Posted on

Tenant’s Interview ▏Living in a Share House while Experiencing Working Holiday in Kyoto

From this interview with one of our tenants at Borderless House, we would like to show you a little about what made them choose Borderless House and what life living at a multi-cultural sharehouse has been like for them!

It is a great way to get a feel for the environment at our sharehouses! 

Interview with Tarek from Canada, who came to Kyoto on a Working Holiday visa, and spent 6 months at Borderless House Kuramaguchi

  •  – How did you find BORDERLESS HOUSE? Also, why did you choose to stay at Borderless House?

I found Borderless House through Reddit. There was a “Moving to japan” subreddit and it gives a lot of information about Japan, and there was a list of “Foreigner friendly housing options” for people that are looking for a short-term stay in japan.

And I chose Borderless House because I saw all the profiles of different people and different nationalities and what they’re doing in japan. It seemed like a very welcoming place with a lot of live interaction with both Japanese and foreigners, where I could get an immediate sense of community in Japan. Since I wouldn’t have had one otherwise if I moved in by myself into my own apartment. And having to form my own social circle talking to strangers.

  • – Did you have any concerns or worries before coming? How did you solve them?

Initially, getting the visa. Since when I was applying, it was during the end of the pandemic. So, I had a concern about having a company sponsor me to come here. And then the second biggest was definitely the accommodation. Knowing how difficult it is to get accommodation as a foreigner in a country where you’re not really established.

Borderless House did really help a lot because I was the most worried about just being alone in a country where you don’t understand anything with the language barriers. Such as the Borderless House staff would gather events to meet new people. My housemates have been very helpful as well. They would make a phone call for you, and go to the ward office with you. So those difficulties were solved due to my own research as well as the support of my housemates and the staff here.

  • – When you applied for the share house and the other process, did you think everything went smoothly?

It was surprisingly fast. I mean I just put in the form and then 10 minutes later. The staff from Borderless House contacted me on skype and he was: do you have time for a call right now we talked and my accommodation was settled. The process went smoothly.

During the Skype call, everything was very easy to understand. Everything was given to you straight up as you were talking about it. Nothing was really unclear about the process and it was kind of easy that you could just pay with your credit card, you don’t have to worry about being in the country to actually get the accommodation, which is kind of a big barrier.

For a lot of people where you need a Japanese address or to be in the country to actually rent something. And it was much easier online. You got everything in like 30 minutes and then you just signed up if you feel comfortable with the property.

Living with 13 people – It might seem daunting at first, but there’s lots of room for new experiences.

  • – How did you like your stay at BORDERLESS HOUSE KYOTO-KURAMAGUCHI?

At first, I was kind of worried to be living with 13 other people. I’m kind of a solitary person for the most part, but I grew to like it pretty quickly.

I noticed that every night, there was something going on there. It was either just someone to drink with or a small party or an event. It might seem daunting at first, but there’s lots of room for new experiences. And you really want to put yourself in the position as if you were in your normal day-to-day life.

Because if I live alone after I go home, I would just watch TV, play video games, go to sleep, and then it’ll be the next day, whereas you don’t like that option of comfort, which is a bit of a downside, but it also forces you out of your comfort zone and gets you to do more things.

  • – What do you like the most about living in a share house/ living with others?

It’s definitely the parties. Such as welcome parties, bye-bye parties. It is just the sense of community at the end of the night.

They’re always different conversations going on. You’re talking to different people, meeting new people. There’s no single one that stands out but just the memory of the “Sense of community”, when we would all come together and just be like one, big international family.

The share house life is much better than I expected

  • – Do you have your own private time even living in a share house?

Yeah, sure, in my private time, what I usually like to do is go to the river close to the share house. So I’ll just put on my headphones, take a walk and then grab a coffee at a nice cafe nearby in the neighborhood.

I enjoy walking over to the river, using my camera, or just sitting there for a couple of hours, just watching the river.

  • – Have you ever lived in this kind of environment before? Is everything the same as you imagined?

No, the only other people I would ever live with were my parents. This is my first time living with this amount of people and like, strangers,

It was much closer than I imagined because I pictured myself to be a bit more standoffish. But it was nicer because you always hear horror stories about living with others, but I feel like I got very lucky with my housemates. They are very considerate and always very kind to each other. So it’s much better than I expected.

Learn Japanese! – it’s like having seven free Japanese tutors around in the house

  • – How good is your Japanese? How do you communicate with your housemates?

Not very good. (Laugh) Most of my housemates speak a basic level of English. And the worst-case scenario is just emoting in sign language, you mix English and Japanese. It’s all about really trying and just trying to get the message across. It’s a lot of sign language and guesswork, but you get the message across to people.

  • – How did living with Japanese people help you learn Japanese?

I did two weeks at a language school, but I did not like actually doing the process of like going every week, just because I felt like that was a bit too much commitment. But the immersion and like seeing how the words are used in more of a colloquial context, like a day-to-day context.

I wouldn’t be able to speak Japanese in a very proper way, but I learn a lot, like the day-to-day conversation, slang, and useful phrases. There are daily expressions for you to do and do every day. So just by talking you pick up on them and what they’re saying in the context and then you internalize it that way. And then if you’re seeing it wrong, you get corrected right away.

So it’s like having seven free Japanese tutors just moving around.

  • – We know that you also make a lot of friends from different share houses of BORDERLESS HOUSE!

Yeah, Borderless House is a bit interconnected, for example, every once in a while, some tenants would come down from Tokyo Borderless House. Also, there are events like the sports days or Momiji.

You have your own community, but you also have a little bit of an extended community.
Events pop up to have the opportunity to meet other people, from outside your house. And interact with them as like, you have your new family here and then you have your extended family inverse of Japan.

Could you give some advice for those who are planning to move to Japan from overseas?

