5 Things You Need To Know About Renting In Japan

Knowing your concerns, today, in this article, GoEMON will be guiding you through a list of 5 important things that you need to know about renting in Japan to aid you in the process of finding your own perfect home sweet home! 

1. The general flow

Step 1: Research properties and financing options 

Step 2: View and compare different properties

Step 3: Sign the rental contract, submit the required documents, and pay the house deposit fee

Step 4: Receive the keys and move in

2. Getting a guarantor

Although there are many policies to aid foreigners in renting a house, in Japan, you will need to have a guarantor. This person will be legally responsible for paying fees, such as rent or penalties in case of emergencies or if something bad happens. The guarantor is required to have Japanese nationality (or permanent residence visa), must be a citizen authorized to sign the commitment form, and have a relatively close relationship with the tenant. Students would usually ask their professors to be their guarantors. 

Due to the strict requirements, it can be quite challenging to find a guarantor. Therefore, we advise that you find a company that provides housing guarantee services (which basically means that they will rent you a guarantor). 

3. Housing fees in Japan can be quite high

Just like in other countries, the rent will vary depending on the geographical area, province, cities, and even streets. However, the average rent will range from around 50,000 to 70,000 JPY. The rent in Tokyo is obviously the most expensive, which can reach up to 150,000 JPY for a private apartment or 200,000 JPY for a two-bedroom apartment. International students or newcomers to the country may not be able to afford such prices. 

Japan is a country with many hills, mountains, and nature but little land for housing. This leads to high demand for houses and explains why the rent is so high. Below are examples of the average housing fees in 3 different cities in Japan: 

Tokyo:

• 1 bedroom 130.000 JPY (1.200 USD)
• 3 bedrooms 300.000 JPY (2.800 USD)

Kyoto:

• 1 bedroom 68.000 JPY (640 USD)
• 3 bedrooms 150.000 JPY (1.400 USD)

Osaka:

• 1 bedroom 75,000 JPY (700 USD)
• 3 bedroom 140.000 JPY (1.300 USD)

4. Commonly used housing terms in Japan

The Japanese use letters as abbreviations to refer to different types of rooms. This makes it easier and quicker to describe each type of room, rather than using full phrases like studio apartment, two-bedroom apartment, and so on. 

L — living room

D — dining room

K — kitchen

S — service room (usually a small vacant room, many people use this as an extra storage room or as a small working area)

R — Room (studio apartment, often called one room or 1R in Japanese)

Some examples of the most common types of rooms for rent in Japan: 

• 1R: One-room/studio apartment 
• 1K: One bedroom + a kitchen separated by a door. The living area will be included in the bedroom area
• 1DK: One bedroom + a kitchen and a combined dining area 
• 1LDK: One bedroom + a combined area for kitchen, dining, and living
• 1SLDK: One bedroom+ a combined area for kitchen, dining, and living + one service room

Below are two of the most common forms of housing in Japan: 

• Apartment (アパート): Apartments are constructed with wood or steel frames and can be up to two stories tall
• Mansions （マンション): These buildings are usually more expensive than apartments. They have at least 3 stories or more and are constructed with steel and concrete

5. Jiko Bukken (事故物件)

Jiko Bukken, also called “Black property” or stigmatized property. They are buildings where events that resulted in fatality or seriously harmful issues occurred. For example, places with recorded murder, suicide, or natural death disasters; located near criminal gangs; constructed on top of a well; made by or once owned by a cult; and so on. These houses are usually priced way cheaper than normal properties, which can range anywhere from 20 to even 50%, depending on the severity of the reason why it became a Jiko Bukken. 

GoEMON hopes that the article was of use to you in finding a suitable place to become your next home in Japan. Don’t hesitate to comment down below if you have any questions or any other tips you would like to share with others! 

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