Decorative illustration

FOR INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTSEnglish

Your new home in Osaka,
with support in English.

  1. Home
  2. English

Language: 日本語 ／ English ／ 中文

Kurumi Estate is a neighborhood real estate agency in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, a 5-minute walk from Mikuni Station and close to Shin-Osaka and Juso. People often say it is hard for foreign nationals to rent in Japan. In reality, you can. What matters is knowing what the screening looks at, and preparing for it. We help you find your home, and we keep helping after you move in.

SUPPORT

What we can help with

Finding a room is only the start of life in Japan. We help you set up the whole thing.

  • Visa applicationsWe work with a partner administrative scrivener (gyoseishoshi) to help you apply for and renew your status of residence.

  • Short or long staysFrom a stay of a few weeks to several years, we find a home that fits your period of stay.

  • Move-in orientationGarbage sorting, noise and shared-space rules. We explain the points that most often cause trouble, before they do.

  • We go with you to the city officeMoving-in notification, My Number and National Health Insurance: we accompany you to the counter.

  • Setting up daily lifeBank account, SIM card, a personal seal (hanko), and starting electricity, gas and water. We arrange them together.

  • Japanese, English and ChineseWe communicate in easy Japanese, English or Chinese, and add explanations of the key points of your contract in your language.

For companies
  • We also arrange housing for several employees at once. Just tell us the arrival timing, the number of people and your budget.
  • Support for international residents is free when you rent a room through us. Support requested on its own is quoted depending on what you need.

SCREENING

Can foreign nationals rent an apartment in Japan?

Yes. Today, nationality itself is rarely the reason an application is rejected. Guarantee companies and landlords are really checking just two things:

  • Can you keep paying the rent? Your income, and how long your status of residence has left.
  • Can they reach you, and can you handle moving out? Communication in Japanese, and an emergency contact.

Most rejections happen because these two points were not explained well enough. Here are the stumbling points we see most often.

SituationWhat helps
Less than a year left on your status of residenceApplications are looked at more carefully. Showing that you plan to renew, together with a certificate of employment, makes it easier to pass.
No emergency contact in JapanOne contact in Japan is usually required. A manager or colleague at your workplace may be accepted.
Not confident in JapaneseTelling the guarantee company in advance that an agent will stand between you and them makes a real difference.
Just started a new jobA job offer letter or an employment contract can make up for a short period of employment.

Screening criteria differ by guarantee company and landlord, and we cannot guarantee the result.

DOCUMENTS

Documents to prepare

  • Residence card (front and back)
  • Passport
  • Certificate of employment or employment contract (a job offer letter is also fine)
  • Your latest pay slips (2–3 months) or a tax certificate
  • An emergency contact in Japan (name, address, phone number, relationship)
  • Students: student ID and certificate of enrollment, plus details of the family member sending you money

With these six ready, screening moves much faster. We check them before we narrow down rooms, so you are less likely to lose the room you liked at the screening stage.

COSTS

What does it cost to move in?

Initial costs are generally about 4–6 months' rent. With zero-deposit, zero-key-money rooms, 3 months or less is possible.

ItemTypical amountWhat it is
Deposit
shikikin		0–2 months' rentMoney held as security. It is settled when you move out, and the rest is returned.
Key money
reikin		0–2 months' rentA payment to the owner. It is not returned. In the Kansai region some rooms use a hoshokin / shikibiki system instead.
First month's rent1 month's rentRent for the month you move in, plus a pro-rated amount if the contract starts mid-month.
Brokerage fee0.5–1 month's rent + taxThe agent's fee. The maximum is set by law, and it is only charged when a contract is signed.
Guarantee company fee0.5–1 month's rentReplaces a personal guarantor. Usually an initial fee, then a yearly renewal fee.
Fire insuranceAbout ¥15,000–20,000 for 2 yearsRequired for almost every room. If the insurer is not specified, you can choose your own.
Key replacementAbout ¥15,000–25,000So the previous tenant's key can no longer be used.

Amounts vary by property. Consultations, room introductions and viewings are free.

What we always do
  • We list every item separately on the estimate. We never write "all-inclusive".
  • We tell you clearly when a cost is optional (disinfection, support plans and so on), and that you can decline it.
  • You will know the total before you sign the contract.

STEPS

From first contact to move-in

Days are a rough guide and depend on the property and your schedule.

  1. Contact and consultationStart here

    Message us on Instagram or LINE, call, or use the form. Visit our office or talk online, about 60–90 minutes. Tell us your conditions, and why you like that area.

