The fridge in your new flat is a gap in the kitchen wall, and the washing machine spot on the balcony is just a tap and a drain. Buying both new can eat a month's rent. Tokyo's big recycle stores sell them used, deliver them, and will buy them back when you leave, as long as you know which branch to go to and what to bring.
BudgetDelivery from ¥4,950 per small item (as of Oct 2026)
TimeOne Saturday for the big run, two days' wait for delivery
Best forNew arrivals filling an empty apartment, and leavers selling up
StartPick one suburban megastore, not five small shops
Why the big stores are out in the suburbs
Central Tokyo resale shops are mostly about clothes and bags. Space is expensive, and a sofa takes up the floor of twenty jackets. Fridges, washing machines, beds and desks live in the large branches on the outer wards, often on main roads with car parks. That's annoying if you don't drive. It also means the selection is far better, and most of these stores will bring the item to your door for a fee.
Our advice: go once, measure everything before you leave home, and buy the bulky things in one trip so you pay for one delivery run instead of three.
West Tokyo: two stores, one bus stop apart
1 Treasure Factory Nerima
The company itself calls this one of the biggest sales floors in Tokyo, and it carries large furniture and appliances alongside clothing, instruments and AV gear. It is built for drivers, with 25 parking spaces. Buyback desk closes at 18:00, two hours before the shop does, so arrive early if you're also selling.
2 Off House Oizumi-gakuen
A combined Off House and Hard Off branch about a kilometre from Treasure Factory Nerima, so you can compare prices on the same fridge in one afternoon. Walking from the station takes roughly 30 minutes; the bus is the sane choice. Off House is the floor for homeware and furniture, Hard Off for electronics.
East Tokyo: Adachi for big items
3 Treasure Factory Adachi-Ogi
Upstairs from a Konan home centre, which is handy: buy a used washing machine here, then go downstairs for the hose, a laundry rack and curtain rails. Large furniture and appliances are in stock, and the shared car park is huge. Check the route on the store's map page before you set out; it is not a station-front shop.
4 Off House Adachi-Minamihanahata
A Hobby Off shares the address, so this is a good stop if you also want cheap games or toys. The store page looks a few years old, so call 03-5851-9401 before a long trip to confirm hours.
Central option: electronics only
5 Hard Off Akihabara 2
No sofas here, but if you need a TV, speakers, a game console, a camera or a cheap PC, this is the easiest big branch to reach by train. The junk section sells untested gear as-is. Only buy junk if you can fix it or don't mind losing the money.
Delivery and warranties, in numbers
Treasure Factory's delivery price depends on straight-line distance from the store and weight (as of Oct 2026):
- Within 5 km: ¥4,950 for one item under 40 kg, ¥7,150 for one item of 40 kg or more
- 5.1–10 km: ¥6,000 / ¥8,250
- 10.1–20 km: ¥7,150 / ¥9,350
- Two to four items within 5 km: ¥8,250 together
Delivery is to your entrance, not into the room. The earliest slot is two days after you order, and you can't pick a time. Walk-up buildings cost extra. If you spend ¥5,000 or more and live within a 90-minute round trip, the store lends a light truck for free, which beats paying if a friend can drive.
On warranties: Treasure Factory gives store-sold appliances 6 months, or 12 months on items tagged with a "家電1年保証" sign, and you claim at the same store with the certificate. 2nd STREET offers a 6-month refund guarantee on appliances. Keep that paper with the manual.
Selling when you leave: bring your residence card
Every licensed second-hand dealer has to confirm who you are before buying from you. In practice:
- The card itself. 2nd STREET lists the residence card (在留カード) as accepted ID. It must be the original, valid, and show your current address. A copy of your residence record (住民票) won't do.
- Address mismatch? For home pickup, 2nd STREET asks for a recent utility bill or similar if your card's address is old. Update your card at the ward office before moving day.
- Age limits on pickup. 2nd STREET's free home buyback takes appliances made within the last 10 years and furniture bought within 15.
- Hard Off pays cash. Appraisal takes 10 to 15 minutes, and you can walk away if the price is low. Its site asks for government ID with your name and address but doesn't name the residence card, so bring it and ask at the counter.
- Free pickup for gear. Hard Off's capital-area centre visits homes in the 23 wards for audio, instruments, cameras and high-end brand goods, booked by LINE, email or 0120-25-8102 (10:00–19:00).
Who should sell to a shop, and who shouldn't? If you have a week left and a full flat, a shop or home pickup is worth the lower price. If you have a month, a Mercari or Jimoty listing usually pays more for anything you can carry. Our guide to furnishing second-hand covers those apps and bulky waste.
Words that work
- これは何年製ですか？ (kore wa nan-nen sei desu ka?) — What year was this made?
- 配送料はいくらですか？ (haisōryō wa ikura desu ka?) — How much is delivery?
- 在留カードで大丈夫ですか？ (zairyū kādo de daijōbu desu ka?) — Is my residence card OK as ID?
The smartest move in a new Tokyo flat is patience. Live with the empty corner for a week, find out what you actually need, then make one trip to a big store and let the truck do the rest.
— John Nanjo
Keep reading
- Furnish Your Tokyo Apartment Second-Hand: Recycle Shops, Apps and Sayonara Sales
- Getting Around Tokyo: Trains, IC Cards, the Last Train and Taxis
- More for residents: Live in Tokyo · Free & Cheap
Sources: Treasure Factory Nerima, Trefac Market delivery, Treasure Factory Adachi-Ogi, Treasure Factory guarantee, Off House Oizumi-gakuen, Off House Adachi-Minamihanahata, Hard Off Akihabara 2, Hard Off in-store buyback, Hard Off capital-area pickup, 2nd STREET furniture & appliances, 2nd STREET home buyback, Tokyo Metropolitan Police – second-hand dealer ID checks
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