So, you’ve found a home in Tokyo (or anywhere in Japan) and are ready to move in—amazing! The first hurdle, securing your new space, has been cleared, and honestly, that was the hardest one. But now, you face what is most likely a bare-bones apartment, probably without even a refrigerator.
If you are moving in without any of your own belongings—perhaps you are new to the city or, like me, have been living in a fully furnished space—your next mission is furniture hunting.
Starting completely from scratch with nothing but a single-size futon (shared by two people), a small wooden side table, and some cutlery, my partner and I managed to fully furnish our home, complete with art on the walls, all within two months. From the essentials to items we bought simply because they made us happy, we created a space that we truly love and feel at home in—all without breaking the bank. Let me give you a quick hint: recycle shops are budget lifesavers.
If you are moving soon and wondering where to start, I hope this can help you!
White goods
The first things we knew we needed were kitchen items so we could start buying and storing food. Whilst eating out in Japan is not that expensive, and conbini stores are lifesavers, it’s more cost-effective in the long run to buy a fridge for storing basics like milk.
There are numerous electronics stores in Japan where you can buy white goods like fridges, microwave ovens, and washing machines. Large chains such as Bic Camera, Yamada Denki, and Yodobashi Camera cater to all your electronic needs, from fridge freezers to espresso machines. Buying from these retailers is probably the best way to ensure quality, as the items will be brand new. That said, secondhand items aren’t necessarily a risk.
We bought our fridge and microwave from a Treasure Factory recycle shop, both of which came with one-year warranties. They had been thoroughly cleaned, and I believe our microwave was actually brand new, as some of the packaging was still inside. Whilst the fridge needed to be professionally delivered (incurring a delivery fee), we were strong enough to carry the microwave to the bus stop and take it home. Sure, we looked a bit odd, but hey, we saved money. We later did the same thing when buying our 32-inch TV from a Hard Off just down the road from Treasure Factory, once again lugging it onto the bus.
When it comes to these products, staff will let you plug them in to check the quality, such as the image on a television. Ours looked amazing, and for only ¥16,000 with a one-year warranty, it was an absolute bargain.
Furniture
Sleeping on the futon was not an ideal long-term option, so a mattress and accompanying bed frame were necessary. Now, I believe a good mattress is important, so here, frugality takes somewhat of a backseat. We spend so much of our lives on a mattress that investing in a decent one is always a good idea.
For the bed, I headed to IKEA. There are several IKEA stores in Tokyo, but I believe the largest is in Tachikawa. Smaller locations in Shibuya, Harajuku, and Shinjuku mainly sell decor and soft furnishings, so for larger items, Tachikawa is your best bet (there is also one close to the Kanagawa/Tokyo border). Other great options include Japan’s big-name homeware stores: Nitori and Muji. Nitori is probably the closest in scale to IKEA, but in my opinion, Muji has the style edge—though with a higher price tag to boot.
These stores cover almost all your homeware needs, but whilst in Japan, why not explore other brands too? I personally did not want my home looking like an IKEA showroom, so I spent some time researching alternative options. In my search, I found NOCE, a sofa store with a showroom not far from my house. The sofas were stylish and priced comparably to IKEA. Another great find was RASIK, an online store offering furniture designed for modern Japanese homes with simple aesthetics. We ended up buying our faux leather dining room chairs from them. We even used Amazon.co.jp for our circular glass table, which I love.
Whilst it may be tempting to stick to IKEA and Nitori, there are so many Japanese brands worth exploring. A friend of mine, YouTuber and interior designer Bethany Nakamura—known to many as Biitsi in Inaka—runs a website called Inaka House, where she shares the best places to shop and tips on styling a Japanese home. It is definitely worth checking out.
Another way we furnished our home was by heading to thrift stores yet again! Whether large or small, thrift stores offer incredible finds, from cabinets and sideboards to storage solutions and one-of-a-kind accent pieces. We scored a stunning dining room sideboard for ¥15,000 and an antique Japanese chest—perfect for our TV—for only ¥5,000. There is nothing I love more than rummaging through a shop and finding the perfect piece; it feels so much more earned.
Utensils, crockery, and miscellaneous…
Once you have all your furniture, it’s time to focus on the smaller essentials. Again, Nitori and IKEA offer plenty of options, but there are other places worth checking out. Since I was in Tokyo, I took advantage of Kappabashi “Kitchen” Street to find locally made plates, dishes, and—most importantly—knives. Japanese knives are renowned worldwide, and whilst you can find them across the city, Kappabashi Street offers a high concentration of specialty shops dedicated to cutlery and kitchenware, making it the perfect place to browse.
Another option—especially if you need items urgently and don’t fancy running to IKEA for small essentials—is local goods stores like DAISO and Can Do. These shops sell homeware products such as cleaning tools, laundry supplies, stationery, kitchenware, and more, at really low prices. I’m not usually a fan of low-quality items, especially plastic ones, but I was able to find 100% cotton washcloths and a metal sink plug—both of which I was more than happy to buy.
If you walk around certain areas, you will also find shops selling more eco-friendly items like bamboo scrubbing brushes and wooden twig brooms. I try to minimize plastic use in my home, so I’m always on the lookout for these kinds of stores. A newer addition to the scene that combines affordability with great design is Standard Products, an offshoot of Daiso. Its aesthetic leans more toward Muji but at a much lower price point, making it a fantastic place to find stylish yet budget-friendly home goods.
Making a house a home
The final touch is transforming the space into your own. This includes artwork, soft furnishings, and—if you have green fingers—plants. This is where I like to get personal and really make the space feel like mine.
One big factor in Japan that you may not consider in your home country is lighting. Many rental apartments come with these unpleasant UFO-style hospital lights—overly bright and far from attractive (at least in my opinion). Luckily, they are usually easy to remove and replace, as most lighting in Japan uses a simple socket system that allows fixtures to click in and out effortlessly. Almost all of my new lighting came from thrift stores, and none cost more than ¥3,000.
For soft furnishings, why not check out Zara Home? They have both an online store and physical locations throughout the city. I bought a gorgeous rattan rug from there that now takes pride of place under my dining room table. It’s not the cheapest option, though—I’m still waiting to feel financially generous before heading back for new bedding!
We have a beautiful paper lantern over my bed, an industrial vintage bulb design above my table, a Southeast Asian-inspired woven pendant in the living room, and a multi-directional light with wooden features in my office. Having warm, interesting lighting makes all the difference—it was such a huge factor in making our house feel cosy and less like a dentist’s office. When we move out, we will simply swap back the original UFO-style plastic lights.
Filling up the space with art and plants takes time. They’re not necessities, and you don’t really want to rush it. Accumulate slowly, with thought and care. A great place to explore is Tokyo’s many flea markets. One cold Sunday morning, we woke up early and headed to Oi Racecourse Flea market, where we found truly stunning kakejiku (Japanese wall hangings) for only ¥500 each! It was amazing to come across such gorgeous pieces at such a low price. One now hangs beside our sofa, depicting an inky Japanese river cutting through precipitous cliffs covered in pines.
We love our new home, though there is still more to do. Curtains have been a challenge for us, and there are always more plants to buy—but we could not be happier with our curated space. This isn’t everything, of course, and if you are looking for more in-depth advice, I implore you to check out Inaka House. But I hope this article has given you the motivation to build a home that truly feels like yours.
Now go out and have fun with it!