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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!

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Why Are Share Houses The Best Shelter Option When You Are Starting Life In Abroad?

In the present world, borders and boundaries have become fluid. These lines that mark and enclose an area to represent a city, country, or continent, and which primarily only exist on paper are in the present world not as rigid as they used to be earlier. Instead, in the present moment, these boundaries have become porous to allow people to move in and out of a country. This sits true for the borders and boundaries of almost all the countries or continents around the globe.

The Earth presently has become a global space, and all the cities and countries have become a part of its chain. Whether it is for studies or managing businesses, every year we witness people moving across borders. Because of this, it has become a natural occurrence to find citizens of different nationalities living together in a country they were not born or brought up.

But if you have ever traveled overseas, then you would know that living in a new country is not a very pleasant experience especially during the initial days. It is so because when you go to a new place you usually miss your old friends and family, and the previous surroundings terribly. Plus, when you move to a new country you feel like a stranger, and thus, it becomes difficult to blend in.

Mixing-in in a new country is not as easy as it may appear in the first place. We say so because when you go to a new place, you usually don’t know much about the culture or tradition of that place. And because of this, you always feel anxious and stressed in your new surroundings. You are always on your toes observing how other people are behaving so you would not mistakenly do that would hurt or disrespect the sentiments of the natives.

Thus, in such a time when you have freshly moved into a new country, it is considered a good idea to live in a share house. Doing so will help you in many ways. Wondering how that works? Well, in that case, read our next section to find out your answers.

How are share houses helpful in starting a fresh life in a new country?

A sharehouse is a big property that is offered on rent to tenants where many strangers share the same roof. In a share house, you can rent a single room for yourself or you can rent a room that houses 3 to 4 people in total depending upon your needs and requirements. This place is a top shelter choice for people, especially for those who have freshly shifted to a new country because-
It helps you in understanding alien customs.

As we have already established, when you move to a new country, chances are that you will be unfamiliar with its customs and traditions. This can make you anxious while adding to your stress levels. Also, there is this probability that if you did something wrong because of your unfamiliarity with the local customs that the natives find offending or insulting, then you might feel even more alienated and alone. Thus, for this reason, it is a safe choice to live in a share house at least for the initial days because there you are bound to come across many people who will be interested in international exchange.

When you will live with them, such people will help you in learning more about their local culture, while at the same time they will also try to understand your traditions. This healthy exchange will make your life significantly easier. So, if you want to know about the local customs and traditions of a place, its food, its manners, etc. in a friendly way without wasting much time, then share houses should be your top priority while seeking shelter.

It is a borderless accommodation

When you move to a new space how fluently you can speak their local language plays a very important role in deciding the ease with which you will blend in your new surroundings. So, for example, if you have moved to Taiwan for your further studies and you can fluently speak and write Chinese, then this will probably mean that you will find it easier to navigate Taiwan as compared to someone who doesn’t even understand Chinese. It is so because when you don’t understand the local language of a place, you find it hard to explain to people your queries or emotions.

Now, in such a scenario, it is wise to find a share house in your new country because in share houses you can probably find residents who are familiar with your language. In this way, your common language can help you in befriending people and it can also help you in learning the local language quite easily. We, BORDERLESS HOUSE, make language exchange easy for you by offering on our website the information about the nationality of its residents. You can even opt to talk to the residents of the share house while requesting a preview of the property.

It offers you easier access to common knowledge

When you shift to a new country, other than the customs, traditions, and language of that place there are many other things that you ought to learn about your new home town. These things include information on the common practices of the new place, knowledge about local shops and convenience stores in your locality, and awareness about the norms of living in that place such that your safety is not threatened.

Living in a share house can help you in gaining easy access to such information. It is so because when you are sharing a roof with other people you are bound to interact with them. In your conversations, you can come across the above-mentioned info without even requesting for the same. In opposed to this, if you opt to live alone in a new country, then acquiring such information may take some time.

Thus, these are some reasons because of which living in a share house should be your preferred choice. Living here can help you in settling-in easily.

 

 

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「帶著外國朋友遊台北」全攻略！（美食篇）

來台灣玩，當然不能錯過在地美食囉！

如果有外國朋友來台北，應該推薦他們什麼呢？要怎麼吃才盡興？
別擔心，我們今天替大家整理了幾個外國人力推的美食景點，給大家做參考囉！

1. 夜市：

大多數來台灣的外國旅客，清單上一定少不了夜市這樣一項！光是在台北的夜市，大大小小就高達十數個！

我們今天就根據外國人最愛的幾個夜市作介紹吧！

▪士林夜市： 士林夜市絕對是遊客必去的景點之一。其佔地面積較廣，攤位種類多元，有吃又有玩，吃飽喝足後，還能到遊戲攤小試身手，絕對能讓外國朋友玩得盡興！

▪饒河夜市： 饒河夜市是個以美食為主的夜市，其美食種類眾多，各種特色小吃在這裡都找的到，若朋友是個熱愛美食的饕客，饒河夜市肯定是第一首選！另外，饒河夜市旁還有彩虹橋，很適合大吃大喝後，到河岸邊走走唷！

