I would advise staying away from large rental companies because they charge a lot to do a little, but I believe key and gratitude money are set by the landlord.

I would advise staying away from large rental companies because they charge a lot to do a little, but I believe key and gratitude money are set by the landlord. 1 month rent is the rental company's "finder fee", which is standard. It's all the other fees they sting you with that really hurt. I ended up paying about and extra month of rent per year for dumb shit that they decided to charge me for. And you had better make sure your apartment is better-than-spotless when you move out. Japanese law says that you don't have to pay for damage or wear and tear caused through everyday living, but they'll still try to keep your deposit or charge you for repairs.