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【Tenant’s Interview】My story of living in Philippines, even my English wasn’t good

BORDERLESS HOUSE is a multinational sharehouse where young people from all over the world can live under one roof and interact with people from diverse backgrounds.
In addition to providing a space to practice English and Japanese, BORDERLESS HOUSE also allows for strong friendships and lifelong memories to be formed!
With residents from all over the world gathered in one space, there tend to be many people with different senses of humor and lifestyles.

Therefore, we will begin a new project called “Borderelss Residents,” where we will be sharing the stories of individuals who have experienced personal growth and change due to their encounters at BORDERLESS HOUSE.

Our first interviewee is Mr. Satis Kiyota who moved to Tokyo as a new graduate and stayed with BORDERLESS HOUSE for two and a half years. After graduating from a foreign-affiliated company, he then immigrated to the Philippines.

Employed in Tokyo. BORDERLESS HOUSE supported me from the very beginning to the end of my time in Tokyo.

→First, please introduce yourself.

My name is Kiyota. When I was living at BORDERLESS HOUSE my nickname was Satis. My hometown is Fukuoa, and in college I majored in physics. One of my main hobbies is scuba diving, and I am usually described as having a straight-forward and real personality.

I moved to Tokyo as a new college graduate and started living at BORDERLESS HOUSE.

After living in BORDERLESS HOUSE for about two and a half years, I retired from my job in Tokyo and moved out so that I could go to the Philippines.

 

→What was your job here in Tokyo?
I was in charge of management consulting at a foreign company.

After graduation, I vaguely knew that I wanted to go to Tokyo, but with my background in science-based manufacturing, it was likely that I would be locally employed, outside of Tokyo. However, by looking into other careers and industries, I was lucky enough to get a job offer from a foreign-affiliated consultant in Tokyo.

ーWhy did you decide to live in BORDERLESS HOUSE after graduating?
My primary goal was to study English.
Because I was working for a foreign-owned company, I knew that I was likely to use English at work.

English was not my strong point in junior or high school so in order to study English as much as possible I thought “I should live together with foreigners,” and searched for a sharehouse.

ーYou moved into a sharehouse to learn English, so how did it actually go? Were you able to practice and use English?
To be honest, I didn’t actually use that much English in the first year (lol).
My company also didn’t use English as much as I had thought, and the residents at the sharehouse where I first moved in, Myogadani (which has been renamed now to Ikebukuro Higashi house), was full of foreigners that were good at Japanese (lol).

Especially one of the foreign residents, Sean, was really good at Japanese, and actually ended up teaching me kanji. Looking back, I’m really grateful for my first sharehouse experience at Myogadani. I next moved to Omori house because I thought “I’m already used to sharehouse life, so why don’t I just try living with a larger number of people?” Once I moved to Omori, I felt that I was able to learn more English than before

ーCertainly, there are individuals who become very good at Japanese as well… Why do you say that your first experience at Ikebukuro Higashi house was so great?

The number of people living at the house was smaller, and so the community was already strong when I moved in, making it a natural transition and easy for me to fit in.
When I moved in, I felt that everyone was very kind and easygoing so there was no need for me to be nervous.
Sean would often bring friends over to make food at the house, which was really fun.
Also, to some extent I was able to have conversations in Japanese, and not being confident in my English, there were many people who met me half-way with my language ability, so I was glad that any fear of living together disappeared.

ーHow was your experience at Omori house? Why do you feel that you were able to learn English there?
There were 29 residents at Omori house so the people were always changing, making for new and refreshing experiences every day.
Many of the residents had never been to Japan, and so I feel that my English just improved naturally.
But if anything, I found myself realizing that “Even if I cannot speak English perfectly, I can still manage to communicate!” which I think was a really great shift in thinking.

I think communication wasn’t just about language

ーWhat do you mean by “Even if I can’t speak English perfectly, I can still manage!”

Even if you don’t understand the words, you can read facial expressions, gestures, and the mood in order to understand what is being conveyed.
There are many moments when I relied on this concept and as my English trailed off, I thought “Well, even without saying the rest, they’ll somehow understand, right?”
Whenever I spoke English, I felt I could get by with the same spirit as the Japanese comedian Degawa (lol). Thanks to these experiences, I began to clearly imagine how I would be able to live overseas.

Despite different religions, cultures and diets, we all shared similar likes and dislikes.

ーI see! Certainly, it is a common story from residents that they are able to gain confidence! What other impressions did you get from living with BORDERLESS?
Being friends with many working people living in the house, I was able to learn a lot about a variety of industries and broaden my horizons.

Also, with both foreigners and Japanese tenants living together, I thought “Shockingly, everyone is able to come together as one!”

Of course, there were different religions, cultures, and diets, but to all, the fun things were fun, the bad things were bad, and I’m glad to have lived together; I realized there are few obstacles to communication.

Sharehouse in the Philippines. While traveling I thought I would make a living doing web production.

ーWhy did you leave BORDERLESS HOUSE?
I was planning on quitting my job, and starting thinking about what I wanted to do afterwards.
So why not try going abroad?
I resigned from my company of two-and-a-half years and left BORDERLESS HOUSE to go abroad.

ーWhy did you leave the company and decide to go abroad?

I thought “I’m not really cut out for office work.”
I really disliked the feeling that I didn’t have the authority to be dealing with other people’s problems.
I met various people at BORDERLESS HOUSE and was interested in many different countries, so I decided to go backpacking overseas.
However, I didn’t want to limit my experience because of finances, so I intended to make money while traveling.

ーHow did you intend to make money?
Through web production.
I found a sharehouse in Cebu, Philippines where you can learn programming.
After living and studying there, I planned to travel the world!

ーt’s so interesting that there is a sharehouse dedicated to learning programming! How was that experience?

The house was run by a Japanese person and the residents were all Japanese, so I didn’t have any problems even while living abroad for the first time.
But in the middle of my time there I realized, “Oh, I’m not cut out for web production either” (lol).
So, I stopped learning programming.
As I was already comfortable living in the Philippines, and although I still planned to travel the world, I lived there for about a year.

ーWhy did you find living in the Philippines so great? What did you do with your year there?
The number one reason was that I was in an environment where it was easy for me to live.
The Japanese community there was great.
We didn’t interfere with each other, but when it was time to have fun, we were all able to come together for a really good time!
Also, I was able to continue working on my English!
Even though my English was weird, everyone was really kind and I was able to get through daily life comfortably.
It was the same environment as my sharehouse life, what I would refer to as the spirit of Omori house (lol). It was a country in which I could get by with the spirit of “Unexpectedly, somehow it will all work out.”
Since I had stopped studying web production, I was able to spend my time relaxing while helping out with housemates’ work and going sightseeing.

ーDid you go to any other countries during your time in the Philippines?

Yes, I went to a few different countries. I mainly went to places with direct flights from the Philippines such as Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Macau, China and Indonesia, all which had unique and new things to offer.
Even when visiting neighboring countries, it was interesting to see how different the atmosphere and culture was.
When I lived in BORDERLESS HOUSE, I often sympathized with the thought that “Oh, we are all the same,” but after personally experiencing life abroad, I realized it was more like, “We are similar, but different.”
I was really excited to see the spread of things that are unthinkable in Japan.

ーThat’s so wonderful! Do you think you will return to the Philippines after the end of the coronavirus?
I want to go to Cebu to have fun and play. Because it is basically my second home (lol).But, I think it would also be fun to experience the culture of a different country which I haven’t yet visited.So I want to challenge myself in a new country such as Europe, Africa, and North and South America. I want to try going to countries like North Korea. Either way, I’m really just interested in experiencing the differences between cultures in different countries.

In regards to personal change, I feel that the world has become closer.

ーThat’s so great! I definitely want to hear more from the world-traveller Satis. Lastly, what is the “change” that you may have had while living in BORDERLESS HOUSE?

In simple words, it is that the world has become closer.

“I’m going overseas” has become a natural decision and choice for me.

Like I said at the beginning, when I was in middle and high school, English was a super weak point for me.

Before moving into BORDERLESS, the thought of going abroad had never even crossed my mind.

However, living in a sharehouse with foreigners and internationally-minded people has helped me come to terms with and visualize the unknown world overseas.

ーI think that’s really wonderful! Finally, please give some words to our readers!
First, definitely try out a room-viewing.
I personally went to a room-viewing consultation and received a lot of suggestions from the staff which greatly strengthened my decision to go with a sharehouse.
Even with a room-viewing, if you are still undecided, just try moving in anyways!
The initial costs are low and the contract period is short, just one month. Also since you can always move to a different house, the risk is low.
If you move in, you’ll be in the capital city, and I can guarantee that it will be interesting!

ーBecause the world became closer, this time I feel that Satis had the spirit to want to actively take a step into the world. Thank you so much for your wonderful story!

Editor’s Note

Despite not being confident speaking English, Satis was able to overcome this obstacle and jump head first into environments with the attitude that “It will all work out somehow.” After having now taken a step into the world, it was a story which allowed all the excitement to be re-experienced. Encounters with other people are certain to bring about wonderful personal changes. BORDERLESS HOUSE has many unique residents from all over the world. Would you like to experience a change?

 

작성일자

How to Build Community in Japan as a Foreigner

Hi, this is Claire from Borderless House! I’m here this time to talk about a really important topic, which is how to make friends and build a supportive community as a foreigner in Japan.

Effortless Sharehouse Community

To be honest, when I decided to move to Japan last year, I was only considering living alone in an apartment next to my workplace. However, I ultimately wasn’t able to secure a place and was forced to choose another option. Although at the time I was sad that I lost my opportunity to live solo in Japan, I am forever grateful that I was able to instead find a home at Borderless House. It will forever be one of the best decisions I made throughout the past year. I am a social person, and with limited opportunities to meet people around my age group at work, as well as an irrational fear of going places by myself, living alone would have certainly ended in a lonely disaster.

