snacks). My recommendation for snacks are the Roasted Marshmallow S'mores tart (Floor 1 of Terminal 3 at Haneda Airport before customs) and Royce Chocolates (the Nama chocolate boxes, chocolate covered chips, and the matcha almonds found on Floor 2 at Haneda Airport by the gates). They also sell Kit-Kats of various flavors and other cute boxed snacks!
7) When you get back to Hawai‘i, make sure you declare your items at customs if the amount of items you are bringing back from Japan (that you purchased there) is above $800. You need to know the general categories, like snacks, clothes, houseware, cosmetics, etc., since they will charge you depending on how much of each category you are bringing over the allocated amount.
It's definitely sad to leave Japan, but it's fun to talk about your fun experiences with your friends and family (and start to think about when the next possible time you can go back to Japan is)!