• About fully furnished apartments

How to Choose and Live in a Furnished Apartment for Foreigners

Last Modified:2024.09.27

For foreigners starting a new life in Japan, choosing a place to live is an important step. When moving, choosing an apartment that comes with furniture and appliances can significantly reduce the initial costs and hassle. In this article, we will introduce in detail how to choose an apartment with furniture and appliances so that foreigners can live smoothly in Japan, as well as some points to make your life comfortable.

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Basic information about fully furnished apartments

The basic information about a furnished apartment is as follows:

  • What is a fully furnished apartment?
  • Characteristics of furnished apartments that are popular among foreigners


  • What is a fully furnished apartment?

    A furnished apartment is a rental property that comes equipped with all the furniture and appliances necessary for daily life.

    Since a bed, table, refrigerator, washing machine, etc. are provided, there is no need to purchase new equipment, which significantly reduces initial costs.

    Another attractive feature is that it saves you the trouble of transporting and setting up large furniture, making your move go more smoothly.

    Characteristics of furnished apartments that are popular among foreigners

    Furnished apartments are popular among foreigners, and come equipped with all the necessities of life, such as a refrigerator, washing machine, and bed, so you can start living in Japan immediately after arriving.

    Another major benefit is that there is no need to purchase new furniture or appliances, which significantly reduces initial costs.

    The contract procedures are simple and there is ample language support, so even foreigners who are unfamiliar with Japan's rental system can feel at ease.

    In addition, foreign residents may have a short stay or need to extend their contract. Therefore, compared to regular rental properties, there are many properties that offer shorter contract periods, and in some cases, it is possible to sign and renew contracts on a monthly basis.

    These flexible contract terms are very attractive to foreigners whose length of stay is uncertain.

    Important points for foreigners when choosing a furnished apartment

    The following are some points that foreigners should consider when choosing an apartment with furniture and appliances.

  • The importance of language support and communication
  • Legal requirements and contract considerations


  • The importance of language support and communication

    The language barrier is a big challenge for foreigners, so language support is important when choosing a property.

    First, check whether the real estate agency has multilingual support and whether the contract is available in English, etc. It is also important to check whether they provide interpretation services and whether they have tools to facilitate communication after you move in.

    Legal requirements and contract considerations

    When a foreigner signs a rental contract in Japan, they need to confirm their residence status, use a guarantor company, and understand the contract period and renewal conditions.

    It is also important to understand in advance the deposit and key money system, the obligation to restore the property to its original condition when moving out, and how to pay rent.

    Understanding these will help you choose a fully furnished apartment with peace of mind and ensure a comfortable life. Language support and understanding the legal requirements are essential to avoid any trouble later on.

    Selection of residential areas for foreigners

    The key points to consider when choosing a residential area for foreigners are as follows:

  • How to Choose a Foreigner-Friendly Neighborhood
  • Access to convenient facilities and public transport


  • How to Choose a Foreigner-Friendly Neighborhood

    When choosing an area where it is easy for foreigners to live, choosing an area with a foreign community will make it easier to receive support for daily life.

    Additionally, if government facilities and hospitals in an area offer multilingual support, daily life will go more smoothly.

    In addition, having imported food stores and stores that sell halal food nearby will give you peace of mind about your diet. If you are living with your family, it is a good idea to choose an area with an international school or a school that accepts foreign children.

    Access to convenient facilities and public transport

    Considering convenient facilities and access to public transportation will make your daily life more comfortable. Areas with supermarkets, pharmacies, hospitals, and other facilities nearby are convenient for shopping and emergencies.

    Also, choosing a location with good access to public transportation will make commuting and going out smoother, making your life more comfortable.

    Assisted Living Services and Community

    We will explain the types of life support services available and how to promote the foreign community.

  • Types of support services and how to use them
  • Promoting interaction with the foreign community


  • Types of support services and how to use them

    Life support services include visiting services such as visiting care and visiting nursing, where support is provided at home, day care services and other facilities, where support is provided at day care facilities, and meal delivery and monitoring services.

    To use the support service, you need to consult with a local comprehensive support center or a municipal office, and a care manager will create a care plan for you. After that, you will enter into a contract with a service provider and begin using the service.

    Promoting interaction with the foreign community

    In order to promote interaction with the foreign community, it is a good idea to hold events in multiple languages ​​and encourage foreigners to participate. Therefore, it is important to connect foreigners who want to learn Japanese through language exchange programs with Japanese people who want to interact with foreigners.

    It is also important to provide regular opportunities for cultural exchange and deepening intercultural understanding through international exchange circles and workshops.

    These efforts will deepen exchanges between foreigners and local residents and create an environment where they can understand each other's cultures and customs.

    Actual experiences of foreign residents

    We will introduce the actual experiences of foreign tenants.

  • Success stories and details
  • Share the problems you encountered and the solutions you used


  • Please use this as a reference so that you don't regret your decision after moving in.

    Success stories and details

    As a success story for foreign residents, an apartment in Tokyo has multilingual staff on-site to assist with move-in procedures and daily support, creating an environment where foreigners can live without feeling a language barrier.

    Additionally, at the Kobe apartment, we hold information sessions for foreign residents on Japanese lifestyles and local rules to prevent issues arising from cultural differences and ensure a smooth communal life.

    Share the problems you encountered and the solutions you used There are a number of issues that foreign tenants face in Japan, such as the fact that contracts are written only in Japanese and are difficult to understand, problems arising from not understanding the differences in garbage sorting and collection days, issues with noise late at night due to differences in lifestyles, and the difficulty of finding a guarantor.

    To address these issues, real estate companies prepared multilingual contracts and offered interpretation services, helping to resolve the issues.

    The management company also created a multilingual garbage disposal calendar and held information sessions to clearly communicate the garbage disposal rules.

    In addition, when you move in, we hold an orientation to thoroughly explain Japanese lifestyles and customs, to prevent any problems arising from cultural differences. If you are unable to find a guarantor, we will recommend that you use a guarantee company or set conditions that make a guarantor unnecessary.

    These cases show that when accepting foreign residents, language support and cultural understanding are important, and careful explanations and communication are key to resolving problems.

    summary

    When choosing a furnished apartment for foreigners, it is important to understand the basics and check the language support and legal requirements.

    In addition, you can live a more comfortable life by considering the availability of areas that are easy to live in, support services, and communities.

    Using actual experiences and problem-solving examples as a reference, you can choose the home that's right for you and enjoy a fulfilling life in Japan.