Ultimate Guide to Finding a Sharehouses in Tokyo
Skye | Camilla Chandra Lim | Updated on March 2021
Many people hold a grand image of Tokyo only to find themselves dumbfounded by an array of cultural shocks and housing contracts with a daunting amount of upfront cost. Bright Shibuya lights, off-the-beaten-track coffee shops and conveyer belt sushi restaurants—the fact remains that moving into Japan means packing your belongings and moving into a foreign city.
You can pat yourself in the back when you’ve landed in the capital city, but there are a lot of steps you need to climb before you can completely immerse yourself inside the metropolis society. Transitioning and acclimating to your new lifestyle in Tokyo will be smoother if you know what’s ahead of you. Unfortunately, finding an apartment isn’t always as straightforward as it seems—one wrong foot (or click) at the door wastes more time and money more than it saves them.
The average cost for 3 months in a sharehouse is around ¥120,000 - ¥150,000, including utilities and, most of the time, initial fee. For apartments, once you’re adding up all the costs of key money, deposits, and appliances, you’re looking to pay 3 - 4 times your monthly rent for the first time. Considering the average rent and move-in fees, moving into a share house can save you around ¥400,000.
We’ve come up with a complete, full guide on finding sharehouses and your perfect accommodations in Tokyo that will meet all your needs. Throughout this article, we’ll provide all the information about the Japanese housing market so you can rest easy knowing about the ins and outs of share houses in Tokyo.
So What’s a Sharehouse?
Sharehouse can be an option for students or foreigners looking for an easy and cheaper way to find accommodation in Tokyo, and there are several solid reasons why it’s popular. A sharehouse is technically defined as a building where multiple tenants are renting a room. Typically they are big houses split up into many, smaller bedrooms rooms. Sometimes, depending on the price and location, it may be in a mansion (equivalent to a flat/condominium). What kind of sharehouses you rent also affects shared facilities.
So How Popular are Sharehouses in Tokyo?
The idea of sharing a space with strangers and living together in the same room can make a lot of people reluctant to opt for this, but the concept of sharehouses isn’t necessarily foreign in Japan. While apartments and mansions persist as the most common type of housing in Tokyo, it is still the best solution for individuals living in Tokyo because housing prices can be expensive.
A survey was done by Tokyo-based eikawa (English conversation) school One Coin English, (according to Glassdoor) gave us an insight about just how popular sharehouses in Tokyo are: 97% of their teachers who are or were on the Working Holiday visa have lived in a sharehouse at one point during their stay. The time usually spans between 2 - 3 months of their visit to Japan. The biggest reason is that a sharehouse is (once again) significantly cheaper than apartments, and it’s the choice that demands the least commitment. Sharehouse is also a great option for those still looking for the right apartments but needs to find a place to stay as quickly as possible.
Want to live in Tokyo? Also check out these articles on BFF Tokyo
Ultimate Guide to Furnished Apartments in Tokyo
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Pros and Cons of Sharehouse in Tokyo
Pros of living in a Sharehouse in Tokyo
Cost
It is worth noting that sharehouses are less expensive than an average apartment in Tokyo, and it’s obvious to see why: you will be sharing kitchen, bathroom, and other shared spaces with other residents. For students or employees trying to cut down their cost of living, a sharehouse is a definite bargain to be kept under their radar.
As a comparison, take a look at the statistics we found for the average rent between a one-bedroom apartment and a sharehouse in Tokyo.
| Location | One-bedroom Apartment* | Sharehouse in Tokyo |
| Central Tokyo | ¥95,000 ~ ¥100,000 | ¥45,000 ~ ¥60,000 |
| 23 Wards | ¥70,000 | ¥30,000 ~ ¥45,000 |
*Data were taken by Real Estate Japan in 2020.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the rent for apartments does not include basic utilities. While the number fluctuates between seasons, the average cost for utilities for one person is approximately ¥10,000 a month, excluding internet service. On the other hand, the rent for a sharehouse usually includes both the basic utilities and internet connection, and you can ultimately press down the cost even more.
