Searching apartments using agents and directly going to landlords, they almost have the same requirements. The hardest requirement most foreigners have problems looking for is the guarantor. Not a lot of people are willing to act as guarantors for foreigners, especially those who just arrived in Japan. Other requirements may vary depending on the company and the landlord, but the need for a guarantor will always be there. Other documents that are usually asked from the applicants include Alien Registration Card and Hanko (a stamp which has your name on it, but handwritten signature is acceptable for foreigners).

Before moving in and deciding to take an apartment, a lot of factors have to be looked at first. Of course the first thing that comes to mind is money. Check the cost if your pocket can handle it. Also, it has been common to most people moving to new apartments to pay at least 4-5 months worth of rent. They will be asked to put down 250,000 to 400,000 at the least. This includes the deposits, key money and other service fees. Also, in connection with the language barrier thing mentioned earlier, it is advised that you bring someone who can speak Japanese when you go and look for apartments. Some agents or landlords may tell you something about the specifics of the apartment and you might understand it differently. You don’t want any problems to arise in the future because of some misunderstandings especially concerning money.

Other things that need to be considered are, and may be thought by some people as negligible at first, but become very irritating in the long run. Check the toilet, bathroom, walls, air conditioner and heater, lighting and closet space. Check if everything is working fine and if there are any holes or stains on any part of the house before moving in (you don’t want to be charged for something you didn’t do).