Process

Process Navigator

Renting and buying in Japan both follow a known sequence. Pick your track and where you are in it — we’ll show what happens next and what paperwork that step typically calls for.

Step 1 of 6: Decide your budget and target areas, then start viewing properties and shortlisting the ones you're serious about.

What happens next

Make an offer. Submit a written offer on a specific property, usually naming your proposed price and any conditions.

Documents typically needed

Nothing yet — this step is about deciding your budget and criteria, not paperwork.

Terms on this step: Madori (floor plans)

Timing varies by property, lender, season and individual circumstances — ask your agent or landlord for an estimate. We don’t publish invented week-counts here (see how we verify).

This article is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. Rules, taxes and procedures change and every situation differs — confirm with the official sources linked here and consult a licensed professional (lawyer, tax accountant, judicial scrivener or licensed agent) for your own case. We sell nothing and list no properties (see /how-we-review).