Apartment Viewings in Japan (Naiken): Checklist and Questions to Ask
A Japanese viewing — 内見 (naiken) — typically lasts fifteen to twenty minutes, with an agent standing beside you and another appointment after yours. Rooms are almost always empty and unfurnished, which makes them look larger and quieter than they will feel once you live there.
What you fail to notice in those twenty minutes becomes a daily annoyance for two years. Here is how to use them well.
What should you bring to a viewing?
- A tape measure (5m or longer) — the single most useful object you can carry
- Your phone — photos, video, compass, and a signal check
- A printed floor plan to write measurements onto
- The dimensions of furniture you already own
- Socks — you will remove your shoes, and slippers are not guaranteed
What should you measure first?
| What | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Washing machine pan (防水パン) | Japanese pans are small; many imported machines will not fit |
| Refrigerator space | Check width, depth, ventilation gap and which way the door opens |
| Entrance and hallway width | Furniture that fits the room may not reach it |
| Curtain rail length and window height | Japanese curtain sizes are standardized; odd windows mean custom orders |
| Ceiling height | Older buildings can be under 2.3m — tall wardrobes may not fit |
Listings quote area in square meters and in 帖 (jo, tatami mats — roughly 1.65 m² each), but neither tells you whether your sofa gets through the door. See how to read Japanese listings for what the layout codes mean.
What can you only check in person?
Water
Turn on the shower and the kitchen tap. Check the pressure and how long hot water takes to arrive. Weak pressure on an upper floor of an older building rarely improves.
Smell
A drain smell in a long-empty flat is often just an evaporated water trap, and running the taps fixes it. But note it and ask — persistent drain odour is a real problem and hard to solve after you move in.
Noise
Open every window and listen. Trains, arterial roads, a restaurant extractor, a school playground. Then close them and listen again for neighbours, footsteps above, and the lift. Tapping a wall tells you something about its thickness; a concrete building will sound solid, a timber one hollow.
Damp and condensation
Look at ceiling corners, behind where furniture would stand, and around window frames. Fresh paint in one corner only usually means something was covered up. North-facing rooms in older buildings are the most common places to find mould.
Mobile signal
Check reception in the corners and the bathroom. Reinforced concrete blocks signal effectively, and it is not something you can fix later.
What does the building tell you?
- The rubbish area — the most honest indicator of how the building is managed, and of your neighbours
- Shared corridors and stairs — personal items left out, accumulated flyers, burnt-out lights
- Post boxes — overflowing boxes suggest long-vacant units
- Bicycle parking — is there space, is it covered, is there a fee
- The walk from the station — do it yourself; listings count 80 meters as one minute and ignore hills, level crossings and traffic lights
What should you ask the agent?
- "How long did the previous tenant live here?" — repeated short tenancies have a cause
- "Why did they leave, if you can say?"
- "Have there been any noise or water leak reports in this building?"
- "Is the internet included, and which provider?"
- "What is the cancellation notice period, and is there a short-term penalty?"
- "Could I have an itemized move-in estimate, not just a total?"
- "Can this listing be handled by other agencies?" — most can, and that affects your costs
That last question is the one that saves money. The rent and deposit are the landlord's, but the agency fee belongs to whoever you sign with (details here).
What should you photograph?
Wide shots of empty rooms all look identical afterwards. What you will actually want later is the tape measure held against the washing machine pan, the position of every power socket, the view from the window, and the entrance width. A slow video walkthrough while narrating what you notice is worth more than thirty still photos.
How many places should you view in one day?
Beyond four, rooms merge in memory and judgment gets sloppy. If you have a favourite, view it second — the first viewing sets your baseline and the last one meets a tired brain.
Frequently asked questions
What should you bring to an apartment viewing in Japan?
A tape measure of 5m or longer, your phone for photos, video, compass and a signal check, and a printed floor plan to write measurements onto.
What can you only check in person?
Water pressure and how long hot water takes to arrive, outside noise, mobile signal and smells. Turn on the shower and the kitchen tap: weak pressure on an upper floor of an older building rarely improves.
How can you tell whether a building is well managed?
Look at the rubbish area, which is the most honest indicator. Personal items left in shared corridors, accumulated flyers and overflowing post boxes are also reliable signals.
How many apartments should you view in one day?
No more than four. Beyond that, rooms merge in memory and judgment gets sloppy. If you have a favourite, view it second, because the first viewing sets your baseline and the last one meets a tired brain.
We can book viewings for you, in English
Send the listings you want to see on LINE and we will arrange the schedule.
Send a listing on LINE* The agency fee is as low as ¥0. Listings for which the landlord pays no advertising fee (AD) may not qualify. We always confirm the exact amount in a written estimate before you sign.