Summary of Rental Apartments and House Hunting in Japan

In this article, we provide a brief summary of various points regarding rental apartments and house hunting in Japan. If you are new to house hunting in Japan and you are planning to rent an apartment, we recommend that you browse through these important points.

1. Characteristics of Japanese apartments

Apartments in Japan have some characteristics that are quite different from apartments in other countries. Here are some of that you should know about.

・Compact design

Japan has a relatively small land area that is habitable, and most of the population is concentrated in large urban centers. This means that most rental apartments are quite compact in order to make the most use of the limited space.

・Floor layout and partitions

While apartments with open layouts are common in some countries, most apartments in Japan have plenty of partitions. This means that Japanese apartments can feel cramped compared to an open layout with the same floor area.

・Fewer windows and openings

Houses designed with large, all-glass windows are common in some countries. But in Japan, most apartments have few windows, many of which are small. This is mostly due to privacy preferences and building regulations.

・Earthquake resistance

Since Japan is an earthquake-prone country, much importance is placed on the earthquake resistance of houses. There are also standards and regulations regarding the design of houses in order to prevent damage or collapse during earthquakes.

⇒ Click here to know more about earthquakes and housing in Japan

⇒ Click here to know more about earthquake preparedness and response in Japan

・Rental housing types

Most rental housing in Japan are multi-unit apartment buildings or “mansions”, and standalone houses for rent are not very common. In big cities, many apartment units also do not include a parking space.

⇒ Click here to know more about the difference between Japanese apartments and mansions

・Unique facilities

Many Japanese apartments come with unique facilities that can make life more convenient. These include delivery boxes where delivery persons can leave parcels even when you are not at home, intercom units that let you check on visitors before opening the door, and electric bidet toilet seats (washlet).

⇒ Click here to know how to use a mailbox with a dial lock

２.Characteristics of the house hunting and moving-in process in Japan

・Searching for a rental property

In Japan, the most common way to search for a rental property is to use a property listing site or visit a real estate agency.

If you are new to house hunting in Japan, you should choose a site or company that specializes in dealing with foreign clients. We recommended using wagaya Japan which has plenty of multilingual staff who can provide full support from your property search to your move-in.

Some major Japanese property listing sites list a lot of properties, but many of these probably do not accept foreign tenants, so you should always check in advance if you find a room you like.

⇒ Click here to know more about choosing a good real estate agency

・Making an application

After finding a suitable property, you make a tenancy application through the real estate agency. The application process can take up to two weeks, and includes preparing several documents as well as a tenant screening.

⇒ Click here to know more about the tenancy application process

・Signing a contract

During the lease contract signing, you normally need to provide an emergency contact number of a Japanese resident, so it’s a good idea to consult with a Japanese friend or colleague in advance.

The initial cost you need to pay is usually equivalent to 5 to 6 times the monthly rent, and includes fees like key money (reikin) and a security deposit (shikikin).

⇒ Click here to know more about passing the tenancy screening

⇒ Click here to know more about joint guarantors and emergency contacts

⇒ Click here to know more about key money (reikin) and security deposits (shikikin)

・Moving in

Japanese apartments are normally unfurnished, and they are cleaned and repaired before you move in. Bear in mind that there are plenty of written and unwritten rules about apartment living in Japan, such as avoiding making loud noises and separating your garbage properly. You should understand and follow these rules and manners to ensure a trouble-free tenant life.

⇒ Click here to know more about the moving-in checklist

⇒ Click here to know more about handling house keys

⇒ Click here to know more about communal spaces in Japanese apartments

⇒ Click here to know more about the rules for smoking in Japanese apartments

⇒ Click here to know more about the rules for garbage separation and disposal

Summary

This article provides a summary of rental apartments and the house hunting process in Japan. The characteristics of apartments and house hunting varies from country to country. In Japan, apartments are generally small and compact, and signing a lease contract involves a large initial cost. There are also plenty of rules and manners that you are expected to follow as a tenant. It is a good idea to understand these points before you go house hunting in Japan.

At wagaya Japan, we only list rental properties that can accept foreign tenants. Our staff can provide full support from your house hunting to your move-in. Feel free to inquire with us.