Viewing a Family Apartment in Japan: What to Check With Kids in Mind

Published September 13, 2026 | Kurabeel

A viewing in Japan usually lasts fifteen minutes, and most of it is spent looking at the room. That is the wrong use of the time. The room is the part you can see in the photographs; what you cannot see online is whether a stroller fits through the entrance, how the building carries sound, and who lives above you. Here is what to do with those fifteen minutes.

What should you measure? Five numbers

Bring a tape measure. Photograph each measurement next to the thing you measured, because by the third apartment you will not remember which number belonged to which.

Also check the refrigerator space. A family fridge is wider than the single-tenant slot many kitchens are built around, and discovering this after the delivery is an expensive afternoon.

How do you test a building for noise?

Impact noise — running, jumping, a dropped toy — is the most common source of friction for families renting in Japan, and it is decided by construction rather than by anything you can change later.

1. Read the structure field before you go. RC or SRC means reinforced concrete and transmits far less than wood or light steel (how construction types compare).
2. Stand still for a full minute in the empty rooms, and ask the agent to stay quiet. You will hear the road, the neighbours and the plumbing.
3. Ask who lives above, below and either side. Agents usually know the household type and will tell you.
4. Look at the floor plan of the unit above if you can. A bedroom above your bedroom is quieter than a living room above your bedroom.

What safety points matter with small children?

• Balcony railing — check the height, and whether the outdoor air conditioning unit or a drain pipe gives a foothold. This is the most common hazard in Japanese apartments.
• Window locks — whether there is a secondary lock that limits how far a window opens.
• Outlet positions — low outlets need covers; note how many there are and where.
• The kitchen — can it be closed off? An open kitchen with a gas hob is difficult to keep a toddler out of. Check whether the hob has a child lock.
• Stairs — in maisonette or house-style units, Japanese stairs are often steeper than you expect, with a low handrail.
• The entrance step — the genkan step is a common fall point for toddlers. Note its height.

What decides daily life? Four things people forget

A delivery box sounds minor until you are the household that is never home between 9am and 7pm. For a two-income family it is one of the highest-value features in the building (what else you will need to buy).

What to check outside the apartment

• Walk to the station — with the stroller route in mind. Look for stairs, a level crossing, and whether the ticket gate has an elevator.
• Walk to the nearest park and school — specifically, whether a main road has to be crossed.
• Supermarket closing time — a neighbourhood where everything shuts at 9pm is hard for working parents.
• Bicycle parking — how many spaces per household, and whether an electric-assist bicycle fits the rack.
• Rubbish area — where it is, and whether it is enclosed. You will use it several times a week.
• Come back after dark — the walk from the station at 8pm tells you something the daytime viewing cannot.

Should you bring the children?

Bring them to the final one or two properties, not the first round. Early viewings are measuring and question-asking, which is hard with a toddler in the room. At the shortlist stage, a child actually in the space shows you things a tape measure cannot — whether you can see them from the kitchen, whether the living room works with toys in it, whether they can be heard from the bedroom.

What to ask the agent before you leave

1. Is there a maximum number of occupants for this property?
2. Who lives above, below and next door?
3. Which rooms have air conditioning, and does the bath have reheating?
4. How many bicycle spaces come with the unit, and is parking available?
5. What are the rules on strollers in the corridor or entrance hall?
6. How soon could we move in, and is the rent negotiable at this time of year?

Occupancy limits in particular are frequently absent from listings and are the most common reason a family application is refused (how screening works for families).

Frequently asked questions

What should you measure at a viewing in Japan?
The entrance hall, the width of every doorway, the washing machine space, the closet depth, and the window openings. Japanese entrances are often too small to keep a stroller unfolded, closets are typically around 45 centimetres deep rather than 90, and window sizes are non-standard so curtains rarely transfer from a previous home. Bring a tape measure and photograph each number next to the wall you measured.

How can you tell if a building will be noisy before signing?
Check the structure field first: reinforced concrete, shown as RC or SRC, transmits far less impact noise than wood or light steel. Then stand still in the empty rooms for a full minute with the agent quiet, and ask who lives above, below and either side. A building already occupied by families is a very different experience from one where your children are the only ones.

What safety points matter with small children?
The balcony railing height and whether the air conditioning unit outside gives a foothold, the position of low electrical outlets, whether windows have child locks, and how steep the stairs are in a two-level unit. Also check whether the kitchen can be closed off, since open kitchens with a gas hob are hard to keep a toddler out of.

Should you bring your children to the viewing?
Bring them to the final one or two properties, not to the first round. Early viewings are about measuring and asking questions, which is hard with a toddler in the room. At the shortlist stage a child in the space tells you things a tape measure cannot, such as whether the layout lets you see them from the kitchen.

In short

• Measure the genkan, doorways, washing machine space, closets and windows
• Structure decides noise — check RC before you visit, then stand still and listen
• Balcony railings and footholds are the main safety issue in Japanese flats
• Delivery box, bathroom dryer and reheating cannot be added later
• Bring the children only to the shortlist, and come back after dark

* 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.