| One-bedroom Apartment (Single person)* | Sharehouse in Tokyo | |
| Electricity | ¥5,700 | None |
| Gas | ¥3,000 | |
| Water | ¥2,100 | |
| Internet Service | ¥3,000 ~ ¥5,000 |
*Data were taken by TEPCO, Tokyo Gas and Bureau of Wateworks as of 2020
Furniture
Apartments in Japan rarely come fully-furnished except for basic stovetops and toilet amenities. Price estimation for purchasing new furniture like interior lighting, refrigerator and cooking range in Tokyo ranges between ¥65,000 - ¥200,000, adding further to the cost. Sharehouse in Tokyo comes with basic furnishing, including a bed, desk, chair, and occasionally a wardrobe. It's definitely not a small sum coming out of your own wallet at that amount. If you are someone who doesn't own a lot of furniture, sharehouses in Tokyo may save you quite a sum of money.
Friends
This can be a flipside to many introverts in Tokyo, but sharehouses put you in close quarters with a lot of other people, so you won’t have to work too hard to get to know a few people. Foreigners of different backgrounds, occupations, ages and nationalities often opt to live in a sharehouse, so you can always use this opportunity to broaden your network.
You can find many people sharing their experience in making friends in their sharehouses. There is that sought-after chance of staying with a local Japanese resident who is willing to help you practice your Japanese proficiency. Japanese-language writer Hirazi has also talked about how many of their tenants are friendly and communicative, making interactions interesting and insightful.
Sharehouse Managers
Another pro to living inside the sharehouses in Tokyo as a resident in the sharehouse manager. You can find that there are other pros to the dorm-like lifestyle that you enjoy more than the sharehouse manager, but the sharehouse manager is someone who will be there for you throughout your time as a resident in the sharehouse.
All the sharehouses in Tokyo have a person managing them who will there to answer any and all questions you have during your time, including questions about all of the rules. The sharehouse manager is also the same person you will be handing over your rent every month and maintenance fee. Furnished, cheap, and average types of apartments are very much unlike all of the sharehouses in Tokyo in that there is not necessarily going to be a manager there to assist if you are needing assistance, like if the washing machine were to overflow and you can't handle the whole entirety of the mess by yourself.
Flexibility and Upfront Cost
It can be said that moving in and out of a sharehouse is a painless and quick process—not to mention cost-efficient. If you are already living in Japan, you are most probably familiar with the dreadful procedure of finding the right housing agency, dealing with the requirements and the jaw-dropping upfront cost. In general, moving into a long-term apartment entails three stages: signing the lease, paying move-in costs and receiving the keys.
The common requirements needed to get an apartment are:
- Passport and Residence Card or Student ID
- Certificate of Eligibility or Employment Letter
If you haven’t yet been issued a visa, you will need to provide a Certificate of Eligibility.
- Proof of Income document
To prove that you’ll be able to pay your rent, you have to submit proof of income documents.
- A guarantor or approval to be guaranteed.
In Japan, traditionally, in order to rent an apartment, you needed a guarantor (hoshounin), a person who officially agrees to be liable for your rent in case you cannot pay, regardless if you are Japanese or not. If you don’t have one, you can hire a company to be yours and they charge about 1 month rent to serve as your guarantor. The rental agency typically partners with one company, so many foreigners opt to have the agencies as the guarantor instead. Because of that, the cost can easily go up again.
And to top everything over this long list of materials, you will also have to pay all the initial move-in costs. As a rule of thumb, you should budget between four and six months’ times the monthly rent to cover the initial move-in costs.
Move-in cost for long-term apartments are:
- First month’s rent, rated based on your move-in date.
- Deposit fee (around one or two months’ worth of rent)
- Key money (around one month's rent)
- Agency fee (around one month's rent plus consumption tax)
- Guarantor company fee
- Property maintenance fee
- Lock exchange fee
- Property/fire insurance fee (about ¥22,000 for a two-year policy)
Meanwhile, you will find that sharehouse company does not usually require you to pay many of these move-in fees other than the basic registration fee and first month’s rent.
There is one more pro that may help you decide if sharehouses in Tokyo are the correct option for your new accommodations in Japan: the move-in and move-out dates. You can move into any of the sharehouses in Tokyo two days after signing the contract. You can also conveniently move-out as soon as three months after starting your residency inside one of the sharehouses in Tokyo. Depending on the type of agency, companies like X-House also offer a free relocation if you are uncomfortable with your current house or tenants.
