Gaijin House

Gaijin houses (guesthouses) are one of the most inexpensive accommodations you can get in Japan. It is often rented in a monthly basis but some houses are available for weekly contracts. Prices range from 50,000 to 100,000 Yen per month per person. Most of these guesthouses are located in Tokyo and other major cities. Though some are independently managed, some Gaijin houses are operated by realty companies who maintain a “foreigner’s only” policy.

If you want to save more, you can opt to share an apartment with other people, where you will have to use a communal kitchen and bathroom. There is a very large difference between the prices, as shared apartments cost 40,000 to 100,000 Yen while a private apartment’s cost starts at 100,000.
Gaijin houses contain only the mot basic kitchen utensils, a futon, a pay phone, and a television. Though not as traditional as staying in a ryokan or a minshuku, staying in a Ganjin house will let you experience Japanese everyday life.