What Apaman Shop does

Apaman Shop, operated by APAMAN Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, founded 1989), is Japan's largest rental housing intermediation brand with a franchise-led network of over 1,000 stores covering all 47 prefectures. The platform enables individuals to search for rental apartments, condominiums, and detached houses through a nationwide property database accessible via website, mobile app, AI chatbot (ベあ〜君/Bear-kun), video consultation, and physical franchise locations. Differentiated search criteria include pet-friendly, designer, guarantor-free, credit-card payment, and commute-time filters, plus specialized tools such as Rent Market Price Search (30-day rolling rent benchmark by prefecture/station/floor plan) and the おくROOM Virtual Interior Simulator for furniture placement visualization. Value-added services include BunChinPAY (installment payment of move-in costs), ARUARU MEMBERS (premium tier), and Ponta loyalty point integration, with partnerships extending the post-match lifecycle into furniture (LOWYA), mobility (ecobike), and relocation events.

Revenue is generated primarily through real estate brokerage commissions on successful tenant transactions, supplemented by recurring franchise fees from affiliated real estate operators joining the FC network and managed property services for landlords through APAMAN Property. The company also extends services overseas for Japanese expatriates in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Sriracha. APAMAN Co., Ltd. operates a corporate group that includes Apaman Network (platform/franchise operator), APAMAN Property (property management), and a portfolio of adjacent subsidiaries across energy retail (APAMAN Energy), co-working (fabbit), real estate transaction portals (akibaco, SUMiTAS), asset management (Asset Bank), and IT services (System Soft, SS Technologies, Seltech). Customer segments are primarily individual renters, with secondary segments serving Japanese expatriates, property owners/landlords, and prospective franchisees from the real estate industry. The firm is privately held, with no disclosed funding rounds, revenue figures, leadership changes, or mergers and acquisitions in the input data.

Independent third-party research confirms the firm's market position: #1 ranking in rental housing intermediation store count (Excrea survey, May 2024) and #1 ranking in rental housing intermediation contract volume (Tokyo Shoko Research, October 2025, covering September 2024 – August 2025).

Name

Apaman Shop

Legal name

APAMAN Co., Ltd.

Website

https://apamanshop.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Apaman Shop, operated by APAMAN Co., Ltd., is Japan's largest rental housing intermediation network, with over 1,000 franchise stores across all 47 prefectures offering property search, online consultation, chatbot, and mobile app tools to individual renters, plus brokerage, franchise, and managed services revenue streams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Brokerage Services

NAICS

Residential Property Managers (531311)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Multifamily Apartment Property Management (BPAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Owner Services, Reporting & Portfolio Administration (THAMAKAI)

Keywords

• Rental property search
• Apartment listings
• Property brokerage services
• Franchise real estate network
• Housing intermediation

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Brokerage Commission (仲介手数料): Apaman Shop acts as an intermediary between property owners and renters, earning commission fees for successful matches. This is the primary revenue stream from tenant transactions.
2. Franchise Fees: Real estate companies pay franchise fees to join the Apaman Shop network, gaining access to the brand, property database, systems, and operational support.
3. Property Management Services: Services for property owners including rental management, tenant placement, and property maintenance services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Apaman Shop operates Japan's largest rental property intermediation platform, connecting renters with landlords through a network of over 1,000 franchise and direct stores. The company provides rental housing search, lease contract intermediation, and ongoing rental support via a multi-channel digital platform — website, mobile app, and AI chatbot consultation — supplemented by in-person brokerage at physical stores.

