Setting Up Electricity, Water, Gas, and Internet When Moving into a New Home in Japan: How to Register and How Much Does It Cost?
A detailed guide to registering electricity, water, gas, and internet services when moving into a home in Japan. Updated average costs and tips for choosing affordable services as of August 2026.
Aug 7, 2026·✍️ olablog·⏱ 10 min read
A detailed guide to registering electricity, water, gas, and internet services when moving into a home in Japan. Updated average costs and tips for choosing affordable services as of August 2026.
The excitement of stepping into a new apartment in Japan with the keys in hand is often accompanied by plenty of uncertainty as you prepare for your new life. One of the biggest concerns for the Vietnamese community — from international students and technical interns to engineers and settled families — is how to sign up for essential utilities: electricity, water, gas, and internet. In Japan, these services are generally not switched on automatically when you move in. If you do not arrange them in advance, you could find yourself living in a completely dark home without running water or gas to heat water for a shower.
In this article, OlaChill provides a detailed guide to registering for each service, explains the mandatory requirements for scheduling gas activation, compares internet options, and updates you on actual costs as of August 2026.
1. Overview of Essential Services and When to Register
Before moving into your new home, you need to understand the appropriate preparation time for each type of utility. Do not wait until moving day (引越し - hikkoshi) to start making arrangements, as many services require time to process applications or schedule an employee visit.
- Electricity (電気 - denki): Register 3 - 7 days in advance.
- Water (水道 - suido): Register 3 - 5 days in advance.
- Gas (ガス - gasu): Register 7 - 14 days in advance (an appointment for an employee to come and open the valve in person is mandatory).
- Internet (インターネット - intanetto): Register 2 - 4 weeks in advance if you choose a fiber-optic connection.
2. How to Register for Electricity (電気 - denki) and Tips for Choosing an Affordable Provider
Electricity Registration Process
Setting up electricity in Japan is fairly straightforward. You can register online (Online) through the provider’s website or by phone.
- Step 1: Prepare your new address, start date of service (the day you receive the keys), personal information, and payment method (credit card or bank account).
- Step 2: Complete the registration form on the website of your chosen electricity provider.
- Step 3: On moving day, switch the circuit breaker (ブレーカー - bureka) inside the home to the ON position to start using electricity immediately, without an employee needing to visit.
Electricity Market Liberalization (電力自由化 - denryoku jiyuka)
Since Japan introduced its electricity market liberalization policy (電力自由化 - denryoku jiyuka), residents are no longer required to use traditional electricity companies such as TEPCO (Kanto), KEPCO (Kansai), or Chubu Electric. You can choose newer electricity providers (新電力 - shin-denryoku) and save 5% - 15% on your monthly bill.
| Type of electricity provider | Notable examples | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional | TEPCO, KEPCO, Chubu Electric | Highly reliable, familiar procedures | Fixed rates, few discount programs |
| New electricity provider (Shin-denryoku) | Looop Denki, Rakuten Denki, Tokyo Gas Denki | No basic charge (基本料金 - kihon ryokin), reward points, discounts when bundled with gas/internet | For some plans, you need to monitor fluctuations in market prices |
3. How to Register for Water (水道 - suido)
Water services in Japan are managed by the waterworks bureau of each city or ward (水道局 - suidokyoku).
Steps for Starting Water Service
- Online / Phone Registration: Visit the website of your local waterworks bureau (for example: Tokyo Metropolitan Waterworks Bureau if you live in Tokyo) and complete the moving-in notification form.
- Registration by Postcard (ハガキ - hagaki): When you move in, you will often find a postcard hanging from the doorknob or placed in the mailbox/electrical panel area. Fill in your service start date, name, and signature, then place it in a postal mailbox (no stamp is required).
Note: Water bills in Japan are usually paid once every 2 months. The bill will be delivered to your mailbox. You can take it to a convenience store (コンビニ - konbini) and pay in cash, or arrange automatic payment from your bank account (口座振替 - koza furikae).
4. How to Register for Gas (ガス - gasu): An Appointment to Open the Valve Is Mandatory
Unlike electricity and water, gas requires a high level of fire and explosion safety. Japanese law therefore requires a technician to visit your home, inspect the equipment, and unlock the gas valve.
Distinguishing City Gas from Propane Gas
Before registering, you must determine which type of gas your apartment uses:
- City gas (都市ガス - toshi gasu): Supplied through underground municipal pipelines. It is cheaper, and the flame is pale blue.
- Propane gas (プロパンガス - puropan gasu / LPガス): Gas cylinders are placed outside the building. Monthly costs are generally 1.5 to 2 times higher than for city gas.
An In-Person Appointment (立会い - tachiai) Is Mandatory
- Procedure: Register online or by phone 1 - 2 weeks in advance. Choose an appointment time slot (morning/afternoon) for the gas technician to visit.