▪師大夜市： 除了美食之外，師大夜市還有許多服飾小店，對於喜歡逛街的朋友肯定是一大福音！逛街逛累了，來盤滷味、一杯珍奶，體力充足後再戰下一間！快推薦給你的購物狂朋友們吧！

2. 東門市場
忙碌又充滿人情味的傳統市場，是許多台灣人的共同回憶，對於外國朋友來說，也是一個體驗在地生活的好機會。位於台北的東門市場，隱藏了許多傳統的好滋味，諸如是：米粉湯、赤肉羹、餡餅、豆花……等傳統美食，絕對能讓外國友人念念不忘喔！

3. 永康街
永康街周圍除了有外國人最愛的鼎泰豐外，還有許多知名的特色小吃。像是米其林推薦的永康牛肉麵、排隊美食天津蔥抓餅、老字號東門餃子館，都是非常適合介紹給外國朋友的在地美食喔！

4. 中式早餐店

一日之計在於晨，開始一天的行程前，先帶朋友去品嘗傳統的中式早餐吧！台北美味的中式早餐非常多，各家都有自己獨特的風味，像是古亭站的劉媽媽飯糰、新北市的永和豆漿，或是被米其林推薦為全台中式早餐代表，善導寺附近的阜杭豆漿，絕對要帶著外國朋友去朝聖啊！

以上的幾個台北美食tips給大家做參考，不知道大家喜歡嗎？

或是你也有自己的必吃清單呢？歡迎跟我們分享喔！

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Event | DaDaoCheng Walking Tour (Qipao experience)

Da Dao Cheng Walking Tour (Qipao experience)

Wearing the traditional dress is one of the best way to experience a culture.

If you have a chance to visit Taiwan, you definitely need to try the traditional dress-Qipao!

This time, we take our tenants to Da Dao Cheng for day tour, which is a very historic area in Taipei. Wearing Qipao, walking in that area, it just feel like back to the 1920’s!

The 1920’s Salon offered a lot of different style’s Qipao, the owner Mrs. Lin also helped customers to dress up perfectly, included hair style, makeup and hand bags.

First step, feel free to try on all you like, choose your favorite Qipao style! And don’t forget to choose accessories for your costume, it’ll make it even perfect!

Of course, traditional dress is not just for females! Males can also wear the Chinese tunic suit!

After everybody finished dressing, it’s time for the tea testing! Mrs. Lin share some different tea leafs and explain how to do a tea testing to everyone.

Every different leafs has different smells, it gives everyone a different imaginations!

We shared our imaginations and memories which can contact to the smells.

Of course, you do want to take some nice pictures since wearing Qipao is a very special experience!

Luckily, we had a chance to take some cool pictures in “Lok Hue Hng”.

“Lok Hue Hng” is a second hand furniture store located next to 1920’s Salon, offering high quality and tasteful furniture.

Afternoon, we started our walking tour in Dadaocheng.

Qipao costume made us be came to the center of attention on the street, some people even asked for picture together.

The first place we visited was Xia-Hai City God Temple. This temple was built in 1856, and the City God is a protector of city, the resident came here praying for rain, for relieves from nature disasters.

But in recent years, the Chinese Cupid (The old man under the moon) became to the famous god in this temple, there’s a lot of people come here praying for a good relationship.

We show tenants how to pray step by step! It’s a very special experience for some tenants who didn’t try this before.

After the Xia-Hai City God Temple, we went to a few different traditional convenience store. There’s some very interesting products in the traditional convenience store!

Have you heard a kind of vegetable called loofah before? The old generation will exposure it under the sun, and use the dried loofah as a scouring pad!

And of course, the Taiwanese style printing fabric are also very famous, especially the lanterns made by the printing fabric.

Give Qipao a try if you are interesting in the Taiwanese traditional dress, and if you are in the history of Taiwan, Dadaocheng is also a perfect place for you!

 

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Make great use of non-standard vegetables! Wagashi(Japanese sweets) making event at Kyoto Kamigamo House!

Hello, this is Suguru from Borderless House.

One month passed from “the Kimono dressing event” that ended in a great success.

“Wagashi(Japanese sweets) making ” Event was held at Borderless House Kyoto Kamigamo on June 4th.”

 

Thanks to the cooperation of Dekovege Cafe(でこべじカフェ) from Kyoto University, we were able to hold it.

There are some vegetables that can not be sold in shops because of its appearance such as “shape is irregular”, “too big”, “too small”. We call the vegetables “non-standard vegetables”. Dekovege Cafe(でこべじカフェ) buys the non-standard vegetables and regularly holds a cafe and cooking classes in various place.

