I am looking for an apartment
部屋を探しています。
Heya o sagashite imasu.
I am looking for a room/apartment.
Use this with an agent or rental office.
Life Japanese
Apartment Japanese: rent, contracts, repairs, trash rules, and living calmly in Japan.
Renting in Japan brings a new vocabulary: rent, key money, deposit, guarantor, management company, utilities, trash rules, repairs, neighbors, move-in, and move-out. Learn the phrases before the problem happens.
This page teaches practical language. Rental rules, fees, contracts, and tenant rights vary. Always confirm details with the landlord, management company, agent, municipality, or qualified professional.
Apartment rule: Before signing, confirm the money, the rules, the guarantor, and what happens when something breaks.
Start here
The safest apartment phrases
These phrases help with real estate agents, landlords, property managers, utility companies, neighbors, and city offices.
How much is the rent?
家賃はいくらですか。
Yachin wa ikura desu ka.
How much is the rent?
Essential before discussing anything else.
What fees are needed?
初期費用はいくらですか。
Shoki hiyou wa ikura desu ka.
How much are the initial costs?
Initial costs can include several items.
Please let me confirm
確認させてください。
Kakunin sasete kudasai.
Please let me confirm.
Use before signing, paying, or agreeing.
Could you write it down?
書いていただけますか。
Kaite itadakemasu ka.
Could you write it down?
Very useful for fees, dates, and rules.
I do not understand well
よく分かりません。
Yoku wakarimasen.
I do not understand well.
Use honestly before making a mistake.
Rental flow
A safe apartment conversation
Renting usually moves through search, viewing, application, contract, payment, move-in, utilities, daily rules, repairs, and move-out.
01
Money
Rent, deposit, key money, management fees, renewal fees, and initial costs.
02
Contract
Lease terms, guarantor, move-in date, documents, rules, and cancellation.
03
Repairs
Air conditioner, water leak, electricity, gas, internet, noise, and management company.
04
Daily rules
Trash separation, neighbors, bicycle parking, quiet hours, and move-out cleaning.
Money words
Rent is only one number.
In Japan, rental costs can include several fees. Learn the vocabulary and confirm the total before signing.
Rent
家賃
yachin
rent
毎月の家賃はいくらですか。How much is the monthly rent?
Deposit
敷金
shikikin
deposit
Refund rules can vary. Confirm in writing.
Key money
礼金
reikin
key money / gift money
Often non-refundable. Confirm carefully.
Management fee
管理費
kanrihi
management fee
Usually separate from rent.
Renewal fee
更新料
koushinryou
renewal fee
Ask if it applies and when.
Total initial cost
初期費用の合計はいくらですか。
Shoki hiyou no goukei wa ikura desu ka.
What is the total initial cost?
This is the key money question.
Contract words
Understand the agreement before signing.
Rental contracts can be intimidating. Start with the most important terms.
Contract
契約書を確認したいです。
Keiyakusho o kakunin shitai desu.
I would like to confirm the contract.
Guarantor
保証人は必要ですか。
Hoshounin wa hitsuyou desu ka.
Is a guarantor required?
Guarantor company
保証会社を利用できますか。
Hoshou gaisha o riyou dekimasu ka.
Can I use a guarantor company?
Move-in date
入居日はいつですか。
Nyuukyo-bi wa itsu desu ka.
When is the move-in date?
Cancellation
解約する場合、いつまでに連絡が必要ですか。
Kaiyaku suru baai, itsu made ni renraku ga hitsuyou desu ka.
If I cancel, by when do I need to contact you?
Important explanation
重要事項説明をもう一度確認したいです。
Juuyou jikou setsumei o mou ichido kakunin shitai desu.
I would like to confirm the important matters explanation again.
Repairs and problems
Report problems clearly and early.
Do not wait too long when something breaks. Report the problem, explain what happened, and ask when someone can come.
エアコンが壊れています。修理をお願いできますか。
Eakon ga kowarete imasu. Shuuri o onegai dekimasu ka.
The air conditioner is broken. Could you please arrange a repair?
