{"id":29061,"date":"2018-08-25T16:00:32","date_gmt":"2018-08-25T16:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=29061"},"modified":"2023-08-31T09:29:59","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T09:29:59","slug":"searching-for-a-japanese-apartment-what-to-watch-out-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/searching-for-a-japanese-apartment-what-to-watch-out-for\/","title":{"rendered":"Searching for an apartment in Japan: What to look for and what to expect"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s hard enough finding an apartment in your own country, let alone searching for a Japanese apartment! On top of the standard criteria to keep in mind, there are a couple uniquely Japanese fees to keep an eye out for. Of course, as with much of Japan, the differences in city life and country life<\/strong> can be wildly different. Here we\u2019ll be addressing apartment hunting<\/strong> in a Japanese city; oftentimes the rules will be a lot more lenient in the countryside. That being said, let\u2019s begin the search!<\/p>\n

Searching for a Japanese apartment<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When first conducting research, take a look over the many real estate agencies and websites at offer. There is an endless array of choices, and in a place like Tokyo or Osaka, there are simply too many to walk around and look at yourself. These real estate agencies really know the nooks and crannies of the gigantic buildings all stacked up next to each other. Based on your preferences\u2014budget, location, square footage, toilet<\/a> and shower placement, etc.\u2014you tell the agent what you\u2019re looking for, and they\u2019ll show you around to places that fit your criteria. Everybody\u2019s got their own standards about what a good apartment is, but here are a couple key things to look for during the search.<\/p>\n

Location<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Location, location, location! In Japan\u2019s larger cities, central spots are a lot more expensive than those a bit further from downtown and subway or train stations. Seeing as how Japan\u2019s public transportation<\/a> is an amazingly efficient network of veins connecting the city, finding a spot near a good station will allow you to get just about anywhere you want\u2014thus, the cost. Everyone and their mother wants a good spot close to a good station, so be prepared to pay for the convenience. On the other hand, check to see if your room or building is right against a railway line<\/strong>. You might not be too keen hearing the train running by you every interval of the day. Keep in mind that you\u2019ll have to pay to use the trains, so add that to your monthly budget. It\u2019ll add up!<\/p>\n

Space<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Depending on the size<\/strong> and structure of the apartment<\/a>, rent varies considerably. When searching for a Japanese apartment, you\u2019ll generally find L, D, and K abbreviations, preceded by a number. L means living room, D means dining room, and K means kitchen. A 2LDK apartment, then, will mean a 2-room apartment on top of a living room, dining room, and kitchen. A 1DK apartment would have one room with a dining room and kitchen attached, and so on.<\/p>\n

Japan also measures its space based on how many tatami mats<\/strong> fit into the room. The size of a tatami mat is standard, though differs a bit depending on what part of Japan you\u2019re in. West Japan, for example, has its tatami mats measuring 191 x 95.5cm. East Japan measures at 176 x 87.8cm. The reason for the differences are historical; and if you\u2019re also wondering why they\u2019re such strange measurements, Japan used its own measuring system before the metric system came over, so it was a nice whole number before! If a room, for example, is 6 jou<\/em> (\u7573), then it is the size of 6 tatami mats, or 9.18 m2<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Buildings<\/strong><\/h3>\n

One of the biggest variables<\/strong> to look for is between a manshon<\/em> (\u30de\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30f3) and apaato <\/em>(\u30a2\u30d1 \u30fc\u30c8). Derived from (but meaning nearly the complete opposite!) the English word mansion, a manshon is usually a multi-story condominium. In general, they are made of concrete and thus sturdier than their apaato counterparts. An apaato, coming from the English word for apartment, is usually smaller, and with a wooden structure. Build quality (and thus cost) are lower than a manshon, so keep that in mind when apartment hunting.<\/p>\n

When renting an apartment in Japan, look at the age of a building<\/strong>. Old buildings are a-plenty in Japan, and you probably have a general idea of how long Japan\u2019s history is! Some of these buildings have never been renovated, so you could be signing up for water damage in your wooden foundations or big gaps for drafts if you\u2019re not vigilant in your search. That being said, there are many awesome perks you can find, including: a concierge service, pet<\/a> or music instrument permissions, attached karaoke<\/em><\/a> rooms, attached sent\u014d<\/em> (\u92ad\u6e6f) or public baths, similar to onsen<\/a>, furnishings, the list goes on.<\/p>\n

