Japan really is a great country. You will not be disappointed.

1. There are two portions to the upfront money. One is like a deposit and is usually about 20 to 40% of the total. You can usually get this amount back if you don’t break anything big. The rest is a gift. With the recession landlords are becoming a little more generous though.

One thing I should note is that in Japan when you rent a new place, the wallpaper and tatami are all completely redone. This means your apartment will look and feel brand new.

2. The cost of living in Japan is not as crazy as most people think. Most of those outrageous price stories you have heard were from the boom in the late 80s. Times have changed a lot.

Apartment prices vary a lot depending on where in Japan you are thinking of living, but a range for a 2 bedroom apartment might be between $700 to $1500.

One interesting note, is that rural houses can be found for really cheap. If you are interested in a quiet life, you can buy or rent very inexpensively.

3. Akihabara is the main electronics area in Tokyo. Shibuya is the famous busy place that is featured in many movies. Those are two must see areas. Just walk around and you will find endless interesting stores and restaurants.

One more piece of advice. Most restaurants in big cities are on high floors in buildings. Don’t only look at main floor restaurants. Go to large shopping malls or buildings and look at the restaurant map to see pictures of all the restaurants that you probably wouldn’t have noticed.

This was a superbly detailed interview. I loved it!

A few questions came to mind:
1. do you ever get the apartment ‘gift’ money back? That one kind of blew me away! :)

2. I’m under the impression that even though there’s great tax write offs, Japan’s cost of living is pretty high. What’s the rent on a typical 2-bedroom apartment? (Middle class style…comfortable enough for most Westerners but doesn’t need to be high-end corporate expat type)

3. Any recommendations for high-tech malls/places to visit in Tokyo?