Learn Japanese first! And, just keep your mind open and don’t shut things off because you think that they’re not going to be for you or that scary. Just take the chance, because not making a decision is in itself a decision.

So, go for it to your best and just keep trying.

Posted on

Working in Japan ▏What is Shukatsu? Job hunting in Japan

Hi, I am Aisha from jimomin.work! Working abroad might be challenging!
Japan is facing the social issue of an aging population and a low birth rate. Consequently, there is a high demand for skilled workers from both local and international companies in Japan.

Process of Shukatsu for university student

Shukatsu 就活 is a Japanese term, short term for shūshoku katsudō which means job hunting. During this time, university students look for full-time jobs before their graduation. One of the unique characteristics of the Japanese job-hunting process is that companies hire new graduates, therefore, most of the students have a job contract when they graduate.

Typical Process of Shukatsu:
1. Find out what you want to do
2. Research on companies
3. Participate in job fairs/job seminars
4. Send entry sheet and/or resume to companies
5. Take written exams and/or SPI tests
6. Interviews (Groups and/or individuals)
7. Wait for the result

The problem faced by foreigners when looking for a job in Japan

One of the biggest problems faced by foreigners when looking for a job in Japan is the language barrier. Many are unfamiliar with the Japanese recruitment system as company explanations and processes are conducted in Japanese. Alongside the language, people also struggle with manners during their job-hunting period. For instance, it is preferred to wear a black suit when going to a job fair or an interview. Even after entering a company, many struggles with “Keigo” or respectful language and business etiquette.

Advice & Suggestions

This does not mean you should give up. But how can you work in Japan? The first would be improving your Japanese language skills, ideally having above Japanese N3 level.
Another way is by consulting with recruiters, preferably those who will guide foreigners. Jimomin.work is one of the employment support services (就職支援サービス). We support foreigners looking for jobs in Japan, matching them to a suitable company for free. For instance:
● Jimomin.work has a FREE Japanese Business Course which will help in becoming familiar with terms used in business
● Help in preparing resumes and interviews
● SNS accounts that share shukatsu information
● Host matching events where job-seekers can find companies who are looking to recruit foreigners. Our previous event had a matching rate of 100%!
● Lastly, one of the obstacles, is SPI tests, and frequent interviews are not required when applying through jimomin.work!

Conclusion

Job hunting can be long and tiring, especially when there is a language barrier. However, you are not alone! There is always help via consulting your career center in your university, recruitment companies and even asking your senpais! You can also talk freely to jimomin.work as well!

Posted on

Where to Stay in Japan ▏How to find the right match?

Moving to a foreign country can be very daunting. First, you have to find a realtor, maybe one that speaks your language so you’re not struggling with the language barrier. Then you may also have to decide where you want to live, and factor in budget, lifestyle, and what you’re looking for in an accommodation, all of which you might even be done from far overseas.

To resolve your concerns about “where to stay in Japan?“, “how do I find the right match?”, we would like to introduce BORDERLESS HOUSE to you!

Brief introduction of BORDERLESS HOUSE

Many people may think sharehouses are noisy and inconvenient, but that’s certainly not the case! The right sharehouse might actually provide you with peace of mind and solve many of your problems.

At Borderless House, our share houses not only are full of people eager to make friends, but thanks to a multicultural staff, it’s also very stress-free to find the right place to stay. Borderless House staff are quick and responsive, with multiple language support. So staff can help you choose which house best suits what you’re looking for during your time in Japan, and make the reservation process extremely stress-free. It’s even possible to reserve a room within as little as three days!

Merits of choosing to stay at a share house in Tokyo as foreigners

People may travel to Tokyo for many different reasons, so is a share house right for you?
One really wonderful aspect of living at a sharehouse is how quickly you can meet people and make friends. Naturally, you’ll have the chance to learn a lot about many foreign cultures and do a lot of language exchange. And, because Borderless House residents are made up of both Japanese and foreign residents, this also means you have a great support network to help you with many different aspects of living in Japan.

There are over 40 Borderless Houses in Tokyo alone, in various neighborhoods and with their own unique traits. We have picked 5 featured share houses for you, let’s take a look!

BORDERLESS HOUSE HONKOMAGOME1

Borderless House Honkomagome1 is a new house located in the Ueno/Asakusa/Akihabara area of Tokyo, with ten private rooms! It is also very conveniently located to train lines such as the Tokyo Metro Namboku line and JR Yamanote loop line. These stations are within five minutes away. For anyone who works in areas like Ikebukuro or Shinjuku, a quick fifteen-minute train ride makes commuting very easy.

There is also a very convenient shopping area located not too far away from the house, with supermarkets, drug stores, and bookstores. This Yanaka-Sendagi neighborhood is full of history, once serving as a gateway to old Tokyo, Edo, along the Nakasendo Highway. Today there are also many houses that once served as residences for feudal lords.

One such historic location is the Rikugien Garden, located very nearby. Not only does this offer you a place to get away from the city at times and enjoy some greenery, you’ll also have a great front-row seat to the seasons changing, such as sakura in spring and autumn leaves in fall. Enjoy lovely walks with your roommates any time of year!

BORDERLESS HOUSE ROPPONGI1

For those who really want to live right in the center of Tokyo’s exciting city life, Roppongi1 share house is a great choice! Roppongi is known for being a hotspot for new and exciting shopping, museums, and events.

Roppongi is called a city-within-a-city, because of the interconnectedness of its buildings. There are whole residential, shopping, and business areas around the station, full of stylish shops and cafes to explore. It’s also a great area for events like live music and nightlife, and Roppongi is famous for its stunning view of Tokyo city’s skyline.

The nearest station to the sharehouse is Roppongi station itself, meaning you’re right on the Toei Oedo and Metro Hibiya lines. Shibuya is 7 minutes away, and Shinjuku is only 9! It’s hard to beat that sort of convenience to the most lively areas of Tokyo.