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Cons of Staying in a Sharehouse in Tokyo
Rules
The rules are one of the many characteristics that sharehouses in Tokyo have in common with student dormitories. There are normal rules that are common when two or more people share the same residence, as well as rules recently made in response to COVID-19 spreading everywhere.
One of the rules recently made as a precautionary measure against COVID-19 may be found at the Oakhouse company who owns sharehouse buildings all over Tokyo: no outside visitors as they can be a potential health risk to others.
Typical rules of sharehouses include a 30-minute time limit for baths in the common bathroom so that everyone has a fair chance to take a bath.
Other common rules of sharehouses in Tokyo are not putting shoes into the washing machine, not allowing guests to stay overnight, and cleaning kitchen utensils after you use them.
Less Privacy
It can be overwhelming and uncomfortable to only have your bedroom as a private space. Sharehouses in Tokyo is that the sound-proofing quality is often poor inside of the building. You have the potential to listen in on people singing to themselves in the shower, for example, or listen in on a group of friends watching loud television. You may even rent a bedroom inside one of the sharehouses in Tokyo that happens to have a group of residents who play D&D games every Tuesday night.
In a communal living space, you have to be more aware that you share the space with others. Likewise, you can’t choose your housemates. Everyone has their own lifestyles; everyone is on different schedules. Clashing is possible.
Less Space
Rooms on sharehouse in Tokyo are typically smaller than 1K (a bedroom with a kitchen) in Tokyo, but it contributes to the low cost of the rent. On the other hand, shared spaces such as the kitchen and living room are usually bigger to fit the tenants.
Danger
Meeting new people can be fun and adventurous, but you can still have the unfortunate chance of meeting sketchy people that can lead to potential harassment and disturbance. As a solution, there are alternative options for individuals—especially women—to enjoy a dorm-like lifestyle and feel safe. Sharehouses like Ladies Only Sharehouse do not accept male residents as it is entirely meant for women. Other companies like Oakhouse, Oakhouse, conversely, offer a chart to show the current gender ratio inside of whatever sharehouse building you are viewing on the site.
Difficulty to invite friends
Having an apartment means having space to yourself, and this is a big selling point for most still in the dilemma of choosing between an apartment or a sharehouse. In a sharehouse, you will either find it hard to invite your friends and significant other to your place or extremely restrictive. Most sharehouse policies do not allow guests to stay overnight, else you will have to move out as soon as possible. The fact that you must also be considerate of the number of friends and how loud you can be is unappealing to some as well.
Should You Move into a Sharehouse in Tokyo?
There’s not a definite answer to who should or should not move into a sharehouse. Everything depends on each individuals’ lifestyle, goal, and personality, above many other factors to consider. Needless to say, you do need the patience to live in a sharehouse in Tokyo for an extended period of time. You will meet people with different habits; some might be messy, some might be a night owl and some might be more extroverted than the other. If you’re the type of person who hates seeing dishes left unwashed or waiting turns for laundry, then sharehouse might not be the best suit for you.
Also keep in mind that sharehouses in Tokyo commonly do not allow guests to stay overnight, as mentioned above. If you have a partner or like to invite friends for sleepovers, then sharehouses may not be the greatest option.
Overall, sharehouses are not great long-term options, but it is the quickest and easiest route for foreigners who wish to stay in Japan for a few months without the hassle of going through the typical moving-in and moving-out process in Japan. Because sharehouse companies do not typically require a guarantor or long-term commitments, It saves you time and money.
Want to explore Tokyo? Also checkout these articles on BFF Tokyo:
Must-visit Events in Tokyo
Public Holiday in Japan
Ultimate Guide to Making Friends in Japan
Requirements for Sharehouse in Tokyo
While sharehouse is less strict in requirements compared to houses and apartments in Japan, you would still need to keep in mind a few things before jumping on the decision to find a sharehouse.
A visa residency visa in Japan
Sharehouse contract starts from one month with the option of extending them afterward, so you need to have a valid visa status that would allow you to stay in Japan for that period of time. This is why tourist visas are not accepted as it means you can only reside for a maximum of three weeks. Common visa status of residents in a sharehouse includes working holiday, student and working visa. Kindly check our guide to visas in Japan.
A Japanese phone number.
This goes without being said, but your agent or housing company will need them to contact and reach back to you.
