Posts Tagged ‘Tokyo’
How to rent an apartment in Tokyo
Apartments are usually rented through real estate agents rather than landlords. Real estate offices can be recognized by listings of available apartments in their show windows. They also advertise on signs in the neighborhood and in various publications.

Not at last, entering a rental contract with a conventional real estate company is very expensive. A number of refundable and non refundable fees have to be paid, often totaling three to ten months’ rent, depending on the company and apartment:
- Reservation fee (tetsukekin)
- The tetsukekin is paid when you apply for an apartment, and before the actual rental contract is signed. It serves as a guarantee for you that the apartment is not given to somebody else, and for the agent that you do not change your mind. It is refunded after the actual contract is signed and is usually equivalent to about one month’s rent.
- Deposit (shikikin)
- The deposit is used to cover eventual future damage to the apartment. The deposit minus the cost for repairs is refunded when you move out. The deposit is usually equivalent to several months’ rent.
- Key money (reikin)
- This is a non refundable payment to the landlord in the amount of up to several months’ rent.
- Service fee (chukai tesuryo)
- This is a non refundable payment to the real estate agent in the amount of at most one month’s rent.
In most cases, apartments come unfurnished, utilities are not included in the rent, and pets are not allowed.
Reference: Tokyo Guest House at http://www.share-style.net/
Exploring Ikebukuro at Night
Ikebukuro is referred to by those living in Tokyo as ‘the black sheep of Tokyo’. Ikebukuro is a very interesting town and place to be at night. It has a taste of everything one would consider appealing. To be precise, it includes a taste of both worlds. Being Tokyo’s busiest train station, there is a lot going around this town. Those living in Tokyo would not be forgiven for not having visited this interestingly, attractive and busy centre in Tokyo.
There are several hotels around Ikebukuro making it a place worth staying in while in Tokyo. It boasts of accommodation for all classes and groups of people. Apartments and hotels have been built with the different types of residents who visit this city in mind. Ikebukuro is a very busy city and has some of the best ever shopping malls ever found in Tokyo. The number of shoppers here during different seasons of the year cannot be slighted.
Ikebukuro by night is a splendid and a vibrant city. Amongst some of the sights worth visiting while here include the minor red light district, frequented by both locals and visitors who do not want to be left out. This is a city that does not sleep; it is a 24 hour city and one of the busiest towns around the world. It is situated on the northern part of Tokyo. The number of people frequenting this place by city and night is amazingly large, and literally remains the same both by day and by night.
The number of bars or watering holes as residents refer to them is incredibly large and is one of the interesting features of this town. From which ever end, pubs dot every where. Ikebukuro has gone down history as one of the towns that has the longest and fastest elevator located at Sunshine 60 building. Revelers in this town are literally spoilt for choice, when it comes to entertainment. Entertainment centers are many in number and offer revelers nothing but the best. Ikebukuro is more vibrant at night as shoppers and revelers pass their time on their way home from a hard days work.
How to Find an Apartment Rental in Tokyo
Tokyo is one of the most visited cities all around the world as the city itself attracts a large number of people commonly called as foreigners or expatriates each and every year for all sort of purposes. On the other hand, staying in the city can turn out to be problematic if you being a foreigner do not know about where to and how to find out necessary amenities. This is one of the gravest issues that are being faced by foreigners as they are unable to find themselves with proper and suitable accommodation. In this article, you will be able to find useful information via which you will be able to find an Apartment Rental in Tokyo.
If you are visiting Tokyo being a foreigner, you certainly need to find yourself a suitable accommodation in a neighborhood that is extremely well connected. As Tokyo is a metropolitan city, it is highly expensive and this truly makes the property heavily priced as well. If you are considering getting an apartment rental in the heart of the city then you will apparently have to pay a huge amount and this can be burning a hole in to your pocket. One of the most viable techniques is to figure out a balanced place between affordability and connectivity. While you are considering several neighborhoods in the city, you could perhaps try to find an affordable housing in the neighborhoods such as Asakusa and Ueno.
While you are looking out for apartment rental in Tokyo as a foreigner, it is extremely imperative that you plan your budget first. You should be deciding on how much you can stretch your budget; nevertheless, you need to ensure that you are not exceeding more than 30% of your monthly income. This would be extremely helpful in making sure that you are left with sufficient amount to take care of your other imperative needs and requirements while you are living in such a posh city like Tokyo. You need to make sure that you are able to provide the lease amount, the initial advances and various other non-refundable deposits before you are signing an agreement for apartment rental.
You also need to decide on the kind of accommodation you are looking for. Over the past few years, the city has come to various kinds of accommodation mainly including single-household structures, apartments and Mansions are some of the examples. The suitable type of accommodation will be helpful in deciding the budget. On the other hand, an ideal approach to find proper accommodation is by contacting an independent real estate agent or agency overall.
