Resident interview - ARDEN SAKURADAI | Tokyo Guest house Share Apartment by Share Style

Pre-Movein Questions

Before you moved in to Share Style, what were your expectations?
I was looking for a more communal environment to live in, and was expecting Share Style to provide an environment for me to live with native Japanese and be able to practice my Japanese every day.

Why did you want to live in a share house, what qualities were you looking for compared to any apartment?
I wanted a more communal atmosphere than was typically provided by an apartment, and a larger/more affordable space than an apartment in Tokyo typically provided. I also wanted a way to meet people and practice my Japanese, as when moving to a new city, it is sometimes harder to meet people, especially if you are living by yourself. I also wanted to avoid the prohibitively high costs that moving in Japan entails, with such fees as Key Money and Agent Fees. Most share house companies seemed to provide this, as opposed to renting my own apartment.

Share Style Questions

What qualities about Share Style interested you, what were the best points?
I was very interested in the fact that Share Style encourages foreigners and native Japanese to live together, as some other share house companies only allow foreigners, and I wanted to improve my Japanese ability. The size of the rooms and the locations were also very convenient. Also the focus on language learning environments in each of the houses was very important to me, as I was interested in not just a place to live, but a place to learn as well.

Why did you choose a Share Style house over other guest house companies?
Share Style allowed me to share with other native Japanese, something that some houses that just catered towards foreigners would not allow. I found the smaller size of the houses, at about 12-15 tenants each, to be a plus that`d allow you to actually meet and become long lasting friends with other housemates. The quality of furnishings and rooms, as well as the fact that all houses seemed very recently renovated, was another large plus. Finally, the fact that Share Style is such a small company with more of a family atmosphere was a large draw, as they made me feel instantly welcome with the company, rather than just another nameless tenant living in one of their rooms.

Tenant Questions

What are the good parts of living in a share house now?
Most of all, the people I live with. Everyone is really friendly and it is like I found a new family here. Even with tenants who have already left the share house, I`ve formed friendships that I will keep with me wherever I go. The company is also fantastic, and due to their smaller nature, is always willing to help with whatever problems I may be experiencing.

Living in a share house with Japanese, how have your language abilities improved?
My level of conversational Japanese has improved greatly, by being immersed in it every day and going out with friends from my share house. You can`t live in a total state of immersion and not improve your Japanese. If I were living in an apartment, I`d be isolated and could just consume English-related media and never really improve my level of Japanese.

Do you have anything else you want to say about your experiences in a share house.
I`m very happy I lived in Share-Style, and will probably be staying here for at least another year while I finish my graduate studies. I encourage anyone interested in this kind of highly social living atmosphere to come for a house tour. I moved in directly from overseas so had no such option, but am still very pleased and do not regret the choice at all.