Home exchange and house swap in Japan

From the temples of Kyoto to the beaches of Okinawa, from Tokyo to Hokkaido: with Homeforswap, swap your home and enjoy a home exchange in Japan without paying for accommodation between members, in step with the seasons.

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A home exchange in Japan suits a country that is explored by train, from city to city, and whose landscape changes with every season: cherry blossom at the end of winter, humid heat in summer, red maples in autumn, snow in Hokkaido. Staying with locals lets you settle into a neighbourhood, shop in the local stores and fan out from a single base, instead of dashing from one room to the next.

With Homeforswap, there are three formats: simultaneous exchange, deferred exchange (your dates and your hosts’ dates don’t coincide) and non-reciprocal exchange. Between members there is no rent and no commission: you don’t pay for the night. You still pay for transport, meals, final cleaning and insurance. Creating the account and the listing is free.

Why a home exchange in Japan works so well

🚄 A country explored by train

The rail network is dense and fast, with the Shinkansen. A home close to a station becomes the ideal base for visiting the neighbouring cities and coming back to sleep in the same place.

🌸 Very marked seasons

Cherry blossom in March and April, maples in autumn, snow in winter in Hokkaido: a stay in Japan is set by the season you want to see, and a deferred exchange helps you choose your dates.

🏡 Living like the locals

Staying with locals, you discover a neighbourhood, its shops and its customs day to day, with your hosts’ advice. Spending a longer time in one place changes how you see the country.

Where to do a house swap in Japan

From the snowy north to the subtropical islands of the south, here are eight areas to start your search for a flat swap in Japan.

🏙️ Tokyo and its region

The capital and its very different districts, with Yokohama and Kamakura within reach by train. A central base for exploring the whole Kanto region.

⛩️ Kyoto

Temples, shrines and gardens. Fushimi Inari shrine and its orange torii draw many visitors; spring and late November are the most sought-after seasons.

🦌 Osaka and Nara

Osaka for city life, Nara for its park with free-roaming deer and the Great Buddha of Todai-ji. Together with Kyoto, they form the trio of the Kansai region.

❄️ Hokkaido

Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate: the northern island has very snowy winters, cherry blossom in late April and the lavender fields of Furano in July.

♨️ Kyushu

Fukuoka and its street stalls by the river, the restored castle of Kumamoto, the hot springs of Beppu and the Aso volcano. Trains link the main cities.

🌺 Okinawa

A subtropical archipelago at the far south of the country, with Naha as a base. Take the typhoon season into account when choosing your dates.

⛵ Hiroshima and Miyajima

Hiroshima, then the island of Miyajima about ten minutes away by ferry, where the torii of Itsukushima shrine seems to float at high tide. A UNESCO-listed site.

🍁 Kanazawa

On the Sea of Japan coast, the city of Kenroku-en, a landscape garden created over several centuries by the Maeda family. A calm stay, away from the main circuits.

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Making your first home exchange in Japan a success with Homeforswap

Choose your season in advance — Cherry trees blossom around the end of March in Tokyo, early April in Kyoto and late April in Sapporo; maples colour Kyoto and Tokyo from mid-November to early December. Offer your dates early, or stay flexible with a deferred exchange.
Aim for a home near a station — Trains serve most towns, and a car is mainly useful outside the big urban areas. If a vehicle is part of the exchange, driving is on the left: check the licence rules that apply to you before you leave.
Take the climate into account — Summer is hot and very humid, the rainy season begins in May or June, and typhoons mostly affect August and September, and can run into November. Hokkaido remains the natural choice for snow.
Write a welcome guide — Shoes off at the door, waste sorting that varies by municipality, collection days, quiet on the trains: put these customs in writing for your hosts, and draw up a written exchange agreement with them.

Frequently asked questions

Two households agree to swap homes, at the same time (simultaneous), on different dates (deferred) or without reciprocity (non-reciprocal). Between members there is no rent and no commission. You get in touch through the site’s messaging system, and a written agreement is recommended.

It depends on your nationality. Visa and passport rules differ from one country to another, so before you book, check the current entry conditions on the official Japanese government website and in the travel advice from your own country’s foreign ministry.

Late March and April for cherry blossom, mid-November to early December for maples, in Kyoto as in Tokyo. These periods are in high demand. Summer is hot and humid, and winter suits Hokkaido well for snow.

In the big cities, the train is more than enough. A car makes more sense for regions such as Aso, in Kyushu. Driving is on the left: check the licence rules that apply to you before you leave.

The accommodation isn’t paid for between members. You still pay for transport, the Shinkansen included, meals, final cleaning and insurance. Bank cards are widely accepted, but some small businesses take cash only; there are cash machines in the konbini.

Each member can confirm their identity, every stay relies on the reviews left by the community, and an exchange agreement frames the deal. Homeforswap remains reachable if you have any questions.

All home exchange destinations in Japan

Explore Japan prefecture by prefecture, then city by city, to find the home that fits your trip.

Regions of Japan

Cities in Japan

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Also worth a look: what is home exchange · how it works · all our destinations