Roppongi1 share house has sixteen private rooms, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to meet other people. The living area has a stylish kitchen and lots of space for hanging out with the rest of your share mates.

BORDERLESS HOUSE SHINAGAWA-OIMACHI2

Shinagawa is known for being a mostly business district, but for locals living in the area, there are a surprising number of unique things to do and see. If you like day trips, there are even direct trains to Yokohama, and Shinagawa is right on the Tokaido Shinkansen line, going directly to Kyoto and Osaka!

Borderless Shinagawa-Oimachi2 share house is located only a few minutes away from sights such as the Shinagawa Aquarium and Shinagawa Temple. The aquarium especially is popular for dates, and appears in many dramas!

There are also unique museums such as the Archi-Depot Museum, for anyone interested in architecture, and Senkakuji Temple is a historic testament to the famous story of the 47 ronin. This is an area rich with history.

The sharehouse itself is located in a quiet neighborhood, without sacrificing convenience. Located close to a major train station like Shinagawa, it is very surprising to find rooms are so wide and spacious. Because the house has less than ten tenants, it’s a peaceful sharehouse that lets you grow close to your flatmates in a relaxed atmosphere. Enjoy the hominess of this house, and quiet chats in the comfy living room, while still having plenty of privacy in your own room.

BORDERLESS HOUSE KUGAHARA1

Kugahara Station is on the Tokyu Ikegami Line in Ota Ward, Tokyo. With direct access to Kamata in 8 minutes and Gotanda in 17 minutes, it is convenient for commuting.

Denenchofu, an upscale residential area, is located nearby, but Kugahara has the most reasonable rent in Ota Ward. It is a quiet residential area with excellent public safety, making it a safe place to live for both single people and families.

An old-fashioned shopping arcade stretches from in front of the station, and it is full of unique individual stores and convenient shopping for any of your daily needs, with supermarkets open until late no matter what time you arrive home. It is a town where you can relax when you come home without the noise of the city.

A short walk away is the natural beauty of the Tama River, creating a relaxing break from urban living whenever you need a little nature. Wide open spaces are hard to find in Tokyo proper, but at Kugahara you’ll find that’s not the case at all.

Borderless Kugahara share house has a lovely open concept, with lots of airy light and wood features. The rooms are also very wide and spacious, with very big windows and a wrap-around balcony.

BORDERLESS HOUSE KIKUKAWA1

Kikukawa1 share house is located in a very popular area of Tokyo, with its location close to the famous Tokyo Sky Tree. With Asakusa only 6 minutes by foot and access to the Toei Shinjuku Line from Kikugawa station, you’ll always have places to go and things to do! Stores and restaurants are all very nearby, making it an extremely convenient location. Akihabara and Ueno can also be easily reached by bike.

Nearby attractions include the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Edo Tokyo Museum. It’s also very close to Ryogoku Kokukigan National Sumo arena! The Sumida and Otani rivers are also very nearby, meaning you have a few lovely quiet areas to hang out not too far away. The Sumida River is particularly famous in spring for cherry blossom viewing!

In spite of its convenience, the house itself is located in a quiet area and has a very cozy atmosphere. With only six tenants total, it’s a great choice for those who want to come back at the end of the day to a nice quiet house. There’s even a lovely rooftop balcony to hang out on the third floor. And then if you ever want to have a more lively get-together, there are two other sharehouses nearby, making it easy to meet up for more fun!

Lastly

Sharehouses at their best give you the opportunity to live comfortably and conveniently, and also provide valuable opportunities to meet and talk with other people. Just like Tokyo is an incredibly varied metropolis with all manner of people and neighborhoods, Borderless House share houses are very varied as well! No matter what you prefer, there is certainly a house with the right personality for you. Contact us now and we can help you find the right match!

Posted on

Make friends in a foreign language: Making mistakes is the key to getting comfortable!

Hello! My name is Reimi and I currently live in Japan. Like many of you, I fell in love with Japan a long time ago, and so living here is like making a dream come true. But of course, there are all sorts of obstacles to overcome when it comes to living in a foreign country or learning a new language. Given the chance to write about it, I wanted to write about the difficulties and rewards of learning Japanese. Saying you want to learn a foreign language is definitely easier said than done; you’re not alone in struggling, but it can be so worth it! 

YOUR REASON

What brings you to Japan?

The answer to this question might be different for each person, of course. Some people move to Japan for work, some come for school. Some have always wanted to visit, interested in the things that make Japan unique, like scenery, art, or food. Some want to learn Japanese or make friends in Japan. Some even come to Japan and end up never leaving! There are even programs that allow one to travel extensively and stay in foreign countries for an extended period of time with accommodation provided, such as work holidays or internship programs.

No matter what one’s reasons are, however, the fact remains that moving to a foreign country gives one a chance to learn about a new culture and learn a new language. They say that travel can teach you about yourself, expanding your horizons and challenging yourself in unfamiliar situations, so imagine how much more you’ll learn when you live somewhere entirely new.

EXPECTATION VERSUS REALITY

Myself, I’ll have been living in Japan for almost five years total. For most of that time, I came as a student, so making friends was definitely something I was looking forward to. Plus, at the time I moved, I had just barely graduated high school and I had never lived apart from my family, so there were always concerns that I would be isolated without a network as I had back home. I would be fending for myself for the first time – and in a foreign country where I barely spoke the language no less! From the start, I was too excited to think of anything but finally being in Japan for the long term, but my family held a lot of apprehensions about a young woman living alone in a foreign country.

But honestly speaking, if I had to choose one thing, the scariest thing about having moved to Japan is speaking Japanese. There are still times I worry that my language ability is not enough when I am nervous about being able to convey to the other person the things I am thinking. Or that I’m going to misunderstand or be disrespectful.

