Hiring a Housekeeper in Japan
Hiring a housekeeper is rare in Japan compared to some other countries. The combination of unchanging gender roles, the fact that many Japanese people often do not invite strangers or even friends to their homes, and the fact that housekeeping services are viewed as a luxury, have stopped housekeeping from becoming common in the country.
Still, there are housekeeping services operating in Japan that are available to provide you with a helping hand if you are looking to hire some help around the house.
So let's take a look at what services housekeepers in Japan can provide, what to keep in mind when hiring a housekeeper, and finally look at some of the housekeeping services available in Tokyo and Japan at large.
Services Offered by Housekeeping Agencies in Japan
Though overall demand for housekeepers is low in Japan, the agencies that do provide these services are usually high quality.
A two-hour housekeeping session might include some of the following:
・Kitchen Cleaning:
Including cleaning the countertops, stove, and sink. The housekeeper may also help organize your pantry and wipe down appliances.
・Bathroom Cleaning:
Including scrubbing down the bathtub and shower room, along with cleaning toilets and washing floors.
・Living Room Cleaning:
Including dusting furniture, cleaning surfaces, vacuuming carpets and floors, and adjusting cushions.
・Bedroom Tidying:
Including making the bed and organizing your wardrobe. The housekeeper could also dust or clean furniture and vacuum.
・Entryway Cleaning:
Including sweeping floors and organizing or cleaning shoes.
On top of these regular household chores, housekeepers may also be able to do some or all of the following:
・gardening
・laundry, including ironing
・dropping off and picking up dry-cleaning
・receiving deliveries
・grocery shopping
・cooking (including meal prep)
・organizing and throwing out garbage
Not all agencies may be able to provide all of these services. It is also important to note that housekeepers in Japan are not allowed to provide any nursing or medical assistance.
How Much Do Housekeepers Cost?
How much you pay for housekeeping services varies depending on the agency and how much work the housekeeper does in your home, but here are some average fees you might expect to pay when a housekeeper visits:
・Base Rate (per hour): 2,000-4,600 yen
・Extensions (per 30 minutes): 1,500-2,300 yen
・Transportation Costs: 700-1000 yen
・Key holding fee: 0-1000 yen
Housekeeping Service Agencies with English Support
If you are looking to hire a housekeeping service to help maintain the cleanliness of your home, here are a few agencies that offer English support. This support may be English-speaking housekeepers, coordinators, or interpreters.
・Duskin Merry Maids
Duskin's Merry Maid service has been running for over 30 years. They can provide service nationwide and provide a variety of housekeeping services.
For more information, check out the Duskin Merry Maids website here. The website is only in Japanese, but you can find English leaflets and price lists at the bottom of the page.
・Pasona Kurashinity
All the staff employed by Pasona Kurashinity have experience working as housekeepers abroad, which is this agency's biggest selling point.
This agency's service area covers Tokyo and Kanagawa. If you don't speak Japanese, an English-speaking coordinator will come together with the housekeeper to consult with you and make sure that everyone is on the same page about what needs to be done.
For more information, check out their website here.
・Bears
All the housekeeping staff at Bears are English-speaking Filipinos, who graduated from housekeeping training schools officially recognized by the Philippine government. The staff is highly skilled and experienced in taking care of household chores in Japanese homes.
This agency offers its services in Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Osaka. For more information, check out their website here. While the website is in Japanese, it does state that Bears' staff can speak English, Japanese, and Filipino.
・Taskaji
Taskaji is a platform that connects housekeepers registered on their site directly to clients, based on the client's needs. You can look through the housekeepers and contact the one who can best take care of the tasks you need to be done. Taskaji can connect you to housekeepers in Kanto, Kansai, and Fukuoka.
Many housekeepers registered on Taskaji come from other countries or worked as English teachers before becoming housekeepers, so you should be able to find a housekeeper you can communicate with if you cannot speak Japanese.
For more information, check out Taskaji's website here.
Things to Consider When Hiring a Housekeeper in Japan
Here are some important points to keep in mind if you are thinking of hiring a housekeeper.
・Don't hire the cheapest housekeeper.
Agencies with higher rates often invest more in training, which leads to higher quality, more reliable housekeepers.
・Choose an agency that clearly explains what they can and cannot do.
If an agency is clear about what they can and cannot do for you when giving you an estimate, it will help avoid any issues down the road.
・Pay close attention to customer feedback.
These reviews will help give you a better sense of whether the agency can provide good housekeeping services or not.
・Understand the cancellation policy.
Choose an agency that clearly states when cancellation fees apply and when full refunds are possible to avoid losing money if you have to cancel for whatever reason.
Housekeeping services may not be as widely available in Japan and may not provide as many services as housekeeping agencies in your home country might, but it is still absolutely possible to find agencies that should be able to meet your needs.
Good luck finding a housekeeper that suits you and your family so that you can have more opportunities to spend time how you would like to, instead of spending all your time cleaning!
