Region

Tokyo

7 guides and articles

Property guides

A city skyline in shades of blue with a distant mountain and a commuter train crossing a viaduct

Property Guide

Tokyo for newcomers: renting in the 23 wards or the commuter towns of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa

Indicative, checked 7 November 2026 (official 2023 survey): in 2023 the average rent paid by renting households in Tokyo's 23 wards was ¥93,579 a month, from ¥65,958 in Adachi to ¥192,525 in Minato. Cities just outside, such as Kawaguchi, Funabashi and Matsudo, were close to the cheaper outer wards. Rent per tatami falls with distance from the centre, but the typical commute gets longer.

Life in Japan

All life guides

Three sorting bins with bottle, can and leaf symbols in front of a block wall and a neighbour’s roof

Life Guide

Garbage, neighbours and everyday etiquette in Japan: sorting rules, noise, trains and work

Garbage rules are set by each city: check your city's English guide and collection days the week you move in. Keep noise down, especially at night, and follow your rental contract. On trains, keep quiet and avoid phone calls. At work, be on time and report early. After-work drinking is optional, and you can say no politely.

A health insurance card with a red heart, a stethoscope curving around it and a tall stack of coins

Life Guide

Health insurance and pension in Japan: National Health Insurance, employee insurance and the lump-sum withdrawal

Everyone living in Japan for more than three months joins public health insurance: employee insurance through the company, or National Health Insurance at the city office. Patients aged 6 to 69 normally pay 30% of the medical bill. Residents aged 20 to 59 also join a pension system. If you leave Japan, you may claim a lump-sum withdrawal within two years.

A wall calendar with one date circled in red next to a calculator and a pen

Life Guide

Taxes for workers in Japan: income tax, resident tax and the year-end adjustment

Income tax is taken from every salary, and your employer settles the exact amount in the year-end adjustment. Resident tax is charged by the city where you lived on 1 January, based on the previous year's income. That is why it usually starts in June of your second year. Unpaid resident tax can affect your visa renewal.

An IC card tapped on a ticket gate reader, with a commuter train waiting at the platform behind

Life Guide

Trains and buses in Japan: IC cards, commuter passes, etiquette and transit apps

An IC card lets you tap in and out of trains and buses and pay at many shops. Most need a ¥500 deposit, and a registered card can be reissued if you lose it. If you travel the same route every day, a 1-, 3- or 6-month commuter pass costs less. On trains, do not talk on the phone and keep your bag out of the way.

Floor plan of a small Japanese apartment with a tatami room, a dining area, bathroom, entrance and balcony, and a key with a red tag

Life Guide

Finding an apartment in Japan: key money, deposit, guarantors and floor plans

Renting in Japan usually costs about 4 to 7 months' rent at the start, according to the MLIT guidebook. That covers the deposit, key money in some regions, an agency fee within one month's rent, insurance and the first rent. Most landlords want a guarantor or a rent guarantee company. Read the contract and the move-out rules before you sign.

A blue suitcase with a red luggage tag next to a two-week calendar card with the first five days ticked

Life Guide

Your first 14 days in Japan: residence card, address, My Number, insurance, bank and phone

In your first two weeks, register your address at the city or ward office within 14 days of moving in. Your My Number follows by post. At the same office, join National Health Insurance and National Pension unless your employer enrols you. Then open a bank account and get a phone: both need the address on your residence card.