Housing in Japan

Finding a home in Japan is not only a question of price. The way apartments are rented, the way rooms […]

Anyone planning to rent in Japan eventually asks the same question: can my landlord raise the rent whenever they like?

Why do many Japanese people still sleep on a futon instead of a bed? The practical, space-saving logic behind Japan’s traditional floor bedding.

Why do Japanese homes split the toilet, sink, and bath into three separate rooms? The logic behind the layout, and why sharing bathwater isn’t considered unhygienic.

Why do modern Japanese homes still have a tatami-floored washitsu room? Tatami etiquette, the tokonoma alcove, and why rooms in Japan are measured in mats.

Why does Japan have over 8 million abandoned homes, and can foreigners really buy one for a few hundred dollars? The reality behind Japan’s viral akiya trend.

Why do Japanese houses only last about 30 years? The postwar construction rush, earthquake codes, tax rules, and cultural preference for new homes that shaped Japan’s scrap-and-build housing cycle.

Why do Japanese apartments come without light fixtures or a stove? The custom behind Japan’s bare-shell rentals, and what to buy first when you move in.

Why can’t you rent an apartment in Japan without a guarantor? The history of the hoshounin system, how guarantor companies solved it for foreigners, and what it costs.

Anyone who has navigated Japan’s rental market has probably received the same piece of advice from someone who learned it