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Oakhouse vs Sakura House for living in Tokyo
Both rent furnished rooms in Tokyo from 1 month with no deposit, key money or guarantor, and both take bookings from abroad in English. They differ in the fee you pay to move in, how long one contract lasts, whether bedding is included, and where you collect your keys.
Oakhouse or Sakura House: which one fits you
From each operator's own pages, read on the dates in the table below. Neither is ranked: which one fits depends on how long you stay, what you want to pay up front and where you want to live.
Oakhouse fits you if
- You want to collect your keys at the house on move-in day, between 10:00 and 18:00
- You are a student: Oakhouse takes 5% off the rent at schools on the education ministry's list
- You have no Japanese bank account: Oakhouse takes Visa or Mastercard, Pay-easy or Flywire (Sakura House's FAQ does not say how you pay)
Sakura House fits you if
- You may stay longer than 6 months: Sakura House sets no maximum stay, and an Oakhouse lease ends after 6 months at most
- You want no contract fee: you reserve with 30% of the first month's stay fee
- You want bedding in the room when you arrive
- You need to register your address: Sakura House's FAQ says you can
What happens after you click: the Oakhouse button opens Oakhouse's site, in Japanese with an English version in its header. You pick a room, fill in the application, wait 3 to 4 days for screening and pay the move-in fees online. Sakura House's room search is in English; you reserve online and sign the lease at its Shinjuku office when you arrive.
Search Sakura House rooms and book in English
sakura-house.com (we are not paid for this link)
Oakhouse vs Sakura House: fees and rules compared
Each cell links the operator's page it comes from, with the date we read it. "Not stated" means we did not find it on the operator's site.
| Fact | Oakhouse | Sakura House |
|---|---|---|
| To move in | ¥50,000 contract fee for a private room or apartment, not refunded, plus the first month and a ¥2,200 bed pad Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | No agency fee; 30% of the first month to reserve Provider page, read September 18, 2026 |
| First month, besides rent | ¥52,200 (¥50,000 contract fee for a private room, ¥2,200 bed pad), plus a ¥10,000 to ¥22,000 common fee each month; Oakhouse does not say whether the first one is billed at booking Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | No fees stated beyond the stay fee, which covers rent, utilities, internet, furniture and bedding; you pay 30% of the first month's stay fee to reserve Provider page, read October 3, 2026 |
| Deposit and guarantor | None; no key money or guarantor at houses Oakhouse runs Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | None; no key money or guarantor Provider page, read September 18, 2026 |
| Each month | Rent plus a ¥10,000 to ¥22,000 common fee covering utilities up to a cap, and free internet Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | One stay fee covering rent, utilities, internet and furniture Provider page, read September 18, 2026 |
| How long you can stay | 1 month; leases of 1 to 6 months, no renewal. 1 month's notice, no penalty Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | 1 month in general; 1 month's notice to leave Provider page, read September 18, 2026 |
| Bedding | Not included: rent a set for ¥17,600 once, or bring your own Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | Included in every room; bring your own towels Provider page, read September 30, 2026 |
| Who can apply | 18 or over, any valid visa. Some houses are women-only Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | Any status, tourists included; book online from abroad, then check in and sign at its Shinjuku office Provider page, read September 18, 2026 |
| Paying without a Japanese bank account | Bank transfer as a rule; without a Japanese bank account, a Visa or Mastercard card, Pay-easy or Flywire Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | Not stated |
| Registering your address | Its guide says residents register; no house-by-house policy published Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | Yes, stated in its FAQ Provider page, read September 18, 2026 |
| Languages | Messages 24 hours in English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and French Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | English-speaking staff; online form in 9 languages Provider page, read September 18, 2026 |
| Where | 133 houses it runs, 4,546 rooms, mostly in Greater Tokyo Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | Tokyo, plus some Kyoto; no Osaka locations Provider page, read September 18, 2026 |
| Leaving | No fixed fee; damage and cigarette smell are charged Provider page, read September 18, 2026 | 1 month's notice; clean the room and leave the key inside by 11:00. No move-out fee stated Provider page, read September 30, 2026 |
On this page
Can I stay longer than 6 months?
At Sakura House, yes. Its minimum stay is 1 month in general and there is no maximum; stays of 2 to 3 weeks are sometimes possible (Sakura House FAQ).
Every Oakhouse contract is a 定期建物賃貸借契約 (fixed-term lease) of 1 to 6 months, your choice, with no renewal (staying longer). To stay on, you sign a new contract online. Oakhouse can decline it if the house closes, its management changes, or it decides you have not kept to the contract or house rules (when it declines).
What you pay to move in
Oakhouse charges a one-time contract fee that is not refunded: ¥50,000 for a private room or apartment, ¥20,000 to ¥40,000 for shared rooms and semi-private rooms (contract fee). Every resident also buys a ¥2,200 bed pad. For a real private room we checked on September 18, 2026, moving in on the 1st came to ¥94,200 with the first month's rent, or ¥111,800 with rented bedding.
