Which accommodation options exist in Japan?
The accommodations we offer in Japan, which you can book directly through us, include:
- Our three share houses in Tokyo (Koto-ku, Warabi, Urayasu) – dormitory rooms, twin rooms, and single rooms
- Our two share houses in Kyoto – dormitory rooms, twin rooms, and single rooms
- Our share house in Chatan, Okinawa – dormitory rooms and twin rooms
- Host families in the Greater Tokyo and Greater Osaka/Kyoto areas
These accommodations are easy to book directly with us, and we offer affordable rental rates. Due to legal regulations, the minimum rental period for share houses is always 5 weeks. For host family stays, the minimum is one week.
If you’re joining our program with one or more travel partners, you’re welcome to live together.
We also have partner share houses where you receive discounted rates. These offer single, twin, and dormitory rooms in Warabi, Tokyo, Hokkaido, and Osaka. At some locations, our partners also offer private apartments.
In urban areas, sharehouses are the only realistic form of accommodation at prices that most participants are willing to pay. They function like shared apartments. Some sharehouses are the size of typical single-family homes shared by 5-10 people, while others were previously company employee residences with 20-60 rooms. Not only foreigners stay at sharehouses but also young Japanese, making them a great place for cultural exchange.
It is not easy for a foreigner with a Working Holiday Visa to rent a regular apartment. Most landlords are unwilling to rent to individuals who don't have a permanent work contract, and unfortunately, many don't rent to foreigners at all. Additionally, most apartments come unfurnished, and you have to pay relatively high move-in fees and real estate agent fees, making it expensive for a relatively short rental duration.
However, there is a category of apartments called "Foreigner Friendly Apartments" offered by agencies that can communicate in English. These apartments are fully furnished, and shorter rental durations are possible. You can search, for instance, for "Foreigner Friendly Apartments in Tokyo" to find such agencies.
Updated on: 18/07/2025