Situation
田中さんは、新しいアパートを探しています。来月から新しい仕事を始めるので、できるだけ早く引越ししたいと思っています。今日、駅の近くの不動産屋に来て、山田さんというスタッフに相談しています。
Dialogue
山田: いらっしゃいませ。どのような物件をお探しですか？
Yamada: Irasshaimase. Dono yō na bukken wo osagashi desu ka?
Yamada: Welcome. What kind of property are you looking for?
田中: 駅から歩いて10分ぐらいのアパートを探しています。予算は月7万円ぐらいで、1LDKがいいんですが。
Tanaka: Eki kara aruite juppun gurai no apāto wo sagashite imasu. Yosan wa tsuki nana-man'en gurai de, ichi-eru-dī-kē ga ii n desu ga.
Tanaka: I'm looking for a place about a 10-minute walk from the station. My budget is around 70,000 yen a month, and ideally a 1LDK.
山田: そうですか。ちょうどいい物件がありますよ。駅から歩いて8分で、家賃は月6万8千円です。築5年の新しいアパートです。
Yamada: Sō desu ka. Chōdo ii bukken ga arimasu yo. Eki kara aruite happun de, yachin wa tsuki roku-man hassen-en desu. Chiku go-nen no atarashii apāto desu.
Yamada: Oh, perfect timing — we have something that fits. Eight-minute walk from the station, rent is 68,000 yen a month. Built just 5 years ago, so it's in great shape.
田中: いいですね。ペットを飼ってもいいですか？小さい犬がいるんです。
Tanaka: Ii desu ne. Petto wo katte mo ii desu ka? Chiisai inu ga iru n desu.
Tanaka: That sounds great. Would it be okay to keep a pet? I have a small dog.
山田: その物件はペット可です。ただし、大きな動物は飼うことができません。小さい犬なら大丈夫ですよ。
Yamada: Sono bukken wa petto-ka desu. Tadashi, ōkina dōbutsu wa kau koto ga dekimasen. Chiisai inu nara daijōbu desu yo.
Yamada: Pets are allowed there. Large animals are off-limits, but a small dog is no problem at all.
田中: よかった。敷金と礼金はいくらですか？
Tanaka: Yokatta. Shikikin to reikin wa ikura desu ka?
Tanaka: What a relief. How much are the security deposit and key money?
山田: 敷金は家賃の2ヶ月分で、礼金は1ヶ月分です。それから、管理費が月3千円かかります。
Yamada: Shikikin wa yachin no ni-kagetsu-bun de, reikin wa ik-kagetsu-bun desu. Sorekara, kanrihi ga tsuki san-zen'en kakarimasu.
Yamada: The security deposit is two months' rent, and the key money is one month. There's also a management fee of 3,000 yen a month on top of that.
田中: 契約するためには、どんな書類が必要ですか？
Tanaka: Keiyaku suru tame ni wa, donna shorui ga hitsuyō desu ka?
Tanaka: What documents do I need to sign the contract?
山田: 身分証明書と収入の証明書が必要です。保証人が必要な場合もあります。
Yamada: Mibun shōmeisho to shūnyū no shōmeisho ga hitsuyō desu. Hoshōnin ga hitsuyō na baai mo arimasu.
Yamada: You'll need a photo ID and proof of income. Depending on the property, a guarantor may also be required.
田中: わかりました。部屋を内見することはできますか？
Tanaka: Wakarimashita. Heya wo naiken suru koto wa dekimasu ka?
Tanaka: Got it. Would it be possible to view the apartment?
山田: もちろんです。今週の土曜日はいかがですか？午後なら何時でも大丈夫ですよ。
Yamada: Mochiron desu. Konshū no doyōbi wa ikaga desu ka? Gogo nara nanji demo daijōbu desu yo.
Yamada: Of course. How about this Saturday? Anytime in the afternoon works for us.
