Picture this: you’ve landed a two-year contract in Tokyo, your flight is booked, and you have exactly six weeks to sort out housing before your start date. You open a Japanese property portal and hit a wall almost immediately – the interface is entirely in Japanese, the listing photos are thumbnail-sized, and buried in the fine print are terms like *reikin* (key money), *shikikin* (deposit), and a demand for a Japanese guarantor you simply don’t have. For most international renters, this is the moment a smooth relocation collides with the practical complexity of Tokyo’s rental market.
Furnished apartment providers built for foreigners exist precisely to remove that friction. For anyone planning a longer stay – a remote-work stint, a corporate posting, or an open-ended move – a move-in-ready furnished apartment can reduce guarantor hurdles, the cost of furnishing an empty flat, and the difficulty of Japanese-language paperwork. This guide ranks seven providers offering furnished apartments in Tokyo for longer stays, judged on listing variety, neighbourhood coverage, lease flexibility, upfront cost transparency, and how genuinely usable they are for people who don’t read Japanese.
Our top pick is Cove Japan for expats and international renters who want a fully English-language booking experience with transparent pricing and occasional no-admin-fee promotions. Its Tokyo listings can be filtered by budget, availability, and location, with tiered options up to ‘luxe’ units and clear metro and bus proximity data. For corporate expats and business travellers who need serviced apartments with professional amenities, MetroResidences is a relevant alternative, while budget-conscious newcomers who value English support and shared accommodation may prefer Sakura House.
Below you’ll find the full ranked list, a short note on how we assessed each provider, per-provider breakdowns with honest pros and cons, and an FAQ covering the questions foreigners ask most often before signing a Tokyo lease.
At a glance
- Cove Japan – best for expats wanting a fully English-language furnished apartment search across inner Tokyo
- MetroResidences – best for corporate expats and business travellers needing serviced apartments
- Tokyo Furnished – best for English speakers wanting a no-frills monthly search
- Sakura House – best for budget-conscious newcomers wanting community support
- TM21 Accommodation – best for renters needing hands-on local support
- Union Monthly – best for longer stays in specialist monthly mansion-style units
- Goodroom – best for design-conscious renters wanting curated, aesthetic homes
What to look for
Choosing a furnished apartment provider in Tokyo isn’t the same as picking one anywhere else, because Japan’s traditional rental process can involve substantial upfront costs and paperwork. A standard unfurnished lease can require key money, an agency fee, a security deposit, and a guarantor or guarantor service – requirements that can complicate a move for international renters. Purpose-built, expat-friendly platforms can reduce some of those barriers, which is why they earn their place in a comparison like this one.
We weighed each provider on six things: the depth of its live listing inventory and how widely it covers Tokyo’s neighbourhoods; how flexible its minimum stay is for monthly and longer lets; the quality of its English-language interface and booking support for non-Japanese speakers; how transparent it is about fees, deposits, and promotions; move-in readiness, including which furniture, appliances, Wi-Fi, and linens are available on day one; and how workable it is for international renters who don’t have a Japanese guarantor. No single provider aces every category, so each entry below is assessed on what it does best – and where it falls short.
The 7 best furnished apartment providers in Tokyo for longer stays
The seven providers below were shortlisted because they offer relevant furnished or monthly options for longer stays in Tokyo, with particular weight given to English-language accessibility and flexibility for international renters. Each is assessed on its own merits so you can match the right provider to your specific situation – a corporate relocation, a remote-work stint, or a longer stay spent getting to know Tokyo’s neighbourhoods. Number one is our overall recommendation for the largest share of that audience; the rest earn their rankings by serving distinct needs.
#1. Cove Japan – Best for expats wanting a fully English-language furnished apartment search
Cove Japan tops this list because its English-language search and flexible monthly model are designed around international renters. If you want to browse furnished apartments in Tokyo without wrestling a translation plugin or deciphering key-money clauses, the platform offers a familiar, straightforward way to search.
The search experience is fully English – from filtering to booking – with options for budget, availability, and location that make shortlisting straightforward. Coverage includes a selection of inner-Tokyo neighbourhoods, including Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Meguro Senzoku, and Kinshichō. Listings are tiered up to a ‘luxe’ band for renters seeking higher-spec units, and each one carries metro and bus proximity data so you can weigh commute against rent before committing. Selected no-admin-fee promotions may also reduce upfront costs when available.
