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🇯🇵 Japan · Housing

Renting and buying property in Japan — typical rents, deposits, contracts, and official tenancy rules.

Quick answer

Japan places no restriction on foreigners buying property — you can own land and buildings freehold with no residency requirement. Renting, however, often requires a guarantor or guarantee company plus 'key money' (reikin), a deposit (shikikin) and an agent fee. Purchases are registered (tōki) via a judicial scrivener and carry acquisition and registration taxes.

Renting in Japan involves substantial upfront costs beyond rent — a deposit (shikikin), key money (reikin), an agency fee and usually a guarantor or guarantor company. Leases fall under the Act on Land and Building Leases, and real-estate transactions are overseen by MLIT. There is no nationality restriction on renting or owning property.

  • Move-in costs often total four to six months' rent (deposit + key money + agency fee + first month + guarantor fee).
  • Most tenants use a guarantor company (hoshō-gaisha); some landlords still require a Japanese guarantor.
  • There is no nationality restriction on buying property, though financing is harder without residency.

Step-by-step

  1. 1

    Decide rent vs buy and set a budget

    Decide rent vs buy; note renting can have high upfront costs (key money, deposit, agent fee, guarantor fee).

  2. 2

    Search listings or engage an agent

    Search listings or use an agent; foreign buyers face no ownership restriction and can buy freehold.

  3. 3

    Check the lease or purchase terms

    Review the tenancy terms (renewal fee, restoration clause), or for a purchase check the property registry and survey.

  4. 4

    Provide documents, deposit or financing

    Arrange a guarantor/guarantee company and pay the upfront rental costs; buyers arrange financing (harder without residency).

  5. 5

    Sign, register and pay taxes/fees

    Sign the lease, or complete the purchase; a judicial scrivener registers the transfer (tōki) and you pay acquisition tax.

  6. 6

    Set up utilities and know your rights

    Register your address at the ward office, set up utilities, and note fixed-term vs ordinary leases differ on renewal rights.

Checklist

  • Rent vs buy decided + budget set
  • Foreign-buyer / eligibility rules checked
  • Listing search / licensed agent
  • Lease or purchase contract reviewed
  • Documents + deposit / financing
  • Registration + taxes/fees paid
  • Utilities set up
  • Tenant / owner rights understood

Official authorities

Frequently asked questions

Can foreigners buy property in Japan?

Yes — Japan has no restriction on foreign ownership; you can buy land and buildings freehold even without residency.

What is key money (reikin)?

A non-refundable "gift" to the landlord, often one to two months’ rent, on top of the refundable deposit (shikikin) and agent fee.

Do I need a guarantor to rent?

Usually yes — a personal guarantor or, increasingly, a paid guarantee company is required for most rentals.

Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.

Typical rents by city

Cities 1-bedroom rent
Tokyo ¥135,000–230,000/mo (center); ¥80,000–125,000/mo (suburbs)
Osaka ¥80,000–145,000/mo (center); ¥55,000–90,000/mo (suburbs)
Yokohama ¥80,000–140,000/mo (center); ¥60,000–95,000/mo (suburbs)
Nagoya ¥55,000–95,000/mo (center); ¥42,000–70,000/mo (suburbs)
Sapporo ¥50,000–75,000/mo (center); ¥40,000–65,000/mo (suburbs)
Fukuoka ¥55,000–80,000/mo (center); ¥42,000–68,000/mo (suburbs)
Kobe ¥60,000–100,000/mo (center); ¥48,000–78,000/mo (suburbs)
Kyoto ¥60,000–100,000/mo (center); ¥48,000–78,000/mo (suburbs)
Kawasaki ¥70,000–120,000/mo (center); ¥55,000–88,000/mo (suburbs)
Saitama ¥60,000–100,000/mo (center); ¥48,000–78,000/mo (suburbs)
Hiroshima ¥50,000–75,000/mo (center); ¥40,000–65,000/mo (suburbs)
Sendai ¥48,000–72,000/mo (center); ¥38,000–62,000/mo (suburbs)
Chiba ¥55,000–90,000/mo (center); ¥45,000–70,000/mo (suburbs)
Kitakyushu ¥45,000–68,000/mo (center); ¥36,000–60,000/mo (suburbs)
Sakai ¥50,000–75,000/mo (center); ¥42,000–66,000/mo (suburbs)
Niigata ¥42,000–64,000/mo (center); ¥34,000–56,000/mo (suburbs)
Hamamatsu ¥45,000–68,000/mo (center); ¥38,000–60,000/mo (suburbs)
Kumamoto ¥42,000–64,000/mo (center); ¥34,000–56,000/mo (suburbs)
Sagamihara ¥50,000–82,000/mo (center); ¥42,000–65,000/mo (suburbs)
Okayama ¥42,000–64,000/mo (center); ¥34,000–56,000/mo (suburbs)
Shizuoka ¥45,000–68,000/mo (center); ¥38,000–60,000/mo (suburbs)
Kagoshima ¥40,000–62,000/mo (center); ¥33,000–54,000/mo (suburbs)
Hachioji ¥50,000–82,000/mo (center); ¥42,000–65,000/mo (suburbs)
Himeji ¥45,000–66,000/mo (center); ¥38,000–58,000/mo (suburbs)
Matsuyama ¥40,000–60,000/mo (center); ¥33,000–52,000/mo (suburbs)
Utsunomiya ¥45,000–66,000/mo (center); ¥38,000–58,000/mo (suburbs)
Matsudo ¥55,000–88,000/mo (center); ¥45,000–68,000/mo (suburbs)
Nagasaki ¥40,000–60,000/mo (center); ¥33,000–52,000/mo (suburbs)
Kanazawa ¥45,000–66,000/mo (center); ¥38,000–58,000/mo (suburbs)
Naha ¥50,000–72,000/mo (center); ¥40,000–62,000/mo (suburbs)

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