Renting an Apartment in Japan
A practical flow for budget, documents, guarantor company, move-in costs, inspection, and local rules.
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Renting in Japan means paying several items before move-in: deposit, key money, broker fee, guarantor-company fee, fire insurance, lock exchange, first rent, and prorated rent. For many apartments, initial cost is 4 to 6 months of rent, and the standard contract term is 2 years.
Search and budget
Use SUUMO, LIFULL HOME’S, at home, Nifty Real Estate, or a foreigner-friendly site such as Real Estate Japan and GaijinPot Housing. REINS is mainly for real estate professionals, so ordinary renters use agent listings.
Keep rent under about one-third of take-home pay. A JPY 250,000 take-home salary usually makes JPY 80,000 rent more realistic than JPY 120,000. Check room type, square meters, station walk, building age, gas type, internet, sunlight, noise, and bicycle parking.
Viewing
View 3 to 5 units in one day if possible. Check entrance, garbage station, bicycle area, hallway, wall damage, storage, kitchen, air conditioner age, water heater, washer pan, toilet, breaker capacity, city gas or propane, and phone signal.
Walk the route from station to building. A listing’s 10-minute walk can feel different at 23:00, in rain, or with luggage. Photograph every room and equipment label for comparison.
Application and screening
After choosing a unit, submit the application with name, date of birth, nationality, residence status, residence period, employer or school, income, emergency contact, and guarantor-company choice. Foreign applicants often need residence card, passport, employment contract or school certificate, and recent 3 months of payslips.
Guarantor screening usually takes 5 to 7 days. Common guarantor companies include Japan Safety, Zenhoren, Casa, and GTN. First-year guarantor fee is often 50% to 100% of monthly rent, with renewal fees later.
Initial costs
For a JPY 80,000 apartment, deposit can be JPY 80,000 to 160,000, key money JPY 0 to 160,000, broker fee JPY 44,000 to 88,000, guarantor fee JPY 40,000 to 80,000, fire insurance JPY 15,000 to 20,000 for 2 years, lock exchange JPY 15,000 to 30,000, plus rent.
The broker fee has a legal ceiling. By default the agent may charge each side at most half a month’s rent plus tax; it can charge the renter a full month plus tax (JPY 88,000 here) only if the renter agreed in advance, and the total from both sides still cannot exceed one month plus tax. Many agencies put that consent in the application paperwork, so read it before signing.
Furniture and appliances can add JPY 150,000 to 500,000. Free-rent, no-key-money, or no-deposit listings reduce the first bill, but check cleaning fees and early-cancellation penalties.
Contract, renewal, move-out
A normal fixed-term expectation is 2 years for an ordinary lease. Renewal can require a renewal fee equal to 1 month of rent, guarantor renewal, and fire-insurance renewal. Some regions or buildings have no renewal fee.
For move-out, give written notice 1 to 2 months ahead, attend inspection, return keys, and wait for deposit settlement. Ordinary wear is usually landlord responsibility under MLIT guidance, while smoking stains, pet scratches, holes, and deliberate damage are tenant responsibility.
After Moving In: Repairs and Emergencies
For a blocked toilet, a leaking pipe, a broken water heater, or no hot water, contact the management company (kanri gaisha) or the landlord (oya) first. Their number is usually in the contract, the move-in guide, or on a sticker near the entrance or intercom. Many buildings also have a 24-hour emergency line, so save it on your phone on move-in day.
If water is leaking, close the stop valve for that fixture, often under the sink or behind the toilet tank, or the main valve in the meter box by the front door, but only if you can reach it safely. Take photos or video of the leak and any damage, then report it right away. Water can reach the unit below, and a late report can make both the damage and the later discussion about it bigger.
Who pays depends on the cause and the contract. Under Civil Code Article 606 the landlord generally carries the duty to repair the room and its equipment, except when the tenant caused the damage. An old water heater that fails with normal use is usually treated differently from a toilet blocked by something flushed by mistake. Ask the management company who will cover the cost before work starts instead of assuming either side will.
If you cannot reach the management company or landlord, check the contract and move-in documents for emergency contacts first. Fire insurance or a rental support service may include emergency plumbing help. In an emergency, take only the steps needed to stop further damage, and keep a record of call times, who you spoke with, messages, and every receipt. Civil Code Article 607-2 lets a tenant arrange a repair in some cases, such as when the landlord was told and did nothing within a reasonable time, or when the situation is urgent, but whether you get the cost back depends on the facts.
Before calling a repair company yourself, ask for the call-out fee, inspection fee, cancellation fee, and a written repair quote before any work begins. The National Consumer Affairs Center has reported cases where an online ad showed toilet repair from JPY 390 and the final bill was JPY 550,000. You can refuse extra work you did not agree to, and if a bill seems wrong, call the consumer hotline 188 for your local consumer center.
Common mistakes
Even with JPY 80,000 rent, the first bill can be JPY 400,000 to 650,000. Budget for a guarantor-company fee of roughly JPY 40,000 to 80,000 in the first year instead of assuming a personal guarantor will solve screening.
Applying to a foreigner-NG unit can fail even after viewing. Confirm foreigner acceptance, residence status conditions, guarantor company, and emergency-contact requirements before submitting documents. A 2-year lease can also include a 1-month penalty or short-term cancellation fee if you leave early.
Do not accept a move-out restoration bill without checking the basis. Ordinary aging is usually landlord responsibility, while smoking stains and pet scratches are tenant responsibility. Keep photos and the written estimate before deposit settlement.
Useful terms
- Shikikin / reikin: deposit / key money
- Chukai tesuryo: broker fee
- Hosho gaisha: guarantor company
- Kasai hoken: fire insurance
- Genjo kaifuku: restoration at move-out