發表於

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.

 

發表於

【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!

發表於

Share House是什麼?

也許亞洲的其他國家對於Share House還是不是那麼熟悉，不過，在日本Share House已經是盛行了一段時間的租屋方式，這邊文章就讓我們來告訴你「什麼是Share House」。

Share House是一個讓一群人聚在一起生活的出租空間，除了個人房間之外，其他的空間均為共用。這共用空間包含了讓大家互相交流的交誼聽、能夠一起下廚準備各種美食的廚房以及淋浴間和洗衣間、曬衣場等。

Share House主要聚集了年齡相仿的本地人或移居至日本的外國人。因為多樣化的環境，以及能體驗到不同的生活樂趣，而吸引了這群房客來到Share House居住。

1990年後，由於日本的外國人口增加，因此推出了一個稱為“外國人住宅”的新型租房型態，而Share House從之而衍生的租屋方式。不過現在這些Share House，已成為了提供當地人和外國人互相交流的空間，多元文化的環境的代表。

Share House的普及


隨著人們越來越關注於Share House題材的電視劇，結合了不同世代想認識不同的人，以及探索新事物的好奇心，讓Share House的租房形態在東亞流行與普及起來。

Share House 文化

根據2015年的一項研究，移民人口佔了日本人口的1.75%，這當中有些是移居至日本工作、接受教育或旅行的外國人，而隨著都市人口的增長，在日本租房變得越來越困難且價格高，因此Share House為當地人和外國人提供了一個設備齊全的空間，也為他們提供了一個既划算又能夠體驗多元文化的選擇。
不同的公司提供了不同形式的Share House，希望能將興趣相近的人聚集在一起。有些以運動愛好者為主題，而有些則是提供給予女性或單親媽媽的專用Share House。
在日本的Share House生活時，由於能有機會和日本人同住，您可以了解到當地的文化及生活習慣，品嚐到道地的本土美食，並交到來自不同國家的朋友。

由於BORDERLESS HOUSE提供以「多元文化」為主題的Share House，因為這樣的獨特性，成為了日本、韓國和台灣地區當中的有名氣的公司之一。

生活在同一個屋簷下，或是同一間房間的房客們，經過一段時間相處之後，都能漸漸與世界各地的人們有了連結並建立起深厚的友誼。

 

Share House vs Room Share: 更好的租屋型態

當搬家到另一個國家生活的時，大多數的人會選擇傳統的租房方式，也就是普通的出租公寓或合租公寓。但即使與合租者一起平均分擔租金，光是管理費用和初期費用就是一筆很大的開銷。
傳統的租房型態，除了必須自行購買家具家電以外，每個月還必須另外支付電費、瓦斯費、網路費及水費，甚至維修費用在必要時也是要自行負擔。

相比之下，Share House的房客每個月支付的房租和水電費雜費等維護管理費用都包含在一起，所以不需要每個月自行去繳費，就算遇到需要維修的情況時，Share House公司也會全部為您處理好。

出租公寓或房間通常是跟朋友或原先就決定好要一起生活的同伴們一起租的空間，與您熟識的人一起生活可能聽起來很棒，但相對地，能夠學習的空間不多。如果您和您的室友同樣都是外國人，那麼您可能需要花更多時間融入當地的生活。

Share House適合什麼樣的人呢？

1.一顆開放的心
Share House提供了許多共用空間，這意味著您將與來自世界各地的室友們一起共享這間公共空間。由於每個人來自各自不同的背景、擁有不同的個性和經歷，因此，開放的心態對於考慮入住Share House的人相當重要。

2.喜歡結交新朋友
交流是BORDERLESS HOUSE的主要理念之一。 我們大多數的房客都樂於與他人交流和互動，所以，不要再躲在您的房間裡了！趕快與您的室友一起享受生活，讓它成為您難忘的回憶吧！

3.和室友一起維護房屋與環境的整潔
乾淨舒適的環境需要所有室友的共同努力。在BORDERLESS HOUSE，家事或倒垃圾等工作是必須由所有房客們一起輪流完成的。

BORDERLESS HOUSE

BORDERLESS HOUSE是一家在日本、韓國和台灣擁有122間Share House、1285間房間可供出租的國際Share House營運公司。每個月提供大量的租房需求給來自超過50個不同的國家的房客，所有的人帶著各自的文化知識來到Share House裡與其他室友們互相學習分享。