Go with an agent, visit the apartment and walk around to see its location and how the space lines up with your likings. Sometimes, for example, a bath won\u2019t even be in the apartment, or the washing machine plug is only on the balcony. These are more extreme cases, but they do happen! Check it all out, and don\u2019t be afraid to keep looking, because there\u2019ll always be more places.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/h2>\n

Contract<\/strong><\/h2>\n

So you\u2019ve decided! Congratulations! It\u2019s time to tell your agent or contact the agency or private individual operating the place. A word of caution when searching for a Japanese apartment: in some cases agencies aren\u2019t willing to rent to foreigners<\/strong>. It\u2019s illegal in the US, but this isn\u2019t the US. It\u2019s not exactly the norm, but there are no clear laws preventing it. There are agencies willing to rent to foreigners if they have a Japanese guarantor who will sign off on the contract, taking charge of the burden in case the foreign renter breaks contract.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a bit of discrimination, but it does happen. Keep in mind that Japan kept itself in isolation for around 200 years before re-opening up its doors in 1853. There are many things uniquely \u201cJapanese\u201d to Japan, and the general outlook on foreigners can still be a bit wary, especially amongst the older generations. Don\u2019t let this jade you, though. It\u2019s a part of traveling, and a part of our job as travelers is to dispel the ideas of what different people and different skin colors means\u2014it means nothing, really. Race, color, country, we\u2019re all just people.<\/p>\n

In recent years, more and more agencies are willing to rent to non-Japanese folks, and there are even agencies dedicated exclusively to foreigners<\/strong>. As the host of the 2020 Summer Olympics<\/a>, Tokyo especially took measures to make the city more foreign-friendly, an attitude which affected many areas of the city, including housing agencies.<\/p>\n

Before signing the contract, check for those sometimes hidden Japanese apartment costs<\/strong> like reikin <\/em>(\u793c\u91d1) and shikikin<\/em> (\u6577 \u91d1). Reikin, known as \u201cgift money\u201d or \u201ckey money,\u201d is sometimes made to the owner of an apartment before entering it. It\u2019s usually equivalent to 1-2 months\u2019 rent and is strongly rooted in Japanese culture. It does not cover your first couple months or rent, and is separate from the deposit. Still used in most of Japan (especially Tokyo), it doesn\u2019t even exist up in Hokkaido.<\/p>\n

Shikikin is the deposit, which is pretty standard in a rental agreement in the US. It\u2019s usually equivalent to a month or two of rent, paid in advance, and if there aren\u2019t any damages or problems to the place while you\u2019re staying there, it\u2019ll come back to you at the end of the contract.<\/p>\n

In some cases this means the costs of renting an apartment in Japan could mean 5 or 6 months\u2019 rent up front, right when you move in. Yikes! Be prepared! Be sure to have all your ID and proper documents when coming in to sign the contract. You\u2019ll be told what you need to bring, but don\u2019t forget your residence card<\/a> (\u5728\u7559\u30ab\u30fc\u30c9) and passport.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/h2>\n

Other expenses<\/strong><\/h2>\n

And then come the bills<\/strong>! Electricity, water, and gas are generally based on consumption. You\u2019ll get bills in your mailbox, which you can easily pay at convenience stores<\/a>, post offices, or banks. You can also set up direct debits which take from your Japanese bank account<\/a> monthly, leaving you with a receipt every month. Methods of payment can be worked out with the owner or agency, so make sure to square that all away.<\/p>\n

Contracts are usually two years and fairly easy to cancel, given you follow all the proper procedure: notify in advance, respect all procedure noted in the contract, contacting the utilities to let them know you are leaving the apartment, etc.<\/p>\n

It sounds intimidating, but it just takes going through the proper steps and you\u2019ll be renting an apartment in Japan in no time. More and more foreigner-friendly agencies<\/a> are popping up such as those Go! Go! Nihon partners with, so don’t worry about whether or not you’ll be able to find an apartment in Japan. Those looking to save money while they’re there should check out our article<\/a> to get some more ideas. Last but certainly not least, if you\u2019re coming to study on a student<\/a> or even a tourist<\/a> visa, Go! Go! Nihon will be able to help you. We\u2019ll find you accommodation and support you through the entire booking process. Go take a look at our website<\/a>!<\/p>\n

For other useful information about life in Japan keep following our blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s hard enough finding an apartment in your own country, let alone searching for a Japanese apartment! On top of the standard criteria to keep in mind, there are a couple uniquely Japanese fees to keep an eye out for. Of course, as with much of Japan, the differences in city life and country life […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":29073,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[402],"tags":[690,684,659],"class_list":["post-29061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","tag-living-abroad","tag-moving","tag-paperwork"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}