When I moved to Japan for my first "long-term" stay in 2012, I got lucky and found a good share house. It was in a quiet area and even close to my "dream" university. Sounds easy enough, right? Wrong! I was only able to find that place because I was already able to read Japanese well enough to understand the real estate company's homepage and communicate with them. I also had Japanese friends who helped me overcome the confusion of hidden fees, paperwork, and so on. If you have nothing of the sort and are facing everything alone, you might find it all rather daunting.
There is a lot of information about finding a place in Japan, but which page offers the best explanation? We offer links to different websites and articles that discuss everything necessary for you to successfully move to Japan. If you're looking for something more detailed and Kashiwa-specific, check out the other segments in this article.
Links
- Japan-guide.com: Finding an Apartment
A simple introduction to finding your own place in Japan. It has most of the basic stuff you need to know. - Culture Trip: How to Rent an Apartment in Japan
This one goes into a little bit more detail. The article explains apartment-related abbreviations as well as room-area measurements used in Japan. - GaijinPot: 10 Things You Need to Rent an Apartment in Japan
This article goes into a lot of detail and gives examples of possible expenses. Don't be afraid, not every place will cost you as much money. There are enough cheap and furnished rooms available.
Share House
My time in the share house had its ups and downs. We were four guys living in a regular Japanese home. This made me feel less like a tourist, and more like a regular citizen. Obviously, sharing a small two-story house with three strangers doesn't leave you much private space. But the parties and the good times we enjoyed together outweigh the negatives.
Share houses are not only available in Tokyo, but also in and around Kashiwa. Let us introduce some of them. We also have a series of articles from a share house owner's perspective. If you're able to read Japanese, go ahead and check them out.
Links
- Kizunaya #HASH196
HASH196 is close to Kashiwa station. If you are looking for a friendly environment with a strong bond between housemates, this might be the place for you. Check out our feature article: Click Here - Share House Dormy
Another share house directly in Kashiwa. Minami Kashiwa to be precise. Check out their homepage and gather first impressions. If you like the outdoors, this might be for you. - DK House Matsudo
Featured in our Japanese article series. Matsudo is about 10-15 minutes away from Kashiwa by train. If you are bound for Tokyo, Matsudo offers you a convenient base. - Social Residence Funabashi
Another one recommended by our article series. This one is situated in Funabashi close to Tokyo Disney Resort.
Apartments
Moving out of the share house I called my home for five years was bittersweet. Luckily, the first apartment I moved into was fully furnished and was really easy to get for exchange students going to Tokyo University. The university even became my guarantor and I could use an insurance plan for students. Without the support of my university, I don't know how everything would have played out.
As mentioned in the general information section, there can be a lot of hurdles in getting your own apartment in Japan. If you just arrived, don't speak the language and have no one to help you with the paperwork, this might feel like fighting a hopeless battle. Let us be by your side. We've provided links to some real estate companies in and around Kashiwa that appear trustworthy and foreigner-friendly. If you still need more detailed help, think about giving us a call or drop by the .
Links
- MiniMini - Kashiwa
The first apartment I rented was from MiniMini. It was easy to get and the prices were low. The apartment was fully furnished, so I saved a lot on furniture. You might need a guarantor, so I recommend you directly contact MiniMini Kashiwa for more details. - e-heya.net - Kashiwa
My current apartment is from e-heya.net. The place is very clean and the layout is very open, utilizing the whole area. Their English homepage is very easy to navigate and they offer many different apartments. You might need a guarantor, so be sure call the e-heya.net hotline beforehand. - Wagaya Japan - Kashiwa
I have no personal experience with Wagaya Japan, but they seem to offer a lot of different apartments. Their English homepage even lets you set up different parameters, such as "No Guarantor", which might eliminate a big hurdle for many people freshly arriving in Japan.
"Weekly Mansions"
Before moving to Japan, I stayed in an old share house close to Ikebukuro for roughly two months. When you live in a share house, you often have to share the kitchen and bathroom with other residents. At the time, AirBnB was not a thing in Japan. If I had known about the existence of "weekly mansions", I might have chosen this more private alternative to a share house.
"Weekly Mansions" are fully furnished apartments, that can be rented on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. This option might be a bit more expensive than most share houses but will offer you more privacy, your own kitchen, and your own bathroom. See some of the available "Weekly Mansions" in Kashiwa below.
Links
- weekly-monthly.net
The homepage is in Japanese only. However, they offer a google auto-translate option at the top. You can also contact us at the for assistance. - weekly-mansion.com
They seem to offer more options for the Kashiwa area, but do only have a Japanese site. If you can read Japanese, it should not be a big hurdle. If you need language assistance give us a call or stop by the information center.
After moving into a new property, you need to register with the local gas, water, and electricity providers. You might also want to sign up for your own internet connection. To find information on how to set up your electricity, gas, water, and internet, come back once our article covering all the necessary procedures is published.
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