  2. Room proposals and viewings1–7 days

    We choose rooms that match and you view them. We also check the surroundings together, which photos cannot show.

  3. ApplicationSame day to a few days

    Once you find the room you want to live in, you apply.

  4. Screening3 days to 1 week

    The guarantee company and the landlord review your application.

  5. Explanation of important matters and contractAfter approval

    Before signing, a licensed real estate transaction specialist explains the important matters, as required by law. When you are satisfied, you sign.

  6. Payment of initial costsAfter the contract

    You pay the move-in costs shown on the estimate.

  7. Key handoverBy the day before move-in

    Once payment is confirmed, we hand you the keys by the day before you move in.

  8. Move-in and after-careAfter you move in

    If anything troubles you after you start living there, just let us know.

AREAS

Areas we know well

We are based in Mikuni and walk these neighborhoods every day. Yodogawa-ku sits between Umeda and Shin-Osaka, so most stations reach both in about 10 minutes.

StationLines1R / 1K rentTo Osaka-Umeda
Juso
十三		Hankyu Kobe, Takarazuka & Kyoto Lines
About 3 minutes to Umeda. Lots of restaurants, lively until late.		¥50,000–65,000approx. 3 minDetails in Japanese
Mikuni
三国		Hankyu Takarazuka Line
Our office is here. A shopping street by the station, quiet streets beyond.		¥45,000–55,000approx. 8 minDetails in Japanese
Higashi-Mikuni
東三国		Osaka Metro Midosuji Line
Next to Shin-Osaka on the Midosuji Line, with lower rents.		¥50,000–60,000approx. 6 minDetails in Japanese
Shin-Osaka
新大阪		JR (incl. Shinkansen) & Midosuji Line
The Shinkansen hub. Popular with business travelers and for company housing.		¥55,000–65,000approx. 4 minDetails in Japanese
Nishinakajima-Minamigata
西中島南方		Midosuji Line & Hankyu Kyoto Line (Minamikata)
Two lines side by side. One stop to Shin-Osaka, two to Umeda.		¥55,000–70,000approx. 5 minDetails in Japanese
Nakatsu
中津		Hankyu Kobe & Takarazuka Lines / Midosuji Line
Next to Umeda, about 15 minutes on foot. Rents are higher.		¥65,000–80,000approx. 2 minDetails in Japanese
Shonai
庄内		Hankyu Takarazuka Line
In Toyonaka City. The lowest rents in our area, with many students.		¥40,000–55,000approx. 10 minDetails in Japanese
Esaka
江坂		Midosuji Line & Kita-Osaka Kyuko
In Suita City. Shops, offices and homes all in one place.		¥55,000–70,000approx. 9 minDetails in Japanese

Rent ranges are reference values based on rooms we have handled (as of 2026年7月, our own survey), excluding management fees. Travel times are approximate riding times, excluding transfers and waiting.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Consultations, room introductions and viewings are all free. Costs only arise once you decide on a contract.
Yes. By using a guarantee company, many rooms can be rented without a personal guarantor.
We recommend contacting us 1–2 months before the date you want to move in. If you start too early, the room you like may not be available on your date.
Arrival date, length of stay, budget and the location of the workplace. With these four, we can get started. We can also help with visa applications, moving and city office procedures.
Some rooms accept credit card payment or an installment service for initial costs, but not all of them. Please ask us.

ACCESS

Our office

CompanyKurumi Estate（くるみ不動産）
株式会社由良
Address1F Puchi Mezon 2 (ぷちめぞん2), 3-36-17 Mikunihonmachi, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 532-0005
Address in Japanese〒532-0005 大阪府大阪市淀川区三国本町3-36-17 ぷちめぞん2 1F
Access5-minute walk from the east exit of Mikuni Station (Hankyu Takarazuka Line)
A ground-floor shop with a yellow sign. If you get lost, call us and we will come to meet you.
Hours10:00–19:00
ClosedWednesdays
Phone+81-6-6396-1200 (from abroad) ／ 06-6396-1200
LanguagesJapanese, English, Chinese
LicenseReal estate brokerage license: Osaka Prefectural Governor (1) No. 63871
Get directions Open in Google Maps

CONTACTContact us

Just starting to look?
That is the perfect time.

You do not need to have everything decided. Your budget, the area, or the month you want to move is enough to start. Messages in English are welcome.

INSTAGRAM DM@kurumi_estate Send us a message directly.
Our fastest channel for replies. LINEAdd us as a friend Chat with us directly.
We also send new room alerts. TEL+81-6-6396-1200 10:00–19:00 / Closed Wednesdays FORMContact form The form is in Japanese,
but you may write in English.