For a younger me, this was actually really terrifying. I would think to myself: How can I become friends with someone when we don’t speak the same language? Why would they like me when I can’t tell them about myself? When I can’t understand them? When I’m constantly making mistakes?

But as I’ve gotten more comfortable living in Japan, the more I realize that that way of thinking is entirely wrong. As scary as it is, and especially how difficult it is, I think one of the most important things I’ve learned is that making mistakes is the key to getting good.

No one does anything perfectly from the start. No one can automatically play piano without hitting a few wrong notes or ride a bike without falling a few times. Learning a language is no different. Language learning shouldn’t be treated as a one-time test where you are either fluent or you’re not. Learning how to speak a new language and getting comfortable with it will take time. You need to ‘break in’ so to speak.

The easiest way to do this is to simply use it, mistakes and all. Every mistake I have made while learning Japanese makes it easier as well to remember the correction, which in turn gives me the feeling that I’m really improving, even if it’s little by little. And sometimes too, the mistakes I make are the very reason I make friends. Sometimes it’s someone catching an error and generously correcting me, or sometimes it’s a little slip of the tongue that makes us laugh, humor transcending language in a way that needs no translation.

We learn from our mistakes.

When I first moved to Japan, of course, I heard a lot more Japanese than I had in America. I had gotten used to the convenience store routine (‘do you need a bag?’ ‘would you like this warmed up?’ ‘do you have a point card?’), and I could tell which ingredients I needed at the grocery store. But compared to when I first came to Japan, my speaking ability had barely improved at all.

The issue was this: I was not actually speaking Japanese!

AN IMPORTANT WAKE UP CALL

All of my friends spoke English. I didn’t have a tv and didn’t even try to read books in Japanese. There were events at school that I did not join, thinking I didn’t speak enough Japanese to be of any help or have any fun. In other words, I was a foreigner living in Japan, without really living in Japan. In other words, I had found myself in the “foreigner bubble” where I was not using Japanese in my life.

Naturally, it’s easier to express yourself the way you want to express yourself when you are using your mother tongue. And no surprise, it can be easier to “click” with another person when you don’t have to first surpass the hurdle of understanding what the other person is saying.

But I think that being able to speak fluently is completely different from being able to communicate, and your language ability will have nothing to do with it!

Every time you speak you are improving your language skills, polishing things like pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. Just like riding a bike, practice makes perfect!


CREATING THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITIES

So maybe the next question is, how do I start to speak more Japanese? Of course, maybe it’s a little strange to start striking up a conversation with the cashier at the register. But there are many ways to find people in social settings and the more you open yourself up to meeting new people, the more friends you’ll find you’ve made!

Here are a few suggestions:

● You can join clubs and sports meetups to find people with similar hobbies. Sharing similar interests means you already share that common ground!

● Striking up a conversation with someone in a bar or restaurant is another great way to practice and sometimes these spontaneous conversations are extremely good practice because the topics can be diverse. There’s no pressure or goal, it’s just a few folks having a good time over food and drinks!

● If you’re in Japan for school or work, you might be in a great spot to meet people! There are always student activities, like group circles or hangouts. And you can also take advantage of working with the same people every day to strike up conversations in passing or use Japanese in more formal settings. Who knows, maybe you’ll become friends naturally?

● There are also language exchange apps like Hellotalk and HiNative. I’ve met lots of people through these apps, and the best part is that these are people who share the same desire as me: to get better at speaking their chosen language.

● Sharehouses! No surprise, sharehouses are great for learning languages! They’re a little like the best of all worlds; they bring together people with similar goals: making friends and learning more about other cultures. Borderless House in particular hosts lots of great events that give tenants a chance to kick back and have fun with one another, so you can really take advantage of the Borderless House’s support network and Borderless Mates network. Another great aspect of sharehouses is that you’re forced to really communicate with each other to live together happily and peacefully. You’ll learn more about other people’s values, unique perspectives, backgrounds, and what inspires them. And better yet, because you live together, it’s only natural that you can become closer a little at a time, day by day.

What do you think?

IN CONCLUSION

Truly, it wasn’t until I made a concerted effort to step out of my comfort zone that I felt my language ability starting to improve. And as my language ability began to improve, Japanese also started to become more and more fun and making friends became easier. Even now, I still make plenty of mistakes, but that’s not a bad thing at all. It’s important to remind yourself that everyone starts somewhere, even you, with your native language, and look at you now!

Perhaps you haven’t yet had the chance to visit, but you’d like to experience Japan for yourself! If you’ve found this page, maybe that day is sooner rather than later. Good luck!

Posted on

Ridilover x BORDERLESS HOUSE ▏Learn about multicultural living! Activity with Japanese senior high school students

On Oct 12 and Oct 26, 2022, BORDERLESS HOUSE was honored to be invited to hold a collaboration event with Ridilover for senior high school students. At the events, the students got to have workshops and discussions on some topics regarding prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping which are the social problems that we aim to solve by creating multicultural living environments.

Before we take you back to this event let me give you a brief introduction to Ridilover!

About Ridilover
Ridilover is a Japanese company that takes on the challenge of quickly resolving social issues by engaging in businesses that “discover” problems and work with them to create solutions. While “breaking down social indifference,” Ridilover aims to create a society with a “network of friendly concern” that includes everyone. To this end, they see every social issue as a problem that can be solved.

Part 1. The purpose of this multicultural living workshop

At the start of the workshop, our Kansai member- Mori Yuki gave a presentation about BORDELRESS HOUSE’s vision and mission, as well as an introduction to the share house and the concept.

While more foreigners are settling in Japan, it is important that there are places where everyone can live in peace and harmony regardless of their nationalities and race. Thus, Borderless House aims to build relationships and connections among people with different backgrounds and gather them together to live under the same roof in our share houses. By doing so, we hope everyone can mutually understand each other without any prejudice or discrimination.