Needless to say, it is important to have a strong support system when moving to a different country. One way to immediately set yourself up for success in making friends and community when moving to Japan is by choosing sharehouse accommodations that allows you to make both foreign and Japanese friends! You will be able to relate to your foreign friends as a fellow non-Japanese resident, and also will be able to get a more authentic experience of Japan through the knowledge and camaraderie of your Japanese friends.

My Sharehouse

This leads me to my current situation. Since the beginning of August 2019, I have been living in Borderless House Iidabashi1 with 14 other housemates. I often find myself using the words “friends” or “family” to describe my fellow sharehouse residents, as there is an extremely special bond that forms when you get to go through daily life with other people. When I began my time at the sharehouse, I chose to live in a single room which meant that I was able to slowly get to know my housemates when hanging out in the common areas and go back to my room if I ever felt overwhelmed or needed some quiet alone time. Since getting to know my housemates, I recently decided to live in a share-room with one of my closest housemates. I was skeptical about staying in a shared room at first as I felt like I wanted to have my own independence and space in a single room. However, looking back I honestly wish that I had made the move to a shared room sooner as I have formed even deeper bonds with my Japanese roommate, making it feel like I have a sister here who I can talk to about anything.

What makes Borderless House so special is that it keeps the ratio of its houses to 1:1 in terms of both nationality (Japanese/foreigner) and gender (male/female). I am always tempted to make friends with people who are very similar to me, which means that I most likely would have only made female, American friends here in Japan. Now, of course, having friends who are similar to you and who understand your background are by no means bad. However, now living at Iidabashi house, I have come to realize the deep value of making friends with people who come from backgrounds are different from my own. I have been moved while listening to the stories of my housemates; I get to see the love they have for their family when they speak about their hometowns, feel my mouth water when they describe their favorite foods back home and be inspired hearing about their goals and aspirations for the future. Because of these interactions, my own mindset has expanded and thanks to my housemates I believe I have become a more compassionate and understanding person. I am now much more able to step out of my comfort zone and have overcome some of my timidness.

BH Online Language Exchange Program

One question that may come up for some readers is “How do I form a community in Japan before moving there?” Recently, due to the Coronavirus, many people have missed out on the opportunity to come to Japan and Borderless House has responded by creating a Language Exchange Program where you can get matched with a current resident Borderless House sharehouses here in Tokyo! Not only will you be able to connect with Japanese residents and practice Japanese, but due to Borderless Houses’s unique mix of people, you also have the option to learn a variety of languages and cultures from around the world. By speaking with residents you can prepare for your trip to Japan by getting insider knowledge about Japan from a Japanese resident, or get answers to your questions and worries through the real-time perspective of a foreigner living in Japan. Why not join the program and start building a community in Japan ahead of time? Your language partner is waiting to meet you!!

In-person Meet-ups


Just as it is important to build friends outside of your family circle, of course, it is also important to branch out and have friends outside of your share house or other living accommodations. Given that Japan is becoming more international with each successive year, you are never alone in your desire to make friends and meet new people. One way to get connected to this community is through Meetup, which offers a platform for people to create get-togethers and events in Tokyo. Events are usually associated with shared interests such as sports, coding, gaming, language exchange etc. It can feel a bit intimidating at first to step into a room full of strangers, but remember that everyone attending the event shares the common goal of making friends. Walk into the even confidently and with a smile, and you will be surprised at the amount of people who will want to hear your life story and be friends with you! I have had a very positive experience at these events and made some lasting friends, both Japanese and foreigner. If you don’t have a strong inclination towards any of the interest group meet-ups offered, one of the easiest ways to get involved in the meet-up community is through attending a language exchange event; Grab one of your Japanese housemates and go to a Japanese-foreign language exchange together!

Sports and Interest Clubs

↑↑goofing off with my swim teammate

Another way to create a fast and lasting community is through joining an established sports or interest group. Many of the same types of clubs and groups that existed in your home country also exist in Japan! It’s a great opportunity to use your Japanese skills in a familiar setting. As I was a swimmer in America for 17 years, I decided that one way for me to create friends here in Tokyo was to join the swimming community in Tokyo. Doing something that I am familiar with while meeting new people helped me have the confidence necessary to step out of my shell and interact with others. I was able to learn new swim-related Japanese and improve on my skills at the same time! Within my own share house there are people like me who are involved in familiar hobbies by being a part of music groups and bouldering teams. You should also feel free to take up a new hobby if you want to! In addition to swimming, I started taking dance classes for the first time in my life, and although it is extremely far out of my comfort zone, after going to class consistently for a few months, I have made incredible friends and have become a member of the dance studio members club!!

In contrast to Meetup events, joining an established club or community makes it more likely that you will continually meet with the same people each week, making it easier to build a long-lasting community. To find these groups, you may need to network a bit and do some google searching, but usually sports and other interest communities are vast and eager to help. If you are a college alumni, see if there are any alumni in Tokyo that you can reach out to, and with social media it is easier than ever to find people with similar interests who are living closeby. Don’t be afraid to contact people out of the blue. Humans are social animals and we love to connect and help each other, so don’t be intimidated!

Other Advice and Take-aways

When first moving to Tokyo from a foreign country, making friends can seem intimidating. Borderless House undoubtedly is an immediate way to make lasting friends and connections, and we are ready to welcome you with open arms! For making friends outside of your sharehouse family setting, my best piece of advice is to find like-minded people with similar interests. As many things are new and unfamiliar, find a situation where you can feel most comfortable and freely express your personality. Be sure that you also consistently show up to each meeting or practice if you join a group- building connections takes time and effort!

However, make sure that for each comfort zone that you have here in Japan, you find another place that challenges you to grow. One pitfall that I would caution against is only joining an international community during your time here in Japan. Again, joining a Borderless House and some of our programs, such as the Online Language Exchange, are easy ways to make sure that you will be able to immerse yourself in Japanese language and culture by making connections with locals. Don’t be afraid to join clubs or groups that don’t have many non-Japanese participants! You never know the bonds and self-growth that you’ll be able to make by pushing yourself a bit outside of your familiar zones.

A whole community of exciting and passionate people are waiting here in Tokyo to become your friend, so start networking, start exploring, and watch your experiences in Japan brighten and expand!

작성일자

Guide for Living in Tokyo

Tokyo is one of the most populated cities in Japan. It is the hub for technology, food, business, and innovation. Natives from other cities in Japan as well as foreigners migrate to the city to live there. With so many local and multinational companies operating from the city, there is no dearth of jobs in Tokyo.

When moving to Tokyo, it is best to first get a little information about the lifestyle, culture, and cost of living, in the city. To ensure that you have an idea of what you’re getting into, we have compiled some information about Tokyo. This guide will help you prepare yourself for your move.

What People Like About Tokyomajor



The numerous job opportunities in Tokyo, the rich culture of Japan, and ease of living are three of the major attractions of Tokyo. When living in Tokyo, one experiences the most marvelous combination of corporate life, fashion, food, and fun. During the day the residents of Tokyo are busy hustling and working, while at night the city lights up and offers great nightlife.

From great food to entertainment, Tokyo has it all. There are many restaurants, bars, cinemas and game centers in the city, there’s no possibility that one could get bored of the Tokyo city life. While the city is pretty hi-tech and always lit up with lights and hustle-bustle, the government has maintained parks in various areas, to ensure greenery in the city.

The city caters to everyone’s needs, whether they are Japanese or ex-pats. The food served in the city is multicuisine, whereas there are many shopping stores in the city that offer different types of fashion products for varying tastes. Tokyo doesn’t sleep, shopping centers like Don Quijote and Seijo Ishii are open 24/7 for the customers.

The city offers rich art, culture, and music to the people. The local restaurants and bars are called izakaya are serve the local Japanese food with plenty choice of drink. Tokyo is famous for its upbeat pop music and many restaurants play the same. They offer great cocktails and frequent discounts to keep the place crowded.

Many areas in Tokyo are famous for the artistry. There are plenty of museums, art galleries, and exhibitions in the city. However, you come across the biggest art pieces when you walk around the city. The architecture of the city is beautiful and reliable. The architecture helps maintain a vibe of advancement and hi-tech. Moreover, robots working at various information desks and cafes, leave the people surprised at the development in the city.

The Weather In Tokyo



When moving to a new country, it is essential to ensure that you can bear the climate conditions there. Every 2 to 3 months, the climate and temperature in Tokyo changes. There are six seasons that one witness when living in Tokyo:

1. Spring: March to May

The spring season in Japan is the time of Hanami. Hanami refers to cherry blossom viewing events that can be seen from the end of March to the first half of April. The temperature frequently changes during spring, sometimes it’s hot and sometimes it’s cold.

2. Monsoon: May to the first half of July

The rainy season in Japan is called Tsuyu and it rains almost every day in Tokyo during this time. The atmosphere during this season is very humid. The season starts in the Southern region and moves towards the north. After the monsoons are over, one can feel the heat of summers in full swing.

3. Summer: June to August

The highest temperature during the summers in Japan is 30° Celsius. However, due to the humidity, the summers can often feel unbearably hot. Tom must wear light clothes during summers and keep hydrated to avoid getting heatstroke.
Events like Natsu Matsuri, the summer festival, and Hanabi, the fireworks are joyfully celebrated by the people. The jolliness in the air is evident and the city of Tokyo is sparkling during these events.

4. Typhoon: End of August to September

During the typhoon, some areas in Japan including using Tokyo experience extreme rainfall and strong winds. The weather gets so bad that even umbrellas are unable to bear the brunt of the rain. It is best to check the weather forecast before stepping out of the house during the typhoon season.

