DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Working in Tokyo

**Moupponge** · 02-28-2007, 09:32 PM

key money.

Key money is evil. Its basically a bribe. Its also readily avoidable, more so if you are non-Japanese.

I cant imagine Tokyo being far different from Osaka, but you should easily be able to find no-key money flats without to much trouble. This can be going through agents that work with non-Japanese (check out ex-pat mags), or you can even find them at normal on-the-street estate agents.

Its because of this key money that there are so many people staying at home with there mummys, and that there are so many available flats in Japan. Its a highly competitive market and - rather than have it empty - many landlords do the no key, no deposit money.

Another option you should look at is moving into a "Gaijin House" for a couple of months and use that to a) find out where you want to live and b) actually find an apt. These Gaijin Houses are basically rooms to let. I stayed in one for 2 months (60% Japanese students who wont pay key money..) before finding my (no key money, no deposit, big, cheap, clean, fully furnished, near 2 stations, etc) flat.

02-28-2007, 09:32 PM	#9
Moupponge Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 436 Senior Member	key money. Key money is evil. Its basically a bribe. Its also readily avoidable, more so if you are non-Japanese. I cant imagine Tokyo being far different from Osaka, but you should easily be able to find no-key money flats without to much trouble. This can be going through agents that work with non-Japanese (check out ex-pat mags), or you can even find them at normal on-the-street estate agents. Its because of this key money that there are so many people staying at home with there mummys, and that there are so many available flats in Japan. Its a highly competitive market and - rather than have it empty - many landlords do the no key, no deposit money. Another option you should look at is moving into a "Gaijin House" for a couple of months and use that to a) find out where you want to live and b) actually find an apt. These Gaijin Houses are basically rooms to let. I stayed in one for 2 months (60% Japanese students who wont pay key money..) before finding my (no key money, no deposit, big, cheap, clean, fully furnished, near 2 stations, etc) flat.
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