田中: では、土曜日の午後2時にお伺いします。よろしくお願いします。
Tanaka: Dewa, doyōbi no gogo ni-ji ni o-ukagai shimasu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Tanaka: Then I'll come by at 2 PM on Saturday. I look forward to it.
Key Vocabulary
物件
bukken
— property / real estate listing
家賃
yachin
— rent
敷金
shikikin
— security deposit (refundable)
礼金
reikin
— key money (non-refundable gift to landlord)
管理費
kanrihi
— management / maintenance fee
内見
naiken
— property viewing / apartment tour
契約
keiyaku
— contract
保証人
hoshōnin
— guarantor
予算
yosan
— budget
不動産屋
fudōsan'ya
— real estate agency
ペット可
petto-ka
— pets allowed
書類
shorui
— documents / paperwork
Grammar Notes
- 〜てもいいですか — Asking for permission. Used to check whether something is allowed. Example from the dialogue: ペットを飼ってもいいですか？ (Would it be okay to keep a pet?)
- 〜ことができます / 〜ことができません — Expressing ability or possibility, and its negative. Example: 大きな動物は飼うことができません。 (Large animals cannot be kept.)
- 〜んです / 〜んですが — Adds background context or explains a situation in a natural, conversational way. The が version softens the statement. Example: 小さい犬がいるんです。 (I have a small dog, you see.)
- 〜ために — Meaning in order to or for the purpose of. Example: 契約するためには、書類が必要です。 (Documents are required in order to sign the contract.)
- 〜な場合もあります — There are also cases where ~. Used for something that applies only in certain situations. Example: 保証人が必要な場合もあります。 (There are cases where a guarantor is required.)
- 〜なら — A conditional meaning if it is ~ or as long as it is ~. Example: 小さい犬なら大丈夫ですよ。 (A small dog is fine.)
Cultural Notes
Japan's rental market has a reputation for steep upfront costs that catch many newcomers off guard. On top of the monthly 家賃 (rent), tenants pay 敷金 — a refundable security deposit, usually 1–2 months' rent — and 礼金, a non-refundable sum paid to the landlord as a traditional gesture of gratitude. 礼金 typically runs another 1–2 months. Stack those on top of the first month's rent and agency fees, and moving in can cost the equivalent of 4–6 months' rent before you've spent a single night there. Some properties now advertise ゼロゼロ物件 (zero deposit, zero key money) to lower this barrier, especially in Tokyo and Osaka.
A 保証人 (guarantor) — usually a family member or employer who agrees to cover costs if you default — has long been standard in Japanese rental contracts. Foreign residents and young people striking out on their own often don't have one. These days, many landlords accept a 家賃保証会社 (rental guarantee company) as an alternative, for a small monthly fee. Throughout the whole process, polite language is non-negotiable. Notice how 山田 opens with いらっしゃいませ, and how 田中 closes with よろしくお願いします — using the humble form お伺いします when arranging the viewing appointment.
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Practice
Work through these drills to build confidence for a real apartment search:
- Role-play both sides: Practice the dialogue as 田中 (the tenant), then switch and play 山田 (the agent). Pay attention to how the agent maintains a more formal register throughout.
- Substitution drill — Rent budget: Replace 月7万円 with different amounts such as 月5万円, 月9万円, or 月12万円. Practice the pattern 〜ぐらいで考えています (I'm thinking around ~).
- Substitution drill — Room type: Replace 1LDK with other floor plan types: 1K (one room with a small kitchen), ワンルーム (open studio), or 2LDK (two bedrooms with a living, dining, and kitchen area).
- Substitution drill — Viewing schedule: Practice setting the 内見 for different times, such as 日曜日の午前10時 (Sunday at 10 AM), 来週の水曜日の午後 (next Wednesday afternoon), or 明日の午後3時 (tomorrow at 3 PM).
- Variation scenario: Add questions a real tenant might ask — 駐車場はありますか？ (Is there parking?), エアコンはついていますか？ (Does it have an air conditioner?), or インターネットは使えますか？ (Is internet available?).