5. Autumn: September to November

The autumn season in Tokyo is cool and windy. During the day the night, the temperature drops enough for people to bring out their thin pullovers and enjoy the breeze. The trees of many leaves turn from red to yellow during November, walks around the city are especially blissful during these days.

6. Winter: December To February

The lowest temperature in Tokyo during winters is 0° Celsius. The atmosphere is chilly and you will need to wear gloves during the early morning and evenings. Some years, it snows in Tokyo during the winter. The Omisoka, the day before New year, is celebrated by eating traditional Japanese dishes like soba noodles and Osechi. People also celebrate the new year by drinking alcohol and partying.

Tokyo Attractions: Places To Visit


There are many attractive sightseeing places in the city. The view from these places is utterly mesmerizing, whether it’s day or night. Going to visit attractions will definitely bring fun and unforgettable experience into your living in Tokyo. Most of them are extremely crowded during weekends. Some of the famous places to visit in Tokyo are:

1. Sky Tree
2. Shibuya
3. Tokyo Tower
4. National Art Center
5. Sensoji Temple in Asakusa
6. Miraikan and Edo-Tokyo Museums
7. The Imperial Palace
8. The Meiji Shrine
9. Yoyogi Park

Best Experiences In Tokyo

When living in Tokyo there are some experiences that you simply cannot miss out on. While you can spend some days visiting various sightseeing places, many other activities offer the real Tokyo life experience.

1. Try out the authentic and fresh sushi at the local places in Tokyo.
2. Visit markets like Harajuku and Asakusa for some window shopping.
3. Spend an evening at the Ueno Park
4. Collect games and anime films from Akihabara and spend your weekend bingeing.
5. Go to Piss Alley for food and drinks and Shibuya for parties.
6. View the traditional Japanese theater art or try out sumo wrestling for fun.
7. Watch a baseball game at the Tokyo Dome.
8. Hike to Mount Mitake or cycle around the city on a breezy day.
9. Go sing karaoke with your friends.

Tokyo has been given the tag of the best overall experience at Tripadvisor. There are many more things to do in Tokyo, and as you spend more time there and experience new things, you will fall in love with the lifestyle.

Facilities That The City Offers

Healthcare

Tokyo offers exceptional and affordable health care services to its residents. The screening of some diseases has been made free of cost. The cost of treatment and prenatal care are borne 30% by the individual and 70% by the government. The motto of the government is that everyone in the country receives medical services. Both private and public healthcare institutions are available in the city.

Insurance

Healthcare is so great that the country has observed the high life expectancy rate in the world. Everyone living in Tokyo is covered by public health insurance.
Clinics, dentists, and hospitals do not accept insurance other than Japan-based insurance. However, they never refuse to treat patients that do not have insurance. The payment has to be made in full and you can apply for reimbursement in your country.

Some healthcare businesses that cater to the expat community, may provide services if you have insurance from the global insurance companies that they partner with.

Clinics

There is a primary clinic available in almost every neighborhood in Tokyo. They provide treatment for problems like rashes, fever, gastric problems, infection, body pain, etc. Some private clinics in Tokyo have English speaking staff for the convenience of expats. However, it is recommended that you take a Japanese speaking friend along, in case they don’t. Going to such healthcare clinics for expats costlier than going to any other clinic.

Pharmacies

There are pharmacies located in every neighborhood, mostly nearby stations. Some of these pharmacies are open 24/7.
The medicine provided at these are produced in Japan and might be of a lower dosage, than what’s available in your country. If you need a high dosage of medicine, you need to show a doctor’s prescription.

Convenient Transportation

The city offers trains and the metro to its residents, making traveling around the city conveniently. They offer wide connectivity throughout the city. These public transportation services are reasonably priced and are preferred over private transport like cars. This is why the commute is overcrowded most of the time.

What’s more, the public transport is very punctual, to ensure that the passengers reach their destination on time. The delay of even a minute is very rare and unwelcome. When living in Tokyo, you are usually supposed not to make any delay for appointments. Buses take to places, where the metro network has not yet reached. If you need help while traveling, you can collect brochures, maps, and information from offices at the station.

Shopping

While the rich prefer shopping from malls and branded stores, there are many hyaku-en stores available in the city, where you can buy many household items for cheaper prices. The rates start at 100 Yen. You can also shop for clothes at second-hand shops.
There are many lanes in Tokyo that are famous for the products available at them. Some of these markets are Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ginza, Nihonbashi, and Ikebukuro.
Brands like Louis Vuitton offer an art gallery, there are a cafe and pastry shop at Dior and a spa and beauty salon at Chanel. These additional places offer a luxury experience and can even be visited by people that are shopping at the store.

Safety

The crime rate in Japan is low and it is considered one of the safest places to live. Drink spiking and credit card theft are some of the major crimes in the city, usually occurring in crowded localities. For any help, the police are ready to help and can be contacted at 110. The city offers digital security, infrastructure security, and personal security.

The Cost of Living in Tokyo


It is common knowledge that Tokyo is one of the world’s most expensive cities for expats. The accommodation, food, everything for living is high-class and expensive.

Accommodation

Finding a place to live in Tokyo is quite challenging and expensive. The rent of your apartment is likely to be the biggest expenditure from your income. Apartments in close proximity to the stations are generally more expensive to rent. You can get an apartment within walking distance to the center for around 180000 Yen, whereas if you are living a little farther, the rent will be around 80000 Yen as well. The amenities offered and the area of the property will influence the rent amount.

You could also stay at a share house or an Airbnb hostel in the city, and enjoy their multicultural environment. While you receive less privacy, it is easier to make friends when staying at such places. Such as BORDERLESS HOUSE.

Food

It would be a shame if the delicious food offered by Tokyo isn’t listed as the first thing that people like and attracts them to Tokyo. The roads and lanes of Tokyo are occupied by restaurants. By living in Tokyo, you are always exposure to great offering from restaurants where you are allowed to enjoy authentic Japanese food and multi-cuisine food for people who miss home. It is popularly known as the food capital of the world.
The Edo-style sushi that has made the world its fan, was first made in Tokyo. It was first sold at small street stalls and today it is a famous delicacy served everywhere by Japanese restaurants. While Tokyo is considered an expensive place, a few weeks in the city can help you find restaurants that serve lunch at cheaper prices i.e. less than 1000 Yen.

Transportation

The cost of traveling anywhere in Tokyo by public transport is around 200 Yen. You can buy a Suica pass for transportation around Tokyo. This pass is rechargeable. By showing your foreign passport, you can receive discounts on tickets.
The train arrives at the station every ten minutes.

Tax

The Japanese tax for consumption, on income, and security, is way less when compared to the tax payable when living in Europe.

The Challenges Expats Face during living in Japan


1. Work visa: The biggest challenge faces by expats is getting a work visa in the country. While the process is fast, you must apply at least two months in advance. Before getting a work visa, you can stay in the city for 90 days to secure a job, by first getting a tourist visa.

2. Language: When living in Japan, learning basic Japanese can make your life smooth hassle-free. If you do not know how to speak in Japanese, you might have difficulty navigating in Tokyo.

3. Expensive: Tokyo is expensive. It is best if you move to the city, only if you have a job that will cover your expenses, otherwise, you will be draining your savings.

Relations Between Japanese Locals And Foreigners 


Like most countries, the experience with the locals in Japan is no different. They treat foreigners like foreigners, not the same way they would treat fellow Japanese people. Japanese expect that foreigners cannot be made allies with and it is an innate belief that you will not understand their social conditions.

However, if you know how to speak in Japanese it’ll be undoubtedly easier for you to make friends. You will also come to know that running daily errands is much more convenient if you can speak Japanese.

Etiquette to consider when living in Tokyo
You can improve your relations and interaction with the locals, by respecting the social etiquette and the cultural norms of Tokyo. The people of Japan believe in politeness, bowing to elders, being punctual, and respecting culture. If you follow these etiquettes you can avoid stepping on their bad foot. Moreover, disturbing others on the train by talking on the phone too loudly, eating while you’re walking, and being unhygienic are some actions that are frowned upon.

How to make friends in Tokyo?
Making friends in Japan can be challenging, especially if you are an introvert. The first friends that you make are most probably going to be your colleagues, you’ll also get to know other expats in the city. If you wish to broaden your local friend circle, you could try attending events and gatherings where you might meet Japanese people.

Change In Perception Of Expats After Living In Tokyo
Once you get used to the rush of the city and the overcrowded restaurants and streets, it’ll be easier for you to navigate. You will enjoy the various festivals in the city, and learn about the culture.

Tokyo Expat Community
From students to IT professionals from Europe, Tokyo is home to over 2 million expats. The expat community in Japan is huge and people often meet other English speaking expats via the Meetup app. You can also join an international nomikai that organizes parties and other events, where you can meet other foreigners and locals.

Your fellow expats must have experienced the same things when they moved to Tokyo. Expat forums are platforms that enable you to get in touch with other expats. You can communicate with them and ask queries through forums like Expat Exchange and InterNations.

 

작성일자

【Build bridges not walls】～What We Can Do Now～

Hi all, this is Lee from Borderless House.

Currently, the impact of the new Coronavirus can be seen and felt all over the world. Various individuals and industries have been hit very hard by this pandemic and its effects.

As you may know, Borderless House is a company which heavily relies on the support of tenants from overseas. In particular, March and April are commonly two of the busiest months for Borderless House as many students begin their new semester, and post-graduates begin a new chapter of life.
The impact of the Coronavirus has by no means been small, and we have been disheartened to see many long-awaited individuals forced to cancel their trips to Japan, and current tenants need to unexpectedly return home. It is a time of uncertainty for many.

