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Furnishing Your New Apartment
Or, Convenienty Buying from Your Predecessor
Christine Hayashida, ALT
Morioka City, 1992-95 &
Ellen Sadao, ALT
Tamayama Village, 1992-95
For those of you who have never lived or traveled in Japan, part of the adventure of coming here as a JET is adapting to your new living conditions. For the majority of newcomers, you will be stepping into a fully appointed and completely furnished apartment. Thank your lucky stars (and thank your office or predecessor), because a standard apartment in Japan is furnished with only bathtub, tatami, toilet, sink, walls and window glass. No lights, no phone connection (to own a phone line, you must first purchase a "phone bond", or "the right to own a phone line", which runs about ¥80,000! US $760), no hot running water pouring out of kitchen faucets, no central heating, no ceiling lights, and no curtains or window blinds. All of these items will need to be purchased by the occupant (you) or have already been paid for by your predecessor.
Prefectural employees (CIRs, ALTs based in senior high schools or the Educational Branch offices [EBO] of the Prefectural Board of Education): You will receive a generous stipend of "move-in money" within the first month of your arrival (about ¥200,000) in addition to a full month's paycheck on August 15. Prefectural employees are responsible for buying everything, including paying "key money" and the deposit on the apartment (sometimes the equivalent of up to six months' rent) which is why all JETs are encouraged to bring about ¥200,000 with them to help with start-up costs.
Municipal employees (ALTs based at the city/town/village Board of Education [BOE]): You do not receive "move-in money" stipends because your apartment and furnishings are owned by the office. The apartment is usually designated for the ALT and all the furnishings are passed on to the ALT filling the position. "Completely furnished" is a broad and arbitrary term used very loosely because some offices (and some ALTs, for that matter) only consider the barest minimum "furnished". More often than not it fits your definition pretty closely, so don't worry.
The transaction: Your predecessor will contact you regarding what they would like to sell of the goods which they personally bought during their stay and how to send the payment. The actual transaction of money is strictly between the predecessor and successor (you). Since your schools and offices have no say in any of this, please make any inquiries directly to your predecessor.
The purpose of this price list is to give you a general idea of what to expect should you choose to purchase these items new when you arrive. It will also help your predecessor determine what a fair price is for each item. Let your predecessor know immediately whether or not you intend on buying from them to give them a chance to try to sell the things you choose not to buy.
The going rate of the following items is for new items. If you're purchasing items from your predecessor, expect to pay about 50% to 75% of the new price. For example, if your predecessor bought a new, larger item like a "Clean air/vented heater", your buying it from him or her for ¥ 80,000 is a steal -- it would cost you an extra ¥ 20,000 to even blink at a new one in a store. Prices may seem pretty steep, but keep in mind that everything in Japan is expensive. A head of lettuce is almost US $2 and one steak tomato is about US $3. But remember that you're making bank and with the Japanese yen trading just about ¥ 110 per US $1, you'll be earning more than the equivalent of US $35,000 a year.
[Conversion: Follow this link to the most current yen/US dollar/UK pound exchange rates.]
Home
Item & Average Price
(YEN)
- Bed (frame only)......10,000
-
Clock
- Alarm......1,000-4,000
- Wall......4,000-7,000
- Curtains......6,000+
- Futon......20,000-30,000
- Fan......20,000-30,000
-
Heater
- Clean air/vented......100,000
- Non-vented......17,000-40,000
- Ceramic......15,000-30,000
- Humidifier......10,000
- Hair dryer......4,000-7,000
- Iron......4,000-15,000
- Ironing board......3,000
- Kotatsu......10,000-20,000
- Lamp......3,000-10,000
- Light fixture......5,000-10,000
-
Phone......10,000-20,000
- w/answering mchn......25,000-50,000
- cordless w/ans. mchn......40,000-50,000
- Sofa......10,000-15,000
-
Stereo
- Boombox......30,000-40,000
- Cassette/CD......15,000+
- Shelf System......30,000-150,000
- CD Discman......14,000-30,000
- Walkman......10,000-34,000
- Shelves......5,000-10,000
- TV......30,000-70,000
-
VCR (hi-fi/bilingual)......30,000-50,000
- TV/VCR Combo......50,000-80,000
-
Vacuum
- Tank......12,000-40,000
- Electric Broom......10,000-15,000
- Washing Machine
- Double barrel (manual)......23,000-30,000
- Automatic......36,000-80,000
Kitchen
Item & Average Price
(YEN)
- Blender......4,000-10,000
- Coffee maker......3,000-10,000
- Cutting board......1,000
- Dishes......around 200-400 each
- Drainboard......1,000
- Frying pan......2,000
- Kitchen knife......2,000
-
Kitchen table
- Medium w/4 chairs......30,000-40,000
- Small table w/2 chairs......10,000-20,000
- Kitchen water heater......20,000
- Saucepan......2,000
- Gas range, w/fish grill......10,000-20,000
-
Oven
- Microwave+toaster+oven......30,000-50,000
- Microwave only......20,000
- Toaster oven (small)......3,000-10,000
-
Refrigerator
- Standard 2 door......30,000-60,000
- Small 2 door......20,000
- Small 1 door (w/freezer box)......10,000
- Rice cooker......10,000-20,000
- Thermos, electric......5,000-10,000
- Utensils, per piece......100-300
*Please note that prices may vary substantially from this general listing depending on location, deflation, etc.!