Many foreigners moving to Japan short-term tend to feel comfortable when living in a building occupied by other expats. If you’re keen to experience the local Japanese culture, you can, of course, look for an area with fewer visitors. But being able to easily communicate and help each other out is an advantage, especially when you still haven’t acquired the Japanese language.

Air conditioning is also an important factor when deciding on an apartment. Japanese buildings are internally insulated with the sweltering summer months in mind. So they can get extremely cold in the winter and you’ll most definitely need to turn up the heat. Japan is often praised for its four seasons, but this means temperature differences can be significant throughout the year. Make sure you find a place that has decent air conditioning.

When traveling abroad, every little thing might seem like a cultural surprise. But if you’re going to live in a place for a while, we recommend residing in an area that holds various seasonal events to spice up your daily routine. Humans adapt to their surroundings fairly quickly, so consider basing yourself in a bustling city or near some tourist attractions.