當地人與外國人的房客比例取決於每間公司，而BORDERLESS HOUSE則是採取５比５各一半的比例。這能夠保證外國人有更多機會與當地人互動，並能學習更多不同的語言及認識彼此的文化。

BORDERLESS HOUSE的Share House的宗旨是在於創造一個多元文化的空間，不分國界，來自世界各地的人們在這裡一起生活並分享彼此的經驗。房客們互相教與學，成為一輩子的朋友。

住在BORDERLESS HOUSE的好處

●當搬到另一個國家時，您會遇到許多新奇又意想不到的事物。食物、生活方式、語言、文化和人們的想法在一開始都是很新鮮的，雖然有些人會發現適應新的環境並不難，但有些人可能並不擅長於交流與結交朋友。而BORDERLESS HOUSE的Share House提供了最即時的交流環境及良好的交談環境。

●當長期生活在一起之後，室友可以學習彼此的文化和生活方式。與來自不同文化背景的人進行交流可以幫助您拓展視野並學習新事物。
與當地人一起生活可以幫助您學習該國的文化與民俗，您甚至可以與當地人一起慶祝當地節慶，例如不同國家的過年方式。

●如果您長期移居日本、韓國或台灣，那麼對當地語言的了解肯定會派上用場，在當地室友的幫助下，您可以透過學習當地語言來讓生活更輕鬆，使您在融入當地的生活上更加容易，並朝著被接納為新居民的方向邁向一步。

●住在Share House時，您可以從當地室友的建議和知識中學習到很多事情。成為朋友後，可以一起去當地受歡迎的餐館或酒吧，如果您需要購買東西，他們可以推薦當地最好的商店，甚至陪您一起去。基本上，如果您入住BORDERLESS HOUSE的Share House，即使在異國他鄉也不會感到孤單。

●雖然住在Share House有很多社會層面上的好處，但對於單身生活的人來說，經濟上也有好處。一般而言，Share House每個月房租要比私人公寓便宜。除了租金和維護費用之外，住戶不希望負擔網路、水、瓦斯等額外的設施費用，在某些情況下，可以與其他住戶分擔烹飪費用來節省花費，並結交朋友。

●考慮到多人一起居住的環境下，BORDERLESS HOUSE提供了良好及高智能的家用電器。有些Share House甚至有家庭影院和健身室。

●為了使Share House中的房客感到輕鬆安全，有專門的管理Share House的人員來負責維護Share House的大小事。從損壞的設備到漏水的管道，每項大大小小的維護工作都由公司員工處理，因此房客們不必擔心。

BORDERLESS HOUSE於許多不同的城市設有據點，包括日本東京和大阪京都、韓國首爾和台灣台北等。這些房屋均位在距離車站和超市等步程不超過１５分鐘的距離，以確保住戶們在生活上的便利。

BORDERLESS HOUSE是以客戶為主要考量，並為房客提供許多免費特殊企劃活動的Share House公司

➔ House Exchange Program: 當BORDERLESS HOUSE的房客前往另一個同樣擁有BORDERLESS HOUSE所在的國家城市時，房客們可以入住當地Share House並且無需支付任何額外費用。最短可以入住一周，最長則可入住一個月！房客可以在抵達一個新的國家時、立刻認識到當地的人，從當地的室友身上得到最新最道地的推薦，也許還能和當地室友一起觀光，去旅遊書上沒介紹的秘密景點！

➔ Language Exchange Program: 語言交換計畫提供外國房客和現正入住BORDERLESS HOUSE中的房客互相學習彼此語言的平台。

➔ BORDERLESS Diners: 每隔一段時間，我們的房客都會有一次國際美食聚會。這是個房客們能相互認識並一起享用美味佳餚的機會。

➔ BORDERLESS events:

這些活動是為了所有BORDERLESS HOUSE房客所籌劃而成。透過這個活動，房客們能擁有一個更廣泛的交友網絡平台，並且可以結識新的本地和外國房客，一起度過愉快的時光！

BORDERLESS HOUSE所提供的所有計畫和活動，都是以理解並認識其他的國家文化為目的。我們希望為來自各個國家的獨立生活者，創造豐富的多元文化空間。

如果您有興趣入住日本、韓國或台灣的Share House，歡迎到BORDERLESS HOUSE與我們聯繫！

.

