Japanese apartments come completely empty — often without lights or curtains. Furnish a 1K for under ¥100,000: futon set ¥15,000 (skip the bed initially), fridge + washer secondhand ¥30,000, microwave ¥8,000, table + chair ¥10,000, curtains ¥5,000, lights ¥6,000, kitchen basics ¥10,000. The two goldmines: sayonara sales (Facebook groups) and recycle shops (Off House, Treasure Factory).
Nobody warns you about the emptiness. Japanese apartments come with no fridge, no washing machine, no light fixtures — you sign the lease, open the door, and it’s a bare room with wires hanging from the ceiling. And after paying 5 months’ rent to move in, your furniture budget is whatever survived.
Good news: Japan might be the best country on earth to furnish an apartment cheaply. Here’s the complete playbook.
What’s Actually Missing (Buy-First Priority)
Day-one survival list, in order:
- Ceiling lights (シーリングライト) — yes, rooms often have none. ¥3,000–5,000 each at Nitori/Yamada
- Curtains — measure before buying; Japanese windows vary wildly. ¥3,000–6,000
- Futon set or mattress — a full futon set (mattress, duvet, pillow, covers) runs ¥10,000–18,000 and skips the ¥40,000 bed frame question entirely
- Fridge + washing machine — the big two (secondhand strategy below)
- Microwave, kettle, one pot, one pan, tableware
Everything else — sofa, TV, shelving — is month-two furniture.
The Price Tiers
Tier 1: Sayonara Sales (Free–¥5,000 per item)
Foreigners leaving Japan sell everything at once, cheap or free — the buyer’s problem is usually transport, not price. Where to find them:
- Facebook groups: “Tokyo Sayonara Sales,” “Mottainai Japan,” city-specific expat groups
- Jimoty (ジモティー) — Japan’s Craigslist; 引き取り無料 (free if you pick up) section
- University noticeboards each February–March
Best months: February–March and July–August (departure waves). A whole-apartment haul — fridge, washer, microwave, table — for ¥20,000–30,000 is genuinely common.
Tier 2: Recycle Shops (30–70% off retail)
Off House / Hard Off, Treasure Factory, and 2nd Street sell tested appliances with short warranties. A 2–4 year old fridge: ¥12,000–20,000. Washer: ¥10,000–18,000. Many stores deliver large items for ¥3,000–6,000. Also see our Mercari guide for app-based secondhand.
Tier 3: New but Cheap
- Nitori — Japan’s IKEA; better sized for Japanese rooms, ships and assembles cheaply
- IKEA — cheaper on some basics, but confirm items fit (Japanese doorways and rooms are smaller)
- Amazon/Rakuten — appliance sets for new-lifers (新生活セット): fridge + washer + microwave, new, from ¥60,000
The Complete Under-¥100,000 Setup (Mixed Strategy)
| Item | Source | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling lights ×2 | Nitori | ¥8,000 |
| Curtains | Nitori | ¥5,000 |
| Futon set | Nitori/Amazon | ¥15,000 |
| Fridge (secondhand) | Off House / sayonara | ¥15,000 |
| Washing machine (secondhand) | Off House / sayonara | ¥12,000 |
| Microwave | Secondhand | ¥6,000 |
| Rice cooker | Secondhand | ¥4,000 |
| Low table + floor chair | Nitori | ¥8,000 |
| Kitchen basics (pot, pan, knife, tableware) | Daiso/Nitori | ¥8,000 |
| Drying rack, hangers, storage boxes | Daiso | ¥5,000 |
| Delivery/transport | — | ¥8,000 |
| Total | ¥94,000 |
Where the money goes if you buy everything new instead: ¥250,000–350,000. The secondhand fridge and washer alone save ¥80,000+.
Paying for It: Points on Everything
Furnishing month is the single biggest spending burst of your first year — which makes it exactly the wrong month to pay in cash with no points. A 1% cashback card on ¥100,000 of setup purchases (plus Rakuten’s ecosystem multipliers if you shop Rakuten Ichiba for appliances) returns real money.
Furnishing an apartment is a ¥100,000+ spending month — put it on a no-fee 1% cashback card and buy appliances on Rakuten Ichiba for point multipliers. Approval-friendly for foreign residents.
Apply for Rakuten Card →Frequently Asked Questions
Do Japanese apartments come with appliances? No — most come completely empty: no fridge, washing machine, microwave, and frequently no ceiling lights or curtains. Furnished exceptions exist (share houses, monthly mansions, some GaijinPot listings) at higher rent.
How much does it cost to furnish an apartment in Japan? ¥90,000–120,000 using a mix of Nitori basics and secondhand appliances; ¥250,000–350,000 buying everything new. Sayonara sales can cut the total below ¥50,000 with luck and timing.
Where do foreigners buy cheap furniture in Japan? Nitori for new basics, Off House/2nd Street/Treasure Factory for secondhand appliances, Jimoty and expat Facebook sayonara-sale groups for near-free whole-apartment hauls, and Mercari for smaller items.
Should I buy a bed or futon in Japan? Start with a futon set (¥10,000–18,000): cheaper, no frame needed, folds away to double your floor space, and easy to discard or replace later. Upgrade to a bed once you know you’re staying.