Top Gaijin Houses in Tokyo

Japan, Tokyo in particular, is a very expensive place. Gas is expensive, restaurants are expensive, and the mere act of renting an apartment generally costs $10,000. Sticker shock is a big surprise for many travelers who seek out accommodation or food, and often leaves them with a very tight budget.

Because apartments and hotels are so costly, Japan has a large system of gaijin houses, with gaijin being the Japanese word for foreigner. These buildings are mostly intended for foreigners, though quite a bit are inhabited by young Japanese citizens who are unable to afford an apartment of their own.

Gaijin houses are similar to very small studio apartments or small hotels rooms, except they do not come with a personal bathroom, and the majority lack in-room kitchens. The rooms are generally very small, and come with a bed or futon, and refrigerator, and the majority comes with a TV and wireless Internet. A very small amount of rooms come with a sink and fish cooker or toaster oven.

Most residents are charged a monthly fee for renting the room, and a utilities fee to pay for electricity and cable. Rent is generally around $500USD per month, and utilities are generally around $50USD.

There are a number of gaijin houses in urban Japan, especially in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. It’s important to research the location carefully before renting, as quite a few locations have a reputation as being loud, dirty, or uncomfortable.

Below are the top Gaijin houses in Tokyo, with a careful description of each.

Sakura House

Sakura House is perhaps the most famous gaijin house company, with dozens of houses spread throughout Tokyo. Sakura House is quite popular amongst foreigners, and most locations come highly recommended.

Each house has different features and different room styles. All of them, however, tend to be clean and secure. While the level of noise largely depends on the neighbors you have at the time, most are fairly quiet and comfortable to live in.

The rooms in most locations are Western, meaning they have a hard wood floor and a bed. Some, however, have tradition Japanese ryokans, or rooms with tatami mat floors and futons. All the rooms in every house come with a refrigerator/freezer combo and a TV – it’s important to note, however, that just because a room has a TV does not mean it has cable; inquire if unsure.

Oak House

Oak House is another popular gaijin house company in Tokyo. They have a number of houses spread throughout the large city, with most of them in the Ueno/Asakusa/Akihabara area; there are a few in Shinjuku and Shibuya.

The Oak Houses all vary in size and style. Nearly all of them come with wireless Internet in the rooms, and most have TVs, though not all have cable. Most houses share a common bathroom, though most of them are private one-person-at-a-time bathrooms, versus the larger onsen style tubs.

The houses are generally clean, as they have cleaning personnel 2 – 3 days a week. The rooms are quite for the most part, though loud neighbors may be a problem. The management is usually good about kicking out loud people.

The rooms vary by house – some are exclusively Western, which others are a mix of Western and Traditional, and some are Western with traditional influences. Some rooms are so small there is only room for the bed and the refrigerator, while others are large enough to make a comfortable apartment, including balcony. Inquire about the room size before renting.

Both of these gaijin house companies are famous and for good reason. They offer a nice place for travelers and temporary residents to find a home, and for prices that are considered cheap in Japan.