Finding a share house in Tokyo
Share houses are the easiest first home for foreigners in Tokyo: low upfront costs, furnished rooms and no guarantor headaches. How they work, what they cost and what to check.
Renting a normal apartment in Tokyo as a newcomer can be difficult. Many landlords want a Japanese guarantor, several months of rent upfront and a Japanese phone number and bank account before you even apply. Share houses solve most of these problems, which is why so many foreigners, and a growing number of young Japanese people, start in one.
What a share house is
A share house is a building, from a converted family home to a large purpose-built dormitory, where you rent a private bedroom and share the kitchen, bathrooms, living room and laundry. Operators manage the building, cleaning of common areas and contracts. Rooms are usually furnished with a bed, desk, storage and air conditioning.
What it costs
Typical prices in Tokyo:
- Rent: 45,000 to 90,000 yen a month, depending on location, room size and building age
- Common service fee: 10,000 to 20,000 yen a month, often including utilities and internet
- Deposit: often 30,000 yen or less, sometimes one month's rent
- Contract fee: 0 to 30,000 yen
Compare this with a normal studio apartment, where upfront costs of four to six months' rent are common once you add deposit (shikikin), key money (reikin), agency fees, guarantor company fees and fire insurance.
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