In this article, we will be taking a comprehensive look at the housing options available to you in Japan.
Keep reading.
When it comes to housing in Japan, you can choose to rent a house or an apartment. If you are buying or renting, you will not be treated differently irrespective of whether you are a local or a foreigner.
The rent cost in Japan is dependent on the area you live. As a small country with restricted space, its rent prices are known to reflect the heightened demand for accommodation.
And while the rent differs from one city to the next, the general average galls between fifty to seventy thousand Japanese Yen. This is roughly $470-$650. Meanwhile, the further you live from a major train station, the more likely you will need to buy a car.
As a foreigner renting a house in Japan, note that the terms for rental properties will surely be different from how it is in your home country. Instead of a two-bedroom apartment and studio, you will find a number in front of a combination of letters D, L K, R, or S.
Understand that, the numbers are used to refer to the number of bedrooms while the letters represent the cooking and living areas. It goes thus:
• L means living room
• D means the dining room
• K means kitchen
• S means free space room or storage, while;
• R means the entire apartment is a single room.
So, when you see a property listed as 1LDK, it means it has one bedroom, plus a bigger area that makes up the dining room, living room, and kitchen. While the dining, kitchen, and living room may stand alone as separate rooms, there will not be doors separating the spaces.
You will also find mansions, standard standalone homes, and Apāto in Japan. The Apāto is a two-storey apartment that is made of iron and wood.
For those who need a long-term rental in Japan, note that they may likely come as unfurnished. However, if you want to furnish your home on your own, you will find online sites like Craigslist or sayonara sales through Facebook groups.
Note that, you may need to bring in your fixtures and light coverings in some of these unfurnished homes. Meanwhile, if you are bothered about the cost and want a cheap option, there is a cheap one known as jiko bukken. It means stigmatized property.
This type of property is referred to as a house wherein an unfortunate incident happened like accidental death, serious incidents, and even suicide. In most Asian cultures, they have strong superstitions and beliefs that are linked to the spiritual world.
You will find the property cheap because it is difficult to rent. So, to push it the landlord will reduce the rent by twenty to thirty percent. These properties are found in sites known as Oshima Teru or Oshima Land.
When renting, the documents to be provided are:
• Your residence card or visa
• Your Japanese phone number
• An emergency contact
• A Japanese bank account
• A Japanese stamp
• A proof of income or your sufficient savings
Note that, the Japanese stamp will serve as the official signature when you are in Japan.
For the short-term rental, the documents you need are just your original passport and the Japanese visa. And, if you want to buy a property in Japan as a foreigner, the major requirements are connected to applying for a bank loan.
However, the primary demands are for you to be married to a Japanese citizen or have a Japanese permanent residency. Then, you will need to be employed in the country and pay taxes.
Conclusion
If you seek housing options in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan, we have provided you with everything you need to know about. It is up to you to either rent a house or proceed to buy a home.