This pattern works for many apartment problems: say what is broken, then ask for repair.
Daily rules
Trash, neighbors, bikes, and quiet life.
Apartment life in Japan often depends on local rules. Trash separation is especially important.
Trash rules
ごみの出し方を教えてください。
Gomi no dashikata o oshiete kudasai.
Please tell me how to put out the trash.
Trash day
ごみの日はいつですか。
Gomi no hi wa itsu desu ka.
When is trash day?
Burnable trash
燃えるごみ
Moeru gomi
burnable trash
Non-burnable trash
燃えないごみ
Moenai gomi
non-burnable trash
Bicycle parking
自転車はどこに置けばいいですか。
Jitensha wa doko ni okeba ii desu ka.
Where should I park my bicycle?
Noise
騒音について相談したいです。
Souon ni tsuite soudan shitai desu.
I would like to consult about noise.
Utilities and setup
Electricity, gas, water, internet
Move-in often requires utility setup. Ask clearly what you must arrange yourself.
Electricity
電気の手続きは自分でしますか。
Denki no tetsuzuki wa jibun de shimasu ka.
Do I handle the electricity procedure myself?
Gas
ガスの開栓は予約が必要ですか。
Gasu no kaisen wa yoyaku ga hitsuyou desu ka.
Is an appointment required to open the gas service?
Water
水道の使用開始手続きは必要ですか。
Suidou no shiyou kaishi tetsuzuki wa hitsuyou desu ka.
Is a procedure needed to start water service?
Internet
インターネットは使えますか。
Intānetto wa tsukaemasu ka.
Can I use internet?
Move-out
Leave cleanly. Confirm costs early.
Move-out procedures can involve notice periods, cleaning, inspection, key return, and final fees.
I want to move out
退去したいです。
Taikyo shitai desu.
I want to move out.
Move-out date
退去日はいつにすればいいですか。
Taikyo-bi wa itsu ni sureba ii desu ka.
What should the move-out date be?
Inspection
立ち会いは必要ですか。
Tachiai wa hitsuyou desu ka.
Is an inspection/walkthrough required?
Cleaning fee
クリーニング費用はいくらですか。
Kurīningu hiyou wa ikura desu ka.
How much is the cleaning fee?
Key return
鍵はどこに返せばいいですか。
Kagi wa doko ni kaeseba ii desu ka.
Where should I return the key?
Final cost
最終費用を確認したいです。
Saishuu hiyou o kakunin shitai desu.
I would like to confirm the final costs.
Model conversation
Report an apartment problem
すみません。部屋のエアコンが壊れています。
昨日から動きません。
修理をお願いできますか。
いつ来ていただけますか。
念のため、確認させてください。
昨日から動きません。
修理をお願いできますか。
いつ来ていただけますか。
念のため、確認させてください。
Sumimasen. Heya no eakon ga kowarete imasu.
Kinou kara ugokimasen.
Shuuri o onegai dekimasu ka.
Itsu kite itadakemasu ka.
Nen no tame, kakunin sasete kudasai.
Kinou kara ugokimasen.
Shuuri o onegai dekimasu ka.
Itsu kite itadakemasu ka.
Nen no tame, kakunin sasete kudasai.
Excuse me. The air conditioner in my room is broken.
It has not worked since yesterday.
Could you please arrange a repair?
When can someone come?
Please let me confirm, just to be safe.
It has not worked since yesterday.
Could you please arrange a repair?
When can someone come?
Please let me confirm, just to be safe.
Resident philosophy
Apartment Japanese is peace-of-mind language.
Home should feel safe. But when the contract, trash rules, repairs, fees, or neighbors are unclear, home becomes stressful. A few practical Japanese phrases can reduce that stress.
The goal is not perfect legal Japanese. The goal is to ask, confirm, document, and follow the rules well enough to live calmly.
Practice path
What to practice next
Remember this
For apartments, write it down.
Money, dates, repairs, trash rules, and move-out costs should be confirmed clearly. If you are unsure, ask them to write it down.