Apartment Flooring in Japan

Hi there!

I am currently looking for apartments in Osaka. It is my first time to rent in Japan and and I am torn between a unit on the 1st floor with a wooden flooring vs. a unit on the 3rd floor with a carpet flooring.

I would like to ask if you guys would recommend a foreigner to live on the 1st floor? My only hesitation with the 3rd floor is the carpet flooring which might trigger my allergies.

Thanks! :)

Whether a foreigner or a Japanese :) one might want to consider the following:

- Sunlight into the room? too shadowy on the ground floor?
- Heavy traffic on the road right in front of the building? (road noise)
- Open area in front, or rather hidden from view (precaution against theft)

Personally (I have no allergies at all, BTW) I would prefer the 3rd floor for the above reasons.

Theft easily on the first floor rooms.
Cool in summer, warm in winter on the first floor.
Noise from the neighbor is heavy on the first floor.
I prefer to rent a room on the third floor.

Thank you so much for your help.

I am really going for the unit on the 3rd floor only if not because of the carpet. I am quite hesitant with the idea of having to rent a 12 year old unit with a carpet flooring. Not really sure how well cleaning companies wash it after the previous tenant moves out or if they have even ever replaced it.

Anyhow, do you have any ideas on how I can tentatively "cover" the carpet while I am renting? Do you think putting a tatami mat or vinyl floors would work?

Again, thanks so much for all your help! :)

Some things I would consider:

Noise - is the 3rd floor the top floor? You may not get noise from above if so; 1st floor will have neighbor noise from upstairs. Also, as above poster said, road noise is something to consider; but sometimes the lower floors are blocked from a lot of noise in a quieter neighborhood whereas higher floors might get more noise.

Temperature - If you are surrounded on all sides by neighbors, you might be better insulated from hot/cold during the extreme seasons. When I lived in an apartment, I was in the middle of the building and inside never got much below 2 C even in the coldest nights. My then-boyfriend was on the top floor corner, and his toilet water regularly frozen! You benefit from others' heat and cooling even if it is more noisy.

Safety - As Tokyo Friend 48 said, it is easier to get into 1st floor apartments, for example your balcony, if you have laundry out, there are always perverts who steal laundry! Also, you must be careful to close blinds/curtains because its easy for passers-by to look in.

Other - does one apartment have better appliances (if it comes with anything) such as stove or air conditioner? My old apartment complex had some apartments people would leave their appliances like air conditioners in when they moved, because it was too much trouble to move. Newer stuff is always better! (This may not apply if its completely empty or exactly the same)

If you're worried about allergies, some tricks like frequent vacuuming, an air purifier, etc. will keep that down.

Personally I like to be higher for reasons not having anything to do with the above, but because I like a) the view you get from higher, and b) the breeze/storms from higher floors... silly reasons, but I always go high if I've got a choice!

One more tip, Jay san. Don't add "san" to your own name, it makes you sound ridiculous.

@Umami dearest, maybe it is an alternate spelling of "Jason"? ~_^

@Jay san, you can buy temporary flooring at home improvement stores. You could just cover it with a rug, you could put alternate flooring down such as tatami-style matting or harder flooring, or you can just clean it well and take it "as-is". Just remember that if it affects your allergies, just covering it up might not help. Also remember to air it out, especially in summer. If you leave it covered and moisture gets in there, it could grow mold and make things worse!

Hi scareddragon, thanks so much for pointing that out! Most especially on the cons of getting a corner unit. A good reminder on how I can avoid my bathroom from being frozen :)

I have decided to get the unit on 3rd floor because of all your suggestions. Hopefully the carpet wont be an issue :p

Wait a minute. Weren't we just seeing someone on another thread annoyed about neighbors downstairs complaining about the footsteps of the thread's OP?

Japanese floors tend to be thin, while foreign residents may not be used to walking around with shoes off. If you live on the ground floor, however, you can walk around during the night as much as you want without having to annoy the people "downstairs."

Meanwhile, just to answer the OP's question, landlords are expected to renew the whole carpeting for the new resident, so I wouldn't worry about carpets being "old" just because the building is old.

But again, do be careful when applying something on top of your 3rd floor carpet. Carpets are there to absorb your footsteps, but if you lay something hard on it, your footsteps may annoy those downstairs.

All in all, I would suggest the ground floor if you tend to move in your room during the night, but suggest the 3rd floor if you tend to spend your daytimes there and rest early in the evenings.

You can order or request a carpet cleaning service by professional.
http://duskin-kit-tokyo.com/home/carpet.php
Ask your landlord or real estate agent about this before you make the contract.

Hi everyone!

Thanks again for all your help.

Forgot to ask, is security on the 1st floor something to be really worried about? I know that there are also cases of theft and burglary in Japan and 1st floor might be the most prone. The area of the apartment has many factories around and is about 800meters away from the nearest station.

Thanks again!:)

I mean, generally Japan is safe when compared to, say, the US, but that doesn't mean things don't happen. 1st floor apartments are easier targets than those even a floor up.

You're a guy so it probably isn't something to worry about, but for girls, leaving your laundry out to dry on your balcony means that if you're on the first floor, some pervert could steal it.

As long as you lock your doors/windows, keep your bike/etc. locked up, and anything you don't want stolen off your balcony, you'll be fine.

If you live in the first floor room, the door with two locks are recommended. There are still one door with one lock. Also, use security locks on the windows such as this.
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-language/product/B00DIX6WG2/ref=dp_c...
If the burglar tries to break the window glass, the security lock works as not to open the frame. Burglars won't come in if they take more than 3 mins to get inside. Security locks keep the 3 mins.

I do have to say that a neighbor got their ground floor window broken while they were gone for months. That's something not so unusual here in Japan (although it's not that it happens to your friend every day).

But there are many things you can do to prevent yourself from becoming a crime victim of any kind. Ask your local city hall or police. Even a Koban police booth can give you information.

For example, you can hide precious things such as your computer away from your windows so that it's not so obvious (or tempting). You can keep a small light on at all times so that it seems like you're at home when you actually are not. Handy alarms, shields and locks are available at your nearest "home center" stores. It's also better to know your neighbors so that you can watch out for each other.

Good preparation helps you enjoy a relaxed life wherever you live on the planet.

One other thing I suggest you consider: I've been hearing from many that the ground floor apartments can get a lot of mildew at certain times of the year. If you have allergies, this may set them off.

My husband and I previously lived in such a humid climate, mildew was unavoidable. It grew on walls, ceilings, clothing, shoes, furniture... He has allergies, I developed allergies and our health has suffered as a result. I don't know yet if it's that bad here in Japan, but I'm not rushing to move into a ground floor apartment after that experience and hearing/reading what such apartments are like.