Housing Terminology

Japanese apartment listings use specific terms that can be confusing at first. Here's what they all mean so you can read listings with confidence.

Room Layouts

Term	Meaning
1R (One Room)	Studio apartment with no separate kitchen
1K	One room with a separate small kitchen
1DK	One room plus a dining/kitchen area
1LDK	One room plus a living/dining/kitchen
2LDK, 3LDK, etc.	Multiple rooms plus a living/dining/kitchen

The letters stand for: L = Living, D = Dining, K = Kitchen. So a 2LDK has two rooms plus a combined living/dining/kitchen space.

Fees & Costs

• Shikikin (敷金) - Security deposit, usually 1-2 months rent. This is refundable when you move out, minus any cleaning or repair costs.
• Reikin (礼金) - "Key money" or gift money paid to the landlord. This is non-refundable. Not every place requires it, so look for listings with 礼金なし (no reikin).
• Chukai tesuryo (仲介手数料) - Agent/broker fee, usually 1 month's rent.
• Kanrihi / Kyoekihi (管理費/共益費) - Monthly building maintenance and management fee. This is on top of your rent.
• Koshinryo (更新料) - Renewal fee, typically charged every 2 years when you extend your lease.
• Hoshonin (保証人) - Guarantor. Some places accept guarantor companies instead of a personal guarantor.
• Hoshogaisha (保証会社) - Guarantor company. A paid alternative to having a personal guarantor, which is helpful since most newcomers don't know anyone who can vouch for them yet.

Building Types

• Mansion (マンション) - A concrete apartment building, usually mid-rise or high-rise. This does NOT mean a large house. It's just the Japanese word borrowed from English with a different meaning.
• Apaato (アパート) - A wood or lightweight steel apartment building, usually 2-3 stories. Generally cheaper than mansions but with thinner walls.
• Ikkodate (一戸建て) - A detached house. These are available for rent but more common as purchases.
• Share House - Shared living space with private bedrooms and common areas like kitchen and bathroom. A budget-friendly option that's also great for meeting people.

Features & Amenities

• Auto-lock (オートロック) - Building entry system with an intercom at the front door.
• Eki chika (駅近) - Close to a train station, usually within walking distance. A big plus for your commute.
• Minami muki (南向き) - South-facing. Gets the most sunlight throughout the day, which is a sought-after feature.
• Baruconii (バルコニー) - Balcony. Used for drying laundry since many people in Japan don't use dryers.
• UB (Unit Bath / ユニットバス) - Combined bathroom with toilet, sink, and tub all in one small unit.
• Separate (セパレート) - Separate bathroom and toilet rooms. This is generally considered a nicer setup than a unit bath.
• Flooring (フローリング) - Western-style hardwood or laminate floors.
• Tatami (畳) - Traditional woven mat flooring. Room sizes are often measured by how many tatami mats fit inside.

Measurements

Term	Size
1 jo (畳)	About 1.65 m² (17.7 sq ft). The size of one tatami mat.
Tsubo (坪)	About 3.3 m² (35.5 sq ft). Equal to 2 tatami mats.
Heibei (平米 / m²)	Square meters. The standard metric measurement you'll also see in listings.

TIP

When apartment hunting, focus on the total monthly cost (rent + kanrihi) and check if reikin is required, since that money won't come back.