We believe that the solution of providing more people with opportunities for international exchange can accelerate the creation of an ideal multicultural society.

Part 2. Group Discussion – Prejudice and Discrimination

After we shared our vision and concept, at the second part of the workshop, we divided a total of 30 students into 6 groups and discussed:

● What is your image of discriminatory prejudice?
● Do you actually have discriminatory prejudice around you?
● What can we do to eliminate discriminatory prejudice?

The students had intense discussions and shared their own opinions. After the discussion, we asked the students to share their conclusions with us. Here we got many great answers:
● Discrimination and prejudice are all around us, and there is various discrimination prejudice such as gender discrimination, and positive and negative personalities.
● In order to eliminate discrimination and prejudice, I think it is important to know each other more and accept the differences each other.
● Do you have any requests to the government etc. as a measure to eliminate discrimination and prejudice?

Part 3. Share House Tour! Meeting our tenants from different countries

We visited BORDERLESS HOUSE KYOTO-KURAMAGUCHI. Our sweet tenants from Germany, America, Canada, and Japan were there to welcome all the students!

Our tenants shared about their life in a share house, including how to get along with people from different countries, how to communicate with people who speak different languages, the pros and cons of sharing the house and life with others, etc. Students also asked them about the things they’ve experienced living in Japan as a foreigner.

Our foreign tenants also got the chance to practice their Japanese!

↑ Our tenant made very cute direction signs with small ducks at the entrance to welcome the students!

In the future, we hope we can have more opportunities to share our vision with the young generations and let more people know and experience multicultural and multilingual BORDERLESS HOUSE!

If you also like our vision of creating a free of discrimination open-minded multicultural society and would like to cooperate with us for any events, please feel free to contact us HERE.

Let’s promote a wonderful community that is built on mutual understanding and active participation together:)

Posted on

Is Living In A Shared Room Right For You? Pros and Cons & Tips of Smooth Living With A Roommate

When you’re looking for new accommodation, one of the first things you’ll have to decide is whether you want to live with roommates or not. While there’s nothing wrong with living alone, it can get lonely sometimes! So, if you like being surrounded by people more than being alone, living with roommates can be a good option for you!

Some people become lifelong friends with their roommates, while some people struggle with getting along with their roommates due to incompatible lifestyles. There are many pros and cons of living with a roommate, so we’ve made this guide for you to help you make your decision. Meanwhile, giving you some tips on living with housemates or roommates to avoid conflicts. 

Social Considerations of Living with Roommates

Roommates can be a great experience as you have someone to share your life with and hang out with. However, as you share a living space with others, it can be tricky when you need some time alone. So here are the pros and cons for you to consider from the social aspect. 

Pro: Opportunity to make new friends & Always have friends around

Since you’ll be living with your roommates, this can lead to an intimate and lasting bond. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll become best friends, but when you get lonely or need someone to talk to, having roommates can be very nice. You can also have movie nights, dinners, holiday parties, or just spend a random Thursday night with them!

Con: Lack of privacy & Sacrificing personal space

Though it’s nice to always have someone around you, on the other hand,  it means you need to make some sacrifices on your personal space, because your bed may be the only place you can have your own privacy; or you will need to wait till your roommate is not around, so you can enjoy the space your own. All in all, if you need a lot of privacy or space alone, living with a roommate may not be a suitable option for you.  

Financial Considerations of Living with Roommates

Money is usually one of the main factors for most people deciding where to live. As moving to a new country, rental expenses can be a weight on your shoulders. Here are some financial advantages of living in a share house or share room with roommates : 

Pro: Shared rooms are much cheaper!

Depending on the location you’d like to stay and your circumstances, you may not be able to afford to live on your own where you want. Living with a roommate can help you save money on rent, meanwhile, you can have a better chance to live in a much nicer location with affordable and reasonable rent. Sometimes, you can even save money on food and other expenses too by sharing them with your roommates.

Con: You can’t decorate the entire room however you want
When you live alone, you have total control over everything that goes on in your room. However, when you live with roommates, you can only decorate and keep your personal style within your own spaces. 

Lifestyle Considerations – Tips for Smooth Living with Roommates 

Lifestyle can be the most important and tricky part when you live with roommates, since you may have different standards for cleanliness, different living habits, conflicting schedules, etc. As it’s an unavoidable factor you will face when you living with others, we’ve collected some handy tips for you for a smooth living with roommates.

Roommate Agreements & Share Responsibilities

A mutual agreement can be very helpful when you live with roommates. Keep it in mind that you all share responsibilities around your shared space. Set ground rules that cover the basics together, and talk through each of your expectations, habits, and routines together, such as cleanliness standards and rules, morning and bedtime routines, daily schedules, etc. Establishing standards and common ground that you all agree to will help you avoid difficult confrontations in the future. Here are some essential tips you need to know to enhance your shared living experience.

Communication & Keep an Open Mind

Communication is key when living or spending time with others. Try to open yourself up and communicate anything that your roommate should know about you. When issues arise, try to bring up the issue in person, instead of texting or leaving a note, to avoid leading to miscommunication and frustrations. If something is bothering you, have a conversation with your roommate as soon as possible before it grows into a bigger conflict. You can take time to make a plan and think through how you can express yourself, and when communication happens,  be sure to listen for understanding as well.

Understand the Difference & Be Considerate 

It’s important to understand that everyone is from different backgrounds and was raised differently. Realizing, it can save you a lot of frustration you may have when you live with others. Your roommate’s living habits and lifestyles can not be exactly the same as your own, so try to talk to each other and find a way to meet in the middle, especially if your differences can cause conflicts. At the same time, be considerate and take your roommate’s feelings into consideration before jumping to conclusions or making decisions.