However:
Even during these times, we will persist in our mission to create a multi-cultural society void of discrimination.
In light of the current worldwide pandemic, I’d like to introduce some things that I feel we can and should do to support this mission.

Discrimination and Division as a Result of the Coronavirus

The novel Coronavirus has been labeled as an “Asian problem,” and has lead to severe discrimination against Asian residents, particularly Chinese individuals. Human rights organizations in various countries have reported shocking cases of harassment and assault. Awareness of discrimination against Asians has been once again brought to light. However, this discrimination is by no means a foreign affair unrelated to Japan. We cannot claim with certainty that Coronavirus-related discrimination against foreigners will not be born in Japan.

The rampant virus has been kept under control by immigration restrictions as well as self-isolation and restraint measures. As a result, immigration measures have built “physical walls” and the unending stress and uncertainty has built “emotional walls.”Anxiety surrounding the invisible enemy which we are now all fighting has been misplaced as hatred and discrimination towards a specific race. Specific groups of people are now experiencing prejudice and isolation, as others intentionally make efforts to avoid these individuals. My fear is that this prejudice and discrimination against foreigners will continue to visibly increase in Japan even after travel restrictions are lifted in the future.

Now is a critical time for us to come together. Let us build bridges, not walls.
Not all recent events have been negative. The entire world has united to take action during this crisis by cooperating across various fields, exchanging knowledge and resources, as if confronting a common enemy. Here at Borderless House, we have been doing our best to decide on and implement the necessary measures which will prioritize the highest level of safety and health for our tenants, partner companies, and for our staff and their families.

※Click here for more information regarding the Borderless House Coronavirus measures

With this all being said, and given the current state of the world, we are faced with a few questions.
What can we at Borderless House do?
What should be our approach and response?
I am convinced that our current role is to promote connections rather than divisions. Our staff has summarized this sentiment with an encouraging and impactfull phrase:“Build bridges, not walls.”

Due to the Coronavirus, business at Borderless House has been heavily impacted in various ways. However, what overshadows our business worries are our tenants, a community of individuals who had been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to foster connections and make memories with people from all over the world. Our hearts ache hearing the stories of tenants who have lost their dreams of coming to Japan, individuals whose once-in-a-lifetime work and study opportunities abroad have been cancelled, foreigners who have been forced to return home due to travel restrictions, and those who have been robbed of the ability to make long-lasting memories with their housemates, never given the time needed to have felt fully at home in Japan.
Even if they are not in Japan, will these individuals be able to build up excitement for the next opportunity to come to Japan, to learn something about Japanese culture or language, or to build international friendships? Are these things that we at Borderless House are still able to provide?

We should aim to eliminate discrimination, prejudice, and division! We should strive to take our society in the opposite direction!
It is important to say these things and to put them in writing, however, arguably more important is taking direct action to support these claims. Borderless House exists to support this type of action by challenging individuals to leave their comfort zone, directly confront their own preconceptions of foreign societies and individuals, and join a multicultural environment. This is the mission, brand, and purpose of Borderless House.

 

We have taken action and started an online “Language Exchange” matching program.

This new program is based upon a simple idea.
We will be matching foreigners who no longer are able to come to Japan with current tenants of Borderless House to create a free online language exchange program! Therefore, housemates who were supposed to meet will have to opportunity to do so virtually and can still form lasting friendships which transcend borders!

By speaking with Borderless House tenants, we can use this program to provide a look into life in a multicultural environment in Japan, and reignite some of the excitement that may have been extinguished by the ongoing pandemic. We hope that these language partners will ultimately have the opportunity to meet face-to-face in the future.

Please check out the program page for more details regarding this new program!

Ultimately, we would like to extend this program not only to those who were unable to come to Japan, but also those who were unexpectedly forced to post-pone or cancel their reservations with us.

As self-isolation measures persist around the world, I, as well as all the staff at Borderless House, hope that these small and impactful actions will help restore any lost anticipation and excitement, and help redirect our focus from the dark present to a bright future.

Additionally, for tenants who made reservations with Borderless House but were forced to cancel, we have prepared personalized video messages from the staff members who coordinated their reservation details.

With the combined efforts of all members of Borderless House, we will continue to move forward with passion and heart!

 

The worldwide fight against the Coronavirus is expected to be a long battle.
If the role of the government and politicians is to build walls in order to keep the world safe, I think the response of all global citizens should be to build bridges between our hearts to overcome these barriers.
And we as Borderless House aim to be one of the engineers crafting these bridges. Although not always perfectly made, we will continue to build bridges with a smile, and take pride in our efforts!

 

Borderless House has previously experienced a similar unexpected and tragic event in the past, and was able to persevere and overcome the resulting challenges.
During the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, fears of the earthquake and radioactivity lead to the evacuation of both Japanese and foreign tenants from Tokyo, resulting in many cancellations.
Despite this, we continued to maintain the ratio of our tenants at 1:1, foreigner:Japanese, and did not abandon our mission. We held out hope that people would return to Japan again, and by standing firm, Borderless House survived this hardship, our brand grew, and we emerged stronger than ever before.

In light of the current virus situation, we will of course work to prioritize each individual’s health and safety.
We may continue to face difficulties in all aspects of our life, both in the personal and economic spheres. However, Borderless House will continue to face these challenges head-on, doing whatever we can do to help and keeping our eyes fixed on the hope of a bright and exciting future!

작성일자

What Is A Sharehouse?


A sharehouse is a rental space where people who are living independently, gather to live together. Except for private rooms, all other spaces are shared with fellow tenants. The shared spaces include the lounge area, where tenants can interact with one another, the kitchen, where they can prepare a variety of cuisines and meals, and the bathroom.

Share houses are mainly occupied by similarly aged (young and middle-aged) independently living locals or foreigners who have moved to Japan. Share houses appeal to this group of people due to the diversity, comfort of living, and fun that they offer to its tenants.

In the 1990s, with the increase of the foreigner population in Japan, people were introduced to a new accommodation medium called ‘gaijin houses’ or ‘foreigner houses’. Share houses are the modern version of a gaijin house. Today, these houses have become multicultural environments, providing shared spaces for locals and foreigners to interact with one another.

Popularity Of Share Houses

The increasing focus on shared spaces in television dramas and the collective generational desire to interact with new people and explore new things has led to the popularity of share houses in east Asia.

The Share House Culture

According to a 2015 study, 1.75% of Japan’s population consists of immigrants. Some of these immigrants are foreigners who have moved to the city for work, education, or travel. With the growing population in metro cities, accommodations in Japan are getting harder to find and more costly. Sharehouses offer a fully-furnished space for independently living locals and foreigners, providing both a cost-effective and a multicultural option.

Different companies provide sharehouses with different themes, aiming to bring like-minded people together. Some shares houses are based on similar interests like sports, while there are some share houses that are only for girls or for single mothers, etc.

When living at a share house, one can learn about local culture, taste authentic local food, understand the local lifestyle, and make friends with local residents. BORDERLESS HOUSE is one of the leading share house companies in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, as they offer a variety of multicultural shares houses.

After co-living for a period of time, and in some cases even sharing a room, housemates leave their sharehouses with strong friendships with individuals from various countries across the globe.

Share House v/s Room Share: The Better Rental


When moving to another country, most people go for the conventional choice of a rental accommodation i.e. leasing an apartment or sharing a rental house. While the cost of a rental is divided between flatmates in a shared rental, the overhead costs and the money spent during the first month of leasing can empty your pockets.

A rental apartment has to be furnished, the monthly bills for electricity, gas, internet, and water have to be paid, and the cost of repairs, if any, must be shouldered by the flatmates.
By contrast, when renting a space in a share house, the tenants all pay a monthly rent and maintenance fee, and the management details are all handled by the sharehouse company.

A rental apartment or room is generally shared by people who either are friends or have previously decided to group together for the purpose of leasing the space together. While living with someone you already know may sound more comfortable, it leaves little space for learning. If you and your roommates are all foreigners, then it will be increasingly difficult for you to immerse yourself in the local way of living.

What Kind Of Personality Fits Share House Life well?

1. An open heart

Obviously, a share house constitutes communal spaces, which means you’ll share your space with your housemates who come from everywhere around the world. Everyone has their own different backgrounds, personalities and experiences, so, an open heart and mind are important for anyone considering staying in a share house.

2. People who love to make new friends!

Communication is one of the main concept points of BORDERLESS HOUSE. Most of our tenants expect to be placed in an environment where tenants are willing to communicate and interact to each other! So, make an effort not to hide away in your room, and instead, join your housemates, enjoy your time together, and make it memorable!

3. Maintain house cleanliness and environment with other housemates

A clean and comfortable environment requires all the housemates to work on maintaining it together. In BORDERLESS HOUSE, all tenants will need to take turns to do the housework together!

BORDERLESS HOUSE

BORDERLESS HOUSE is an International share house company with 122 share houses and 1285 rooms available for rent in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. BORDERLESS HOUSE caters to a large number of tenants every month. These tenants are from around 50 different countries and come to the share house with their own cultural knowledge to impart and a lot to gain from other housemates.

The ratio of locals and foreigners in a share house depends upon each share house company. The resident ratio between locals and foreigners at BORDERLESS HOUSE share houses is equal. This guarantees foreigners an opportunity to interact with locals and learn the culture, language, and traditions of the country.

The essence of a share house by BORDERLESS HOUSE is to create a multicultural space, where borders do not matter- where people from different countries across the world live together and share experiences. Residents teach and learn from each other, and become lifelong friends.

The Benefits Of Staying At A BORDERLESS HOUSE

● When you move to another country, you come across a lot of new and unexpected things. The food, the lifestyle, the language, the culture, and people’s perspectives are all new and strange at first. While some people find it easy to adapt into new spaces, others might have trouble interacting with people and making friends. Living together under the same roof, provides an immediate community of friends and a great environment for people to start talking.

