Real Estate Transactions: Key Professionals in Japan — Renting as a foreigner typically involves a licensed real estate agent/broker who mediates with the landlord and the building’s management company, plus a guarantor company that underwrites the lease. For paperwork beyond a standard lease (e.g., registration or complex clauses), you may also encounter a judicial scrivener (shiho-shoshi), an...
Renting in Japan as a foreigner is manageable once you know the basics: neighborhoods are priced largely by train-station access, units tend to be compact, and most apartments are unfurnished. Upfront costs are higher than many countries—often 3–5 months’ rent—covering deposit (shikikin), sometimes key money (reikin), an agent fee, a guarantor-company fee, and the first month. Landlords usually...
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