Things to Consider - Optional Considerations - The Worst Part - Other Options
Housing in Tokyo Index

1. Location
2. Distance from station
3. Size of room
4. Apartment or mansion
5. 1st floor or 2nd floor and above
6. Building age
7. Flooring/carpet or tatami
8. Bathroom and shower in the same room or separated
9. and of course... price
   

The following "Things to Consider" are generally what affects the price of the room. If you do not care about one or more of the factors, you can perhaps lower your rent by increasing your options.


Location
The first thing you need to consider is the location. The pricing of apartments greatly depends on the location. Generally speaking, the closer you live to downtown Tokyo (ie. Shinjuku / Shibuya), the more expensive it will be. For the most part, you are generally considered lucky if you find a place within 30 minutes to work. 45 minutes is decent and over 1 hour starts to become a pain. Some travel over 2 hours to work, but that happens generally when you decide to change jobs or you get transferred.

--> Closer to Tokyo, more expensive


Distance from Station
The distance from the station is calculated by minutes. For most people, living maximum 7 minutes from the station is not too bad. 10 minutes from the station is bearable and 15 minutes from the station starts to become a pain. Of course, not for everyone. If you enjoy a healthy walk to the station everyday, 15 minutes isn't so bad. But after a long night of drinking, walking home 15 minutes at 6 am is a drag.

Apartments are generally advertised as "XX minutes to the station". But wait... we all have different walking speeds. How far is that really? According to real estate agents, 1 minute is considered 80 meters. An apartment 5 minutes from the station is 400 meters etc. However, what this doesn't tell you is what route gets you home in 5 minutes. For the average person, you should consider adding a couple of minutes more to the listed time.

--> Closer to Station, more expensive

Size of Room
In Japan, most places use a method called "tatami". The average apartment size is 6 tatami. 6 tatami room is generally livable, although not comfortable.

Rooms are also determined in the following way:
1R, 1K, 1DK, 1LDK, 2K, 2DK, 2LDK, 3K etc...
R = Room (one room, kitchen inside the room)
1K = 1 Room and 1 Kitchen
1DK = 1 Room, 1 Kitchen and 1 Dining Room
1LDK = 1 Room, 1 Living Room, 1 Dining Room, 1 Kitchen

A 1K, 6 tatami matt room is approximately 18~20 meters squared.

--> Larger the size, more expensive, obviously.

Apartment or Mansion
Mansion of course!! Yes, we all would love to live in a mansionc Huge rooms, beautiful garden, a party room, a bar, the whole worksc and Tokyo is full of mansions. Every (Japanese) magazine you look through, you will find mansions advertised. The only problem is, the word "mansion" in Japanese only means a concrete apartment versus an apartment, which is generally made of wood, or light steel. Don't be fooled, a "mansion" in Japan IS an apartment; just made of a different material.

Now, the major difference between an "Apartment" and a "Mansion" is sound, cleanliness, and heat. If you live in an "Apartment", the sound will go through the thin walls, and you will be able to hear your next door neighbor. Not fun if you are single and a couple lives next door. "Apartments" tend to decay quicker than "Mansions" over time and cockroaches may find their way in quicker for "Apartments". The cold air seems to seep through the walls for "Apartments", while "Mansions" can keep the maintain room temperature for a longer period of time.

This doesn't mean that "Apartments" are terrible. Some "Apartments" are just as nice as "Mansions" or sometimes even better. You still need to see the place before you choose, but if you play loud music, stick to a "Mansion" before the landlord kicks you out.

--> Mansion, more expensive.

1st Floor or 2nd Floor and Above
A minor thing to consider, but cockroaches and other insects do find their way in the 1st floor quicker than others. If you are planning to live on higher floors, check to see if they have an elevator. Some 5 floor apartments don't have elevators and what a pain if you live on the 5th and forget your walletc The first floor is generally cheaper than other floors. Sometimes, although rare, the fourth floor is a little cheaper too. "Four" symbolizes "Death" in Japanese.

--> The higher up, the more expensive.

Building Age
Age is somewhat related to the cleanliness of the building, but not always. Some older apartments are renovated and are actually cleaner than newer buildings. You have to see the place to decide, but generally speaking, a building older than 15 years and not renovated isn't too pleasantc especially if its an "Apartment" and not a "Mansion".

--> The newer, the more expensive.

Flooring or Tatami
Some apartments are hard floor (actually soft flooring) and others are traditional tatami matts made of bamboo. Flooring is generally more expensive.

--> Flooring, more expensive.

Bathroom and Shower separated or in the same room.
The pricing increases if the bathroom and shower are separated. The washroom is usually very small, so it's generally more comfortable if the two rooms are separated.

Oh don't forget to check if the toilet is western or Japanese. Some older apartments still use Japanese toilets, you need to crouch down ie. No seat, not comfortable. But, you get the job done in a Japanese toilet much faster - in and out in a flash.

--> Bathroom and Shower seperated, more expensive.

And of course... Price
I'll get back to this one...

Other Things to Consider...