How Foreigners Rent Apartments in Tokyo

Renting an apartment in Tokyo is hard for anyone, but for foreigners it’s even harder. You can have a reliable salary and deposit, and still be denied an apartment. Not only do you need three to five months of rent upfront, but most landlords also require a Japanese guarantor.

To help you land a good deal on rent, we break down what renting costs for foreigners, why so many applications get turned down, and the four moves that turn a “no” into a “yes.”

How Much Does it Cost to Rent an Apartment in Tokyo?

In a central ward like Ebisu or Nihonbashi, an unfurnished 1LDK (one bedroom) rents for ¥220,000 to ¥300,000. A standard lease runs two years and requires the following upfront:

• Deposit (shikikin) – one to two months, mostly refundable
• Key money (reikin) – one to two months, non-refundable
• Agency fee – about one month plus tax
• Fire and liability insurance – ¥15,000 to ¥20,000 for two years

With ¥300,000 rent, that clears ¥1,000,000 before you move in, with utilities and internet adding about ¥25,000 a month on top.

If you’re an expat or international professional moving to Tokyo, a mid-term rental may be a good option, since there’s no deposit or key money like a traditional lease requires.

An Anyplace mid-term rental apartment also comes furnished, which saves on cost. High-speed internet is also already installed. 

For many, the math is straightforward: over a year, a mid-term rental often costs less than a traditional lease, with utilities and furniture handled for you. It’s a win on both fronts.

Things to Know Before Renting in Tokyo

A few features of the apartment rental process in Japan catch newcomers off guard.

Foreigners have a harder time finding a place

In a 2025 survey by Japan’s Immigration Services Agency, 19.4% of foreign residents said they’d experienced discrimination while searching for housing, more than any other type of discrimination reported in the survey.

The thing is, it’s rarely about you as a tenant. Landlords worry about language barriers or about someone breaking the lease and flying home. In fact, they screen out foreign applicants before the conversation even starts; plenty of doors are quietly closed before you even knock.

Japan has its own apartment codes, from 1K to 2LDK

Listings describe apartments in a code. The number is the room count, and the letters say what’s attached: R for room, K for kitchen, D for dining, L for living.

For example, a 1K is one room plus a small separate kitchen, usually 13 to 25 square meters (tight, but workable for one person).

A 1LDK adds a living and dining area, the layout most couples and remote workers choose. A second bedroom makes it a 2LDK.

You’ll see these codes on every listing, so knowing them lets you filter searches and save time on viewing.

Roommates are rare

Splitting an apartment the way you might in New York City or Los Angeles doesn’t really work here, since most units are leased to one person and standard contracts don’t allow extra tenants or subletting.

Still, there’s a workaround: shared houses can give you a private room with a shared kitchen and bath. 

How to Rent an Apartment in Tokyo as a Foreigner

Renting in Tokyo as a foreigner takes planning, so we’ve listed four moves to improve your odds.

Keep your finances in order

Landlords and guarantor companies want proof of income and bank statements showing a clean payment history over the past five years. Have documents ready and translated beforehand.

Sign up with a guarantor company

Almost every lease needs a guarantor, which is someone liable for the rent if you can’t pay. Since most foreigners don’t have a Japanese relative or friend for the role,

a guarantor company fills the role instead. In fact, some specialize in foreign tenants. Expect 50% to 100% of one month’s rent up front, plus about ¥10,000 a year to renew.

Use a rental company that works with foreigners

A bilingual agent knows which landlords accept foreign tenants and handles the paperwork, opening up inventory that you’d never reach on your own.

Rent a mid-term apartment

With mid-term rentals, you can skip all the steps above and move right in! You don’t need a guarantor, a rental company, pesky financial checks, or huge savings for expenses like reikin and shikikin. 

You can simply book a furnished apartment for 30 days or longer from your home country, skipping the standard screening and hidden costs of a two-year lease.

Anyplace rents move-in ready apartments across Tokyo on those terms. Each one is work-ready, with a dedicated home office and private high-speed internet, and there’s no two-year lease to sign. Utilities and internet come already set up, billed separately from rent at a flat monthly rate – no surprises.

Tokyo Is Worth the Paperwork

Renting an apartment in Tokyo takes patience, but the city itself is one of the most liveable in the world. For foreigners, a mid-term rental is the easiest way in, skipping the guarantor and key money, without locking into a two-year lease.

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