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Finding a Place to Live
Moving to Japan is a dream, but navigating the real estate market (Fudosan) can be a nightmare. There are hidden fees, complex contracts, and many landlords who hesitate to rent to foreigners. You need polite, persistent Japanese to secure a good apartment and get your utilities turned on.
Scenes
Scene Vocabulary
引っ越し
hikkoshiMoving (house)ご希望
gokibouHope / Request (polite)以内
inaiWithin予算よさん
yasanBudget家賃
yachinRent (monthly)抑えたい
osaetaiWant to keep/hold down間取り
madoriFloor plan / Layout外国籍
gaikokusekiForeign nationality物件
bukkenProperty (real estate)敷金
shiki-kinSecurity deposit礼金
rei-kinKey money見学
ken-gakuViewing / Inspectionあります
arimasuThere is / I have辺り
atariAround / Neighborhood場所
bashoPlace / Locationちょっと
chottoA little / Heyでも
demoBut / Even電車
denshaTrainどの
donoWhichどれ
doreWhich oneぐらい
guraiAbout / Approximatelyいい
iiGood / Fine行きます
ikimasuGoいくら
ikuraHow muchかかります
kakarimasuTakes (time/money)考えて
kangaeteThink可能かのう
kanoPossibleから
karaFrom / Becauseかしこまりました
kashikomarimashitaCertainly / Understood方ほう
kataPerson / Way of doingください
kudasaiPlease give me / Please doまで
madeUntil / To待って
matteWaitお願いします
onegaishimasuPleaseおります
orimasuI am探します
sagashimasuSearch渋谷
shibuyaShibuyaゼロ
zeroZeroDialogue A: The Real Estate Agent (Fudosan)
You are sitting at a real estate office. You want a 1K (one room + kitchen) apartment near Shibuya, but your budget is strict. You need to ask about the initial move-in costs, which in Japan often include "Key Money" (Reikin) and "Guarantor Fees".
Display Options
Agent
引っ越しのご希望は、どのあたりですか？Hikkoshi no gokibou wa, dono atari desu ka?
Whereabouts are you hoping to move?
You
渋谷から電車で15分以内の場所がいいです。Shibuya kara densha de 15-pun inai no basho ga ii desu.
A place within 15 minutes by train from Shibuya would be good.
Agent
予算はいくらぐらいを考えておりますか？Yasan wa ikura gurai o kangaete orimasu ka?
How much of a budget are you considering?
You
家賃は8万円までに抑えたいです。間取りは1Kでお願いします。Yachin wa 8-man en made ni osaetai desu. Madori wa 1K de onegaishimasu.
I'd like to keep the rent under 80,000 yen. For the layout, a 1K, please.
Agent
かしこまりました。外国籍の方でも可能な物件を探しますね。Kashikomarimashita. Gaikokuseki no kata demo kano na bukken o sagashimasu ne.
Understood. I will look for properties that are possible for foreign nationals.
You
敷金と礼金はどれぐらいかかりますか？ゼロの物件はありますか？Shiki-kin to rei-kin wa dore gurai kakarimasu ka? Zero no bukken wa arimasu ka?
How much will the deposit and key money cost? Are there zero (fee) properties?
Agent
ありますよ。ちょっと待ってください。いいのがあります。見学に行きますか？Arimasu yo. Chotto matte kudasai. Ii no ga arimasu. Ken-gaku ni ikimasu ka?
There are. Please wait a moment. There is a good one. Do you want to go view it?