AZABU COURT

Choose the smooth-living, high-class-comfort option of Azabu Court’s fully serviced apartments if you’re after style in the city. Positioned in the sophisticated Azabu neighborhood, Azabu Court lets you do Tokyo the urban-chic way.

Azabu Court’s full service includes free broadband, an in-house concierge, and laundry/dry-cleaning pick-up among other services, to make sure your living vibe features no rough edges. Apartments feature an equipped kitchenette to enable all kinds of domestic activity, and residents also receive free, automatic membership to Fitness Club Hiroo (and ¥700 tickets for fitness programs) to keep up your fitness while you are here.

Roppongi Hills, the shiny complex of top-class shops, restaurants and bars with a luscious multiscreen cinema, is just a leisurely ramble away. Also within walking distance are the famous—or infamous—nightspots of Roppongi.

Work out your timeframe as you wish. Apartments at Azabu Court can be rented on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Take advantage of a special offer—ten percent off in December and January, and five percent in February and March (for short-term stays). Regular rates are daily: ¥7,500-25,000; weekly: ¥6,500-22,000; monthly: ¥5,500-18,500 (price per night). Long-term stays for three months or more cost ¥4,950-16,650 (price per night).

4-5-39 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-3446-8610. Nearest stn: Hiroo. www.azabucourt.com

ENPLUS (TOKYO APARTMENTS)

Enplus Inc. takes an holistic approach to “expat” housing across all of Tokyo by offering over 3,000 serviced, furnished and unfurnished rental apartments, catering to all sizes—from studios to four-bedroom—and budgets from ¥150,000-2 million. It also offers both short and long-term apartments—a rarity in the Tokyo real estate industry.

The main benefit of Enplus is it caters for all housing needs, from the time you arrive to the time you leave. This offers true flexibility in a not-so-flexible environment.

Enplus also offers relocation services and furniture rentals to ensure that you get settled quickly. Bilingual “mobile leasing consultants” understand the challenges of relocating here and are only too happy to use their skills and knowledge to guide you through finding the right apartment.

Enplus Inc. has different websites providing different services and resources for first timers. The site www.tokyoapartments.jp offers short-term and long-term accommodation. Another, www.tokyo-rental-apartments.com, focuses on stays over one year with long-term premium furnished and unfurnished rental apartments in Tokyo, and www.smart-rental-tokyo.com offers a furniture rental service where users can custom-furnish their apartments at affordable rates. Finally, www.twainc.co.jp outlines straightforward relocation services split into several packages.

Visit Enplus’ various websites or talk with their bilingual staff to get a free housing consultation today. Enplus also offers a property management service.

Tel: 0120-957-520 (toll free within Japan) or +81-3-6273-0181 (from overseas). www.tokyoapartments.jp

FONTANA

Most people know the home-renting environment in Tokyo can be quite complicated, with problematic aspects like key money, agency fees, and guarantors. However, there is a way around all these tricky details. All you have to do is get in touch with Fontana, a long-time veteran of the housing scene in Japan’s capital.

For individuals, couples or families in search of affordable housing, Fontana can provide exceptional customer service and a place that meets all your particular needs. The friendly, approachable staff are happy to deal with the inquiries of all clients, and they have plenty of experience dealing with people from all over the world. A clear sign of this is their range of languages—English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and, naturally, Japanese.

Prices are reasonable, with guesthouse rooms starting at ¥55,000/month and apartments as low as ¥70,000/month. Set up in urban hubs such as Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Roppongi, these housing solutions can be your platform for a better life in the city and a key to unlocking the wonders of Tokyo.

Drop by the office of Fontana any time and say hello, and you won’t leave dissatisfied. They’re open for your consultation every single day of the year, from 9:30am until 7pm, and they are always more than happy to meet new inquirers.

1F Asahi Mansion, 3-31-5 Chuo, Nakano-ku. Tel: 03-3382-0151. Skype: tokyocityapartments-fontana. Open daily 9:30am-7pm. Nearest stn: Shin-Nakano. www.tokyocityapartments.net

JAPAN APARTMENT

It’s no secret that finding your home in Tokyo can be rather tricky for people of the foreign persuasion. Normal estate agents present an insurmountable language barrier, and all kinds of nasty fees can apply. Added to that, many owners are less than keen to rent to gaijin. That’s why it’s crucial to make a good decision at first, and save yourself a lot of hassle later.

The Ichii Corporation, a real estate giant in Japan, set up Japan Apartment (JAPT) to make this whole process infinitely easier. The bizarre Japanese invention of reikin (key money), plus the necessity of finding a guarantor, are eliminated at once, as is the requirement of paying a hefty deposit. With 900 properties in 70 locations, and an efficient way of navigating through them to find what you’re looking for, JAPT is bound to have the right property for you on their roster.

