A Sapporo rental’s priciest gas bill came in May

April was ¥13,200. May was ¥28,988. In that Sapporo apartment, the propane plan went back to metered billing around Golden Week, while there were still days cold enough to turn on the gas heater. The bill dropped to ¥13,200 again in November, when the flat rate kicked back in. At their old city-gas apartment, the tenant sometimes turned the heater off when home alone. On the winter flat rate they ran it from morning to bedtime and filled the bath. In summer, back on the regular rate, they usually took showers. Another Sapporo renter paid about ¥7,000 for propane in winter and mostly took showers. Their room heater ran on kerosene. When a listing says 冬季定額, it’s worth asking which months that covers and what heats the living room. The gas bill may only be telling you what it cost to get hot water.