Electricity, gas, water, and internet: setup steps and monthly costs
For moving in Japan, arrange electricity, city gas or propane, water, fiber internet, home routers, and payment methods before moving day.
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Moving day is difficult if electricity, gas, water, or internet is not ready. Electricity and water can often start the same day. Gas requires an in-person appointment. Fiber internet installation can take 1-4 weeks, and busy March-April moves can take more than 2 months.
Electricity
Since electricity liberalization in 2016, households can choose regional utilities or newer providers. Major regional companies include TEPCO, Kansai Electric, Chubu Electric, Kyushu Electric, and Hokkaido Electric.
Newer providers include Rakuten Denki, ENEOS Denki, au Denki, SoftBank Denki, and Looop Denki. They may be 5-15% cheaper depending on use. A single person may pay ¥3,000-7,000 per month, or ¥6,000-12,000 in heavy air-conditioning seasons.
Gas
Gas is either city gas or propane. City gas often costs ¥3,000-6,000 in summer and ¥5,000-10,000 in winter. Propane can cost ¥5,000-10,000 in summer and ¥8,000-15,000 in winter, roughly 1.5-2 times city gas.
Gas opening requires a worker visit to check the meter and appliances. The appointment takes about 30-60 minutes. Reserve 1-7 days ahead, or 2-3 weeks ahead during March-April.
Water
Water is managed by local governments such as Tokyo Metropolitan Waterworks Bureau, Osaka City Waterworks, or Yokohama Waterworks. File a start-of-use notice online or by phone before moving or on the day.
In-person presence is usually unnecessary. A single person may pay ¥1,500-3,000 per month, and a 4-person household ¥4,000-7,000. Bills often arrive every 2 months.
Internet
Home internet usually means fiber, costing around ¥4,000-7,000 per month. Options include SoftBank Hikari, au Hikari, Rakuten Hikari, NURO Hikari, Docomo Hikari, and NTT Flets.
Installation takes 1-4 weeks and can exceed 2 months in March-April. Apartment “free internet” can be convenient but may slow below 10 Mbps at night. For remote work, consider a separate fiber line or home router.
Payment
Utilities can be paid by bank transfer, credit card, paper bill, or QR payment where supported. Credit card is often easiest because setup is immediate and points accumulate.
Payment deadlines and cut-off rules differ by provider and are set in each supply contract. Do not count on a 3-month grace period: some electricity companies can stop supply a few weeks after the payment deadline once they have sent notice. Electricity and water can often resume the same day after payment; gas and internet may take 1-3 days.
When water or hot water stops
First work out whether the problem is the public supply or your room. If neighbors also have no water, or the city has announced pipe work, check the waterworks bureau’s website or call it. If only your unit is affected, or water leaks from a pipe, faucet, or toilet inside the room, the cause is usually indoor plumbing or equipment, which the waterworks bureau does not normally repair. Contact the management company or landlord.
No hot water while cold water still runs is often not a water problem. The gas meter may have shut off automatically after an earthquake or unusual gas flow, the water heater’s control panel may have lost power, or the heater itself may show an error code. Call the gas company about gas supply, the power company about an outage, and the management company about the water heater, which in a rental is usually building equipment. For leaks, repair costs, and what to do when nobody answers, see After Moving In: Repairs and Emergencies.
Common mistakes
Gas opening is hard to book on moving day because a worker must visit, often during weekday 9:00 to 17:00 slots. Reserve 1 week ahead, or 2 to 3 weeks ahead during March and April.
Confirm city gas or propane before signing the lease. Propane can add JPY 3,000 to 5,000 per month, or JPY 36,000 to 60,000 per year. Apartment free internet can drop below 10 Mbps at night, so remote workers should prepare a separate fiber line or home router.
When moving out, file separate stop-of-use notices for electricity, gas, water, and internet. If you forget, base fees and final bills can continue after you leave the room.