There’s no crystal ball to see whether living with roommates is going to be a positive or negative experience. Be sure to weigh all the pros and cons, get yourself prepared, and use the tips for a better and more successful living experience in a share house or a shared room.

Posted on

Towards a Society with Appreciation for Differences ▏A New Base – BORDERLESS STATION is opening!

Hello everyone, I am Seiichi Lee, the representative of BORDERLESS HOUSE Co., Ltd. Our company was founded in 2008, and the goal of our share house business is to create a multicultural society where people can mutually understand each other’s background regardless of race or nationality, and without prejudice or discrimination.

Almost 3 years into the pandemic, our business has been affected by COVID-19 due to the entry restrictions for foreigners to Japan, fortunately, the situation has gradually gotten better. Thus, we’ve started to create a place full of “Cross-cultural Understanding & Multicultural Coexistence”, which also will be a new base for people from around the world can gather together in Japan.

About the New Project


◆The approach to social problems

With the increased number of foreign tourists and foreign employees, the situation of “foreigners not being able to rent a house in Japan” has drastically improved in the past 10 years.

However, originally, the cause of this problem was because of the prejudice of people who think that “foreigners are different from us”, and I kindly ask you to think about it with us.


One of the surest ways to eliminate this kind of prejudice is to create an opportunity that allows everyone to interact with people from different backgrounds. 

We believe that through building relationships among people, we can learn about and embrace each other’s differences in values, in other words, foster mutual understanding.

In order to achieve that goal, BORDERLESS HOUSE has been offering the environment and experience of communal living.

We have also been proactive in building relationships between the residents and the local community, in order to provide local people with opportunities to encounter different cultures.

 “Share house” is our first step, but now, it’s time to take the next step with our new project.

What’s needed to create a multicultural society where people respect each other’s differences is to – not just learn about those differences but also directly interact with them. We believe that experience is necessary.

We have newly established a new center to provide this kind of opportunity to learn about “differences”. At the same time, we will create a community that is involved in different cultures.

This is our new project – BORDERLESS STATION.

The base of this new project is in Asakusabashi, Tokyo

We rented a guesthouse and cafe bar that was closed down due to COVID-19 and used the upper floors as a share house and the first floor as the base of this project.

It was a challenge for us to revive this place from the aftereffects of a pandemic with a new community and our vision.


※2For detailed information on the share house, click here＞＞

The Concept of BORDERLESS STATION

There are two main concepts in our new project.

The first one is to create a broadcasting booth to share a podcast on the theme of “Understanding the differences” and to communicate various topics on diversity.

The second one is to have a lounge space that will be used for various events and workshops that will provide opportunities to learn about different cultures.



①Broadcasting station for sharing information on the theme of diversity 

The theme of the broadcast is “Let’s start by learning!”

We will have a broadcasting channel that will help people get involved in diversity and cross-cultural understanding. We will invite guest speakers from different backgrounds and countries to share their stories.


Also, as the broadcasting booth will be facing the lounge, so it can be used for event broadcasting. We hope that this place can help the community to promote and communicate its vision and values. 

We would also like to provide an opportunity for young people who are struggling with problems of “minorities” and “identity”  to share their experiences in order to develop new values.

② Bar with a theme of Cross-cultural Understanding and Exchange

The bar with a daily theme is where people can gain a deeper understanding of diversity, arouse interest in cultural differences, and induce empathy with different values through “Participation and Discussion”

On Wednesdays and Thursdays, the shared kitchen will be operated by exotic restaurants. They would bring authentic and exotic cuisine home-cooked to BORDERLESS STATION.

So everyone can enjoy learning about the “differences” through “food”. We would like to use this shared kitchen as a gateway to different cultures. 

At the moment, an Argentinian restaurant has been selected to join us, and we are still accepting more partnerships with amazing restaurants!


Friday and Saturday will be a dining bar run by us, BORDERLESS HOUSE!

The dining bar is where you can enjoy food and drinks from various countries while adding diversity and multicultural-themed content to make it much more fun.

For example, on Fridays, we plan to have multicultural organizations and communities join us to share their activities and create a place where people can talk and think about how to make the world a better place together.

And on Saturdays, our multicultural residents of BORDERLESS HOUSE will be the host of the bar. There will be a place where people can encounter new values through workshops and fun activities that expose them to the cultures and values of different countries.

Speaking of the dining bar, it will be supervised by Okaneya-san, who is an explorer of the world’s kitchens, and she will offer “snacks from around the world” that cannot be found anywhere else!



※For more details about Okaneya-san, check here＞＞(Japanese only)

In this project, we wil also be working together with BORDERLESS HOUSE staff, residents, and partners to create a project that will allow us to get close to the local community. 

Based on these contents, we aim to make BORDERLESS STATION a place where anyone can easily have opportunities to learn about “differences” and get involved in the community.

(A community event planned by BORDERLESS HOUSE residents in May 2022)

※For the details of the event that is organized by Borderless House residents, check here.

*The details of the operating hours of BORDERLESS STATION will be announced later.

How to support this project (Sept 2022)

Rather than the relationship between a business owner and customers as a typical restaurant/bar, we would like to work as a community with people who can sympathize and share the same vision and thoughts with us. 

Also, this project is not just a business that expects a return on investment, but a social activity. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, we would have to ask for your help to support this project.

Most important of all, we want to make it a place where everyone can make good use of it. I’ve decided to start with crowdfunding.

Click here for the crowdfunding page ＞＞＞
※We are sorry but since the webpage is only in Japanese, please click the right button on the mouse and translate the webpage to your preferred language if needed.

The support from crowdfunding will be used only for the initial start-up costs and does not cover any subsequent operating costs.

In addition to the existing business of share house approach as a place to nurture mutual understanding, this new community place – BORDERLESS STATION (abbreviated as B station) will be opened soon!

Thank you very much for your support!

Last Message

Our cross-cultural exchange project has had a very difficult time over the past two years due to borders closing. 