● When living together for an extended period, housemates can learn each other’s culture and way of living. Interaction with people from different cultures helps you broaden your perspectives and learn new things about human nature.
Living with locals can help you learn the culture and folklore of the country. You can even celebrate local festivals, i.e. Chinese New Year, Seollal, and Shogatsu with local people!

● If you have moved to either Japan, Korea, or Taiwan for the long term, then knowledge of the local language will certainly come in handy. With the help your local housemates, you can simplify your life by learning the local language. Knowing the local language will help you better navigate around the country and take a step towards being accepted as a resident of your new country!

● When living at a share house, you can benefit from the advice and knowledge of your local housemates. Once you become friends, you can visit popular local restaurants and bars together. If you need to buy something, they can recommend the best shops in the area, or even accompany you to one. Basically, when living in a share house, you will never feel alone despite being in a foreign country.

● While there are many social benefits of living at a share house, it is also economically beneficial for people who are living alone. The monthly cost of staying at a share house is generally cheaper than that of a private apartment. Apart from the rent and maintenance fee, the tenants are not expected to pay for additional facilities like the internet, water, gas, etc. In some cases they can share the cost of cooking with other tenants and save money while making friends.

● Considering that a lot of people are housed together, share houses generally offer better and smarter house appliances. Some share houses even offer home theatres and fitness studios.

● To make the life of tenants at the share house easier, share house companies have dedicated house management staff to oversee the maintenance of the share house. From broken appliances to leaking pipes, every big and small maintenance job is handled by the company staff so that the tenants of the share house have one less thing to worry about.

BORDERLESS HOUSE is located in many different cities, including Tokyo, Seoul, and Taipei, amongst others. These houses are located in areas that are nearby to local markets, stations, and other regularly visited places to ensure maximized convenience and ease of living for the tenants.

We are a customer-oriented rental share house company and provide free special programs for our tenants.

➔ House Exchange Program: We are an international company. When a tenant from BORDERLESS HOUSE is traveling to another country or city, where another BORDERLESS HOUSE is located, then they can stay at one of our other houses without any additional charges. This exchange can last for a week or even a month! The tenants can arrive in a new country, meet local people at the sharehouse and benefit from their knowledge of the city. Who knows, they might even find someone to take them sightseeing!

➔ Language Exchange Program: The Language exchange program enables foreign tenants to learn the local language from other local tenants at our share houses.

➔ BORDERLESS Diners: Every once in a while, there is an international cuisine gathering for our tenants. This gathering is a place for tenants to get to know one another and enjoy delicious delicacies together.

➔ BORDERLESS events: These events are organized for the occupants of multiple share houses to come together. This way, the tenants have a wider networking platform, and can meet new local and foreign BORDERLESS HOUSE residents for a fun time!

All the programs and features offered by BORDERLESS HOUSE are created with the focus of erasing borders at the forefront. Our goal is to create culturally enriched spaces for independently living people in the respective countries.

If you’re looking for a share house rental either in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, you can reach out to us at BORDERLESS HOUSE.

작성일자

【What BH Can Do Now】We will start an Online Communication Matching Service “~Build bridges not walls! Language Exchange”

COVID-19 Infection has been rapidly spreading, and we now see it on news daily.
Borders have closed down in many countries, and departing and entering countries are restricted.People have stopped traveling worldwide.

Spring is a very important season for share houses.
People start new schools or jobs, study abroad or do an internship.
It is a season where many people choose to live in a share house and become excited about new encounters.
In the spring of previous years, many Tenants from around the world moved into Borderless House.
However, right now, due to the spread of COVID-19 and the endless threat of the virus, many Tenants abroad have had to give up in coming to Japan.
Continuous cancellation of international Tenants is, of course, big economic damage for our company.

Moreover, when thinking about the international people who decided to spend their precious time living in Japan and were excited about their life at Borderless House and Japan.
And current Tenants who were looking forward to their new Tenants, and people who were looking forward to their study abroad, but could not depart their country, it is heartbreaking.

What can we do in times like this?
To those abroad who wanted to come to Japan, we want to share Japan even a little bit.
To those who were looking forward to new encounters, we want them to feel abroad even a little bit.
From these feelings, we will start “~Build bridges not walls~ Language Exchange.”

What is an Online Communication Matching Service “~Build bridges not walls~ Language Exchange.”

This service is a free online communication service to match those who had to cancel moving in Borderless House due to the COVID-19 or people abroad who could not come to Japan with talking partners who are Tenants in Borderless House.
We will provide an opportunity to talk with housemates who were supposed to go or were supposed to come.
While learning each other’s language and connecting with people around the globe, do you want to become friends?

Matching Step

Step1
Entry is easy!
Please apply from the form below.

Application form

Step2
Borderless House will do the matching based on the form!

A Skype group will be created and we will organize the date for the first meeting and explain the procedures.

Step3
The day of the program
Start with introducing yourself! Enjoy talking with language based on the topic cards! (First time 40 minutes)

Step4
Answer the survey after finishing it. And decide the 2nd time meeting with your partner.

What Borderless House Can Do

Point1
People who were planning to move in Borderless House and Tenants living in Borderless House will be matched, so Borderless staff will do the matching!

Point2
You can talk to people with high motivation for interacting who agree with Borderless House’s concept, so you can enjoy talking and improve language skills with each other.

Point3

Of course, it is free!

First, please feel free to apply through the form!

Because of this time when borders are closed and departing/ entering countries are restricted, we believe we want to create a connection with the world.

We are looking forward to your entries.

All share houses in Tokyo

About BORDERLESS HOUSE

작성일자

2020’s Perfect Guide on Moving to Japan

With the growth of the internet which is responsible for virtually connecting each and every corner of the world, the opportunity to grow and prosper can now practically present itself anywhere. Your job, schooling or the decision to move near your loved ones can become the reason for your inter-county move.

But moving to a new place, especially to a new country is a big challenge. It calls for a great deal of courage and the ability to make wise decisions. Presently, there are many developing countries that are offering grand opportunities to expats and hence are enticing manpower to their land. And Japan is one such prospering nation. 

Japan is climbing on the global development ladder very rapidly.

The country is home to some of the biggest cities in the world as well as the origin point of some mouth-watering dishes.

It is full of young and vibrant minds that have worked really hard to make Japan a bustling, growing, economic hub.

But the country has still not lost sight of its roots which just makes it all the more appealing to the people worldwide.
Now, if you wish to have a look at a more detailed study of the lifestyle in Japan, then come let’s evaluate the pros and cons of moving to this nation in a little more detail.

What are the pros and cons of moving to Japan?

Japan in the past years has become a hotspot for expats because.

● The education system is remarkable
The US News and World Report recently ranked Japan’s schooling system as one of the best. So, whether you decide to send your child to the free public schools or you have planned on admitting him to a private international institution, in any case, you can rest assured that your child will receive a world-class education.

● You can easily find a job here
As mentioned earlier, Japan is a bustling economic hub. Hence, the country has many opportunities even for expats, given you have some valuable skills. Also, for those of you who are fluent in English, many Japanese schools have openings for teachers and the pay is also steady. So, if you love being around kids, then this can be your calling.

● Getting a visa for Japan is easy
Japan offers many kinds of work visas. Moreover, you can also get a temporary visa in case you are involved in some research work or in some job that is not remunerated. We are very appreciative and open to allowing foreign talents to work within our borders.
Cons
The disadvantages of moving to Japan are as follows.
● The cost of living is high
Japan since a very long time, has been on the top of the list of those places where the cost of living touches the sky. Though in the past few years efforts have been made to reduce these costs, to say that renting a home in Japan is now easy, would seem unfair.
● Absence of work-life balance
Japan has a very hard-working culture as a result of which people here often lose sight of the work-life balance. No matter what job you are in, but in Japan, you are often expected to show up early and leave late. Even taking vacations is sometimes frowned upon.
● Renting for foreigners can be difficult
In Japan, houses are lent through brokers and many of these brokers are not fluent in English. So even if you find a home in Japan that you would like to rent, it is not going to be easy to strike a deal, for some cases.

Are the locals friendly towards foreigners in Japan?

When you are moving to a new country, a major concern that surrounds you is whether or not the locals are going to behave friendly and open with you.

This factor plays a key role in deciding how you are going to feel about your new home in some time, whether you will be able to live happily there or not.

Well, we don’t know about other nations, but if you are considering moving to Japan then you will be happy to know that Japanese culture and society is very polite. The people here are very sweet and in general accepting of others. The only barrier here is language.

Yes, a majority of native people in Japan are not fluent in English or any other foreign language, and some of them feel shy to interact with foreigners in alien languages. However, if you have a command over your Japanese then everything should turn out just fine. So, if you know Japanese, then just brush up on your language skills and you may even get an invite to have dinner at your neighbors!

Which cities should be favored while moving to Japan?

If you are an expat who is about to leave for Japan then here is the list of cities that you should consider moving to-

● Tokyo
Tokyo which is both the heart and capital of Japan is a favored choice of expats who are living in this nation. It is so because the capital city has many high paying job opportunities which can help you in building a life here. However, life here can get pretty busy with more than 38 million people residing in the city.

● Nagoya
If fast and busy life is not your thing, then you should check out Nagoya where the atmosphere is pretty much laid back and quiet. You can find in the neighborhood many other expats who are making their living through vehicle manufacturing business.

● Osaka
Osaka is rumored to offer the best food choices to people. This city is the second largest in Japan and it is a little less crowded and a lot cheaper than Tokyo.
However, if these cities do not turn out to be in accordance to your liking, then you can also check out the small towns of Japan like Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Hiroshima, and Hokkaido.

Is Japan a safe country?

