Key money & deposits, decoded
| Fee | Typical | Refundable? | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deposit (敷金 shikikin) | 0–2 mo | Yes, minus cleaning/damage | Security deposit held by the landlord |
| Key money (礼金 reikin) | 0–2 mo | No | A customary “thank-you” payment to the landlord |
| Agency fee (仲介手数料) | 0.5–1 mo | No | Paid to the brokerage |
| Guarantor fee (保証料) | 50–100% of 1 mo | No | Guarantor-company premium (see guide below) |
| Lock exchange | ¥15–25K | No | New key cylinder |
| Fire insurance | ¥15–20K / 2 yrs | No | Mandatory household insurance |
“Zero-zero” (no deposit, no key money) listings exist — often newer chains or areas with high vacancy. This site's No key money filter finds them.
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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.