Moving into a new apartment in Japan means setting up utilities yourself. Your landlord doesn’t do this for you. Here’s how to get everything running quickly.
Overview: What You Need to Set Up
| Utility | When | How |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | Before move-in | Online or phone |
| Gas | Before move-in | In-person inspection required |
| Water | Usually already active | Sometimes need to notify |
| Internet | 1–3 weeks before | Online application |
Electricity (電気)
Step 1: Find your provider
Check the contract from your landlord or the flyer in your apartment — it will say which company supplies electricity (e.g., TEPCO in Tokyo, Kansai Electric in Osaka).
Step 2: Apply online or by phone
Go to the provider’s website and start service. You’ll need:
- Your new address
- Move-in date
- Your name and phone number
- Bank account or credit card for billing
Major providers:
- Tokyo: TEPCO (東京電力) — english.tepco.co.jp
- Osaka/Kobe: Kansai Electric (関西電力)
- Nagoya: Chubu Electric (中部電力)
Cost: Around ¥5,000–¥15,000/month depending on usage.
You don’t need to be home for electricity to be turned on in most cases.
Gas (ガス)
Gas is more complicated — a technician must come to your apartment to turn it on and check for safety. You must be home for this.
Steps:
- Find your gas provider (check paperwork from landlord)
- Call or apply online to schedule the activation visit
- Be home for the appointment (usually a 2-hour window)
- The technician checks all gas appliances (stove, water heater)
- Gas is active
Major providers: Tokyo Gas (東京ガス), Osaka Gas (大阪ガス), Toho Gas (東邦ガス)
Cost: Around ¥3,000–¥8,000/month.
Tip: Schedule this as early as possible — without gas, you have no hot water.
Water (水道)
In most apartments, water is already running. You may need to notify the local water bureau (suido-kyoku) of your move-in, but often the landlord handles this.
Check with your landlord whether you need to do anything. If water isn’t running when you arrive, contact your local city hall.
Cost: Around ¥1,500–¥3,000/month, often billed every 2 months.
Internet (インターネット)
This is the most time-consuming to set up. Allow 2–4 weeks.
Option 1: Fiber Internet (光回線) — Best for home
Fast, reliable, usually ¥4,000–¥6,000/month. You need a technician to install it.
Popular providers:
- NTT Flet’s Hikari — widely available
- SoftBank Hikari — good bundle deals
- NURO Hikari — very fast speeds
Caveat: You need your landlord’s permission to install fiber in the building. Most modern apartments already have fiber pre-installed.
Option 2: Pocket Wi-Fi / Mobile Router
No installation required. Buy or rent a device, plug it in, connect your devices. Slower than fiber but works immediately.
Good for the first weeks while waiting for fiber installation.
Option 3: Home Wi-Fi Router via SIM
Similar to Option 2. Insert a data SIM into a router. Works well for light usage.
Billing
Utilities are usually billed monthly or bi-monthly. Payment options:
- Bank transfer (口座振替) — most common, automatic
- Credit card — check if your provider accepts it
- Convenience store payment — they mail you a slip, you pay at konbini
Set up bank auto-pay from the start to avoid forgetting.
Checklist for Moving In
- Apply for electricity (before or on move-in day)
- Schedule gas activation (book appointment early)
- Confirm water is running
- Apply for internet (do this 3–4 weeks before move-in)
- Set up auto-pay for all utilities
Bottom Line
Electricity is easy — apply online and it’s on. Gas requires an appointment so book it first. Internet takes the longest — start the application as soon as you have your new address.