發表於

【現在的BH能做的事】線上配對交流活動“〜Build bridges not walls!〜語言交換

每天看見COVID-19迅速傳播的消息，有許多國家邊界已經關閉，因為出入境受到限制的關係，我們已經無法隨心所欲到世界各地旅行。

對我們來說，春天是非常重要的季節。因為春天是日本的學校或工作的新開始，許多外國房客都會在這時期至日本留學或實習。而這些人也選擇share house的租房形式，並期待著新的相遇。在過去每一年的春天，有許多來自世界各地的人入住BORDERLESS HOUSE。

但是，由於COVID-19的影響以及該病毒的威脅，目前有許多外國人不得不放棄來到日本。而這些來自國外的房客們，紛紛取消入住BORDERLESS HOUSE的計畫，甚至打消入住的念頭，對BORDERLESS HOUSE而言是巨大的經濟損失。

想到那些決定在日本度過寶貴時間，且期待著在BORDERLESS HOUSE和日本生活的外國房客們、等待新外國室友到來的現有房客們，還有期盼出國留學卻無法離開自己國家的人們，就覺得令人心疼。

這時候的我們有什麼能做的呢？

對於想來日本的外國人，我們想分享關於日本的事物給他們。
對於那些期待新的相遇的人，我們希望能讓他們有身在國外的感覺。
因為這些想法與感受，我們將開始“Build bridges not walls!線上語言交換”的服務。

什麼是線上交流服務“〜Build bridges not walls!〜語言交換”

這是一項免費的線上交流服務!
對象為因為COVID-19而不得不取消BORDERLESS HOUSE預定居住的房客，以及由於沒辦法按照預定計畫來日本的外國人，以及期盼與外國新房客互動的BORDERLESS HOUSE日本房客們，進行一對一的配對。

我們將提供一個未來也許將成為室友的兩人，一個互動交談的機會，讓這些因COVID-19而無法碰面的房客們能夠進行交流。

可以透過這項服務，學習彼此的語言並與世界各地的人聯繫！
您也想交到來自世界各地的朋友嗎？

-配對流程-

STEP1
登錄！
請從下方表格申請。

登記表格

STEP2
BORDERLESS HOUSE將根據您所填寫的表格回答進行配對。
接著我們將建立Skype群組，安排第一次活動的時間和程序說明。

STEP3
交流開始！
首先，自我介紹。依據您們自訂的主題，享受語言交流的樂趣！（第一回為40分鐘）

STEP4
結束後，填寫問卷。並自行約定下一次語言交換的時間！
參加次數達到三次之後，我們將交流機會留給其他參加者。

BORDERLESS HOUSE能做的

Point1
計劃搬入BORDERLESS HOUSE的外國房客，和正住在BORDERLESS HOUSE的日本房客擁有被配對的機會，進行配對的則是BORDERLESS HOUSE的工作人員！

Point2
您可以與充滿活力且喜歡BORDERLESS HOUSE理念的人互動交流，享受彼此交談同時也能提高語言能力的樂趣。

Point3
沒錯！這是一項免費的交流服務！

現在就填寫 申請表格！加入我們：）

由於這段時間許多國家都關起門來，出入境其他國家受到嚴格限制，所以我們希望能夠建立起各國之間的連繫橋梁！

我們衷心期盼你們的參與！

看東京的所有share house

關於BORDERLESS HOUSE

發表於

不只是住宿！BORDERLESS HOUSE 活動回顧

大家對於入住BORDERLESS HOUSE最期待的是什麼呢？

有很多房客告訴我們，他們最期待的就是我們不定期舉辦的活動啦！

參加活動除了好玩有趣、交新朋友，還能學習國際文化，是不是很棒呢？

今天我們就來回顧一下，BORDERLESS HOUSE過去舉辦的幾個活動，也讓你們可以期待一下未來的新活動喔！

茶壺山

爬山踏青一直是BORDERLESS HOUSE最喜歡舉辦的活動類型之一，除了可以帶大家走進大自然、認識新朋友，還能同時欣賞台灣的在地美景。

而這次的茶壺山健行，就是山景、海景一次滿足！從山腳沿著石階步道一路往上，就能遠眺超美的陰陽海海景喔！而且鄰近的景點還有九份、金瓜石，安排一日遊行程再適合不過了！

↓↓ 活動影片看這裡 ↓↓

北海岸淨灘

郊遊活動也可以非常有意義！北海岸的老梅石槽，在每年春天會有大量海藻附著在石槽上，形成綠意盎然的獨特美景，但因為觀光客的造訪，海灘上也留下了非常多的垃圾。（再次呼籲大家，隨手帶走自己的垃圾，和我們一起愛護環境。）