- Appointment (立会い - tachiai): At the scheduled time, you (or a representative) must be present at home. The technician will inspect the gas stove and water heater (給湯器 - kyutoki), test the pipes for leaks, explain how to use the equipment, and activate the gas valve (開栓 - kaisen). The process takes approximately 15 – 30 minutes.
5. Choosing Internet for Your New Home: 光回線 (Hikari) or Mobile Wi-Fi?
A stable internet connection is a top priority for work, study, and entertainment. Below are the two most common options:
Comparison of Fiber-Optic Internet vs Mobile Wi-Fi / Home Router
| Criteria | Fixed fiber-optic connection (光回線 - Hikari kaisen) | Mobile Wi-Fi (Pocket Wi-Fi) / Home Router (ホームルーター) |
|---|---|---|
| Speed & Stability | Very high (300 Mbps – 1 Gbps+), smooth for online gaming and livestreaming | Moderate (30 – 150 Mbps), more easily affected by weather and room location |
| Installation Process | Requires installation (工事 - koji), with a wait of 2 to 6 weeks | No installation required; receive the device, plug it in, and use it immediately |
| Initial Installation Fee (工事費 - koji hi) | 15,000 – 40,000 JPY (Usually payable in installments or reimbursed through cashback) | 0 JPY or a small connection fee (~3,300 JPY) |
| Monthly Fee | 4,000 – 5,500 JPY/month | 3,200 – 4,800 JPY/month |
| Who Is It Suitable For? | Families, engineers working from home, long-term residents | International students, technical interns, people who move frequently |
6. Average Monthly Living Costs (As of August 2026)
To help you plan your personal budget, the table below summarizes average utility costs as of August 2026 for a one-person household (a single resident in major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya).
(Reference exchange rate as of August 2026: 1 JPY ≈ 165 VND).
| Utility | Monthly cost (JPY) | Estimated conversion (VND) | Notes & Seasonal Fluctuations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity (電気) | 3,500 – 7,500 JPY | ~580,000 – 1,240,000 VND | Using air conditioning/heating in summer (July-August) and winter (December-February) can raise the bill to 8,000 – 12,000 JPY. |
| Water (水道) | 2,000 – 3,500 JPY | ~330,000 – 580,000 VND | Usually billed every 2 months (~4,000 – 7,000 JPY per payment). |
| City gas (都市ガス) | 2,500 – 4,500 JPY | ~410,000 – 740,000 VND | For cooking and filling the bathtub. Gas bills rise in winter because the incoming water is colder. |
| Propane gas (プロパンガス) | 4,500 – 7,500 JPY | ~740,000 – 1,240,000 VND | Higher fixed and usage-based charges than city gas. |
| Internet (インターネット) | 3,500 – 5,500 JPY | ~580,000 – 910,000 VND | Depends on whether you choose Pocket Wi-Fi or Hikari fiber-optic internet. |
| TOTAL (1 person) | 11,500 – 21,000 JPY | ~1,900,000 – 3,470,000 VND | Costs for a two-person household are approximately 20,000 – 32,000 JPY/month. |
7. Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I register for electricity, water, and gas before receiving the keys to my home? Yes. You should complete the registration process online approximately 3 - 7 days before receiving the keys. Enter the start date as the day you officially receive the keys or move in.
Q. What happens if I forget to schedule the gas activation appointment (開栓 - kaisen)? If you do not schedule an in-person appointment to inspect and open the gas valve, the gas company will not unlock the pipeline. As a result, you will have no gas for cooking and no hot water for bathing (most hot-water systems in Japan run on gas).
Q. Will my landlord penalize me for changing electricity providers when I rent a home? For a standard rental contract (where the electricity contract is in your name and you pay the bill yourself), you have the right to choose any new electricity provider (Shin-denryoku). However, if electricity is included in the building’s shared contract or managed on the landlord’s behalf, you should consult the real estate management company (管理会社 - kanri gaisha) first.
Q. What is the most convenient way to pay my monthly electricity, water, and gas bills? There are 3 common payment methods:
- Pay in cash at a convenience store (コンビニ using the barcode on the bill delivered to your mailbox).
- Automatic payment by credit card (クレジットカード - kurejitto kado) — this allows you to earn reward points.
- Automatic payment from a Japanese bank account (口座振替 - koza furikae).
A Smooth Move with OlaChill
Although setting up electricity, water, gas, and internet in Japan involves several detailed steps, preparing 1 - 2 weeks in advance makes it easy to complete everything smoothly. Understanding how each service works and choosing the right providers will not only help you settle into your new life more quickly but also save you tens of thousands of yen every year.
If you are looking for more practical information about daily life, renting a home, or getting around Japan, be sure to check out other useful articles on Blog OlaChill or explore travel and lifestyle support services on the OlaChill homepage. And if you are thinking of treating yourself to a weekend getaway after the exhaustion of moving, take a look at the list of Day Tours from Tokyo!
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