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Common Japanese terms on rental listings visualisation

Common Japanese terms on rental listings

Navigate the Market: Real Estate and Housing Vocabulary in Japanese: Common Japanese terms on rental listings
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Common Japanese terms on rental listings include key vocabulary related to types of properties, fees, layouts, and contract details. These terms help in understanding rental listing descriptions and contracts.

Property Types and General Terms

  • 不動産 (fudōsan): Real estate or property industry term.
  • 不動産屋 (fudōsanya): Real estate agent or agency.
  • 物件 (bukken): Property listing.
  • アパート (apaato): Low-rise, often older apartment buildings made of wood or light steel.
  • マンション (manshon): Reinforced concrete apartment buildings, modern, secure, and often taller.
  • 一戸建て (ikkodate): Standalone house.

Key Financial Terms

  • 家賃 (yachin): Monthly rent.
  • 敷金 (shikikin): Deposit, refundable minus damages or unpaid rent.
  • 礼金 (reikin): Key money, a non-refundable gift money paid to the landlord.
  • 保証金 (hoshoukin): Another term for deposit or security money.
  • 管理費 (kanrihi) or 共益費 (kyōekihi): Maintenance or management fees for common areas, paid monthly.
  • 更新料 (koshinryo): Renewal fee, usually one month’s rent for renewing the lease.
  • 解約金 (kaiyakukin): Contract cancellation fee.

Layout and Room Terms

  • 1R, 1K, 1DK, 1LDK: Abbreviations describing the apartment layout—number of rooms plus kitchen, dining, living areas.
  • 洋室 (yōshitsu): Western-style room.
  • 和室 (washitsu): Japanese-style room with tatami mats.
  • 畳 (jō): Measurement unit for room size based on the number of tatami mats (approx. 1.6 m² each).

Contract and Miscellaneous Terms

  • 契約 (keiyaku): Contract.
  • 保証人 (hoshōnin): Guarantor, often required for rental agreements.
  • 保証会社 (hoshōgaisha): Guarantor company, alternative to having a personal guarantor.
  • 重要事項説明 (jūyō jikō setsumei): Explanation of important items by a real estate specialist.
  • 入居日 (nyūkyobi): Move-in date.
  • 共用部分 (kyōyō bubun): Common areas shared by tenants.

Knowing these terms will help renters navigate Japanese rental listings and lease agreements more confidently and avoid misunderstandings during the renting process.

References

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