An empty apartment in a new city can feel daunting, especially when you are not sure where things are sold or how delivery works. The good news: Tokyo is one of the easiest places in the world to furnish a home on any budget. You can pick up everything new in an afternoon, hunt for bargains at secondhand shops, or take gently used items neighbours are giving away for next to nothing. This guide walks you through your options and points you to the official sites so you can compare current prices and services yourself.
Buying new: the big chains
- Nitori — Japan's largest furniture and homeware chain, often called the local IKEA. Affordable beds, sofas, curtains, kitchenware, and bedding, with stores across Tokyo and an online shop.
- IKEA — the familiar flat-pack giant, with Japanese stores and a Japan website. It offers paid delivery and assembly, plus takeback and buyback services for old furniture.
- MUJI (Mujirushi Ryohin) — minimalist storage, shelving, bedding, and small furniture; widely available across Tokyo and online.
- Home centres such as Cainz — large DIY-and-home stores selling furniture, storage, tools, curtains, and household basics, often at low prices.
Secondhand and free: shops, apps, and give-away boards
- Recycle/reuse shops — chains like Hard-Off, BookOff Plus, and Treasure Factory buy and sell used furniture and appliances. Great for one good-condition piece you can inspect in person; many also buy items back when you leave.
- Mercari — Japan's most popular flea-market app for secondhand goods. Items are shipped and payment is held until you confirm; the app is mostly in Japanese, so a translation app helps.
- Jmty (Jimoty) — a local give-away and classifieds board where people moving out pass on furniture and appliances free or very cheaply, usually with local pickup. Ideal for bulky items that cost too much to ship.
You cannot simply leave large furniture on the street. In Tokyo's 23 wards, items roughly over 30 cm count as oversized garbage (sodai gomi): you book a pickup with your ward's bulky-waste centre, buy a paid disposal sticker at a convenience store, stick it on the item, and set it out on the assigned day. TVs, fridges, washing machines, and air conditioners are not accepted as oversized garbage and follow a separate appliance-recycling route. Always check your own ward's official instructions and current fees.
- Measure your doorways, lift, and rooms before you buy — Tokyo entrances and elevators can be narrow.
- For heavy items, choose store delivery and assembly; comparing the delivery fee against the cost of doing it yourself is often worth it.
- Secondhand prices are usually fixed in reuse shops but negotiable on apps and give-away boards — be polite and prompt.
- Plan disposal before you buy: if you took something free from Jmty, you may still need to pay to throw it out later.
- Have your address written down (in Japanese if you can) — delivery and disposal bookings ask for it, even though you are rarely asked to show your residence card to buy furniture or set out oversized garbage.
- When collecting a large free or secondhand item from someone's home through an app like Jmty, it is wise to bring a friend — you are picking up a bulky thing from a stranger's place.
- Do these stores deliver and assemble furniture?
- Nitori, IKEA, and most home centres offer paid delivery, and several offer paid assembly. Fees depend on the item and your area, so check each store's official service page for current options and prices before you order.
- Is it safe to buy used furniture from apps?
- Apps like Mercari hold your payment until you confirm the item arrived, which adds protection. Read the listing and photos carefully, check the seller's ratings, and ask questions before buying. For give-away boards, meet in a safe public spot when collecting in person.
- How do I get rid of a sofa or bed when I move out?
- Book an oversized-garbage (sodai gomi) pickup through your ward, or sell or give it away on Mercari or Jmty, or ask a reuse shop about buyback. Some stores also take back old furniture when delivering new pieces. Confirm the steps and fees on your ward's official page.