At the same time, in our society, we are facing the same problems as in the rest of the world, such as the hate against Asians due to the spread of COVID-19, BLM in the US, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the conflict between China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and the conflicts between countries, cultures, and ideologies.

These are big and serious problems that we cannot seem to confront, and for this reason, I believe that what we can do is foster mutual understanding among citizens, transcending each other’s values. Connecting and building relationships with people of different backgrounds and countries is more important now than ever before.

We at BORDERLESS HOUSE believe that creating such connections will sow the seeds of peace for the future, and we will continue to do so.

We look forward to your support.

 

 

 

 

Posted on

We are Social Business – BORDERLESS HOUSE

Do you know that Borderless House is a “Social Business”?

Perhaps I should have asked – Have you heard of Social Business? 

In general, it refers to a company or a business that tries to create value or impact society in a positive way by offering a service or a product that meets the needs or by presenting new solutions to challenges brought on by society.

And there are more and more people talking about it around the world, actually, you can also find some TED TALK videos talking about it too! 

Even though “Social Business” is a term that you should know, it may sound a little complicated. But don’t worry, let me clearly explain it in a simpler way below.

What is Social Business

The phrase ”Social Business” refers to a brand of entrepreneurship rooted in funding or implementing solutions to cultural, social, or environmental problems. 

Image credit: Devon Bunce/Digital Storytellers

Social Business seeks to maximize profits while maximizing benefits to society and the environment, and the profits are principally used to fund social programs.

The key traits and characteristics of Social Business

• The primary aim is to address a social problem
• It is financially self-sufficient
• It does not pay dividends to its owners
• It is guided by how its operations benefit the causes and communities of interest

What’s the difference between social business and regular business

Maximizing profits is not the primary goal of a social business as is with a traditional business – What sets a social business apart from a traditional business is that while the traditional business’s ultimate goal is to create wealth, the social business seeks to create lasting societal change.

What’s the difference between social business and non-profit organization

Unlike a non-profit, a social business is not dependent on donations or on private or public grants to survive, and to operate it is self-sustainable. While non-profit organizations where funds are spent only once on the field, funds in a social business are invested to increase and improve the business operations on the field on an indefinite basis.

Why is Social Business Important

Now, let’s go a little bit in-depth to see why social business is important, especially in our society and globally.

  • Social businesses have the potential to change society and the world.

As social business concentrates on developing, financially backing, and executing ideas that contribute to finding solutions for social, cultural, and environmental concerns, it can make a huge impact on our life, in a positive way – and that’s why social businesses are much-needed, considering the times that we’re living in. The vision of a social business is usually social well-being related and a broader idea to excel as a community.

So social business is also a business that gets everyone in the world involved. People say that change-makers are those who take creative actions to solve social problems for the good of all – and this is who we are.

‘Creator’ of Multicultural Society – BORDERLESS HOUSE

So, for Borderless House, the social problem that we aim to solve with our business is – Prejudice and Discrimination.

We aim to build relationships among people with different backgrounds, such as different nationalities, races, and religions, and gather them together to live under the same roof in our share houses.

There are not only benefits but also conflicts sometimes when living in a mixed-culture environment. However, by sharing thoughts and feelings from time to time with each other, people can build a strong relationship in which we can understand other cultures and perspectives deeply.

Creating such a connection is the greatest value of BORDERLESS HOUSE.

The goal of our business is to create a multicultural society where people can mutually understand each other’s background regardless of race or nationality, and without prejudice or discrimination.

Our Vision

As more and more foreigners are settling in Japan, and it is important that there are places where they can live in peace and harmony. We believe that this solution which gathers people from around the world to live in a share house together is essential in a multicultural society.

As a ‘creator’ of Multicultural Society, we hope to accelerate the creation of an ideal society and to provide more people with opportunities for international living experiences, we aim to keep expanding our business and keep offering and creating opportunities for In-depth international exchange.

Planting the seeds of world peace is our mission and we welcome you to be a part of BORDERLESS HOUSE.

 

Posted on

WASEDA x BORDERLESS HOUSE ▏ICC One-Day Share House

On June 17, 2022, BORDERLESS HOUSE was honored to be invited to hold a collaboration event with Intercultural Communication Center (ICC) for Waseda University students. At the event, the students got to have a discussion on some topics with people from different nationalities and backgrounds, which was exactly the same as living at Borderless House!

As when you live with people from various countries, there could be some moments you may have been shocked at some of the differences. And this is when we learn to understand different cultures and to think from a new perspective without holding any discrimination and prejudice.

Before we take you back to this One-Day Share House Experience event, let me give you a brief introduction to ICC!

About the ICC (Intercultural Communication Center)

The ICC is a venue and global community that gathers both local and international Waseda students together for intercultural exchange and interaction.

Since Waseda University has over 5,000 international students enrolled from over 100 countries and regions, the ICC was established to utilize such a diverse international environment, and further enrich on-campus intercultural exchange.  Through such interaction, students develop a new understanding of the world around them, while creating new values and interests.

The purpose of this co-living workshop – ICC share house

As the vision of Borderless House is “to create a truly multicultural society in which people can live together in harmony regardless of race or nationality,” we hope to provide Waseda students with opportunities they could learn and realize the importance of recognizing and accepting each other’s differences by exchanging thoughts and sharing own experiences.

We are very glad that on the day, there were around 30 multinational participants came, so we have many “cultures”, “personalities” and “backgrounds”, which just like our share houses.  

Workshop Agenda

There are a total of 5 main parts of the workshop:
① Icebreaking!
② Presentations by the President and Manager of BORDERLESS HOUSE
③ Workshop1: Is everyone’s life routine different?
④ Workshop2: What is senior/junior culture?
⑤ Workshop3: Share your understanding and learn about

When you move into a new share house, the first thing is to

That’s right! It’s “self-introduction”! Tell others something about you and get to know all your housemates too! Maybe you’d be very lucky to make good friends who share the same interests or like the same animes as you, and you’d create a bond right away!