On moving to a foreign country, safety is a crucial element to consider. Then, from that point of view, Japan is one of the best places to move. The crime rate here is very low even though the total population here comprises of more than 100 million people.

According to the NationMaster report, the murder rate in Japan is as low as 1.02 as opposed to the 5 of the United States, the rape rate here is just 1 as compared to the high 27.3 of the US. In the international homicide rate, the country ranks at 44th and at the murder rate (per million people) it stands at 111th rank. Pretty much disciplined and crime-free, wouldn’t you agree?

However, the major source of calamity here is nature itself. Yes, Japan has faced many natural calamities in the past few decades. Now even though measures are being taken to predict these disasters well in advance, but still there has not been much progress.

What are the requirements to move to Japan?

If you are planning on moving to Japan then you should know that the process of obtaining a visa for here is largely identical regardless of the fact whether you are a British, American or Australian citizen. So, as for the legal requirements you are required to present –

● Your Visa application form
● Your passport
● A photograph
● A certificate of eligibility, both original and a copy

Note: a certificate of eligibility is a certified letter from a Japanese person that guarantees to support you financially for the duration for which you will stay in Japan. It is usually from an employer or from an educational institution if you are coming for studies.

How much is the cost of living in Japan?

The cost of living in Japan is very high, so much so that it is ranked as one of the highest in the world. The monthly cost is estimated at around 280,000-300,000 JPY (2500-2700 USD). This is basically a result of the geographical position of the nation because as an Island country Japan is surrounded by water on all sides and has to highly rely upon imports.

Let’s have a look at these costs in a little more detail.

Cost of living: City vs. Rural

That cost of living in Tokyo is astronomical. This can be understood by the fact that Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, consistently ranks as one of the most expensive cities in the world in terms of average costs of living. In this city and those which lie nearby, one can only find small houses with sky-high rents.

However, the cost of living in rural areas is comparatively very less. The rent here is approximately 50% less as compared to the rent of a house which is located in central Tokyo. Also, on the food in supermarkets in the countryside, one can save almost 20% on average! Selecting rural areas as your residing location will be a way to make your plan of moving to Japan more down to the earth.

Cost of living: City-wise

Here is the monthly cost of living in Japan in some of the most popular cities.

  • Osaka

Single Expat

181,000 JPY

2,100 USD

Family of 4

530,000 JPY

6,300 USD
  • Tokyo

Single Expat

244,600 JPY

2,200 USD

Family of 4

730,000 JPY

6,700 USD
  • Yokohama

Single Expat

204,000 JPY

1,900 USD

Family of 4

700,000 JPY

6,400 USD
  • Fukuoka

Single Expat

145,000 JPY

1,300 USD

Family of 4

367,000 JPY

3,400 USD
  • Kyoto

Single Expat

167,500 JPY

1,500 USD

Family of 4

450,000 JPY

4,100 USD

Grocery Prices

As stated earlier, the grocery prices in Japan are high as a result of its geographical location. Most of the food items here are imported, so the food and alcohol here cost more than what you will find in other Asian countries.

A list of the prices of some of the common food items is mentioned below.

Food Item

JPY

USD

One quart of milk

200

1.90

One pound of chicken

470

4.40

One dozen eggs

280

2.60

One pound of Apples

730

6.80

One Bottle of wine

1700

15.70

Utility costs in Japan

Utilities are generally not included in rent in Japan. Now, how much the utilities will cost depends upon the place where you are living. But on average an expat can estimate spending around 20,000 JPY (190 USD) per month on electricity, water, and gas. The internet can cost you anywhere between 3,000 to 9,000 JPY (25 USD to 75 USD) depending upon the plan you select.

Cost of education

The education in Japan costs nil as public schools are free for both Japanese and foreign students. The only costs parents have to bear is that of the uniform and other such expenses which round off to about 4,000 JPY (35 USD per year). However, if you choose to send your child to a private or international institution then it can cost you anywhere from 2,000,000 JPY to 2.3 million JPY per year.

Rent prices in Japan

The rent of houses in the main cities is very costly. However, if you choose to live somewhere on the outskirts the rent prices drop significantly.

Monthly rent for 900 sqft accommodation in the main city

197,391 JPY

Monthly rent for 900 sqft accommodation outside the main city

112,128 JPY

Monthly rent for 480 sqft studio in a good neighborhood

119,023 JPY

Monthly rent for 480 sqft studio in a so-so neighborhood

92,673 JPY

Travel and transportation costs

Despite being an expensive country, transportation and travel costs in Japan are reasonable. Let’s get to understand what will be your day-to-day transportation means and costs are like, after moving to Japan. People usually choose buses and trains as a favorable means of commutation. The average cost ranges from 170 JPY (1.50 USD) for a single fare ticket in the metro to 20,000 JPY (185 USD) for a one-way ticket on the bullet train.

So, this was all about the cost of living in Japan, now let’s move towards our next section.

What are the social and cultural etiquettes in Japan?

When you move to a new place, it is important to learn about its customs and norms in a little detail as it saves you from committing any cultural faux and also helps you in fitting in. And especially if the country in concern is a nation like Japan which is known for its rich culture, then it becomes all the more important to learn about its traditions. It will make your social life after moving to Japan comfortably and smoothly. So come, let’s begin!

● Greetings
The traditional greeting in Japan comprises of bowing down before the other person as a sign of respect. For this, you bend at your waist level while keeping your back and neck straight and your hands at your sides.

● Hierarchy
Hierarchy in Japan is considered very important both in the work culture as well as in everyday life. People here respect their elders and interact very politely with them. So For example, if you are moving to another room and you have someone elderly along with you then you are expected to hold the door open for them in order to allow them to pass first.

● Eating and drinking
There are many customs in Japan as far as eating and drinking are considered. In Japan, if during the meal you are sharing dishes with others then it is not acceptable to eat from the communal plate, instead, you should serve food onto your own individual plate and eat from there. Likewise, if you are out drinking with others, then you are expected to serve a drink in other people’s glass. Someone else will then pour your drink for you. Also, ex-pats should take note that eating on the go is considered rude for non-casual occasions in Japan.

● Chopsticks
Chopsticks are an integral part of food in Japan and you will come across them from time to time. Hence, it is good to remember that you should never play with your chopsticks nor should you use them to point at anyone.
If you are not using them at the moment then you should not hover them in the air instead, you should lay them down on the hashioki. Also, remember to never leave your chopsticks sticking straight into the bowl as it is symbolic of funerals and deaths.
Lastly, never rub your chopsticks to free them of the residue, such behavior is considered rude in Japan.

● Pointing
Pointing at someone with one finger in Japan is considered rude in our culture. Hence, you should use your whole hand while keeping your fingers straight when giving directions or gesturing toward something.

● Feet and shoes
When you are entering someone’s home, remember to take off your shoes. Moreover, some businesses also follow this etiquette and require you to remove your slippers before entering. Pay attention to signs in order to understand what you should do or not do.

Is it difficult to score a job in Japan?

It was difficult to get a job in Japan in the early 2000s, but now with the changing times and growing international companies scoring a job in Japan for foreigners is not as difficult as it used to be.

So, if you will apply in the early springs or late summers which are the prime hiring months, there is a good probability that you will succeed in getting a job.

How to get a job in Japan as a foreigner?

The following are the tips to get a job in Japan.

● For getting a job in Japan consider moving to Japan, as that increases your chances immensely. This is because if you are already in Japan then the company will not have to pay to move you.

● It is easy to get a job in Japan if you have a university degree or if you have 10 years of working experience in your field.

● You should know the Japanese language in order to get a job in Japan. Most employers will require you to pass a minimum Level 2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test to offer you a job.

● You should have your references ready.

What are the minimum wages and average salary in Japan?

The average minimum salary in Japan is 4 million JPY (37,800 USD) per year while the average minimum wage here is 874 JPY (8 USD) per hour.

What is the business culture in Japan like?

Just like the business culture in any other part of the world, the business culture in Japan is also very formal. There are some norms and traditional customs that one is expected to abide by, lest you offend your employer. It’s recommended to get yourself familiar with Japanese business culture in advance of actually moving into the nation. Now some of the common work business culture etiquettes here include-

● In Japan, privacy is valued. Hence, avoid asking too many personal questions about family or work history at the beginning of a working relationship.

● While meeting a business partner or colleague, greet them by bowing down and wait for them to offer their hand.

● Hierarchy is respected in Japanese business culture too. This can also be observed in their seating arrangement.

● Japanese traditional working culture favors politeness. Hence, try to remain as quiet and as unobtrusive in a meeting as possible.

Social security and benefits in Japan

A social security number is a 12-digit number that is issued to all Japanese residents who have registered with their local government and have lived in Japan for at least 3 months. This social security contributes towards-

● Public assistance
● General public health services
● Maternity leaves and child allowances
● Public housing
● Old age benefits like retirement pension, etc.

How does healthcare work in Japan?

Japan has a public healthcare program and a foreigner living in Japan can use it just like a Japanese citizen. Moving to Japan and stay in the nation may mean that you would be in need of having healthcare service to maintain your own health condition. There are 2 schemes under Japanese healthcare-

● First is the Japanese National Health Insurance, available to unemployed people who are working for less than 30 hours a week or are students.
● Another is the Japanese health insurance which is available to full-time employees.

Under both these schemes, the individual is required to pay only 30% of their healthcare costs, while the rest 70% is paid by the government.

An overview of private health insurance

There is not much difference between private and public health insurance in Japan, unlike other Asian countries. In fact, most private health insurance plans in Japan are either opted by people who have a terminal illness or by those who are foreigners. However, there are some benefits of having private insurance as well. These include-

● There are some plans that cover the 30% co-pays that are usually the responsibility of individuals.
● For those with long illnesses, this 30% can mean a lot.
● Private insurance is more extensive and covers many things that public insurance doesn’t.