On the day, a total of 31 people come to the event – not only tenants of Kyoto Kamigamo House, but people from other houses as well as neighbors participated.

 

They tried to make Dorayaki and Ichigo Daifuku!

*Dorayaki – pancakes stuffed with sweet bean paste

 

*Ichigo Daifuku – consisting of a strawberry inside ‘daifuku’, which is a rice cake stuffed with sweet bean paste.

(In this time, we cooked tomatoes jam instead of sweet bean paste)

I will introduce the whole Wagashi making event (including Tea party and Drawing relay competition ) with photographs!

 Kyoto Kamigamo House style!? Using nicknames makes each other close.

First of all, we worked on 3 teams; making Droayaki dumpling bean paste, Dorayaki dough making, and strawberry Daifuku team.

It started to introduce themselves.

In order to complete the cooking, team work is necessary more than anything!

 

However … It is difficult for both Japanese and foreigners to remember their names….

To solve the problem, we used Kyoto Kamigamo House style which is a way to call each other with a nickname. Although there are more than 20 people in the House, using nicknames made each other close and easy to memorize their names.

For example, there are some humorous nicknames, one of tenants is from Italy and the first name begins with “Chi” so that her nickname is “cheese“. The other one is “Natto Man” because he eat natto(fermented soybeans) every day in every meals. Moreover, Flo is included in his name, so that he is called “furo(Bath in Japanese)” !

Calling with a nickname made each other close, soon after self-introduction, one team took self-shots!

After the self-introduction, let’s cooking!

It looks ugly, but taste is good!

Start cooking with the guidance of Dekovege Cafe staff!

There are lots of vegetables that are thrown away when their shape is ugly, but the taste is good!
We cooked using such vegetables in this event!

One of tenants interpreted the menu described in English to a neighbor!

Most of tenants often cook their own meals. However there are a lot of delicate works in making sweets, so that neighbors and staff of Dekovege cafe helped and taught them.

All of participants were concentrating on the explanation of the staff!

Have you successfully made the shape of Daifuku well?

Everyone in the Dorayaki dough making team!


Finally completed!

After cooking, they ate Wagashi that they made together!

“Ichigo Daifuku that we made together is delicious.“

 

“I enjoyed making the sweets with tenants of the share house!“

 

There are a lot of voices that satisfy the making of Wagashi (Japanese sweets)!

We really appreciate Dekovege Cafe that gave us kindly guidance!

Who did you make a mistake? Drawing relay competition that was a great success

At the end of the tea party, “Team competing drawing relay contest” was held.

The rules are simple!

 

Members of each team decide numbers from 1 to 8. First of all, No. 1 person can see a subject and draw the picture. Next, connect the picture to the direction No. 2, No.3…., and the last person (No.8) guess what the theme is and answer.

The subject was “rhinoceros“

This was the third term game and all three teams are at the top, so everyone was seriously working towards winning!

Rhinoceros（No.1）

Rhinoceros…….?（No.4）

???(No.7)

And the answer of Droayaki dumpling bean paste team is ..

“”””Unicorn “””
That was so funny we couldn’t stop laughing!

“Is the picture strange from this point?“

 

“Come on!~ Daniel ~ !!“

 

After answering, everyone check where they were getting funny!

It is a game that everyone in the team cooperates and gets the correct answer.

 

While I was in charge of the moderator, I was pleased to see the situation where everyone was working hard and looked fun with team members!

Finally, it was the time to announce the result of this game!

The victorious team is……………….

 

Dorayaki dough making team!

Ichigo Daifuku team in 2nd place!

 

Thanks to S-san (middle photo) who was 88 years old, this team made it to the place!

As you know the funny answer, Droayaki dumpling bean paste team is 3rd place!

In this event, we learned that there are many vegetables that are discarded if the shape is ugly and non-standard. And, even if the Japanese person, it was a nice experience that made Wagashi with such vegetables!

 

Thank you again for the cooperation of Dekovege Cafe san!

Also, “multi-generation and multicultural communication” that was another purpose of this event.

I think that it was good opportunities to tell own thoughts to the other party with communication that  is not only in languages such as English and Japanese, but also through body language.

Borderless House Kyoto Kamigamo wants to grow with the community while cooperating with tenants and local residents! We are planning to held fun events for both our tenants and neighbors in the future!

For student organizations that are active for international exchange and conduct activities teaching Japanese culture,why don’t you hold an event together?

 

Please contact us from the URL below!

http://www.borderless-house.com/jp/kamigamo/kamigamo_partner/

In addition, there are two Borderless Houses in Kyoto “Kyoto Kamigamo House” and “Kyoto Hanazono House”!

For those who want to improve language skills, are interested in share house and international exchange, please check the house information below!

<BORDERLESS HOUSE KYOTO HANAZONO>

<BORDERLESS HOUSE KYOTO KAMIGAMO>