卿少納言

The most important preparations for going to Japan.

Streamlined Version#

First, I recommend this article that provides a systematic overview of the rental market in Tokyo: What is the average rent for apartments in the 23 wards of Tokyo?.

This image is very useful for those unfamiliar with Tokyo; you can refer to it when choosing an apartment.

Secondly, I recommend this article: Collection ▏ A summary of practical websites for renting in Japan: It discusses common rental methods in Japan and organizes links to official websites.

UR Group Housing#

Do not confuse it with "group housing" on Chinese internet; you can easily find related reviews on Zhihu, so I won't post them here, just discuss some important points.

There are certain requirements for rent and income. According to the official website, new graduates can generally freely choose properties with rent below 200,000 yen. (If you are sharing with two others and want to be closer to the city center, this is especially important.)

UR Group Housing also has other regulations; if you're interested, check the official website: https://www.ur-net.go.jp/chintai/rent/requirements/.

The general process provided by the official site: https://www.ur-net.go.jp/chintai/rent/ (Following the official process, even in Japan, you will deal with an agent (UR store consultant), so if your company helps you contact the agent, it saves some effort.)

The official site provides a Chinese PDF that explains a lot of key information, which is more detailed than what is found on domestic platforms like Zhihu.

How to choose an apartment:

1. Wait for the agent recommended by the company (I do not recommend this passive approach; what if the agent takes advantage of your lack of knowledge…)
2. Directly search on the official website: https://www.ur-net.go.jp/chintai/kanto/tokyo/area/ (This helps you understand the market and prepare early.)
   1. According to the official process, we can directly hand over the properties we are interested in to the agent and let them contact and negotiate for us.
   2. How to assess commuting: Copy the address of the apartment, then go to Bing Maps to calculate how long it takes to get there by "bus." If you have time, you can study the suggested routes and check departure times on apps like Yahoo! Transit · Transit NAVITIME · Transit Guide to figure out how late you can stay in bed (big mistake) and how late you can work before you have to walk home (missing the last train… sad).
      1. Here are a few recommended rental locations suitable for those working near Shinagawa:
         1. Kawasaki (30 minutes direct via Keihin Tohoku Line, plus, you can pilgrimage to GBC every day on your commute; doesn't that excite you?)
         2. Takashimadaira (40 minutes direct via Mita Line; since Takashimadaira is the starting station, it's easier to find a seat.)
   3. Pay attention to the distance from the station; this is crucial. It is recommended to keep it within 10 minutes (preferably 5 minutes).
   4. Consider sharing an apartment, as it can really save you some money.

Sharehouse#

If there is no company arranging an agent, I might just go all in on a sharehouse for the following reasons:

1. The price is similar to UR Group Housing, without the various key money and other complications.
2. You can get the keys right after completing the procedures at the company and move in (according to UR Group Housing's official information, it generally takes about 10 days from submitting the application to getting the keys; it is currently unclear whether the agent contacted by the company can help us, who have not yet entered the country, expedite this 10-day process).
3. Most layouts will have shared appliances (washing machine, microwave, refrigerator, air conditioner, etc.), saving you a significant expense.
4. Some companies include "electricity" and "internet fees" in the rent, so you won't feel too much pressure when using the air conditioner, and it saves you the hassle of setting up internet service.

Disadvantages:

1. The kitchen is generally shared, so if you want to cook for yourself to save money, you may need to avoid peak kitchen usage times (otherwise, you'll have to wait in line).
2. Roommates in shared housing can be hit or miss, as you can't judge them through a screen, and it's hard for the agent to provide specific evaluations.
3. Many people renting sharehouses in Japan are from Southeast Asia and Europe, and communication in Japanese can be challenging, so you might have to use English to communicate 2333.

I have only recently started researching sharehouses, mainly after reading this article: Personal Experience + Friends' Feedback: Is GGHouse in Tokyo, Japan Reliable?: It's a very detailed experience post, but the article was written in 2019, and now it's 2023, so there may have been some changes.

Official website: https://gghouse.co.jp/zh-hans/

P.S. This company can be consulted via WeChat; if you're interested in sharehouses, you might want to give this a try.

Other companies: (Reminder, these are all overseas websites; if you can't bypass the firewall, you won't be able to access them) Collection ▏ A summary of practical websites for renting in Japan

1. Tokyo Sharehouse
   Website: https://tokyosharehouse.com/
   A larger sharehouse website in Tokyo; also, the site has listings for sharehouses.

Note that the official website does not have Chinese; only Japanese :)

2. SHARE PARADE
   Website: https://sharepare.jp/

The official website has Chinese; the consultation method is via email.

3. TOKYOSTAY
   Website: http://www.tokyostay.co.jp/

Well… the above webpage is invalid, https://www.tokyustay.co.jp/e/hotel/GO/, although the official website has Chinese, many interfaces are still only in English and Japanese; also, this only supports stays of up to 31 days; if you exceed that, you need to fill out an application form. (If you can't get the keys in advance, you might consider this as a temporary solution.)

4. OAKHOUSE
   Website: https://www.oakhouse.jp/cn/

The official website has Chinese; the consultation method is to register an account.

5. Sakura House
   Website: https://www.sakura-house.com/jp/

The official website has Chinese; additionally, the official answered a very important question: If I arrive at Narita Airport at 5 PM, will I have time to complete the necessary procedures? The official response was: It is recommended to come tomorrow (sad).

Renting#

The classification is a bit strange, but I can't think of a more accurate description 2333.

In simple terms, this involves directly communicating with Japanese people (landlords/agents) about renting. Generally speaking:

1. There are higher requirements for Japanese language skills, and you also need to have some understanding of the Tokyo rental market; otherwise, it's easy to "be sold and help count the money" (laugh).
2. Some landlords do not want to rent to foreigners.
3. Most require key money and other complicated fees, and unlike UR Group Housing, which refunds based on the inspection at the time of moving out, these are generally non-refundable.
4. There is usually no furniture.
5. If you want to book from China, you need to find a reliable agent (I don't have one either, shrug~).

Own House#

To briefly explain: this involves finding Chinese people who have already bought (or rented) houses in Japan to share.

Since I consider myself somewhat socially anxious, and I have previously been scammed by a "fellow countryman," I haven't researched this direction much.

If you're interested in this direction, you can try hi 龟龟 - In Japan, Xiaochun Network, and other forums for Chinese people in Japan.