How to find a doctor or dentist in Japan?

General practitioners in Japan are not common. Hence, for finding a doctor you would have to visit a clinic. Even though walk-in appointments are common, but still it is better to check online before physically paying a visit.

However, for getting a dental check-up it is mandatory to get an appointment beforehand. You can do so by calling their office or by booking online.

Public transportation in Japan

Public transportation in Japan is efficient and reasonably priced. The network is well-connected and it takes you to your desired location in a very small time.

People in Japan typically use buses or trains as favorable modes of commutation. However, one can also use ferries or domestic flights to travel.

The average cost of transportation ranges from 170 JPY (1.50 USD) of a single fare ticket in Tokyo’s metro to 20,000 JPY (185 USD) for one way ticket on the bullet train.

What types of Visas are available?

The types of visas you can apply for include-

● Work permit visas
The type of work permit visa you can apply for depends upon your job. Japan has nearly 30 different work visas like for artists, instructors, entertainers, etc.

● Self-employed visas
Expats who want a self-employed visa will need to apply for an investor or business visa. Though getting this visa will offer you more flexibility, but the process to gain it is not easy.

● Residency permits: temporary and permanent
For getting a residency permit, you will first need to figure out whether you intend to stay for a long or short period. If your stay is for a short duration (15 to 90 days) then you might be allowed to come to Japan visa-free. However, for a long-term residency, you will have to apply for a long-term residency visa, for which you will need a certificate of eligibility and residence card.

● Cultural activities visa
Cultural visa is the common route for martial arts students. For this, you will need a list of normal documents along with proof of your cultural activities.

● Volunteer visa
Under an agreement between the UK and Japan, UK citizens can volunteer in Japan for 1 year. For this, you must work with a registered charitable organization.

How to find a house when moving to Japan?

Finding a house to buy or rent in Japan is fairly simple. Here is how you can do it.

● Renting a house or apartment
If you are looking to rent a house in Japan, it should be easy. The landlords here do not treat the foreign tenants any differently from the Japanese citizens. The average rent here falls between 50 to 70,000 JPY (470-650 USD).

● Internet and mobile phones
In order to get a Japanese phone number, you should know that here we have three main phone providers: Softbank, Docomo, and AU. Now for getting a Japanese number, don’t forget to take your Passport, Japanese stamp, and a form of payment along with you.
As for popular internet providers, the names include KDDI, Asahi Net, Fusion Gol, etc. The average cost of getting internet lies between 3,000 to 9000 JPY.

● Sharehouse
At the BORDERLESS HOUSE, one can live under the same roof with other locals and foreigners. This gets you a chance to interact with people belonging from diverse language and culture groups. It also creates an opportunity to learn. For searching for accommodation with the BORDERLESS HOUSE, just check out our website

How to set up financial establishments in Japan?

As a new resident of Japan, it becomes important for you to learn to manage your finances. Here is how you can set them up!

Which bank accounts should you open in Japan?

There are two banks that are very popular with the ex-pat community in Japan.

● Japan Post
To open an account with this bank you neither need a Japanese phone number nor a Hanko. You can just need to give your work number and sign the documents.

● Shinsei bank
At this bank also you won’t need a Japanese phone number, but you will need a Hanko. Another benefit this bank offers is that here you can fill all the forms in English here.

However, if a Japanese phone number is not an issue for you then you can choose to open an account with Japan Post bank, Mitsubishi UFJ financial group, Norinchukin bank, etc.

So, this is all you need to know about moving to Japan if you are an ex-pat who has newly shifted here!

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【Ridilover x Borderless House】We held a study tour to learn multiculturalism in our international share house

Hi ! This is Yuya of Borderless House, and I am in charge of this blog .

Today’s story is about high school student who come to Borderless House for class trips.

The main mission of this trip is to break down the unconcern to society.

We held this trip with Ridilover, a general incorporated foundation who held a lot of study tour business to high school students and adults.

This time, 30 students from Hiroshima and Nagasaki came to Borderless House and we did 2 study tours.

I am going to explain the Nagasaki student trip.

Borderless House become a destination of school trip !? ~ We have thought about multiculturalism~

Why we have to do some experience of social challenges in a share house?

think some people have this question in mind.

Borderless house is a place in which ” Youth people from everywhere in world live together and experience different cultures together“.

and our goal is to make a society which ” regardless the country you came from, everyone is respecting multiculturalism.”

“Do you want to try to hold a study tour about multiculturalism at a sharehouse ?”

It was a 2-hour tour.

During the tour, we have first a discussion and a workshop about “multiculturalism in Japan” with our foreigners tenants.

First, let look at the house ! The first time to enter in a share house!

For highschool student who is living with their parents, sharehouse is an unknown area.

They all know about it because of TV but they don’t know about life in it. So, we invite them to have a house tour at the beginning.

We calculate the interior of the house to be able to promote communication.

For example, in Hounancho house, you have to pass over the living room to get access to your room. So people interact naturally in the house and greeting like “welcome back” or “I am back!” happen.

and by making an atmosphere that communication is usual, the interaction between Japanese tenants and foreign tenants become easier.

When we are explaining the concept and the interior, some students said that they wanted to live in this house.If you are planning to move to Tokyo or Kansai area, we are welcome to receive you!We are waiting for you !

What are you going to bring to a deserted island ? Let have a international communicatio by workshop

After the house tour, let have a workshop.

Before the study tour, we have asked our student to prepare some answers
The question was: think about every contact you have with foreigners.

The answers of highschool students were: the shopman of a convenience store, exchange student, teacher of ELT, tourist, etc…

If we put attention, foreigners are everywhere in our life.

However, when we ask them if they talk to them, most students say no.

We have asked them the reasons. They cannot talk about the language or they don’t have the opportunity to meet them.

But the main reason is that they feel scary to not be able to understand each other by not having the same values.

But do you think the way to think is going to differ from the country you have born?

We cannot understand each other if we don’t talk the same language?

As a student do not have interaction with foreigners, it is not easy to have an answer to this question. So, we invite some tenants of Borderless House to create interaction.


The theme of the workshop is easy.

If you have to go to a deserted island, and you can bring 3 items, what are you going to bring?

Have a talk with your team and decide it!

All our tenants were people who just have come to Japan and everyone can speak only English or another language.

In the beginning, the student has some difficulties to tell the name of the item they want to bring. But they start to communicate by easy word, some imitation and by drawing.

By seeing the effort of our high school students, our tenant did also some effort to communicate by using easy English word or the Japanese word they know
In the beginning, they were a distance between tenants and students.

However, after they have finished the workshop, they were all became friendly.

” It was not easy to tell the item or group our idea. but everyone was so kind that I wanted to talk to them more.”

We could get some good comment from highschool student.

Neighbor from foreign country is grworing up ! Do you want to know more about each other ?

In 2018, 31million people come to Japan. And in 2020, the year of Olympics, we expect that more than 40 million people are going to visit Japan.

In addition, they are 26.3 million of people living in Japan, which mean 1/50 of people in Japan are foreigners.

And because of the aging population, Japan is planning to recruit 30 thousand to 14.5million of foreigners to fill the lack of workforce in the domain of nursing care and healthcare.
Interaction between foreigners is important for Japan and the Japanese people.
However, governmental support in the domain of language and public administration are not in good condition yet. So for foreigners, it is not easy to live in Japan.

In our usual life, it is difficult to find an opportunity to meet and make foreign friends.

I am too bad to make a wall because of the country or difference od culture even if we are living in the same country.

They are not people from a different country, we are and they are our neighbors

We want to make our city, and our country better all together

This is how Borderless House think about coexistence.

They are no wall of language. The most important think is the sentiment that you want to tell to this person.

” When I sit down on the train, nobody wants to sit next to me.”

“When I go to Udon or Soba restaurant, the staff serve me some spoon and fork instead of the chopstick.”

” I can speak a little bit of Japanese. However, even I ask the road in Japanese, they just say: sorry I don’t speak English and avoid us.”

These are the answers to our tenants when we ask them if they have ever experienced prejudice in Japan.
” I think the Japanese are very kind and friendly, and Japan is an interesting country easy to live in. You know, we really like to live in Japan and we really want to interact more with Japanese.

About the chopstick, I think it is the kindness of the staff, so I feel happy.
I really want to communicate more, Like that, we can understand more each other. “

After they listen to the voice of our tenants during the workshop, students left us these comments ( image ).

 

When we live in Japan, we are not trying to avoid or foreigners.

I think, our shyness and our over-kindness keep away from foreigners and the distance between us has increased.

Thanks to this tour, we had this feeling to be able to create more opportunity to meet people from diffenrent background.

What is the multiculturalism that Borderless House want to spread to the society?

Borderless house has started 12 years before.

At this time, the number of foreigners was not like today. And many problems like people could not borrow a room or get some social security. In the hospital, as they were not a translator, it was not easy to get good healthcare.


In addition, because we have different culture, we believe in a different religion, we talk different languages, they were many Japanese who have a prejudice toward foreigners.

We wanted to change this society, we wanted to take all the distance and the misunderstanding between Japanese and foreigners. This is why in order to know each other, we have started an international interacting share house business.

Since we have started the business, the number of foreigners has increased and Japanese society became more globalized.
In our sharehouse, we have some trouble between tenants because of language or culture.
but by having a face to face communication and the action to try to solve the problem with patience, lead us to find new values.

And coexistence between people who have different backgrounds is not as difficult as you think. Just small respect for people who have different backgrounds and enjoy differences is needed.

We think this is the way to our ideal multicultural society

Borderless house will continue to try to create a multiculturalist society!

This study tour help to our high school students to understand and experience multiculturalism.

