Furnished and monthly apartments in Japan: costs and foreigner-friendly options

You can rent a furnished apartment in Japan as a foreigner with a passport or residence card, often with no Japanese guarantor, no key money and no agency fee. As of October 2026, one Tokyo agency estimates a monthly 1K in the 23 wards at ¥140,000 to ¥180,000 all in, and Oakhouse rents apartments from one month. The catch: these are fixed-term leases, contracts are usually in Japanese, and some forbid registering your address.

What is a furnished or monthly apartment in Japan?

It is an apartment rented with furniture and appliances already inside. Xross House says its furnished apartments come with a bed, desk, refrigerator and washing machine. Oakhouse says its apartments are fully furnished, with electricity, gas, water and internet already set up.

Monthly apartments (マンスリーマンション) are the same idea sold by the month. An agency says they typically have a minimum stay of 30 days and usually include furniture, internet and utilities in one price, though some operators cap utilities and bill the excess.

A serviced apartment is a separate category, according to Xross House: furnished, utilities included, hotel-style services and a higher monthly cost.

How much do upfront costs differ from a normal rental?

A normal rental has large move-in costs. MLIT’s English guidebook lists a security deposit, key money, an agency fee and a guarantee company fee. Key money is often required in the Kanto region, usually one or two months’ rent, and is not returned. The agency fee is set at up to one month’s rent. A guarantee company often charges 35% to 50% of one month’s rent for two years.

Furnished and monthly providers cut most of that:

Oakhouse’s own page does not publish the contract fee amount. It does say that if you sign between the 1st and 20th of a month, your first payment is the initial management fee plus rent calculated by the day. Sign between the 21st and 31st and you also pay one month of rent.

Xross House gives a normal-rental estimate of four to six months of rent in total upfront, against “lower setup cost” for furnished units, but publishes no amounts for its furnished units.

Do I need a guarantor or guarantee company?

It depends on the provider, so ask before you apply.

• Oakhouse says no guarantor or guarantor company is required.
• Xross House says none of its properties needs a personal guarantor and asks for an emergency contact instead. For individual contracts it says joining a guarantee company is generally required, with an initial fee and monthly fees. If you pay everything from initial costs to move-out fees at move-in, you do not have to join one.
• Monthly apartment operators generally need no guarantor, according to one agency.

If a guarantee company is involved, read our guarantor company guide first.

What documents will I need?

• Oakhouse asks for a pre-filled application form, a copy of your photo ID and an official seal if you have one.
• Xross House lists a passport, residence card, visa, employment contract and proof of income, and says screening takes 1 to 5 days.
• Monthly apartment operators typically ask for a passport copy, your residence card if you have one, an emergency contact and payment for the whole period up front, per the agency blog.

What are the catches for foreigners?

Fixed term, no automatic renewal. MLIT explains that a fixed-term lease ends at the end of its period without renewal, though you can agree a new contract with the landlord. A regular lease, by contrast, renews automatically unless the landlord has due cause. Monthly contracts are fixed-term leases (定期借家契約), according to the agency.

Notice and refunds. Oakhouse asks for at least one month’s notice when moving out and charges rent by the day if you leave mid-month. The agency says leaving early usually earns no refund of the unused period.

Japanese-language contracts. The agency says monthly contracts are in Japanese and some operators require you to communicate in Japanese or nominate someone who can. Oakhouse says it takes inquiries in English, Korean, Chinese and French as well as Japanese.

Address registration. If your period of stay is more than three months, you must file a move-in notification (転入届) within 14 days of settling at a new address, and bring your residence card (在留カード). People with short-stay status or a stay of three months or less are not covered. The agency says monthly contracts often prohibit registering your address, as a contract term rather than a legal ban. We could not confirm the rule for Oakhouse or Xross House. Ask in writing before you sign. If it is unclear, your city office or a 行政書士 can advise on your case.

When is a furnished apartment worth it?

The agency’s example for a mid-range 1K says the monthly apartment stays cheaper for about 20 months, or about 14 months if furniture is left out, before a normal lease wins. That depends on its assumptions, so treat it as a rule of thumb: furnished and monthly units suit your first months, a job change or a short assignment. For a longer stay, see how to rent an apartment in Japan as a foreigner.

If you want a cheaper furnished room and can live with shared facilities, compare share houses in Tokyo.

More guides: How to rent an apartment in Japan · Share houses in Tokyo · Guarantor companies in Japan