Key details:
- Fully English-language search, filtering, and booking
- Live listings filterable by budget, availability, and location
- Neighbourhoods including Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Meguro Senzoku, and Kinshichō
- Tiered options including ‘luxe’ units; per-listing metro/bus proximity data
- Monthly rental model; move-in-ready furnished apartments
- Pricing spans budget through premium tiers
Pros:
- English UX reduces the language friction many international renters encounter on Japanese portals
- Transparent budget/availability/location filtering makes shortlisting quick
- ‘Luxe’ tier for renters seeking higher-spec units
- Selected no-admin-fee promotions may reduce upfront costs when available
- Metro/bus data helps you match lifestyle and commute to neighbourhood
Cons:
- A curated inventory may offer fewer choices than large aggregators
- Coverage is concentrated in central and inner-Tokyo areas, so suburban options may be limited
- Regular cleaning is optional rather than included in the standard rent
Who it’s best for: Expats, remote workers, and international residents who want a move-in-ready monthly apartment in a well-connected inner-Tokyo neighbourhood, booked entirely in English with upfront costs laid out plainly. Renters who need broad suburban coverage may prefer a larger aggregator.
#2. MetroResidences – Best for business travellers and corporate expats
MetroResidences sits at the corporate end of the furnished market, offering serviced apartments for business travellers and project-based relocations. If your employer is arranging accommodation or you need a serviced option, it is worth comparing.
Units are professionally managed, with housekeeping included on some serviced plans and additional services available at selected properties. Stay lengths and inclusions vary by listing, while the booking interface is available in English.
Pros:
- Designed for corporate relocations and business stays
- Short- and medium-stay options across selected properties
- Professional management and optional service add-ons
- English-language support across booking and stay
Cons:
- Serviced plans can cost more than self-managed furnished options
- Less suited to renters prioritising the lowest monthly cost
- Availability and included services vary by property
Best for: Corporate expats and business travellers who value serviced amenities and predictable arrangements over the lowest possible rent.
#3. Tokyo Furnished – Best for a straightforward monthly furnished search
Tokyo Furnished does one thing and does it without fuss: it lets English-speaking renters search move-in-ready monthly furnished apartments across a range of Tokyo neighbourhoods, no Japanese-language navigation required. It’s the honest, no-frills option for renters who have already struck out on domestic portals.
The Tokyo-specific focus keeps listings relevant rather than diluted by irrelevant national inventory, and the monthly rental model suits medium-term stays comfortably.
Pros:
- Clean, English-language search experience
- Tokyo-only focus keeps listings relevant
- Monthly model suits medium-term stays
- No need to wrestle Japanese real-estate portals
Cons:
- Boutique portfolio rather than a large aggregator
- Central-Tokyo focus may not suit suburban searches
- A simpler search experience with fewer filters than larger platforms
Best for: English speakers who want a simple, functional monthly search focused on central Tokyo.
#4. Sakura House – Best for budget-conscious newcomers wanting community support
One of Tokyo’s long-established housing providers for international residents, Sakura House offers private apartments, rooms, share houses, and dormitory accommodation across multiple Tokyo locations. English support runs from enquiry through to move-in.
For its shared-house options, common spaces and resident interaction can help solo movers meet people after arrival.
Pros:
- Accessible to international renters, including first-time arrivals
- Strong English support cuts admin friction
- Shared-house options can make it easier to meet other residents
- Lower-cost room types alongside private apartments
- Long track record serving international residents
Cons:
- Shared-house and dormitory options offer less privacy than a self-contained apartment
- House rules and shared facilities will not suit everyone
- Private apartment availability may be narrower than the overall room inventory
- The mix of room types means renters need to filter carefully for a fully private apartment
Best for: Solo movers, students, and longer-stay visitors who want English support and the choice of private or shared accommodation.
#5. TM21 Accommodation – Best for renters needing hands-on local support
TM21 Accommodation is a Tokyo monthly-housing operator with furnished inventory and English-speaking staff. For renters who would rather contact a support team than rely entirely on a self-service app, it offers a more assisted route.
The support team can help with enquiries and the rental process, and the furnished model supports stays from one month. The digital experience is relatively simple rather than app-led.
Pros:
- Established operator focused on central Tokyo
- English-speaking support reduces friction for non-Japanese speakers
- Direct support during enquiries and the rental process
- Monthly terms suit longer stays
Cons:
- Primarily focused on central Tokyo
- Availability varies by area and move-in date
- Simpler website experience than some digital-first platforms
Best for: Renters who want English-speaking support and a direct point of contact during the rental process.
#6. Union Monthly – Best for specialist monthly mansion-style apartments
Union Monthly specialises in furnished weekly and monthly apartments across Tokyo and the wider metropolitan area. Its units are described as “monthly mansions” – in Japanese property usage, “mansion” generally means an apartment in a multi-unit building, not a luxury detached home.
Pricing is presented by contract length, with options aimed at stays of one month or more. The website and booking journey are primarily in Japanese, so international renters may need translation support.
Pros:
- Specialist focus on weekly and monthly stays
- Broad Tokyo and metropolitan-area inventory
- Furniture and appliances included across listed units
- Pricing varies by contract length
Cons:
- Website and booking information are primarily in Japanese
- Less specifically tailored to international renters than English-first providers
- Shorter contract bands and fees vary by property and plan
Best for: Renters committed to a stay of a month or more who are comfortable navigating a Japanese-language monthly-apartment platform.
