About SUMII
Changing the way people live and explore the world.
Premium Furnished Living in the Heart of Tokyo
SUMII provides fully furnished, premium short term apartments for monthly and long-term stays across Tokyo's best neighbourhoods: from Roppongi to Meguro, Yoyogi-Uehara to Ginza.
No guarantors. No key money. No hundred-page contract in a language you don't read. Just a beautifully designed home, ready from the day you arrive.
Our Vision
We believe Tokyo should be easy to call home. For a month, a year, or anywhere in between. Our vision is to become Japan's most trusted name in premium furnished living: the first place international professionals, families, and long-stay travelers turn to when they need a home in Tokyo that feels considered, not compromised.
Why We Founded SUMII
SUMII was founded in August 2024 by Daniel Lim and Jing Xiang Lin, two friends who ran into the same wall almost every newcomer hits when trying to find a home in Tokyo.
Daniel and Jing Xiang each spent months searching for a well-furnished apartment in a good Tokyo neighbourhood — and kept hitting the same three problems. Traditional serviced apartments were expensive and buried guests in paperwork and guarantor requirements. Some charged security deposits worth several months' rent, even for a one-month stay. Short-term rental operators, meanwhile, offered apartments that were small, sparsely furnished, and often far from the neighbourhoods people actually wanted to live in.
So they built the option they wished had existed: fully furnished apartments in Tokyo's most desirable areas, with simple, English-first contracts, no guarantors, and no key money.
Daniel brings a background in digital marketing and e-commerce; Jing Xiang brings a background in real estate development and investment across Singapore and London. Together, they named the company SUMII — from the Japanese phrase 住む良い (sumu ii), meaning “good living.” It's the standard every apartment, every contract, and every guest interaction is still built around today.
Our Mission
Our mission is to remove the stress from finding a home in a new city. We do this by combining beautifully furnished apartments in Tokyo's best locations with transparent pricing, flexible terms, and a team that treats every guest like a neighbour, not a transaction.
What our guests say
Even within the same building, units managed by SUMIl are on a different level. I highly recommend applying through them if you can. The unit was newly renovated, and the furniture, amenities, and supplies were all of very good quality - not the cheap items you often see in serviced apartments.
I've been staying in temporary accommodation for the past three months, and the last month I spent with SUMII was by far the most comfortable and relaxing.
Also, my agent was always very helpful, kind, and easy to reach whenever I needed assistance. Her support made the whole experience even better.
HR Lee
I had a great stay with Sumii. The team was very accomodating and responsive. The place was very clean, highly maintained, and some being in a very good location made it easy to travel. Would definitely stay with the sumii team for long stays :)
Alvan Giovanni
Stayed at Sumi Apt and had a really great experience. The location is excellent — right in Roppongi, with a FamilyMart nearby, good coffee spots around the corner, and easy access to Azabudai Hills.
The apartment itself was spacious, modern, and very thoughtfully designed. It felt new, stylish, and was genuinely comfortable to stay in after long days out exploring Tokyo. The team was also very responsive and easy to communicate with, which made the stay even smoother.
A great choice if you want somewhere convenient, clean, and comfortable in a prime area. Would happily stay again.
Quek Celine
Why Sumii
We hope Tokyo becomes, even briefly, a place you call home
We built Sumii because we believe finding a home in a new city should be the beginning of something exciting, not a source of stress. Every decision we make, from the apartments we select to the neighbourhoods we operate in, is guided by one question: does this make our guests' lives genuinely better?
We hope it does. And we hope Tokyo becomes, even briefly, a place you call home.
Thoughtfully designed spaces
Every apartment is furnished room by room — quality mattresses, warm lighting, a stocked kitchen, fresh linens, fast Wi-Fi, and a washer. Bring a suitcase; everything else is already there.
We believe the space you come home to shapes how you experience the city around it.
Flexibility built for modern life -
Ready from day one
Stay for one month or twelve. SUMII's rental terms are built for how people actually live and work today — relocating for a job, exploring Tokyo slowly, or bringing the family for a season.
Our short-term apartments provide the space and comfort of a home, making them an ideal alternative to hotels for extended stays in Tokyo.
Transparent pricing, always
Move into a SUMII apartment without a Japanese guarantor, without key money (礼金), and without the multi-week screening process that traditional Tokyo leases require.
Rent, utilities, and Wi-Fi are bundled into one upfront price. What you see on the listing is what you pay: no hidden agency fees, no surprise bills.
Local expertise, genuinely shared
Our team knows which neighbourhoods suit families, which suit young professionals, and which suit anyone who wants to live like a local rather than a tourist — and we support every guest in English from inquiry to move-out.
FAQ
The minimum stay is 1 month and the maximum is 12 months — flexible terms designed to suit your schedule.
No. SUMII requires no guarantor and no key money. At booking you pay the first month's rent, a refundable deposit, and an exit cleaning fee. Nothing more.
Absolutely. The entire booking process can be completed remotely and in English. SUMII apartments are designed with expats and international residents in mind.
Utilities including electricity, gas, and water, as well as high-speed WiFi are all included. Every apartment is fully furnished and move-in ready.
Once your booking is confirmed, your apartment is ready from day one. Our team will respond to all enquiries within one business day.
Yes. Alongside our base of relocating professionals, more families choose SUMII each year for apartments with real kitchens, extra space, and neighbourhoods suited to daily family life.
