Rented a Leopalace without a Japanese bank account: they paid the initial costs by bank transfer, then gave Leopalace their bank details after arriving.
Leopalace · Updated September 2026Ad · Affiliate links
Renting a Leopalace as a foreigner
You need a residence card, a Japanese bank account in your name and two emergency contacts, one of them an adult in Japan who speaks Japanese. Leopalace's international contact center told a mystery shopper this by email in September 2026.
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What you need to rent a Leopalace
From Leopalace's document list and its email to a mystery shopper on September 17, 2026.
- A residence card. Leopalace's list for foreign applicants asks for it. The list is undated and still names a document Japan replaced in 2012 (document list), so confirm with the store.
- A Japanese bank account in your own name. Rent is taken from it by debit every month, with a ¥524 fee each time. One renter on Reddit paid the move-in costs by bank transfer and added a Japanese account after arriving.
- Two emergency contacts. One must be a parent or sibling. The other must live in Japan, be 18 or older and speak Japanese; any nationality is fine. Both give a personal phone number and home address.
- A rent-guarantee company. Every lease uses one. It costs 100% to 120% of the monthly charge at signing, then ¥15,000 a year. Whether you also need a person as joint guarantor depends on your visa type and job.
If you don't yet know anyone in Japan who fits the second contact, ask your employer or school, and ask the store whether that person is accepted before you apply.
Have these ready? Ask Leopalace about a room
Japanese button: “If you are starting to live on your own, Leopalace21” Opens Leopalace21's site (Japanese; English version too)
What Leopalace told a mystery shopper
A mystery shopper wrote to Leopalace through its English inquiry form on 17 September 2026. Its international contact center replied in English 5 and a half hours later.
- A joint guarantor depends on your visa type and employment status. The guarantee cost depends on the apartment.
- Two emergency contacts are required: a relative such as a parent or sibling, and a second person described as
a person residing in Japan, regardless of nationality, who is 18 years or older and can speak Japanese.
- Move-in costs depend on the apartment: typically two months' rent, key money, key exchange, the guarantee fee, fire insurance, and a cleaning fee for moving out.
- The standard lease is 2 years. Leaving in the first year costs one month's rent; after a year, one month's notice and no penalty.
- They will help you in English. They did not say whether the contract itself is in English.
See every cost line with real rents on the Leopalace cost page.
Leopalace English support numbers
Call the room-search line to find a room in English. The contact center and the stores below take inquiries in several languages. Repairs are handled in Japanese only.
| For | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Finding a room, in English | 050-3650-7576 | 10:00 to 18:30 |
| International contact center | 050-3652-6420 | 10:00 to 18:00 |
| Calling from outside Japan (press 1 for English) | +81 50-3652-6379 | Not stated |
| Emergency repairs | On your contract | 24 hours, Japanese only |
Sources: Leopalace's online contract page, its email to a mystery shopper, and its store pages, read September 18, 2026.
Leopalace stores for foreign customers
Leopalace has 3 International Front Centers, in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. All open 10:00 to 18:00, and you need to book before you visit. On October 28, 2026, 6 other stores carried the tag 外国語対応可 (foreign languages supported) on their store pages, without naming a language. The store tables on the Leopalace pages for Chiba, Yokohama, Kyoto and Fukuoka show which.
Languages are the ones each store names on its own page, read September 18, 2026.
Renting a Leopalace from outside Japan
You can search, take a video tour, sign and receive the keys by mail without visiting a store. Keys by mail need the contract signed at least 5 days before you move in (online contract page). Rent is debited from a Japanese account, so plan to open one in your first weeks.
For your first month or two, a Leopalace monthly contract needs no bank debit: you pay the whole stay up front.
Before you send Leopalace an inquiry
When a mystery shopper wrote, Leopalace replied with a form asking for these six things. Have them ready and the first reply can include rooms:
- Your rent budget
- The area, or the station you commute to
- Your move-in date
- How long you will stay
- Your visa type
- How many people will live in the room
Rents differ a lot by city. See real listings for Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.
Send Leopalace your inquiry
Japanese button: “If you are starting to live on your own, Leopalace21” Opens Leopalace21's site (Japanese; English version too)
What renters say
Accounts from Reddit and Japanese sites about this topic. They are personal and unverified, and they describe different buildings.
Passed screening after giving a friend’s number and address as emergency contact. Backed out after three friends of a friend reported dirty arrivals with cockroaches and repairs that were never answered.
Was approved despite a financial history because Leopalace uses a non-credit-based guarantee. Adequate income and initial funds nearly guarantee approval, they say, though they strongly advise against living there.
Their first two places in Japan were Leopalaces and the experience was great.
Related Leopalace guides
Screening
General and foreign-resident requirements, the guarantor fee and the online steps.
Moving out
Cleaning fees by size, notice steps, the early-exit charge and what counts as damage.
Leopalace Tokyo
Rent by ward, move-in cost and English help in Shinjuku.
Reviews
Residents’ accounts from Japanese Q&A sites, blogs and Reddit, grouped by topic, with what is verified.
Leopalace review
Costs, thin walls, the construction defects and what renters say.
Village House
Costs, building age, residents’ reviews, how to apply and where the buildings are.
Leopalace for foreigners: FAQ
Can foreigners rent a Leopalace apartment?
Yes. You need a residence card, a Japanese bank account in your name and two emergency contacts, one of them an adult living in Japan who speaks Japanese. Leopalace confirmed this in writing to a mystery shopper on 17 September 2026.
Does Leopalace need a guarantor?
Every lease goes through a rent-guarantee company, which costs 100% to 120% of the monthly charge at signing. Whether you also need a person as joint guarantor depends on your visa type and job, Leopalace told a mystery shopper.
Does Leopalace have English support?
Yes. The room-search line (050-3650-7576) and the international contact center answer in English, and the International Front Centers in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya have English-speaking staff. The 24-hour repairs line is in Japanese only.
Can I rent a Leopalace before I arrive in Japan?
Yes. You can take a video tour, sign online and get the keys by mail, as long as you sign at least 5 days before moving in. Ask the store which documents it accepts before your residence card is issued.
Who can be my emergency contact for Leopalace?
Two people: a parent or sibling, and someone living in Japan who is 18 or older and speaks Japanese, of any nationality. Both give Leopalace a phone number and home address.
Set Up in Japan is an independent guide, not Leopalace's site. Read our full Leopalace review.