#7. Goodroom – Best for design-conscious renters wanting curated homes
Goodroom rounds out the list for renters who care as much about how a space looks as how it functions. This Japanese housing brand pairs furnished-rental listings with a strong design-and-lifestyle identity, curating units that skew toward well-designed, photogenic interiors, with monthly options among a wider rental portfolio.
Goodroom also offers an English-language property search covering monthly residences, share houses, furnished homes, and regular rentals. Some supporting neighbourhood and lifestyle content remains in Japanese, so the experience is not fully English throughout.
Pros:
- Strong curation toward attractive, well-designed interiors
- Monthly and other flexible rental options
- English-language property search for international customers
- Wide mix of Tokyo neighbourhoods and rental types
Cons:
- The broad inventory mixes different rental types, so filters matter
- Some supporting content remains in Japanese
- Availability and inclusions vary across monthly, share-house, and standard rentals
Best for: Design-conscious renters who are comfortable comparing different rental types and checking inclusions carefully.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between an extended stay and a monthly furnished apartment in Japan?
In practice they overlap heavily, but the emphasis differs. “Extended stay” is often used loosely for anything beyond a hotel booking, including serviced-apartment products billed nightly or weekly. A “monthly furnished apartment” is specifically a residential-style rental billed on a monthly basis, with furniture, appliances, and often Wi-Fi included. For a longer stay, the monthly model can work out cheaper per night and may feel more like living somewhere than staying somewhere.
Can you rent an apartment in Japan for two months as a foreigner?
Yes. Two-month lets are available from many monthly furnished providers like the ones ranked here. Standard unfurnished leases in Tokyo are often structured around two-year contracts and may involve a guarantor or guarantee company, while monthly platforms are designed for shorter fixed periods. Eligibility and document requirements vary by provider and visa or residence status, so confirm them before booking.
What is the minimum stay for a monthly furnished apartment in Tokyo?
It varies by provider, but one month is a common minimum for the monthly-mansion and furnished-apartment category. Specialist operators such as Union Monthly build their product around one-month-plus stays, while some platforms are more flexible at the shorter end. Always confirm the minimum and total price before booking.
Do furnished apartments in Tokyo include utilities and Wi-Fi?
Many monthly furnished apartments include Wi-Fi, and some bundle utilities into a flat monthly figure or add a fixed utilities charge on top of rent – a real convenience for renters who would otherwise need to arrange services separately. Furniture and appliances are often provided, while linens and other inclusions vary. Check each listing carefully rather than assuming that every “move-in ready” unit includes the same items.
What documents do foreigners need to rent a furnished apartment in Tokyo?
Requirements vary by provider. You may be asked for your passport, residence card if applicable, visa or status details, and sometimes proof of funds or employment. Some expat-focused providers waive a Japanese guarantor and key money, but do not assume this applies across the market; check each provider’s terms.
How do I avoid large upfront fees like key money and guarantor deposits?
Look for providers that clearly state whether key money, deposits, guarantor arrangements, cleaning fees, and admin charges apply. Some monthly platforms waive selected upfront fees, and Cove Japan occasionally advertises no-admin-fee offers. Compare the total upfront figure, not just the monthly rent, before you sign.
Which is best for a corporate relocation versus a solo budget move?
For a corporate relocation with serviced amenities, MetroResidences is designed for business stays. For a solo budget move where community matters, Sakura House offers shared and private options. For renters seeking a balance of English-language search, inner-Tokyo locations, and transparent filtering, Cove Japan is our overall pick.
Which Tokyo neighbourhoods are best for expats renting furnished apartments?
Tokyo’s scale and public transport network mean that station access shapes daily life more than almost anything else. Setagaya, Meguro, and Sangenjaya are popular with families and professionals; Shimokitazawa and Kiyosumi-Shirakawa attract creatives and remote workers; Asakusa suits those who want traditional character; and Kinshichō has strong transport connections. Prioritise proximity to a metro, rail, or bus line – it will define your daily routine in ways that square footage simply will not.
The verdict
For many expats and international renters, a major obstacle to a Tokyo move is navigating Japanese-language platforms, guarantor arrangements, and upfront fees. Each provider on this list addresses different parts of that process, so the right one depends on your situation. Corporate movers should compare MetroResidences; budget-conscious first-timers may consider Sakura House; and renters prioritising specialist inventory, design, or direct support may prefer Union Monthly, Goodroom, or TM21 Accommodation.
For the broadest share of international renters planning longer stays, though, Cove Japan remains our top recommendation – a fully English-language search across inner-Tokyo neighbourhoods, with clear filtering and occasional promotions. Our advice: shortlist two or three providers here based on your budget, preferred neighbourhood, and intended stay, then compare the total upfront cost before you sign. That makes Tokyo’s rental market easier to navigate.
