Company Profile

My journey began with a simple but heartfelt mission:
To make the process of finding a home in Japan more accessible and less stress, especially for those coming from abroad.

It all started with a challenging move overseas, accompanied by small children. The struggle to find a suitable place due to language barriers, unfamiliarity with the local rental market, and not understanding the rules and regulations left us feeling overwhelmed.

Even when we finally found our dream home, we faced new challenges—difficulty understanding bulletin boards, condominium rules, and even issues with garbage disposal that resulted in multiple neighborhood complaints.

Our initial years in this new environment were undoubtedly tough.

17 years later, we finally came back to Japan. 

However, without a registered address and a Japanese phone number, the house-hunting process proved to be another hurdle. And when we did finally secure a new home, a ton of moving boxes, coupled with family responsibilities and various administrative tasks, left us in a chaos.

Once our life finally settled down, I decided to take up part-time work, and I was surprised by what I discovered.

Foreign people who don’t speak Japanese are being turned away when trying to find a house…
People who are still residing overseas are not accepted when applying for rental housing…

There are people in Japan facing the same housing challenges as I did!

Being a licensed real estate agent, I realized that I could use my expertise to make a difference in their lives. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands and start a real estate agency.

“My goal is to simplify the process of finding a home in Japan, drawing from my own experiences.”

With this modest beginning, we are now celebrating our 7th year in business this year.
Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of assisting individuals from various countries in their relocation journeys to Japan. Witnessing each of them thrive in their endeavors here brings us immense joy.

While translation software has improved, and remote tools have become more sophisticated, international moves and home searches for foreign nationals are still challenging endeavors.
Even the most talented individuals, with the potential to excel in Japan, can become exhausted if they can’t secure a comfortable living space from the start.

Our mission remains the same: to help you find the best possible place with minimal stress, navigate language and cultural differences, and support you in your seamless transition.

If you ever find yourself struggling with the process of finding a home in Japan, please feel free to reach out. We’re here to assist you with all our experience and knowledge.

Thank you for entrusting Smart Relocate Inc with your journey.

Warm regards,

Yoko Tokoro
Founder & CEO Smart Relocate Inc