houseshare

Hi Laura
You’ll probably want to look into the “guest house” type of apartment.
To get a regular apartment is pretty tough when you’re a foreigner. I’ve been refused several that I’ve looked at, simply because I wasn’t Japanese. Then there’s the problem of visa status. If you’re on a 90 day tourist visa, no Japanese agency will rent to you. Then there’s Key Money. Key Money is a gift to the landlord, usually 2 months rent.

The guest houses don’t require any of that. They rent only to foreigners, don’t require big deposits or guarantors or long commitments.
They range from dormitory-style to private apartments, depending on your budget.
Take a look at [link deleted]

Hi Jim, thanks for your help. Giving away gifts to landlords sounds awful! I eventually found a tiny room in a guesthouse in Nakano, as you said it’s hard to arrange any other forms of accommodation if you’re a foreigner. ciao

Hi Laura -
All the rooms are tiny. :-)
I had my nephew staying with me for a few months, but eventually he moved to a dorm guesthouse. He actually likes it a lot, as there are a lot of young foreigners to hang out with.
Nakano is a nice area—close in to the city, without being in such a busy area. It also has a bunch of really good used camera shops.

Please note that I would no longer recommend Sakura House as an option for short-term housing.
Instead, contact Sam Cofie: s_cofie at yahoo dot com
He is a private person with many apartments to rent in Tokyo. Very good guy, with none of the BS of Sakura House.
Tell him Jim sent you.