In 2020, we are going to try to hold 10 study tours with Ridilover, and we will continue to tell about multiculturalism, understanding different cultures and diversity to the society.

We are also doing a lecture and discourse about how multiculturalism is appearing from Borderless House. or how Japanese and foreigners can live together in the future?

We are looking forward to be able to meet you soon !

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【Feel free to visit International Sharehouse!】Open House event on Feb 22nd Sat!

Hello! This is Riko from Borderless House Kansai office.

This is a friendly notice of Open House event!

Spring is around the corner. Many people will be starting a new life with a new school or job.

March is the season for moving to a new place!

Although some of you are considering moving into a share house, applying for a room-viewing can be a big step.

For those people, we will be holding open house event where you can feel free to visit Borderless House without any pressure!

【What is Borderless House?】
Young people all over the world gather and exchange various cultures by living together. This is Borderless House International share house.
We will provide you with an international environment where you can improve your Japanese language skills, also with great encounters of housemates from other countries and new perspectives.

Don’t you wonder how it is like living in a share house with international people?

How do we cook in a share house?

Can you interact with Japanese tenants without Japanese skills?

How do you solve problems if there is any?

On the day, our staff and current tenants will answer any of your questions.
It will be held on Feb 22nd Saturday, morning session (11:00~) and afternoon session (14:00~).

The maximum number of participants for each session is 10 people.

There will be interactions and individual consultations with tenants who actually live in Borderless House, so please feel free to ask any questions.

Living by yourself is also a good choice, but how about an option to live in an international share house instead?

Your friends or family members are welcome to participate, so please invite them and come with them if you wish.

* Please note that there is an age limit (18-35) to move into the Borderless House.

We are looking forward to meeting you all!

Please join us on the event:)

Super multicultural house with maximum of 26 tenants Kyoto-Kinugasa house!

Open house events will be held at Borderless House Kyoto Kinugasa.

The maximum number of tenants is 26 and this house will give a lot of experience to someone who wants to meet more people from local and other countries!!!

Before the event, you can take a quick look at this house!

 

It has excellent access to Ritsumeikan University, 5mins ride bicycle, and 20mins walk! Also, you can go to Enmachi and Karasuma area from the bus stops nearby the house!!

The room types are private rooms and shared a room! As all private room has loft space, it is very spacious. The shared room has own private loft space, so privacy will be kept!!

Information of the Event

■Date: Feb 22nd Saturday
【Morning session】 11:00~12:00/ 【Afternoon session】14:00～15:00

■Place: Borderless House Kyoto Kinugasa
※On the day, we will meet at the house
※We will send more details by email before the event.

■Capacity: 10 people per session

■Fee: FREE
Here is the application form

■Contents
①Free viewing inside share house
②Explanation of Borderless House
③Explanation of Borderless House’s room availability, moving-in period, and cost
④Interacting time with current tenants (free participation)
⑤Individual Consultation (free participation)

Reservation for participation

Please access the URL below, and send a reservation form.
◎Reservation form


【Contact Inquiry】
TEL 06-6147-9976
E-mail : info-osaka＠borderless-house.com

BORDERLESS HOUSE KYOTO KINUGASA

About sharehouse in Kansai

 

작성일자

Hyper international interaction ! Borderless Christmas with more than 120 people was held on the 7th of December !

December is the Christmas season!

All the street is illuminated and we see more and more chicken advertisement on TV and in the city! Don’t you think that the enhancement of the city increases our desire to have a Christmas party? Because it is Christmas!

To satisfy your desire, we held a Christmas Party like every year!

We rent a space in Jinbo-Cho called “EDITORY” and more than 120people came to our party! What kind of party it was?

In this blog, we are going to show the content!

The person who is going to do the Christmas Party tour is me, Pakuchi!

I am working at Borderless House as a student worker and I am in charge of the event!

So, CHECK IT OUT !!

International interaction and Christmas Party represent so much Borderless House !

                 

In Borderless House, we organize twice a year a party with 80 to 100 people who are living in our sharehouse!

Christmas wich I am going to explain to you is one of the big events! Every year, a lot of our sweet tenant is joining the party. However, this year was not the same year as usual.

MORE than 120 people come to our party. What is going to happen to this memorable party? All the staff was surprised at the beginning!

When we start the reception, a HUGE line of people was in front of us.
and the event space becomes full in a second!

The receptionist, the bar, and the cloak were full of person and everybody was an assembly into the room.

We could hear people in many spaces starting to cheers because they could not wait for the beginning of the party. That represents our tenant so well!

They could not wait to start to interact with people and start to enjoy the conversation. Their communication skills are so remarkable!

And the sweet cute person who was charged to do the facilitator is our tenant!

Yes, this year also, our tenant help us for the Christmas Party!

The cute Santa Claus is Ashley, she is living in Itabashikuyakusho-mae House!

She is like a mother of the house and makes the community warm-up!

She is a big fan of Borderless House and she also help up for the event “Borderless Olympics”!

Thank you always, Ashley !!

The facilitation of Ashley, gives a tremendous boost to the atmosphere of the party!

You cannot say that you are shy! A very close linkage program heat the party!

The theme of this year’s Christmas party is “extends beyond the house, the nationality and the connection !“

This year, we invite tenants, people who reserve a room of Borderless House, people who are interested in international interaction and people’s friends!

The fact that a lot of people with different backgrounds can come is one of the characteristics of the party.

This is the reason why we always prepare some good programs in order to make the com munition between people easier! So, even you are a little shy, it is completely okay!

You will become quickly socialize with people around you! Let’s enjoy it!

You are my man of destiny ?! Number and color matching!

The first program is called number and color matching!

Everyone gets some wristband with a number and a color. You have to find the person who has the same color and number and form a group.

It is quite simple but fateful. In this huge universe, we all grew up in a different country, and we all gather in Tokyo and find together by coincidence.

Is it not fantastic ?!

Is it destiny ?!

All the groups did an introduction of themselves and the voltage of the room was in high gear! Everybody was so excited to find their fateful! People make some high-touch when they find they’re fateful!

 This meeting is forever!

We don’t need language, what we need is an only passion! Let’s do the gesture game!

The next program is a gesture game!

After we all find our fateful, let start the game! The winner of the game can get some luxury prizes!

Everyone thought that gesture game is easy, but it is not the case!

Even if it is difficult, cooperation leads us to win! Everybody makes their own gesture and express the theme.

The first theme was the one of the difficult ones!

“zoo” Everybody did some gestures about the gorilla, monkey, etc. and people answered the name of animals. However, the word “zoo” is not appearing.

The floor is in chaos.

I know, we are vicious that we make this theme. When almost every team finished answering, only 2 teams didn’t finish to answer.

Even they could say that they have finished even if it is unfinished, they did so much effort to do it properly!

All of our staff were touched by their passion.

We really wanted to give them some gifts!

In the floor mix of passion and chaos, the 2nd theme is … “Disney Land”! This is also a difficult theme! Everyone answered “mouse” or “Mickey”.

At the moment we regret a little bit that we make so much difficult theme, a team who answer 2 right answers appeared!

As is it a team made by only fateful, the heart-to-heart communication is working very well!

They get the luxury price !! We didn’t expect that the gesture game reaches a fever pitch!

Are you interested in the content of the gift?

A set of world craft beer AND Order-made leather products from JOGGO AND AND a huge box of different sweets etc. Some presents from Borderless Santa!

We all envy….

Who are going to get the next prizes ?! The exciting bingo game!

We cannot forget the face Bingo game of Borderless House!
It became an annual event but let me explain the rule!


Borderless bingo is not a normal bingo game.

The face of each people who are coming to the Christmas party is becoming a number!

Thanks to you we can play the bingo game and thank to you someone can get the prize ! It is a very special bingo game.

Let start the bingo!

Everybody is paying attention to the face of people turning around!

This year, we choose as a prize: Amazon card, Borderless T-shirt, as a small present,  land of Moon which gets famous in Terrace House and A5 rank ( higher quality ) Matsuzaka-beef!

And finally, don’t forget … 1-month free fee ticket !!

The happy girl who gets the 1-month free fee ticket is…

 

The tenant of Shinjuku-Nakano 3 !!!

Congratulation!

All the people you cheers are your family! It doesn’t matter which share house you are living in!

The party approach to the end.
People who came with their housemate of a friend were enjoying communication with people they just have met at the party. This is one of the pictures!

The nervous face at the beginning just go away at the end of the party! Everyone was at the party and enjoy their time.

We can conclude as the floor was on over-capacity, it makes the relation between people physically and psychologically more close. 

The atmosphere filled with excitement doesn’t end even after the Borderless Christmas !

Good time end so quickly, we took a souvenir picture at the end!

See the close relationship between people! It looks like a family picture!

We cannot imagine that they are all just met a few hours before.

Even after the Christmas party, people cannot forget the atmosphere of excitement and they all went to an Izakaya ( casual Japanese restaurant).

This is a picture of the people who were gathered naturally after the party.

In this picture, we can]j see, a Japanese, a Korean, an Italian, a Russian, a British, and an American.

It completely represents this year’s theme: “extends beyond the house, the nationality, and the relation!”


By our Borderless party, a lot of emotional ties beyond nationality and language have arisen!

YOU, who wants to learn English or make international friends, YOU who are interested in a share house!

Borderless House is making many events that can maximize the connection between people.

Borderless House is a place that more than 50 countries are gathering. You can experience English but also so many other languages and cultures. It is a place that you can try national-oversea-experience!

Each sharehouse is made of 50%of foreigners and 50% of Japanese so you can surely experience international interaction!

You are always welcome to experience national-oversea-experience!

The next event is in May 2020 ! We are all waiting for your visit!

Merry Christmas and Happy New year everyone!

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