Moving

Renting in Japan as a foreigner is more paperwork-heavy than in many countries, but it’s very doable. Here’s how the process works. Overview of the Process Search for apartments online or through an agent Visit properties with a real estate agent (fudōsan-ya) Apply — submit documents and get screened Sign the contract and pay upfront costs Move in Where to Search Site Language Notes Suumo (suumo.jp) Japanese Largest listing site in Japan Homes (homes.co.jp) Japanese Also very large GaijinPot Apartments English Foreigner-friendly, bilingual support Sakura House English Share houses and apartments, no key money Tokyo Apartments English Tokyo-focused, English support UR Rental Housing Japanese/partial English Government housing, no key money, no guarantor Tip: UR (都市再生機構) apartments are excellent for foreigners — no key money, no agency fee, no guarantor needed. Downsides: older buildings, limited availability in central areas. ...

Moving to Japan involves a lot of admin in a short window. Here’s the order to do things in, and why the order matters. Week 1: The Non-Negotiables 1. Register Your Address (住民登録) Go to your local city hall (市役所) within 14 days of moving in. Bring: Residence card (在留カード) Passport Your new address This creates your official record in Japan. Everything else depends on this. 2. Get a Japanese Phone Number You need this for bank accounts, credit cards, and most Japanese services. ...