Guides
Make yourself at home in Japan.
Practical help for arriving, settling in and everyday life, from the HalfKey team. Start with our Tokyo guides; check each page for the local rules that apply.
Where are you in the journey?
Choose a starting point. No booking needed.
Before you arrive
Make the decisions that unblock your first week.
Your first week
Get connected and learn how your building works.
Everyday life
Handle the small things that keep a week running.
Solve a problem
Find the next action when something goes wrong.
When you leave
Close accounts and organise the handover.
Start here
The handful of guides we point everyone to first.
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Booking & Decisions · December 21, 2025
Choosing a Tokyo stay: apartment, sharehouse or hotel
A private kitchen, people to share dinner with, or someone at reception can each make a longer stay easier. Compare the arrangements you'll use every day, then check the full price and terms for your dates.
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Booking & Decisions · December 8, 2025
Renting a furnished Tokyo home as a foreigner
A furnished apartment can make a stay of several months easier to organise, with less household setup after arrival. Check the company's accepted documents and full terms early, then confirm the exact home and handover before arranging your move.
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Living in Tokyo · April 28, 2026
Planning a Japan digital nomad visa stay
A digital nomad stay takes more than a visa application. Check whether you can do your work from Japan, choose insurance that covers your needs, and find housing you can book with the documents you have.
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Booking & Decisions · May 7, 2026
Tokyo monthly apartments: what to check before you book
Planning a month or more in Tokyo? Compare furnished apartments by the full cost of your stay, the equipment you need, and the booking terms, with a few practical checks before you commit.
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Booking & Decisions
See all in Booking & DecisionsWhat to know before you book — choices, prep, and the questions to ask the operator.
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October 7, 2026
Can a friend or family member stay in your Tokyo rental?
In a leased apartment, an overnight visitor is a question for your contract. In licensed lodging, the business must record every person who sleeps there. Find out which applies, then compare adding your visitor with booking them a hotel nearby.
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September 4, 2026
No-guarantor Tokyo apartments: what to check
An apartment advertised without a guarantor can still have income checks, deposits or advance-payment terms. Find out which requirements apply to you, including how much rent and fees you must pay before moving in.
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September 4, 2026
Subletting in Tokyo: check the landlord’s consent
A sublet can look convenient for both the person travelling and the person moving in. Check that the landlord has consented to the actual arrangement, and put the dates, payments and responsibilities in writing before anyone hands over keys.
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August 22, 2026
Leaving a Tokyo apartment: bills, accounts and refunds
The order of your departure tasks depends on which contracts are in your name and what must happen before you leave. Agree the deposit refund method early, especially if your bank requires account closure before the money is due.
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August 17, 2026
Student housing in Tokyo and your resident record
Your school, apartment company and ward office each need different information when you move to Tokyo. Sort out the home and the documents together, so an easy booking also works for the address procedures you need after arrival.
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August 13, 2026
Finding a Tokyo home when you live abroad
Coming back to Japan for a while can leave you with a Japanese passport and no current Japanese address. Explain that early when enquiring, then separate the apartment company’s document requirements from the municipality’s rules for registering a home.
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Money & Contracts
See all in Money & ContractsFees, deposits, contracts, and the math that runs the industry.
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October 7, 2026
Water leak or fire in a Tokyo rental: who pays?
A fire and a leak can each lead to two bills: one from the landlord for the apartment, one from neighbours for their homes. Japanese law treats them differently, and rental insurance is sold in matching parts.
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September 5, 2026
Late rent on a Tokyo furnished apartment: what to do
A failed transfer and an inability to pay need different solutions, but both call for prompt contact. Keep the payment record, ask for a clear balance and deadline, and get advice quickly if you receive a termination notice.
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September 5, 2026
NHK fees in a furnished Tokyo apartment: who handles them?
A television supplied with the furniture doesn't tell you how NHK is handled. Ask about the existing contract, confirm the arrangement with NHK where necessary, and keep any payment or cancellation record with your other apartment documents.
