Finding a place to live is one of the first problems international students face in Japan.
This guide explains the steps, costs, and documents in simple English.
■ Check Your School’s Dormitory
Ask your school if they have a dormitory.
Good points:
- Simple process
- Close to school
- Safe
Some students choose private rooms because they want more privacy and freedom.
■ Money You Need at the Start
When you rent a room in Japan, you need to pay several fees:
- First month’s rent
- Deposit (usually 2 months of rent)
- Key money (1–2 months of rent, not returned)
- Agency fee (about 1 month of rent)
▶ Total cost can be up to 6 times the monthly rent.
■ Important Documents
You need:
- Residence Card
- Passport
Airports where you can get your Residence Card
You can receive your card at these airports:
New Chitose / Narita / Haneda / Chubu / Kansai / Hiroshima / Fukuoka
At other airports, you must go to a city office later, which is hard without a home address.
■ Other Things You May Need
Personal seal (inkan)
Many places accept signatures now, but a seal is still useful.
Some real estate offices may ask for it.
Certificate of Enrollment
Sometimes landlords or agencies ask for this.
Japanese Bank Account
Needed for rent and utility payments.
■ Choose a Good Real Estate Agency
This is the most important step.
A good agency makes renting much easier.
Reasons:
- Some landlords do not rent to foreigners
- Not all guarantee companies accept foreign students
- Agencies know which rooms allow foreign tenants
- They help with forms and communication
■ SeaHome Support
SeaHome has strong experience helping many international students,
especially students from Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries.
They support English, Sinhala, and Spanish,
so students can feel safe and comfortable during the whole process.
