Japan Home Essentials for Foreign Residents: What to Buy for Your First Apartment
Most Japanese rentals come empty: no bed, no curtains, often no fridge or microwave. In your first week, buy a futon or mattress set, blackout curtains that fit your window, a microwave that works on both 50Hz and 60Hz, and something to keep you warm in winter. The picks below list checked Rakuten prices in three budgets, with the Japanese words to look for on each item page.
Picks with checked prices
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Futon set (single)
【楽天1位】布団セット シングル 7点セット 羽毛入り掛け布団 1.8kg ふとんセット ダウン入り 洗えるカバー付き 来客用 羽根布団 枕 布団カバー 収納袋
¥8,910（マックスシェアー maxshare · checked 2026-10-24）
Why this one: A washable single futon set — mattress, duvet and pillow — is the fastest way to sleep well on night one, and it folds away in a small room.
Check on the item page: シングル = single size (about 100×210 cm). 洗える = machine-washable. セット内容 lists what is included.
View on RakutenOther price levels: Budget ¥5,180Premium ¥29,000
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Blackout curtains (pair)
【マラソン期間クーポン有】 ★遮光カーテン アウトレット 2枚組 カーテン 遮光 お買い得 遮光カーテン祭り 2枚セット 既製品 幅100cm×丈135 178
¥2,189（カーテン天国 · checked 2026-10-24）
Why this one: Bedroom windows in Japan often face neighbours, and summer sunrise comes early. A pair of blackout curtains gives you privacy and sleep from the first night.
Check on the item page: 遮光1級 = the strongest blackout grade. 幅100×丈200 = width 100 cm × length 200 cm per panel; measure your rail and window first. 2枚組 = a pair.
View on RakutenOther price levels: Budget ¥2,499Premium ¥11,880
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Microwave (works on 50/60Hz)
≪5%OFFクーポン★24日20:00?27日09:59迄≫電子レンジ アイリスオーヤマ 17L 単機能 ヘルツフリー 調理 ターンテーブル レンジ 全国対応
¥9,980（便利生活 マイルーム · checked 2026-10-24）
Why this one: Eastern Japan runs on 50Hz and western Japan on 60Hz. A frequency-free microwave keeps working if you move to the other side of the country.
Check on the item page: ヘルツフリー or 50/60Hz共用 = works on both frequencies. 単機能 = microwave only (simpler and cheaper than オーブンレンジ, which also bakes).
View on RakutenOther price levels: Budget ¥7,799Premium ¥16,800
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Electric blanket
【期間限定価格〜10/31 9:59迄】電気毛布 電気敷毛布 電気掛敷毛布 敷き 掛け敷き 丸洗い 洗える ダニ対策 温度調節 省エネ 節電 YMS-40 YM
¥2,980（くらしのeショップ · checked 2026-10-24）
Why this one: Japanese apartments are rarely insulated well, and heating a whole room with an air conditioner is expensive. An electric blanket warms just you, for a few yen per night.
Check on the item page: 掛け敷き兼用 = can be used on top or underneath you. 洗える = washable. ダニ退治 = a heat setting that kills dust mites.
View on RakutenOther price levels: Budget ¥3,100Premium ¥12,900
Why Japanese apartments come empty
In Japan, most rental apartments are let unfurnished. Light fittings and curtains are often missing too, and you are expected to bring your own appliances. That is why the first week in a new place usually means a lot of shopping — and a lot of Japanese item pages.
How we choose
- Every product links to its Rakuten item page, and the price shown is the one we checked on that page, with the date.
- Each item has three price levels: Budget, Standard and Premium.
- Product names stay in Japanese, exactly as the shop writes them. We explain in English why it fits and which words to check before you buy.
- Room images are AI-generated illustrations, not photos of the products.
Guides
- Fridge, Washer and Microwave for One in Japan: Sizes, 50/60Hz and DeliveryBuying a fridge, washing machine and microwave for a one-person Japanese apartment: sizes that fit, the 50Hz/60Hz split, delivery to your door, and the recycling fee when you leave.
- Japanese Curtain Sizes Explained: How to Measure and Buy Ready-Made CurtainsJapanese curtains come in standard sizes such as 100×135, 100×178 and 100×200 cm. How to measure your window, what 遮光1級 means, and which size to buy on Rakuten.
- First Apartment in Japan Checklist: What to Buy in Week OneA prioritised list of what to buy for an empty Japanese apartment in your first week — lights, bedding, curtains, garbage bins and more — with the Japanese words to look for on Rakuten.
- Futon or Bed in a Small Japanese Apartment? How to Choose (and Avoid Mould)Should you sleep on a futon or buy a bed in a small Japanese apartment? Space, comfort and the mould problem compared, with sizes and Rakuten picks.
- Kotatsu Buying Guide: Sizes, Futon Quilts and Heaters for a Japanese ApartmentHow to choose a kotatsu in Japan: table sizes for one or two people, the futon quilt and under-rug, heater types, and running cost — with Rakuten picks.
- How to Shop on Rakuten in English: A Practical Guide for Foreign Residents in JapanRakuten Ichiba has no English version, but you can still shop it from Japan. Account setup, address format, payment, delivery slots, and how to read an item page — explained in English.
- How to Stay Warm in a Japanese Apartment: Heating Options and What They CostJapanese apartments are cold in winter. Electric blankets, heated carpets, kotatsu and air conditioners compared by running cost, plus window insulation and humidity tips.