April 25, 2026
By the HalfKey team
Documents to book a furnished Tokyo apartment as a foreigner
Mid-term Tokyo operators ask for fewer documents than the long-lease horror stories suggest, but the four they do ask for are non-negotiable. Here is the exact list, what each one proves, and the cases where an operator can waive it.
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You can book a furnished mid-term Tokyo apartment with four documents. Most operators in this segment do not ask for a Japanese guarantor, a Japanese bank account, a hanko, or a co-signer. None of those apply for stays of 30 days to 12 months in the furnished segment.
The four documents are: passport, residence card or visa, proof of funds for 3 months of rent, and an emergency contact. Most central Tokyo operators accept the same set: Oakwood, Citadines, Mimaru, Sakura House mid-term. Send all four as PDF or photo at inquiry. Approval typically takes 3 to 5 business days.
This guide walks through each document, what it proves, the format operators want, and which operators waive each requirement.
Document 1: Passport
What it proves: Identity, nationality, and the validity dates of your travel document.
Format: Photo or scan of the photo page. JPG or PDF, both sides if your passport has data on the back. The photo must be flat, in focus, and show all four corners of the page.
What operators check: That your name on the passport matches the name on every other document, including the booking form and the bank statement. A common rejection cause is using a nickname on the booking form and the legal name on the passport. Use your legal name everywhere.
Who waives: Nobody. Every licensed lodging operator in Japan verifies foreign guests' passports. The rule is Article 6 of the Hotel Business Act (旅館業法 — ryokan gyōhō, the law for short-stay licensing). Residential furnished-rental operators on a 定期借家 (teiki shakka — fixed-term lease) verify at signing too.
Document 2: Residence card or visa documentation
What it proves: Your legal status to stay in Japan for the duration of the booking.
Format depends on your situation:
- Already in Japan with a residence card (在留カード — zairyū kādo, the plastic ID card issued at the airport on arrival): Photo of both sides of the card. The back has your registered address. If you have not registered a Tokyo address yet, the back will be blank. That is fine.
- Arriving on a long-stay visa (work, student, dependent, spouse, designated activities) but not yet in Japan: Photo of the visa sticker in your passport, plus the Certificate of Eligibility (在留資格認定証明書 — zairyū shikaku nintei shōmeisho, the document the immigration office in Japan issues to your sponsor, which the sponsor mails to you for the visa application).
- Arriving on a tourist visa (visa-exempt or short-term stay): A photo of the entry stamp in your passport once you arrive, or a copy of your return ticket showing departure within 90 days.
Who waives: Operators on a hotel-style license (Mimaru, Citadines, most aparthotels) accept tourist visas. They are licensed to host short-stay guests. Residential mid-term operators usually do not. The contract is a fixed-term lease and a tourist visa is not a residence status.
Halfkey accepts tourist-visa stays case by case. Expect to pay the full stay up front and provide a return ticket as proof of departure date.
Document 3: Proof of funds
What it proves: That you can pay the rent for the booked period without falling behind.
Format: A bank statement (any bank, any country) showing a balance of at least 3 months of total rent. PDF download from your bank app, or scan of a paper statement. The statement must show your name, the bank name, and a date within the last 30 days. Cryptocurrency wallet screenshots are not accepted by most operators.
What "3 months of rent" means: If your booking is ¥220,000/month, the statement must show at least ¥660,000. Or the equivalent in your home currency at the day's exchange rate. For longer stays, some operators ask for the full booking value rather than 3 months. Confirm with the operator at inquiry.
Who waives: Operators paid by your employer (relocation accounts, corporate bookings via HR) waive proof of funds because the employer provides a guarantee letter instead. The letter must come on company letterhead, name you, name the booking dates, and confirm the employer pays the rent directly.
If you cannot show 3 months in one account: Combine statements from two accounts (e.g. checking + savings) and send both. A pension or government benefit award letter also counts. A pay stub alone usually does not.
Document 4: Emergency contact
What it proves: Someone the operator can reach if you are unreachable, hospitalised, or do not check out on the agreed date.
Format: Name, phone number with country code, email address, and your relationship (spouse, parent, employer, friend). The contact does not need to be in Japan. They do not need to speak Japanese. The operator will only contact them in an actual emergency.
Who waives: Nobody, but the standard varies. Some operators require two contacts. Some require one contact in Japan if your stay is over 90 days. Halfkey requires one contact, location-agnostic.
A common mistake: Listing your travel companion as the emergency contact. The contact must be someone not staying with you. The point is reaching someone outside the booking if both occupants are unreachable.
Documents you do not need
The traditional Japanese rental market asks for many documents that the furnished mid-term segment does not. You do not need:
- A Japanese guarantor (連帯保証人 — rentai hoshōnin, a Japanese resident who agrees to pay your debts if you default)
- A guarantor company subscription (保証会社 — hoshō-gaisha, a paid third party that acts as a co-signer)
- A hanko (印鑑 — inkan, a personal seal)
- A Japanese bank account
- A My Number card
- A Japanese employer letter (unless your employer is paying)
- Proof of address in Japan
- Tax records
If an operator asks for any of these on a furnished stay under 12 months, the unit is probably listed under a residential lease. That is the wrong product for you. Look elsewhere.
Comparison: who waives what
| Requirement | Hotel-license operators (Mimaru, Citadines) | Residential mid-term (typical) | Halfkey | Corporate booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| Tourist visa accepted | Yes | No | Case by case | Depends on operator |
| Proof of funds | Required | Required | Required | Waived (employer guarantees) |
| Emergency contact | One contact | One or two | One | Employer contact |
| Japanese guarantor | Never | Never | Never | Never |
| Hanko / bank account | Never | Never | Never | Never |
Send order
When you inquire about an apartment, send the four documents in one email. Use this template:
Subject: Booking inquiry, [unit name], [check-in date] to [check-out date]
Attached: passport (PDF), residence card or visa (PDF), bank statement (PDF), emergency contact (in body of email).
Emergency contact: [name, relationship, phone with country code, email].
Operators that ask you to upload documents to a portal will say so in the auto-reply. Wait for that link rather than re-sending. Most operators reply within 1 business day of inquiry and confirm approval within 3 to 5 business days.
If you're ready to inquire, do this today
Before you reach out, do this in order:
- Pick your dates and shortlist a unit on the operator's site.
- Photograph or scan your passport photo page.
- Photograph both sides of your residence card, or your visa sticker plus Certificate of Eligibility, or note that you will arrive on a tourist visa.
- Download a recent bank statement showing 3 months of rent.
- Decide on an emergency contact and confirm their phone number and email.
- Send all four to the inquiry address listed on the unit page, with the subject line above. Reply to the contract email within 48 hours to hold your dates.
- If you'd like halfkey to shortlist furnished mid-term units for your dates, reply to this article's contact form with your timeline.
Most operators reply within one business day in Tokyo time. If you have not heard back in 48 hours, check your spam folder before re-sending. Gmail and Outlook flag operator domains intermittently.
For a furnished mid-term shortlist with each operator's document requirements pre-mapped, reply to this article's contact form with your dates.