This section introduces questions that international students and researchers have asked UTokyo staff members and local real estate agencies near Hongo campus.

Q1：Can we visit rooms that are currently occupied but will soon be vacant?

A1： This is usually not possible. Japan does not have a custom of open house.

Q2： I liked the vacant room I saw, but want to move in after three months. Can I reserve the room until then?

A2： You cannot reserve the room for free. The good thing about housing that is vacant now is that you can move in immediately. The drawback is that rent payment would also start at the same time. Generally, one to two weeks worth of rent is negotiable upon moving in.

Q3：Is rent negotiable?

A3：There are times when rent can be lowered. Especially during the low season for the real estate industry (avoiding the beginning of academic year and corporate transfer season), there are chances to be able to lower rent.

Q4： Young people cannot be guarantors?

A4：It is not a decided rule that all young people cannot be guarantors. However, if the guarantor whom you specify is in their twenties, the landlord might assume that your guarantor would also need to rent an apartment to live in. In that case, the landlord would vet on whether your guarantor can pay for himself / herself as well as your rent. If we assume that both you and your guarantor pay monthly rent of 70,000 yen each, that would total 140,000 yen for which your guarantor may become liable for, and for which the landlord would vet whether your guarantor would be able to afford. (The landlord would vet whether the guarantor has income of triple the amount paid for rent.) This is the reason why you are required to write the birth date of your guarantor on your application form regarding information on your guarantor.

Q5：I want to live with my boyfriend / girlfriend or friend, but is that allowed?

A5：Since it is uncommon in Japan for people to live together unless they are family, many landlords tend to dislike this notion. The landlord also becomes concerned about whether rent would be paid if one person decides to leave the room. Even if room share is permitted, both residents of the room would have to sign the lease contract, and you would need prior consent from the landlords if your roommate would change. For students using University of Tokyo’s "Joint Guarantor Assistance System,” please note that roommates permitted are family (spouse and children) and other UTokyo students only.

Q6： I do not mind the room being small, but is it possible for two people to live in a one-room apartment to keep rent minimal?

A6：Many landlords would decline this request due to concern that two people or more living in a one-room apartment would cause noise trouble and other issues with neighbors.

Q7： I just don’t want to pay key money!

A7：Housing offered by UR (Urban Renaissance Agency) do not require any key money. However, the availability of UR housing near UTokyo campuses is limited, and students are often denied as tenants because they cannot prove a stable source of income. There is also housing offered by private companies that does not require key money. In such cases, you would have to check whether the monthly rent charged is not set higher than surrounding housing with the same condition, and to check for other conditions about the room which may alter rent.

Q8： I am only staying in Japan for a few months. Would I still need to live in unfurnished apartments? I am worried about the cost of living if I chose to live in a hotel.

A8： For about 10 years now, furnished housing known as “monthly / weekly mansions” have become available. These were originally built to suit the needs of companies who send their employees on long business trips but who do not want to pay for expensive fees charged by hotels. Therefore, monthly / weekly mansions are set at rates lower than that of hotels. Since there is housing within this category where payment of key money and a guarantor is not required (and where credit card payment is allowed), we recommend this type of housing for people considering short term stays. Monthly / weekly mansions tend to come furnished with a small kitchen, bath and toilet, air conditioner, refrigerator, bed, TV, desk, and laundry machine. The rent range for monthly / weekly mansions located within Tokyo and within 10 minutes walking distance from a train station（single room of 20m2）would be about 150,000 to 170,000 yen per month. There are times when initial costs such as contracting fee would be additionally charged. However, since hotels that charge 5,000 yen to 6,000 yen a night in Tokyo is hard to find, monthly / weekly mansions tend to be less expensive. The advantages of monthly / weekly mansions are not only that the rooms come furnished, but also that utilities services (water, electricity and gas) would already be set up for use when you move in. Since monthly / weekly mansions were built for use by business people, most rooms are made for singles and are not suited for families to live in. In addition, total costs for living in this type of housing become expensive if you are to live in Japan for over 1 year. We recommend that you do a total cost comparison between living in a monthly / weekly mansion, and choosing unfurnished housing and purchasing furniture. Please also note that real estate agencies and the CO-OP typically do not offer information regarding monthly / weekly mansions, so please find information on such housing on your own through the internet.