Housing is available for all purposes, with short- or long-term shared guesthouses, private apartments and more, all starting at just ¥60,000 per month. All options are fully furnished, often including cookware and linen, and internet access is arranged in advance, meaning no forms in Japanese or lengthy phonecalls to deal with.

Getting started is the easiest part of all. Hit the bilingual website and browse the housing options, and contact JAPT’s English-speaking staff for personal attention.

3-5-17 Nishi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku. Tel: 03-5437-5233. Email: info@japt.co.jp. Nearest stn: Gotanda. www.tokyoeasyrent.com/en

REBITA

With ten share houses—each with its own unique character and sophisticated interior design—the Rebita Share Place is the place for comfortable, stylish and communal living in Tokyo. Their groundbreaking buildings are dotted around Tokyo in cool and convenient locations, and total a magnificent 631 rooms.

Specializing in renovating existing buildings and increasing their aesthetic and commercial value, Rebita’s design has been splashed across worldwide magazines and TV.

But their share houses are also well put together and practical. The fully furnished rooms all come with an auto-locked entrance, a fast and free internet connection, and a professional cleaning service.

The international residents at Rebita’s Share Place houses have always been highly positive about the way in which the community is managed. Social events are held at fixed intervals when guests can mingle and encounter folks of different backgrounds and careers. These include welcome parties, cooking get-togethers, Halloween celebrations, and gatherings for Japanese festivals—and all are free to attend or not, depending on what you fancy.

So if you’re looking for a unique guesthouse experience in Japan’s capital city, stop by and take a look at Rebita’s Share Place. You can get in touch with Rebita’s agreeable staff at any time—they speak English and are always happy to help answer your questions.

11F Nisseki Shibuya Bldg, 2-16-1 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-5468-9224. Nearest stn: Shibuya. www.share-place.com

­­­SAKURA HOUSE

The name Sakura House is synonymous with the foreigner-targeted accommodation industry in Japan. In the 20 years since its first residence opened in Harajuku, the company has grown to offer over 1,600 rooms in 180 locations throughout the capital. In 2011 alone, it housed more than 5,000 people from all over the world. It is the go-to solution for the short-, medium- and long-term resident who wants something clean and reliable, with rooms starting at ¥38,000 and apartments from ¥42,000 (utilities and maintenance fees are charged separately).

Rooms are fully furnished and include free internet connection, with assistance available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, German, Swedish, Chinese and Korean—and Japanese, of course, if you feel like some practice.

If something breaks, just tell the always-available maintenance team and the landlords, and all will be sorted ASAP. Share houses benefit from friendly daily service and supply-replenishment on a regular basis.

Frequent cultural events bring people together to experience Japanese traditional activities, such as tea ceremonies, kimono classes and more.

More than half the Sakura House residents reserve rooms before coming to Japan—a testament to the ease of the process. Just look at the available accommodation online, check out photos and videos, and book yourself in. Get in touch via email, phone, Facebook, or Twitter, and receive a reply within 24 hours.

2F Nishi-Shinjuku K-1 Bldg., 7-2-6 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku. Tel: 03-5330-5250. Open daily 8:50am-8pm. Nearest stn: Shinjuku. www.sakura-house.com

TRUST RESIDENCE

In Tokyo, apartments “for lease” generally only make up 10-15 percent of the total market. To see currently occupied apartments—especially ones that will be available soon—can help you understand the market, and what better deals there might be out there. Sometimes people are surprised at the quality of places to be found on the “available soon” list.

Trust Residence is a professional real-estate agency with a trained staff boasting a wealth of experience in the business. They have a wide range of properties on their books, and are adept at finding the perfect places for expatriates, whether workers in Japanese or foreign companies, international students, or involved in any other activities here. Trust Residence can also sort out any thorny issues that crop up. Processing your contract and dealing with bureaucratic matters with the apartment’s owners and utility companies is all part and parcel of the service. The company also provides you with information regarding your new living environment, including local grocery stores, medical centers, elementary schools, and more—all on its easy-to-use website.

To find your dream home, you need to understand how the business works here. That’s why you should go with industry professionals who have the patience and the skill to help you adopt the best path. To get started, visit their office near Tokyo station.

5F MT Estate Bldg, 1-4-20 Yaesu, Chuo-ku. Tel: 03-3548-0254. Email: info@trust-residence.com. Nearest stn: Nihonbashi or Tokyo. http://trustresidence-tokyo.com