Navigating the Apartment Rental Process in Japan
Renting an apartment in a new country can be confusing, especially in Japan, with its numerous rules and steps. However, when broken down, the process becomes much less daunting. Often the hardest part is knowing where to start, so this guide is here to help. Below is a detailed overview of the procedures for renting an apartment in Japan.
Property Viewing Requiredย
In most cases, it is necessary to physically view the property before applying. This is crucial to avoid unexpected issues. For those moving from overseas who wish to secure an apartment before arrival, it’s possible to have a friend or colleague view it on your behalf. However, you must physically be in Japan to complete the application.
Submission of Application Documentsย
No applications will be accepted until all required documentation is submitted. Incomplete submissions will render the application invalid, so it’s important to prepare and submit all of your documents at the same time. Details on required documents can be found in the apartment rental application forms.

First-Come, First-Served Application Reviewย
In Japan, applications are typically reviewed on a “first-come, first-served” basis. The good news is that if your application is accepted, no further applications will be considered. Generally, if an application is not accepted the property will be put back on the market for the next applicant. Some properties may accept 2 to 3 backup applications, but these are only reviewed if the initial application is withdrawn, left incomplete for a few days or rejected.
Payment Before Contract Signingย
Once your application is accepted, you must make an initial payment before signing the contract. In almost all cases, payment will be required before signing the contract. While this sequence might feel unsettling, it is a common practice in Japan. The initial payment is refundable if you change your mind at the time of the contract signing.
Preparation is Keyย
Preparation is crucial for a successful application. Clearly define your requirements and gather all necessary documents well ahead of time. It’s also advisable to plan in advance how you will make the initial payment.

ๆฅๆฌใงใขใใผใใๅใใ้ใฎๆ็ถใใซใคใใฆใๅ ทไฝ็ใชๆตใใใ็ดนไปใใพใใ
็ฉไปถใฎๅ ่ฆใๅฟ ่ฆย
ใปใจใใฉใฎๅ ดๅใ็ฉไปถใ็ณใ่พผใๅใซๅฎ้ใซ็ฉไปถใๅ ่ฆใใๅฟ ่ฆใใใใพใใใใใฏใไบๆใใฌๅ้กใ้ฟใใใใใซ้่ฆใงใใๆตทๅคใใใฎๅผใฃ่ถใใ่ใใฆใใไบบใซใจใฃใฆใฏใๅฐ็ๅใซใขใใผใใ็ขบไฟใใใใจใใๅธๆใ็่งฃใงใใพใใใไปฃ็ใงๅไบบใๅๅใซๅ ่ฆใใฆใใใใใจใๅฏ่ฝใงใใใใ ใใ็ณใ่พผใฟใๅฎไบใใใซใฏๆฅๆฌใซใใๅฟ ่ฆใใใใพใใ ็ณ่พผๆธ้กใฎๆๅบ ็ณ่พผๆธ้กใใในใฆๆๅบใใใใพใง็ณใ่พผใฟใฏๅใไปใใใใพใใใไธๅใใใใจ็ณ่พผใฟใ็กๅนใจใชใใใใใในใฆใฎๆธ้กใ็จๆใใฆไธๆฌใงๆๅบใใใใจใ้่ฆใงใใๅฟ ่ฆๆธ้กใซใคใใฆใฎ่ฉณ็ดฐใฏ่ณ่ฒธใขใใผใใฎ็ณ่พผๆธ้กใซใคใใฆใใ่ฆงใใ ใใใ
ๅ ็้ ใฎ็ณ่พผใฟๅฏฉๆปย
ๆฅๆฌใงใฏ็ณ่พผใฟใฏๅ ็้ ใงๅฏฉๆปใใใพใใใใชใใฎ็ณ่พผใฟใๅใไปใใใใใฐใไปใฎ็ณ่พผใฟใฏๅใไปใใใใพใใใไธ่ฌ็ใซใ็ณ่พผใฟใๅใๅ ฅใใใใชใๅ ดๅใใใฎ็ฉไปถใฏๅๅบฆๅธๅ ดใซๅบใใใฆๆฌกใฎ็ณ่พผ่ ใ็ณใ่พผใใใจใๅฏ่ฝใงใใไธ้จใฎ็ฉไปถใงใฏใไบๅใจใใฆ2ใ3ไบบใฎ็ณ่พผใฟใๅใไปใใใใจใใใใพใใใๆๅใฎ็ณ่พผใฟใๆคๅใใใใใๆฐๆฅ้ไธๅฎๅ จใชใพใพใ ใฃใใใๆๅฆใใใๅ ดๅใซใฎใฟๆฌกใฎ็ณ่พผใฟ่ ใๅฏฉๆปใใพใใ
ๅฅ็ดๅใซๆฏๆใใๅฟ ่ฆย
็ณ่พผใฟใๅใๅ ฅใใใใๅพใๅฅ็ดใ็ตใถๅใซๅๆๆฏๆใใ่กใๅฟ ่ฆใใใใพใใใปใจใใฉใฎๅ ดๅใๅฅ็ดใ็ตใถๅใซๆฏๆใใๆฑใใใใพใใใใฎ้ ๅบใซไธๅฎใๆใใใใจใใใใใใใใพใใใใใใใฏๆฅๆฌใงใฏไธ่ฌ็ใช่ฆๆฑใงใใๅฅ็ดๆใซๆฐใๅคใใฃใฆใใๅๆๆฏๆใใฏ่ฟ้ใใใใใจใซใชใฃใฆใใพใใ ๆบๅใ่ๅฟ ็ณ่พผใฟใๅใๅ ฅใใใใใใใซใฏใๆบๅใๆใ้่ฆใงใใๆฑใใๆกไปถใๆ็ขบใซใใๅฟ ่ฆใชๆธ้กใๆใใฆใใใใจใๆๅใฎ้ตใงใใใพใใๅๆๆฏๆใใใฉใฎใใใซ่กใใใไบๅใซ่จ็ปใใฆใใใจ่ฏใใงใใใใ
ไปฅไธใใๆฅๆฌใงใฎใขใใผใๅใใ้ใฎไธ้ฃใฎๆตใใงใใ