Services
Marokama is run by one person: a licensed takken-shi (宅地建物取引士), the Japanese national real-estate qualification, registered with the Tokyo Governor. Every guide on this site is written by that person, in English.
Marokama is not a brokerage, and that is deliberate.
In Japan, only a licensed real-estate business (宅地建物取引業者) may act as your agent in a transaction and collect a brokerage commission. Marokama does not hold that business licence, does not act as your agent, and never takes a commission from your transaction.
What that means in practice: we are never paid by the other side. In Japan it is common, and legal, for one brokerage to represent both the seller and the buyer — or both the landlord and the tenant — and to collect a fee from each. When that happens, the person explaining the contract to you is also being paid by the person on the other side of it. We are not in that position. You pay us, or nobody does.
| A licensed brokerage (宅建業者) | Marokama | |
|---|---|---|
| Acts as your agent, shows properties, closes the deal | Yes | No |
| Collects a brokerage commission | Yes | No |
| Performs the legal Important Matters Explanation (重要事項説明) | Yes | No |
| Can be paid by the other side of your transaction | Often | Never |
| Explains in English what all of it actually means | Sometimes | This is the whole job |
You will still need a licensed brokerage to transact. We help you arrive there understanding what you are signing, what it costs, and what happens if it goes wrong.
Everything below starts the same way: send a question by email. There is no obligation, and we reply in English.
Renting in Tokyo
Most foreign tenants do not fail to find an apartment. They fail the screening, or they sign something they could not read.
- Budget modelling against the real number. The advertised rent is not what leaves your account. Management fees, renewal fees, guarantor company fees and move-in costs change the picture substantially. See how much it actually costs to rent in Tokyo.
- Understanding the screening before you are screened. Guarantor company applications, employer letters, and the documents Japanese landlords expect from non-residents — what they are asking for, and why. Background: the guarantor system explained.
- Reading the contract with you, in English. The Important Matters Explanation (重要事項説明) is a legal step your brokerage must perform, and it is performed in Japanese. We go through the document with you — before you are sitting at the table being asked to sign it.
- Short and medium stays. Monthly and serviced apartments, for when a two-year lease is the wrong tool. See monthly, furnished & serviced apartments in Toyosu.
Buying Property in Japan
- Eligibility and structure. There is no restriction on foreigners owning property in Japan. What actually constrains you is financing. See can a foreigner buy property in Japan?
- Cost modelling before you commit. Acquisition costs run roughly 7–8% on top of the purchase price, and the ongoing costs are the part most foreign buyers underestimate. See every fee foreign buyers pay.
- Buying from overseas. A non-resident purchase involves an affidavit in place of a residence certificate, a tax representative, and sometimes a power of attorney. We explain what each one is, who issues it, and how long it takes.
- Reading the contract and the disclosure. The sales contract and the Important Matters Explanation are where the risk actually lives — boundary issues, building restrictions, repair reserves, reconstruction limits. We go through them with you in English.
Hokkaido and Vacant Houses (Akiya)
Our second focus is Hokkaido, and Asahikawa in particular. This is a very different market from Tokyo: cheaper, colder, and far less liquid.
- Market orientation before you spend anything — the Hokkaido guide and the Asahikawa guide.
- Akiya reality-checking. Where the listings actually come from, what the ownership costs really are, and which properties are realistically unsellable later. Start with finding your akiya in Japan.
- Short-term rental viability under the Minpaku framework, including the 180-night cap. See Hokkaido Airbnb investment.
What We Do Not Do
Being clear about this saves everyone time.
- We do not act as your agent, and we do not take a commission. We are not a licensed real-estate business (宅地建物取引業者). Your transaction will be handled by a licensed brokerage. We do not receive any part of their fee, and we are not paid for introducing you to anyone.
- We cannot guarantee financing. Mortgage approval for non-residents is decided by the bank. For most non-resident buyers, the honest answer is that a Japanese mortgage will not be available.
- We do not handle visas or immigration. Owning property in Japan carries no residency right of any kind. That is a separate process with separate advisers.
- We will tell you when a property is a bad idea. Particularly in rural Hokkaido, where a cheap purchase can become an asset you cannot sell, cannot maintain from abroad, and cannot easily give away.
- We are not a listings portal. We do not hold inventory and we do not publish property listings.
Fees
We charge for time and for documents — never for introductions, and never as a percentage of your transaction.
Because we take nothing from the deal itself, our fee is the only money involved, and it is quoted in writing before any work begins. Send us your question first; if what you need is a five-line answer, we will simply answer it.
Start Here
Tell us what you are trying to do, your budget, and your timing. We will tell you honestly whether it is realistic and what it will involve.
Email your question — no obligation, replies in English.