於是BORDERLESS HOUSE就和台北市政府申請了淨灘地許可，帶著房客們一起去欣賞美景，也為地球的環境盡一份心力！真的十分感謝有這麼多房客支持我們，和我們一起參與這次的活動，有你們真好！

↓↓ 活動影片看這裡 ↓↓

House Party

BORDERLESS HOUSE目前在台北有21個物件，分布在台北幾個不同的區域，我們希望房客們除了認識同物件的室友外，也可以和其他物件做交流，所以我們會不定期針對各個區域，邀請不同物件但同個區域的室友，一起到家裡吃吃喝喝、玩遊戲，拓展一下交友圈喔！

中秋烤肉

每年的中秋節烤肉，可以說是BORDERLESS HOUSE一年一度最盛大的活動之一，像是去年的中秋節，就有將近60位房客加入我們「大烤」的行列喔！

而每次烤肉，我們都會把大家分成幾個不同的小組，每個小組都會有來自不同物件的室友，讓大家除了和自己家的室友相處外，也有機會和新認識夥伴們一起烤肉過中秋！

萬聖節扮裝

不知道大家有沒有參加過萬聖節扮裝活動呢？BORDERLESS HOUSE的萬聖節扮裝也是大家非常期待的活動之一，每次看到大家認真裝扮，都非常有感，所以我們也舉辦了票選活動，讓大家投票選出心目中第一名的裝扮，得獎的房客會收到我們準備的小禮物喔！

大稻埕旗袍一日遊

除了各種踏青、派對活動以外，體驗一下在地的台灣文化也是必須的！

大家出國旅遊的時候，一定多少都有嘗試過當地的傳統服飾吧？像是到韓國會穿韓服，去了日本則會穿和服，但大家有體驗過穿「旗袍」嗎？我們這次就帶著大家來個旗袍初體驗啦！

大稻埕旗袍一日遊的活動，帶著大家體驗穿旗袍，走訪大稻埕的舊城建築，也順便到霞海城隍廟做參拜。（當然也要拍很多美照）

而除了走訪了大稻埕，我們還參加了品茶的體驗課程，學習怎麼挑選茶葉、沖泡和品嚐，一整天下來非常充實，也了解了更多在地文化的故事喔！

↓↓ 活動影片看這裡 ↓↓

看完了以上幾個活動回顧，不知道大家對哪個活動最有興趣呢？

如果有任何特別的想法，也歡迎分享給我們知道，讓BORDERLESS HOUSE未來能再提供更多更棒的活動體驗喔！

發表於

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!

發表於

【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 !

About BORDERLESS GROUP

About BORDERLESS HOUSE

Tokyo share house list

發表於

【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

 

發表於

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!

Tokyo share house list
Only Tenant program
BORDERLESS Event Review

發表於

【International Exchange Program】 Summer is about Somen!? Let’s experience Japanese cuisine that you can feel the season!

Hi! I’m Yuya, in charge of our blog.

The Food Experience Program  “BORDERLESS DINERS ~Experience International Restaurants and Travel around the World~”

It’s been half a year since we started this program! The theme for August was Japanese food to go back to the basics and know about the food culture in the place we live!

Have fun and get full with two of our staff from Shimane and Yamagata, the good old countryside, Takuya and Takky!

Let’s start BORERLESS DINERS!

Happy Half a Year Anniversary for the launch of the program! Satisfying Japanese cuisine that you makes you feel summer!

Japanese cuisine is very deep and has various types of dishes and ways too cook.

One of the best parts of Japanese cuisine is you can feel each of four seasons from it.

There are a lot of dishes which express the beauty of nature or a season and are closely related to the Japanese annual events. 

“So the Japanese menu this time is from the dish with a plenty of summer vegetables to the food for the summer festival.

Let’s enjoy summer in Japan in terms of food!

Flow, Flow and be Flown! Kick-start with Flowing Somem.


There is no summer without Somen!

When we dip the cold noodles cooled by ice in the cold soup and eat it, it feels like we get back the appetite that we lost because of heat.

Flowing Somen (Nagashi Somen in Japanese) is the summer tradition! In Flowing Somen,

Somen is flowing down a bamboo chute with ice-cold water and you catch and eat it!”

Someone just randomly thought “if we throw somen into flowing water, we will feel
summer very much, won’t we?”

As such, Flowing Somen was born in Kyushu and now it is the summer tradition.
So we kick-started with Flowing Somen to feel the absolute Japan.

