Housing
Renting, guarantors, and practical housing advice.
Apartment Hunting Do's and Don'ts in Japan
(blog.gaijinpot.com)
GaijinPot's practical do's and don'ts for apartment hunting in Japan as a foreign resident.
How to Rent an Apartment in Tokyo: A Guide for Foreigners
(tokyocheapo.com)
A practical walkthrough of the Tokyo rental process for foreigners, from agency visits to the up-front costs to expect.
Covers the realistic options if you don't want to use a guarantor company: UR housing, employer-backed leases, and guarantor-free listings.
Japanese Culture Specific “Guarantor System”
(u-tokyo.ac.jp)
Explains why landlords ask for a guarantor and what a guarantor company actually does - written for incoming staff/students, but the logic is the same for anyone renting.