Getting to know the different types of tokyo apartment
Tokyo apartments range from Spartan-like quarters to splendid condominiums and serviced apartments complete with 24-hour room service. It all depends on what kind of Tokyo apartment is within your budget. Many foreigners select a cheap place to stay initially and then move on up to apartments with better amenities once they started working.

The gaijin, or foreigner, house is perhaps the cheapest accommodation one can find. It is composed of a room with a tatami mat. You are lucky if the room comes semi-furnished with a desk, a lamp or some shelves. Be prepared to share a toilet with other tenants. You can sign up for a short-term lease (weekly or monthly contract) if you are staying at a gaijin house.
Shared apartments, meanwhile, are usually rooms rented out in a house or a much larger apartment complex. Each person rents a room and there are common areas such as the kitchen, the toilet, living room and dining room. Shared apartments can be cheap or can get very pricey depending on the apartment’s location, amenities, and how many rooms are being rented out.
Guesthouses, on the other hand, are more upscale and pricey since you do not have to share the whole house with anyone (unless you bring a friend or relative to move in with you). These private apartments all come with the luxury of home but of course, it does come with a price. The lessee is also expected to pay for the utilities such as cable, internet, phone bills and electricity.
Serviced apartments are combinations of an apartment and a hotel. Although the place comes complete with a washing machine, gas range for cooking and an ironing board, 24-hour room service is available, as well as housekeeping. You can also sign up for a short-term lease as well as long term.


