Although living alone for the first time sounds ideal, it is important to think first about your own lifestyle.
Clarify which requirements are essential for you.
1. Decide your estimated budget.
Pay attention to costs additional to the rent, such kyodo fees
2. Put requirements in priority order.
Example of requirements: distance to the school or part-time job, region, size of the house, arrangement of rooms, distance to the train, luminosity, year of construction, floor number, bus, toilet, wooden floor or tatami, storage room, surroundings.
3. Ask whether your requirements are met or not.
4. Check the place
Points to check
- Windows and door have theft protection?
- Is there a place to put a washing machine?
- What is the status of the floor / tatami?
- The storage room has enough space?
- Is there enough space to dry the laundry in the balcony? Can other people peek into the house from the surroundings?
- Does it have enough light?
- Are the common areas clean? What is the status of the garbage area and the management?
5. Try to be decisive and according to your intution choose the one that suits you the most.
Types of Houses
| Type | Rate |
| Private apartments and apartments | 75% |
| Accommodation for international students at the university | 6.5% |
| General student dormitories of the university | 8% |
| Accommodation for international students in prefectures, cities, and foundations | 2.4% |
| General public housing for public housing, etc. | 3.4% |
| Employee dormitories of companies | 1.1% |
| Homestay | 0.9% |
| Other | 2% |
| Unknown | 0.7% |
Area per Person
| Area | Rate |
| Less than 5㎡ | 9.1% |
| Less than 2.5 – 7.5 m² | 20.8% |
| Less than 7.5 – 10 m² | 34.5% |
| Less than 10 – 12.5 m² | 12.3% |
| Less than 12.5 – 15 m² | 8.3% |
| Less than 15 – 17.5 m² | 4.7% |
| Less than 17.5 – 20 m² | 3.8% |
| Less than 20 – 25 m² | 2.8% |
| over 25 m² | 2.0% |
| Unknown | 1.9% |
Housing costs by region (national average 34,000 yen)
| Region | Residence fee (Yen) |
| Hokkaido | 28,000 |
| Tohoku | 23,000 |
| Kanto | 39,000 |
| Cyubu | 29,000 |
| Kinki | 33,000 |
| Chugoku | 24,000 |
| Shikoku | 21,000 |
| Kyushu | 25,000 |
| Tokyo | 42,000 |