Presentations by BORDERLESS HOUSE

Next. our President, Seiichi Lee, and Manager of BORDERLESS HOUSE Tokyo Office, Takuya Hosogi had presentations to let the students have a better understanding and idea about what an “international share house” is.

From sharing about the vision and mission of Borderless House.

To show students the special characteristics of our share houses and the values of living at Borderless House. And of course, the photos of real share house life from our tenants!

Workshop1: Is everyone’s life routine different?


 In a communal living share house, everyone has their own lifestyle; everyone is on different schedules. So at the first workshop, we talked about each other’s lifestyles and schedules and figured out how to live under the same roof with minimal conflicts due to the differences.

When you live with someone else, it’s important to show respect for others in your everyday life, you need to be more aware that you share the space with others. So open communication is a key to making everyone live together comfortably!

Workshop2: What is senior / junior culture?

I believe a lot of you may already know about what “Senpai-Kohai culture” is, you can see the senior-junior relationship commonly in organizations, businesses, schools, associations, and clubs in Japan. So at this workshop, we talked about if this kind of culture and relationships also exist in other countries.


Everyone shares their thoughts and opinions about the “sempai-kohai” (senior-junior) system and its pros and cons. Some Japanese students also shared their own experiences, and it seemed to be very shocked for some foreign students who are from countries that don’t have this kind of culture!

Living with people from around the world in a share house, you may find some cultures or value systems that may be totally normal to some people, however, they are quite strange to you. And it’s very interesting to talk about the difference together!

Workshop3: Share your impressions and what you learn about

Lastly, there was a presentative from each group to share what they learn from today’s workshop. And we are so impressed how much the students have learned from today’s workshop:
“I am a university student right now so I have more chances to meet foreigners, but if there’s a wall between us, it would waste such good opportunities, so we should build bridges, not walls”

“I think to be able to respect each other and to try to understand each other’s differences is very important. For example, if you can’t understand well because of language barriers, there are translation tools that you can use. And there are many ways you can use to communicate with each other. But the most important of all, you need to be willing to embrace new cultures and respect them.”

Thank you very much for joining us at the ICC Co-living Event!✨

It was a valuable experience for BORDERLESS HOUSE to have close interactions with Waseda University students, not only just sharing, but also hearing their voices, ideas, and thoughts!

In the future, we hope we can have more opportunities to share our vision with the young generations and let more people experience multicultural and multilingual BORDERLESS HOUSE! If you also like our vision of creating a free of discrimination open-minded multicultural society and would like to cooperate with us for any events, please feel free to contact us HERE.

Let’s promote a wonderful community that is built on mutual understanding and active participation together:) 

 

Posted on

Is it a good idea for women to stay at a share house?

If this is your first time living with people you don’t know, and if you are a woman, you might be thinking “ Is it a good idea for me to live in a gender-mixed share house?” But meanwhile, as we all know – it is not so easy for a foreigner to rent a place in Japan, so a share house could be the easiest option.

To ease your concerns and worries about living in a share house as a girl. we would like to share some pros and cons of living in a share house from a women’s perspective!

We hope this article can help you to find a place where you feel safe and comfortable staying in Japan!

Benefits of women living in a share house

Security Side | It’s actually SAFER!

In terms of security, compared to living alone in an apartment, it’s safer to live in a share house with other people. Here are the reasons:
◆ There is a MUST screening process with all the tenants who book the room at BORDERLESS HOUSE, so you don’t need to worry about who your neighbors are and if your current or future neighbors would be nice people or not.
◆ There is clear and transparent information about all of your roommates! You can see their basic info and self-introduction on the webpage before booking the room!
◆ You’d have less possibility to be targeted by stalkers, burglars, or robbers if you are living in the sharehouse.

Make Besties | You can talk about anything with your roommates

If you need someone to give you advice or suggestions on fashion, costume, cosmetics, or even your love life, or if you simply just need someone to talk to, chat, or rant, there will always be girls for you!
◆ If you stay in a shared room. you can have more time to enjoy the conversations with your roommates. It’s easier to build bonds in your relationships, and your friendships would be tighter!
◆ You will never feel bored or lonely because you will always have someone who would be there for you, listen to you, and someone who would study, watch animes and go shopping with you!
◆ If you want to brush up on your Japanese, you have more chances to practice your language skills too!

If you are the kind of person who needs more space and time for yourself, you can keep decent privacy if you live in a private room, and you can enjoy fun social life at the same time in the common areas at a share house!

Things that need to be aware of when women living in a share house

At a gender-mixed share house, 2 things here you may already expect as well as you might need to keep in mind.

1. Men and women use a toilet and bathroom differently, so you can make some rules based on your mutual agreements with your housemates to avoid any issues.
2. It’s important to be considerate of others, so pay attention to what you wear, especially in the shared spaces, such as the kitchen and living room.

So we’d like to give you some tips if you are interested in living in a share house to prevent any stress or trouble:
◇ Establish rules together
◇ Be open to communicating anything with your housemates
◇ Be careful not to interfere much in each other’s private spaces

I hope this article solves your concerns, and if you have any further questions or would like to know more about living in a share house as a girl, please feel free to check our tenants’ interview from BORDERLESS HOUSE OSAKA-TSURUHASHI1 below:

Of course, feel free to CONTACT US, so we can answer all your questions ☺

Check available rooms for girls ▶▶▶
• SANGEN-JAYA1 share house
• ITABASHI-KUYAKUSHOMAE1 share house
• NIHOMBASHI1 share house
• SHINAGAWA-TOGOSHI3 share hose

*Please note, that the rooms might be booked by others at any time.