A private apartment in Tokyo is exactly what it sounds like — a unit that is entirely yours. No shared kitchen, no waiting for the shower, no strangers in your living room.
For foreigners, the challenge has historically been bureaucracy: the traditional Japanese rental system requires a local guarantor, key money (reikin), and a 2-year minimum contract. For most new arrivals, that's a closed door.
The agencies and services below have spent years cracking that door open — offering furnished, flexible, foreigner-accessible options at every price point.
"Start with a furnished short-term rental. Once you know the neighbourhoods, negotiate a traditional lease through E-Housing."