Product overview

Apaman Shop is a comprehensive rental property search platform offering Japan-wide coverage through over 1,000 stores. The core product is the property search platform enabling users to find apartments, mansions, and detached houses with advanced filtering options. Key supporting services include the AI chatbot (べあ～君) for conversational property search, mobile app for on-the-go access, online consultation for remote assistance, and specialized search features covering 38+ criteria. The platform also extends internationally to China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Philippines through dedicated overseas property search services. Additional value-added services include BunChinPAY for installment payments, Ponta loyalty program, and ARUARU MEMBERS premium membership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ARUARU MEMBERS: Premium membership program offering exclusive experiences and benefits for members.
• BunChinPAY (ぶんちんPAY)

Products and services

• Apaman Shop Online Property Search Web-based property search portal allowing renters to search and browse available rental listings across Japan. Provides online access to the property inventory aggregated through Apaman Shop's franchise and direct store network.
• Apaman Shop Mobile Application Mobile application for iOS/Android providing on-the-go access to rental property search, listings, and broker contact functionality for Japanese consumers.
• Apaman Shop AI Chatbot Consultation AI-powered chatbot that provides online consultation to renters searching for housing, addressing common queries about listings, neighborhoods, and the lease process.
• Apaman Shop In-Store Brokerage Service In-person rental housing brokerage service delivered through Apaman Shop's nationwide network of over 1,000 franchise and direct stores, providing personalized search assistance, property viewings, and lease contract support.
• Apaman Shop Property Management Service Property management service for landlords and property owners, supporting ongoing tenant relations, rent collection, and property maintenance coordination.

Quantifiable outcome

• #1 in rental housing mediation store count - confirmed by independent research
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• PontaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLoyalty point partnership allowing Apaman Shop customers to earn and redeem Ponta points on rental transactions and services
• ARUARU MEMBERSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium membership service partnership offering non-everyday, premium experiences for members using Apaman Shop services
• LOWYAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFurniture e-commerce partnership promoting LOWYA's extensive furniture catalog to Apaman Shop customers moving into new apartments
• ecobikeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEcology-focused bicycle rental/sales partnership providing eco-friendly transportation options for new residents
• Sky Art Festival 2026minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partnership for cultural/art event targeting young adults searching for apartments
• Related Group Companies (EL CAMINO REAL, APAMAN, akibaco, SUMiTAS, Asset Bank)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of affiliated companies within the Apaman Group ecosystem offering complementary real estate services including FC franchising, property management, portal sites, buy-sell investments, and asset management

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LIFULL HOME'S: LIFULL's HOME'S is a leading Japanese rental and sale property portal with nationwide listings and renter-facing tools. It directly competes for property search traffic and partner agency relationships across Japan.
• SUUMO: Operated by Recruit, SUUMO is Japan's largest online real estate portal covering rentals, sales, and new builds. It competes directly with Apaman Shop for renter search demand and increasingly influences the funnel that flows into Apaman Shop's franchise stores.
• いえらぶ (Ielove): Ielove is a Japanese rental and sale property portal with strong presence in metropolitan areas, offering search and agency partnership services. It overlaps with Apaman Shop on renter acquisition and franchise/agency network relationships.
• CHINTAI: CHINTAI is a long-standing Japanese rental property portal providing nationwide listings and renter-facing search. It directly competes with Apaman Shop for renter attention and agency partnerships.
• AtHome: AtHome operates one of Japan's major rental and sale property portals, with strong regional coverage and an agency network. It is a direct competitor to Apaman Shop's online and intermediary offerings.
• Yahoo!不動産: Yahoo Japan's real estate vertical aggregates rental listings and agency content. As a high-traffic portal, it competes for renter search demand that could otherwise route through Apaman Shop's owned channels.

Others

• いい生活 (i-Life / ES-1): i-Life provides back-office and CRM software for Japanese real estate brokerages. It serves agencies that may also be Apaman Shop franchisees or competitors, making it an adjacent enabler in the rental intermediation ecosystem.

Emerging players

• itandi: itandi provides property tech SaaS (CRM, e-contract, tenant apps) for Japanese rental agencies. While not a consumer portal, it equips competing agencies with digital tools that can erode Apaman Shop's technology-based differentiation at the franchisee level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/apamanshop
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheApamanshopchannel/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/apamanshopcom
• Instagraminstagram.com/apaman_shop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Apaman Shop