First, we built the bamboo, then started throwing somen.


The flow was too fast to catch and eat Somen!

But gradually they were getting the tip and able to catch it!

One trouble of Flowing Somen is catching Somen is so much fun and eating it too much.

On the other hand, somen flowing in the bamboo chute looks so elegant and tasteful.


It was supposed to be a kick-start but we were already full.

Tried the traditional food “DASHI” (not the soy sauce dashi) of Yamagata!

The next cuisine is “DASHI”.

It is not about the “Dashi” (Japanese soy sauce beased on fish) but about a traditional food of Yamagata eaten in the summer.

It is a mixture of cucumber, eggplant, and myoga (japanese ginger). It can be use in many way, like put on tofu, on somen etc…

It is also a high nutritional value food so, it is the perfect food when you lose your appetite in summer!

In Yamagata region, DASHI is a soul food which appear in the fridge every summer. And people feel the begining of summer by seing the DASHI.

“DASHI” is highly recommended by our staff Takky !

The french resident who have tried “DASHI” said: ” It is similar to the ratatouille of France!”

Ratatouille is a french cuisine which is a simmered dish of summer vegetables, and it is normally eaten itself but it is also tasteful to put on cheese and meat !
Don’t you think that it is quite interesting that french cuisine and the cuisine of Yamagata region have some similarities ??

Finding similarities between different culture is one of the enjoyable point of this program.

Cucumber and Miso soup is our friend (OR BEST PARTENER) of summer ! Let’s resolve summer weariness!

The second cuisine is Cold miso soup.

It is a typical summer food eaten in different regions like Yamagata, Saitama, and Miyagi.

The recipy is : make some cold miso soup of cucumber and seasoning and put on hot rice. It is easy to make and easy to eat even you have lose appetite because of the high temperature of summer.

In the world, we can find some cold soup like vichyssoise or gazpacho. But in Japan it is not common to eat cold soup, and as we usually eat hot miso soup, for some Japanese, cold miso soup was a culture shock!

“Cold miso soup is delicious so we will made it in our house!” said our residents with their shiny smiles and they all have a refill of it.

Kaki-gori (shaved ice) the typical food of Matsuri (summer festival) was also eaten by Murasaki-shikibu (Japanese novelist) !?


Kagi-gori is the perfect dessert for summer!

Kaki-gori is normally eaten in Natu-matsuri or Ennnichi ( japanese summer festival).

These days, Korean and Taiwanese kaki-gori is famous globally, we all have an image that kaki-gori is a modern food. However, the first time it was eaten was in Heian period (794~1185)!

In the famous book called “Makura-no-soushi”, they is a part that written about the shaved iced with honey. We can understand that kaki-gori is a traditional food with a long story.

It is loved globally even the taste and the form are changing by time.
It is emotional when we think deeply about it!

About the culture of “Washoku” (Japanese food) which is registrated on intangible cultural asset.

Today’s theme “Washoku” is registated in the intangible cultural asset.

The reason is because of it rareness. Indeed, it is globally not common to use diverse type of ingredients and we can also find a strong persistence to the food culture.

The Japanese cuisine change under season and event. We can understand how much Washoku have lived with culture.

Our resident was also very suprised of the fact that Washoku which is very familiar to us was registrated in the intangible cultural asset.

“Itadakimasu” (let’s eat) and “Gochisousama”(Thank you for the meal) are some gretting we can only find in Japan?

The another reason why Japanese food is included in intangible cultural asset is because of it rare greeting.

“Itadakimasu” and “Gochisousama” is a only Japanese gretting which we cannot translate in other language.

This greeting is based on Shinto religion which conciste to believe that god is everywhere. And it become ingrained in our culture to show our respect and gratitude to the ingredients, to the person who cooked the food and to the person who have procured the ingredients.

Thanks to this program, it was an opportunity to find that they are so much thing we don’t know about a culture even if we are living in.

Vietnam this week! The travelling restaurant which we can taste the world every month !


『BORDERLESS DINERS～Taste the world by the travelling restaurant ～』is a experience based program for the residents held every month !

The next country is Vietnam!

Two chefs who are wearing Ao dai ( Traditional Vietnamese costume) are going to cook some festival Vietnam cuisine!

Normally, Pho is a typical cuisine but you can try other food and taste deep Vietnamese culture!

What kind of experience can we do the next travelling ?

Looking forward to the next report !

Tokyo share house list

BORDERLESS DINERS Review