Renting in Japan 101

Foreigners can rent in Japan without permanent residency, but the process differs from most countries. Expect tenant screening (income roughly 3× the monthly rent, an employer letter, and a Japanese-speaking emergency contact help a lot), upfront costs of 4–6 months' rent, and mostly unfurnished apartments — often without light fixtures or a stove.

Reading a Japanese listing

1K = one room + kitchenette · 1LDK = one bedroom + living/dining/kitchen · 2LDK = two bedrooms + LDK, and so on. Sizes are in m² (1 tsubo ≈ 3.3 m²). “7F / 10F” means the unit is on the 7th floor of a 10-storey building. Walking times are measured at 80 m/min.

The flow

Inquire → viewing (in person or video) → application & screening (2–7 days) → guarantor company approval → contract signing (hanko or signature) → pay move-in invoice → key handover. Most contracts run 2 years with a renewal fee (~1 month) common in Kanto.

Tip: filters on this site include English support and No key money — both real levers foreigners use to shortlist.

Search homes across Japan → See market data →

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.