Foreign resident or Japanese, it’s easy to think we all look for the same things in an apartment, namely price, size, and location. However, there are several points Japanese people pay specific attention to when viewing an apartment that newcomers to Japan may not consider. Next time you’re looking for a new place, try thinking like a local and remember this list — you won’t regret it.

1. Look for south-facing windows

For most people, the amount of available light is one of the main deciding factors in choosing an apartment. After all, good sunlight is vital for a healthy sleep schedule, drying laundry, and saving on those winter electricity bills. 

Apartments with south-facing windows are known to receive the most daylight hours and are by far the most popular properties on the market. You will notice Japanese floor plans invariably have a symbol indicating the apartment direction, and some people even check with their own compass during the property viewing.

2. Measure the washer dock size

Unlike apartments in the US, rentals in Japan don’t typically come with appliances. This means tenants need to make sure the refrigerator and washing machine from their old apartment will fit into the new one. This may not sound difficult, but one of the unique aspects of Japanese apartments is the inbuilt dock for sitting your washing machine atop. These plastic trays connect to a drainpipe, have a faucet fixed to the wall above, and come in roughly three different sizes. 

Moving without checking the dock size and faucet position can be an expensive oversight. Alternatively, you can look for apartments with inbuilt washer-dryers. 

3. Check the noise insulation

When choosing an apartment, Japanese people will, more often than not, take note of the construction materials. Buildings made from wood or steel are infamous for their poor sound insulation, whereas concrete construction is less prone to transmitting noise. 

Aside from confirming the building material, there are two ways to check the sound insulation quality yourself — knocking on the walls to test the thickness and putting your ear against the wall to see how well it insulates sound. If you can hear the TV next door, or the elevator down the hall, you can imagine louder noises will cause a disturbance.

Another tip is asking to check the floor plan of the apartment next door to see what parts of the wall you’ll be sharing.

4. Take note of the maximum amperage

The amount of power that can be used at once in an apartment varies depending on the breaker, and this is something Japanese families, in particular, know to check. New expats may be surprised at how often they trip the breaker, as homes in countries such as Australia, the UK and US generally supply between 80 to 100 amperes per household or above. In Japan, this figure ranges from 10 to 60 amperes.

A single person or a couple coordinating their energy usage can live comfortably on 30 A, however, if you have a family, 50 A–60 A may be more appropriate. If you think you need higher amperage than the apartment you want can provide, you can contact the power company to see if an upgrade is possible (make sure to seek permission from the landlord too). 

5. Watch out for mould

Japanese summer is a humid affair and creates the perfect breeding ground for mould. It’s a common household problem that not only ruins clothing and soft furnishings but leaves stains on your wallpaper (which you’ll be charged to replace). Last but not least, inhaling the spores in mould can cause allergy symptoms and even asthma

Accidentally renting an apartment with poor ventilation can end up being a real nightmare, so make sure to check for evidence of mould and condensation inside closets and around windows.

6. Take a peek at the neighbours

Strange though it may sound, who your neighbours are and how they conduct themselves is important to most Japanese residents. Notices in communal spaces reprimanding tenants for noise complaints or rule-breaking can be a warning sign of an unharmonious residence. Additionally, poor garbage sorting and cleanliness in the trash collection area reflects badly on all residents of a communal building. 

Due to population density and the aforementioned sound insulation concerns, knowing if your possible future neighbours are loud or have pets/small children can also be a deciding factor. 

7. Ask about the previous tenant

Although not all property managers can give an answer, prospective tenants in Japan will often want to know why the previous tenant left. Were the neighbours too noisy? Is the apartment too cold in the winter? Worst of all, is it a “stigmatised property” (jiko bukken)? 

Answers to these questions can be a real deal breaker, especially properties stigmatised due to a murder or suicide. Living somewhere a tragedy happened might be cheap but it’s not a decision to be made lightly. For many Japanese people, the knowledge that a tragedy took place is simply too disturbing to come home to each day.

8. Scope out the local supermarkets 

Small apartment sizes and lower car ownership rates in Tokyo have resulted in a different grocery shopping culture to Western countries. Instead of doing a weekly shop and filling up the fridge and freezer, Japanese people opt to make regular visits to the convenience store or supermarket for fresh groceries. 

If you don’t have a car, it’s a good idea to choose an apartment within walking or bicycle-riding distance to a supermarket. Alternatively, you can order your groceries online with services such as Honestbee and Amazon Fresh, but make sure they offer delivery in your prospective area. 

9. Forget about the guest room

For many non-Japanese living in Japan, a spare bedroom is desirable, be it for family visiting from overseas or a friend staying the night. However, to the Japanese, the concept of a spare room is an unnecessary extravagance. Space is expensive in Tokyo and for many people, it simply doesn’t make sense to spend hundreds of dollars a month for an extra room that is rarely used. 

Instead of worrying about friends and family who may or may not visit, put your own needs first. Prioritise finding a living space that fits your life, and then figure out how to make it multi-purpose. Deep-style Japanese cupboards can easily store futons or a compact fold-up bed, or you can use some of your spare cash on a hotel room when guests do visit.

Article contributed by Apts.jp

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