Japanese real-estate glossary
The terms you will actually meet, in plain English.
| 1K / 1DK / 1LDK / 2LDK | Floor-plan codes: number of rooms + K(itchen), D(ining), L(iving). A 1K is one room with a kitchenette; a 2LDK has two bedrooms plus an open living-dining-kitchen. |
| Shikikin (敷金) | Refundable security deposit, typically 0–2 months' rent, returned minus cleaning/repair costs. |
| Reikin (礼金) | Non-refundable 'key money' gift to the landlord, 0–2 months. Zero-reikin listings exist. |
| Chukai tesuryo (仲介手数料) | Brokerage fee. Rentals: 0.5–1 month. Purchases: 3% + ¥60,000 + tax. |
| Hoshogaisha (保証会社) | Guarantor company that insures the landlord against unpaid rent; ~50–100% of one month upfront. |
| Kanrihi (管理費) | Monthly building management fee, paid on top of rent or condo ownership. |
| Shuzenkin (修繕積立金) | Condo repair-reserve fund; rises as the building ages. |
| Madori (間取り) | Floor plan. Also see the 1LDK codes above. |
| Tsubo (坪) | Traditional area unit ≈ 3.31 m². Land prices are often quoted per tsubo. |
| Jiko bukken (事故物件) | 'Stigmatized property' where a death occurred; must be disclosed to the next tenant/buyer. |
| Teiki shakka (定期借家) | Fixed-term lease with no automatic renewal right. |
| Mansion (マンション) | Concrete condominium building — not a luxury house. Wooden apartments are 'apato'. |
| Chintai (賃貸) | Rental. 'Baibai' (売買) means sale/purchase. |
| Genjo yushi / genjo watashi (現状渡し) | Sold as-is, common for older houses. |
| Kenpei-ritsu / Yoseki-ritsu (建蔽率/容積率) | Building-coverage and floor-area ratios that cap what you can build on a lot. |
Sources: MLIT land-price surveys 2025 (Official Land Prices & Prefectural Survey) and the MLIT real-estate transaction database — actual anonymized records, not listings. Operated as a product study by Scrum Value Agents Inc., Minato, Tokyo (svachain.com). Listings on the main site are placeholder samples; market statistics are real official data.