2-3 month accommodation options in Japanese cities?

kurukuru Member

Registered: 2012-12-25 Posts: 25

Hi everyone,

I mentioned in another thread that I was thinking about going to Japan on a tourist visa to try to really focus on studying for a few months. This seemed like a separate enough topic, so I started a new thread... hope that's OK.

I'm wondering about accommodation options for a foreigner staying in Japan for a few months. I'm mostly looking at Tokyo and Kyoto.

Of course I don't want to stay in a hostel or hotel for months. And since I'll be on a tourist visa, I imagine it's not possible to rent an apartment in a normal way.

So are there other options? Some kind of temporary housing? Since I won't be working while I'm there, I definitely want to look for cheaper options if there are any, but I have some money saved for this, so I could consider a range. I'm open to shared apartment/house things, but I would like my own room/space.

Just so you know, I've lived in Japan before, speak some Japanese (~N2 or a little higher), and have friends/acquaintances in both Kyoto and Tokyo, so I'll at least be able to get around and stuff... just really don't know the housing options for this type of thing.

Any ideas?

thurd Member

From: Poland Registered: 2009-04-07 Posts: 756

My experience is limited but I used Sakura House on my 3 month trip and was really happy with their services. It's cheaper than hostels/hotels and no hidden fees like with renting apartments. Some people I've met were using them as a long term solution because of how easy and convenient it was.

haplochant Member

Registered: 2012-04-02 Posts: 21

I'd suggest looking at airbnb.com to see what you can find. It's a website where individuals can list their homes/apartments/roomshares for short-term rental. Many of them have monthly rental fees. You can get many photos and reviews of any place you are interested in from previous renters. I use them all the time for domestic travel and recently found tons of amazing places to stay for an upcoming trip to Japan for really reasonable prices. People rent out everything from amazing private homes and apartments to the other half of their tatami bedroom. I've found it's a great way to rent your own private space temporarily without staying in a hotel.

Last edited by haplochant (2012 December 29, 6:54 pm)

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partner55083777 Member

From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-04-23 Posts: 397

There are also a bunch of "guest houses" in the bigger cities. It's like a dormitory with a shared kitchen and bathrooms. It'll set you back anywhere from ３万円 to ７万円 a month, depending on whether you're sharing a room and where the place is located. There are many various people that live in them, from high schoolers to 50 year-old business men. It's usually easy to make a lot of friends. I would suggest trying to find a place that has a good deal of Japanese people (and not just foreigners).

Here are some popular ones, at least in Tokyo:

- J&F House
- Sakura House (mentioned by thurd)
- Hippo House

kitakitsune Member

From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-10-19 Posts: 1006

Another +1 for Sakura House. I didn't use them myself but a few of my friends did and they all gave good reviews.

kurukuru Member

Registered: 2012-12-25 Posts: 25

Thanks for the ideas!

I've heard about Sakura House here and there, some positive and some negative. Seems like it can be overpriced at times, but for a short stay the convenience might make it worth it. Good to hear some people had positive experiences there.

kurukuru Member

Registered: 2012-12-25 Posts: 25

Oh and one question about that place...

I saw on their website that they you're supposed to pay 2000 yen and tell them ahead of time if you have anyone staying with you.

I would probably have a friend who lives elsewhere in Japan stay over at some point. Do you think this is a pretty strict rule? I was a little surprised that I'd have to pay extra even if a friend just stayed a couple nights while traveling.

partner55083777 Member

From: Tokyo Registered: 2008-04-23 Posts: 397

kurukuru wrote:
I would probably have a friend who lives elsewhere in Japan stay over at some point. Do you think this is a pretty strict rule? I was a little surprised that I'd have to pay extra even if a friend just stayed a couple nights while traveling.

Actually, being able to have any visitor stay overnight for any circumstances is really surprising. You might want to talk to the manager to make sure this is actually possible.

In my experience, having someone stay overnight is usually against the rules in places like this.

scooter1 Member

From: united states Registered: 2010-10-03 Posts: 20

Renting an apartment as a foreigner in Japan can be a bit difficult.

* Sakura-House is a decent option with fairly clean but dated apartments. The prices generally include utilities and the organization seems legitimate. It is less expensive than a hotel but more expensive than the traditional 2 year apartment rental contracts. There are a lot of places to choose and the entry/exit terms are reasonable. I think this is a low risk option that is reasonably priced in general.

* I heard that Hippo House is also fine but have not been there.

* There are a lot of large share houses in Tokyo; I have heard that some have good communities and others have residents who largely ignore each other.

* Craigslist can be a good option for sublets. However, that is a riskier option of course. It also seems that some companies own several 3-5 room apartments/houses and rent those rooms to both foreigners and Japanese; sometimes the prices on these look very high.

* If you want to stay with a family, there are some websites that help coordinate that but I can't remember the names.

Good luck.

kurukuru Member

Registered: 2012-12-25 Posts: 25

partner55083777 wrote:
kurukuru wrote:
I would probably have a friend who lives elsewhere in Japan stay over at some point. Do you think this is a pretty strict rule? I was a little surprised that I'd have to pay extra even if a friend just stayed a couple nights while traveling.
Actually, being able to have any visitor stay overnight for any circumstances is really surprising. You might want to talk to the manager to make sure this is actually possible.

In my experience, having someone stay overnight is usually against the rules in places like this.

Hmm, I see. I guess I figured since it was like renting an apartment, I'd be able to have a visitor or two stay over. The Sakura House website clearly says it's possible with advanced notice and the extra payment... oh well, I guess that's better than nothing.

Thanks for the other ideas too. Yeah, it's too bad that a lot of the Sakura places seem pricier than other apartments in the same areas, but I guess you have limited options if you're only staying a few months. I imagine most normal apartments don't rent by the month, right?

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kurukuru wrote:

partner55083777 wrote:

kurukuru wrote: