As of 2018, there were an estimated 62.41 million homes in Japan, the majority of which consisted of single-family homes, followed by apartments. Various conducted surveys revealed that the average occupied home in Japan had a floor area of 93.04 square meters and 4.4 rooms. Rented homes tended to be smaller than owned homes and while Toyama Prefecture recorded the largest average floor size per home; unsurprisingly, Tokyo, Japan’s metropolitan capital, recorded the smallest and most expensive homes 

Peak moving times for people in Japan fall between the months of February to April as April marks not only start of the new fiscal year for businesses, but it also marks the beginning of the school year for students. It is theorized that up to 6 million people move house during these months, either for work or school; so along with the usual tasks and chores that come with moving house, when in Japan, one may also have to consider how to go about greeting neighbors when or after moving in.  

Is It Necessary? 

It’s probably fair to say that the tradition of greeting one’s neighbors has fallen to the wayside especially among the younger generation but considering the fact that Japanese society values and prides itself on wa – harmony – the tradition of greeting your neighbors not only helps prove that you are and will be a good neighbor, but that you’re respecting and placing emphasis on wa.  

The practice of greeting your neighbors can depend on where you live – city vs.  

countryside; small rural village vs. bustling town. Again, it probably comes as of no surprise that such a practice is not so commonplace in Japan’s teeming metropolitan cities where occupants are scarcely home due to work or school. Many city-dwellers have admitted in various questionnaires to not knowing their neighbors at all.  

However, if one is moving to a more rural part of Japan, greeting your neighbor may be the kind and considerate thing to do. It may also prove beneficial for you should you run into difficulties.  

Living Alone 

While there are benefits to befriending your neighbor and showing them that you yourself will be neighborly back, be sure to exercise sound judgement and common sense when considering introducing yourself to your neighbor, particularly if you’re living alone; and if you’re a woman living alone.  

Before moving in, you can get a feel for the neighborhood and its residents by asking the real estate agent who lives in the area / in the building while doing a house or apartment inspection. This will give you an idea of who you may be living in close proximity to, and whether or not you should greet them.  

What To Say (And Which Neighbor to Greet) 

When you have determined that greeting your neighbor is the right and safe thing to do, you then need to consider what you want to say to them. Some basic information you can relay to your neighbor may include: 

• Introducing yourself  
• Where you in to 
• Where you moved from 
• Family structure and occupation 
• Apologizing in advance for the noise and mess while moving in 

If you are moving into a house, it’s standard practice to greet your neighbor either side of the house you’re moving into, along with the neighbors directly across the street; and perhaps even the neighbor in the house behind you.  

If moving into an apartment, consider greeting not only the neighbor to the left and right side of your apartment, but also the neighbor across the hall; the neighbor directly above you; and the neighbor directly below.  

Gifts 

While not a necessity, pairing your greeting with a small gift is a nice added gesture to emphasize the sincerity of you wanting to be a good and considerate neighbor. What you choose to gift your neighbor and how much you spend on said gift is completely up to you, but studies have shown that purchasing a gift that costs between ¥500 and ¥1,000 is satisfactory.  

Some common gifts given to neighbors when going over to greet them include: 

Practical gifts and edible gifts tend to be favored as the former can be used for every day and the latter can be shared amongst the neighbor’s family.  

Letter 

What do you do if your neighbor isn’t home? Well, firstly, it’s best to avoid going over to greet your neighbor after 6 o’clock in the evening as they may just be getting home from work or school and are settling down for dinner or taking the time to unwind from the day.  

Surveys have revealed that greeting your neighbor is best done during the day after 10 o’clock in the morning; and if your neighbor isn’t home during this time, it’s perfectly alright to write a note or letter and slip it into their letterbox.  

Depending on the neighborhood and whether it’s a house or apartment, you may be able to leave both a letter of greeting and your gift in your neighbor’s mailbox or even on the stoop or porch of their front door.  

If you haven’t found your ideal apartment yet and are still trying to find an affordable place to be your new home, please consider checking out Village House’s rental apartments, with properties in over 1,000 locations in 47 prefectures throughout Japan! 

Related articles:

• Five Ways to Deal with Noise from Your Neighbors Upstairs
• What Your Neighbors Want to Say but Won’t
• A Foreigner’s Guide to Renting in Japan: Common Pitfalls to Avoid
• Getting Some Peace and Quiet: How to Reduce Street Noise in Your Apartment and More!