Sakura House charges no deposit, key money or agency fee. You pay 30% of the first month's stay fee to reserve, or the full amount for a stay of 1 month or less (reserving).
What the monthly fee covers
At Oakhouse you pay rent plus a common fee of ¥10,000 to ¥22,000, which covers electricity, gas and water up to a cap set in the contract, and internet. Oakhouse's example cap is 150 kWh of electricity a month; above it you pay the difference (utility cap). The median private room was ¥75,000 a month with the common fee on October 9, 2026.
Sakura House charges one stay fee that includes rent, utilities, internet, furniture and bedding. Its FAQ does not mention a usage cap, so ask before you book if you plan to run the air conditioner all summer.
We do not compare monthly prices on this page. Both price each room separately, and we counted every Oakhouse room but have not sampled Sakura House's.
Booking from abroad and getting your keys
Both take bookings from outside Japan. At Oakhouse the whole booking is online, with 3 to 4 days of screening; you name an emergency contact, normally a parent, whom Oakhouse phones (emergency contact). You sign and get your keys at the house on move-in day, and you get the exact address only after booking.
At Sakura House every check-in is at its office in Shinjuku, where you sign the lease and collect your keys. Sakura House accepts tourists and temporary visitors; Oakhouse accepts any valid visa and anyone 18 or over.
Can I register my address at Oakhouse or Sakura House?
Sakura House's FAQ says yes, you can register your Sakura House address on your residence card (Sakura House FAQ). Oakhouse's own guide says share-house residents register within 14 days using the house name and room number (Oakhouse guide), but it publishes no house-by-house policy, so ask before you book if you need the address for your residence card or a bank account.
Moving out
Both ask for 1 month's notice (2 weeks for an Oakhouse dormitory bed). Oakhouse charges no penalty for leaving early and no fixed cleaning fee, but damage or cigarette smell is charged as repairs (moving out). Sakura House asks you to clean the room and leave the key inside by 11:00 on your last day; its FAQ names no move-out fee (Sakura House FAQ).
Oakhouse vs Sakura House on Reddit
In the Sakura House posts below, residents like the locations, call it a little pricey and suggest the smaller houses; one describes a dirty house. In the Oakhouse posts, residents praise the staff and complain about noise, the price and, in one case, a dirty room. Each post is about one house.
Sakura House on Reddit
“I’m living in a Sakura house share for a month at the moment and it’s fine. Slightly pricey.”
“Sakura house is fine for under 1 year since they do have fantastic locations”
“I highly recommend the smaller houses (under 6 people) versus the large buildings (like in Sendagaya. Too many people!)”
“The house was dirty, trash overflowed, and the bathrooms were unsanitary.”
Oakhouse on Reddit
“All in all, I liked my experience with OH. The staff was nice, the lady who handled my contract was very friendly.”
“Biggest problems are those you’d expect from several people living under the same roof, mostly noise, what to do when all the bathrooms or showers are occupied”
“Got bedding with dark spots on it, saw a cockroach in the hall one time (took pics of it to prove), and overall the room smelled badly.”
“Really expensive but convenient to get an address bank account and phone number.”
More about Oakhouse's fees, rules and houses is in our Oakhouse review. Other operators are on share houses in Tokyo. Sakura House's costs and rules are in our Sakura House review.
How we compared
Every fact comes from Oakhouse's Japanese help center and house pages and from Sakura House's FAQ and site; the table gives the date each one was read. Oakhouse's room prices come from every house page it lists as its own. Resident quotes are from Reddit, each linked to the comment. We have not lived in either, and neither operator is ranked above the other.
Only Oakhouse pays us. The Oakhouse buttons are A8.net affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you sign up through them. We have no agreement with Sakura House, and its link earns nothing. Read our editorial policy.
Oakhouse vs Sakura House FAQ
Should I choose Oakhouse or Sakura House?
Sakura House fits if you may stay longer than 6 months, want bedding included, or want to avoid a contract fee. Oakhouse fits if you want to collect your keys at the house on move-in day. Neither needs a guarantor.
What does it cost to move into Oakhouse or Sakura House?
Oakhouse charges a ¥50,000 contract fee for a private room (¥20,000 to ¥40,000 for shared rooms), a ¥2,200 bed pad and the first month. Sakura House takes 30% of the first month's stay fee to reserve, and charges no deposit, key money or agency fee.
Do Oakhouse and Sakura House need a guarantor?
No. Neither asks for a guarantor. Oakhouse also needs no guarantee company, and asks instead for an emergency contact, normally a parent, who can live outside Japan.
Can I stay at Oakhouse or Sakura House for more than 6 months?
At Sakura House, yes: it sets no maximum stay. An Oakhouse lease runs 6 months at most with no renewal, so staying on means signing a new contract, which Oakhouse can decline.
Set Up in Japan is an independent guide, not Oakhouse's or Sakura House's site.