Hi! So I’ve just been contacted by my contracting organization, and they told me that they will start looking for my accommodation and they would like to know what criteria I have for it. They’ve given me some examples of things to consider: walking distance from the station/city hall, newer building, furnished or not, big rooms…
I’m wondering what I should tell them. I guess what’s more important for me would be a place that is a walking distance from the station and a furnished place, but I’m not familiar with accommodation in Japan. In my country there are a lot of old buildings and that’s not a problem so I don’t care about that, but would it be important in Japan to live in a newer building? Also I’ve heard that most appartements in Japan will not be furnished, so would it be too much to ask to have one that is? Would it just be better to get an empty place and get the furniture myself?
Also, can you think of any other criteria that seem indispensable, or that I should at least consider?
Thanks in advance for your help!
9 comments
Do you intend to drive a lot?
If so maybe being close to an expressway might be good.
If you want to party then probably be more downtown.
If you’re intending to stay in Japan for a long time maybe it would be best to buy your own furniture.
Like cooking? Request a larger kitchen.
It’s going to depend a lot on your location. What I mean by that is “walking distance from a station” is very different from downtown Tokyo versus somewhere in Iwate. You might not mind walking for 5-7 minutes in the city but walking the same distance through rice fields during the rainy season might be a deal-breaker.
Most apartments in Japan don’t come furnished. Not even light fixtures. There are notable acceptions like Leo Palace however. Furnished is more expensive but if you’re only staying a short time/it’s a pain to decorate it might be a good option for you. Again it also depends on where you are because if you don’t have a lot of furniture options (no big box store like Nitori for example) it could be a blessing in disguise to get furnished.
Additionally, I strongly encourage you to not accept an apartment built before 1982. Why? The earthquake building regulations changed in 1981, making buildings a lot safer even during an earthquake.
Other than that, you might want to consider the following as well:
-Autolock (requires guests to be buzzed in at the front)
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-Separate shower and toilet
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-Tatami room or Western-style room
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-Pet-friendly or not
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-Direction your room faces (useful for gardening, keeping cool in summer)
There’s a lot to consider so take your time and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions.
Try to avoid living on the first floor if you’ll be in an area with heavy snow. Try to live in a building built after 1981 (earthquake code) Good luck!
—Doesn’t hurt to look around a real estate website to get a feel for offerings in your area. Suumo, iiheya, etc.
— Are you a woman? If yes, second floor and above. If you can find it, I also recommend “autolock” (オートロック) and an intercom with a monitor(モニター付きインターホン). Honestly even if you’re not a woman I’d recommend the monitor
—Consider the direction it faces for laundry/mold prevention/heat/natural light. Apartments that get more direct sun in the afternoon might cost a lot to cool down in the summer, but might be a benefit in the winter.
—as for your concern about building age, older buildings can be pretty cheap, but they can also be a bother. Mold prevention, insulation, soundproofing, pest prevention, etc are concerns with older buildings. As for the structural safety, buildings built after the hanshin earthquake in 1995(?) are technically able to withstand strong earthquakes. So keep that age in mind.
—avoid apartments that demand key money if you can. It’s a non refundable fee that can get expensive.
Furnished is not common for normal apartments, furnished do exist but unless you’re in a big city you’ll probably be limited to Leopalace which is known to be built kind of cheaply, thin walls etc. if you truly only plan to do a year it may be a more affordable option than buying furniture, washer, etc
If not, recommend looking for a newer building, second floor or above.
Near a train station or at least a bus route will help a lot! I don’t think city hall matters much. Near a conbini or supermarket is great too.
I also prefer a newer building because Japan gets so moldy so if it’s older chances it will already be moldy….you also want a place with AC and heating installed already. I also would not recommend tatami because it’s high maintenance, needs to be replaced often because it can get moldy and it can have a smell and some people have allergies.
-within 10 minutes walk to the station
-within walking distance to a supermarket
-train or bus line within 30 minutes of workplace (ideally)
-separate toilet and bath
-washing machine hookup inside the apartment is ideal
-25 square meters in size in the government recommended minimum for one person to live in
I honestly wouldn’t want to live within walking distance to work, simply because people will be in your business and know everything you ever do.
The reason they ask you about age is earthquakes. Older buildings used different earthquake-proofing standards when they were built. Usually you want something built 1981 or later.
When considering the criteria of what I think is the ideal accommodation, these are the things I look out for (you can pick and choose what’s important to you); minimum 30m², within 2km of a train station (preferably JR), within 500m of a supermarket and convenience store, built within 15 years (for better amenities such as internet connectivity, touch panel temperature control, and intercom with a screen), reinforced concrete for better soundproofing, indoor washing machine storage, and aircon unit. I’m sure there are others but off to class. Good luck!
From my experience, getting on furnished will be MUCH better if you can. I got an unfurnished apartment and it was…very laborious to get everything I needed and expensive. If you can take over your predecessors apartment and get a good deal in their existing furniture then great, do that. As for apartment, new and old depend on where you live. Of course a newly built apartment will be more expensive than an old place. Old doesn’t necessarily mean it’s 100 years old just that maybe was built over 10 years ago (but it’s not at all impossible for it to be older). What you will notice is that most apartments will come with 1 A/C unit for the entire apartment. I tried to get one with more than 1 but they were too expensive. Be aware of that…summer and winter will be hot and cold respectively. I find being in the middle between your school and other important locations is best. Without knowing my unfurnished place was right across from the bus stop, next to a pharmacy, 10 min in any direction from a supermarket, right across from a dentist and laundromat, 2 min walk to a convenience store, 20 min bike ride to the station and only a short 15 min bike ride to the school. I think I hit the goody lock zone with my location.