All Entries in the "Renting an apartment in Japan" Category

Using Japanese real estate agencies

Advice on using real estate agents in Japan
If you are looking for long term accommodation in Japan, there are various ways to go about your search for the ideal apartment or house. Searching through one of the local real estate agents, although sometimes difficult, can often get you some great deals. When using a real [...]

Key money and deposit money

What is key money (reikin) and deposit money (shikikin) and how do they work?
Definition of Key Money
Key money (or ‘gratitude money’) written in Japanese is 礼金 (reikin). The first character means ‘thanks’ or ‘gratitude’ and the second character means ‘money’. In Japan it is a non-refundable payment and can often be about the same [...]

Advice on how to rent an apartment in Japan

How to rent an apartment in Japan

Most real estate agents in Japan do not offer English speaking services for those looking for apartments. It is quite common in Japan for foreigners to be denied an apartment on the grounds of either not speaking Japanese or simply because the owner of the apartment does not want [...]