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Less than 2-year leases? Apartment Rental Recommendations
I'm planning to be moving to Kanto area come end of September and starting a new job in October. I am still currently trying to figure out housing..
I notice the standard leases listed are 2… Hi All,
I'm planning to be moving to Kanto area come end of September and starting a new job in October. I am still currently trying to figure out housing..
I notice the standard leases listed are 2 years on sites like Suumo and others. I'm currently doing a 1-year trial for myself in Japan, so I'd like to not be held to a 2-year if possible (However, if I have to break a lease and pay, it is what it is I guess).
I'd like to know if its commonly possible to get or negotiate a 1-year lease, or even month-to-month with landlords? I'm also going through my company for renting an apartment, so they just need me to select 1 and give them the contact info (a lot easier said than done, there are so many options). I also don't think I will be able to tour them ahead of time ( my company requires a couple weeks to do the contracts), so another reason I'd like to not be locked into a long lease.
If you have any recommended, or even well-known English real-estate companies to go through? Especially Gunma. I'm looking at living in either Tokyo or Gunma and taking Shinkansen (I have a couple friends there, so at least I know people). I'm moving for the living experience but also to improve my Japanese since college..
Thank you in advance for any info or tips!
one thing nobody mentioned yet - if you go through your company's agency they might actually have access to "shinchiku" or "shikaku" properties that offer flexible terms. those are new builds or corporate housing that sometimes let you do 1yr leases without the usual penalty. ask your company's HR if they have a list of "furekkusu" (flexible) apartments
for gunma specifically, avoid the big chain agencies like apamanshop or minini. they're fine for standard 2yr but their renewal fees are ridiculous if you leave early. look up "takasaki fudosan" on google maps and call around - the smaller shops near the station are used to dealing with foreigners who work at the semiconductor plants
also real talk about the shinkansen - make sure your company pays for the commute or you'll be spending like 30,000 yen a month just on the bullet train. that's a lot of ramen money. if they're not covering it, living closer to ueno or omiya might be smarter even if the rent is a bit higher
you can def negotiate shorter leases but it depends on the landlord. some of the bigger management companies are pretty rigid about 2yr, but smaller landlords in gunma especially might be more flexible since they just want someone in the unit. i'd try asking about a "tanpaku keiyaku" (short-term contract) upfront when you're looking
for english-friendly agencies in gunma, try apex or century21 japan's takasaki office. they've helped foreigners before and are used to the shinkansen crowd. for tokyo, there's ken corporation or isekai realty but honestly your company might have a preferred agency they work with already
also if you're doing the shinkansen thing, look at stations like takasaki or kumagaya. cheaper rent and you can get to tokyo station in about 50 mins. just make sure the apartment is close to the station or you'll hate your life walking 20 mins in summer heat
Yeah you can definitely find 1-year leases, just filter for "tanpaku" or "short-term" on Suumo. The bigger places won't budge but some smaller landlords in Gunma are fine with it since they just want someone in the unit.
For English agencies, Apex in Takasaki is solid, or try Ken Corporation if you end up in Tokyo. But honestly your company might have a preferred agency they already work with, so ask them first before hunting on your own.
Also keep in mind the shinkansen commute adds up fast, like 30,000 yen
Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.
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