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August 22, 2026
Why foreign cards fail on Tokyo apartment payments
A failed payment is easier to resolve when you know which checks completed. Save the error details, confirm your available credit, and agree a supported payment method with the rental company before making another attempt.
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August 14, 2026
Tokyo apartment paperwork your employer can use
Company-paid accommodation needs the right documents as well as a suitable apartment. Agree who will sign and pay, how the deposit will be returned, and what your finance team needs on the invoice before it is issued.
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August 4, 2026
Tokyo commuter pass or pay as you go: do the maths
A commuter pass can sit on an IC card, so the decision is whether to prepay a particular route. Count the journeys it would cover, compare the exact calendar term, and check refund rules before buying more months than you'll use.
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Living in Tokyo
See all in Living in TokyoDay-to-day in a Tokyo apartment, from konbini bill payment to the heating-and-mold dance.
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October 11, 2026 NEW
Cloudy or brown tap water in a Tokyo apartment
Air bubbles and rusty water need different responses. A glass of water can help you describe what you see, while the building's water supply system determines who needs to investigate a problem that doesn't clear.
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October 11, 2026 NEW
Missed the last train in Tokyo? How to get home
A train can still be running when your connection home has already finished. Here's how to search for another route, decide whether a taxi makes sense, and avoid waiting on a platform for a train that won't take you home.
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October 11, 2026 NEW
Balcony emergency exits in Tokyo apartments
A balcony may be part of the escape route for several apartments. Learn what the partition and floor hatch are for, where everyday belongings can get in the way, and how to raise a problem without testing the equipment yourself.
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October 11, 2026 NEW
Drain smell in a Tokyo apartment: safe first steps
A drain that smells after a trip may simply have lost its water seal. Start with water, check only the removable parts your manual identifies, and report smells that return with gurgling, slow drainage or leaks.
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October 7, 2026
Earthquake alert on your phone in Japan: what to do first
The alarm means strong shaking is expected, but it may come only seconds ahead, or after the shaking has started. Here's what the alert leaves out, the sounds worth learning, and a backup if your phone may not receive it.
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October 7, 2026
Japanese smoke alarm beeping or talking: what it means
Japanese home alarms usually speak, and the words tell you which device is warning you and how urgent it is. A fire or gas message needs action now; a battery or fault message needs a same-day report to the company you're renting from.
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Neighborhoods
See all in NeighborhoodsWhere to live for which kind of life — ward by ward.
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September 4, 2026
Nakameguro for a month: beyond the river walk
Nakameguro combines two useful railway routes with a river walk that changes through the year. The best address for your stay depends on the station exit, the walk home and whether your everyday errands take you through the blossom crowds.
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August 21, 2026
Nakano for a monthly stay: choose the right train
Nakano gives you a choice of JR and the Tozai line, with shopping just north of the station. The line you use and the shops you visit will help you choose which side to stay on.
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May 21, 2026
Living in Yotsuya: trains, groceries and your street
Yotsuya has several stations and useful food shops, but the best daily route depends on your address. Compare the trains, groceries and nearby streets before deciding whether an apartment here fits your stay.
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April 2, 2026
Tokyo summer stays: check the festival route
Summer festivals can change the walk to your apartment as well as the sound outside it. Match your dates and building entrance to the organizer’s route map, then decide whether you want the celebration nearby or a train ride away.
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February 17, 2026
Tokyo for remote-working couples: desks and internet
Two remote workers need a plan for overlapping calls as well as a reliable connection. Compare an apartment with a separate room against a smaller place plus a paid workspace, then verify what the specific building and workspace actually provide.
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January 25, 2026
A month in Bunkyo: hills, stations and daily errands
Bunkyo’s hills can put two nearby apartments on very different daily routes. Check the walk home with groceries as well as the journey to the station. Garden opening hours and Tokyo Dome events can also affect which location suits your week.
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