A Japanese bank account
In some cases, you can pay the agency fee with a credit or cash card, but your rent will be paid through bank transfer or automatic withdrawal. As part of your application, you may be asked to fill out an automatic withdrawal form, so that the rent will automatically be deducted from your account on the day that it is due.
An emergency contact person in Japan
Your emergency contact does not have to be a Japanese person, but it does have to be someone whom the property manager can contact by phone in case something happens to you.
Cost of Sharehouses in Tokyo
Initial fee
As mentioned above, most sharehouses do not demand as much cost as apartments. In Japan, renting a room requires a large amount of deposit that is equivalent to 1- 2 month’s rent due to the shikikin (key money), reikin (gift money to the landlord) and commission—most of which are partly non-refundable. On the other hand, sharehouses companies tend to have a more simplified registration process. . However, initial fees from sharehouses will always vary, but it will look roughly like this:
- Deposit fee. Deposit fee ranges as low as ¥15,000 to ¥50,000
- Cleaning free. A cleaning fee is usually withdrawn from the deposit when it is returned. Sometimes if you stay in a room for over a year, they will waive the cleaning fee.
- Guarantor fee. A guarantor fee can start from ¥10,000 and end at ¥20,000. Some sharehouse companies that do not have a guarantor fee boasts it as one of their strong selling points
Utility
Once again, utilities in sharehouses are usually included with your rent, and the number tends to be cut the same way regardless of how economical or wasteful your lifestyle is. Some companies like XHouse makes it clear that they charge utilities and rent separately.
- Utility: ¥10,000
- System use fee: ¥1,000 + tax
Other Cost
- Guests staying the night. Some sharehouses do not allow guests to stay over, period. Some may charge 1000-1500 yen ($9-$13 USD) per night that you have a guest stay over, while some sharehouses let guests stay for free as long as it is under a certain number of nights per month.
Amenities and Service of Sharehouse in Tokyo
Shared facilities and service differ between sharehouses, and it all greatly depends on the overall cost, location and types of sharehouses—after all, you are getting what you pay for. Some higher-end sharehouses may offer a theater room, fitness studio, lounge and music room, while other spaces will only include the basic necessities.
The atmosphere and accommodations also vary. Some sharehouses offered in Oakhouse are community-driven, which would be perfect for individuals who are looking to broaden their network or make new friends. Here are some common facilities that you will find on all sharehouses:
Shared kitchen
A great thing about sharehouses in Tokyo is that you will have a kitchen area complete with its utensils that you are free to use—although no one is stopping you from using your favorite mug for a morning cup of joe. A general rule of thumb would be to always clean the space and equipment after you use them.
Shared refrigerator
Some types of rooms in sharehouses in Tokyo have a small, built-in refrigerator for residents, so this one really depends on the place you live in and the tenants of the place you live in. Managers will usually provide a bigger common refrigerator so you can store more items, but do make sure to always label them and check if everything is still fresh. It might not be you, but some people have a habit of stealing food, opening your bentos and leaving stale ingredients in the fridge.
Lounge area
Sharehouses can have a spacious lounge area or common living space, and this is great if you love to chat with other tenants and get to know them better.
Shared bathroom
Many foreigners note that their biggest annoyance when living in their sharehouses is toilet and bathroom issues. Whether it be long showers by other tenants, skid marks, and missing shampoo bottles, you are guaranteed to experience something that will make you question everyone's sanity if you don’t find the right.
Bedrooms of Sharehouses in Tokyo
Private Rooms
Sharehouses in Tokyo commonly have private rooms where you can live inside of the sharehouse building as a resident without sharing your bedroom with any of the other residents. If you pay the extra amount that is charged to your monthly rent for privacy, then you can also enjoy a few amenities inside your new room completely by yourself. There may be a kitchenette inside of the private room where you can cook if you're unable or do not want to use the kitchen in the common areas of the building. What else? Well, you may reasonably expect a bathroom if you pay enough money. You would not need to use the shared toilet in whatever sharehouse you rented a bedroom.
If you are a couple and interested in a sharehouse, there are some places that offer rooms for you. Usually they will charge you an extra ¥10,000 - ¥20,000. Be sure that everything is explicit otherwise with the mixture of miscommunication and time crunch, you might end up with 2 separate rooms!
Dormitories
Dormitories are the cheapest option for you. Living in a dormitory means you will share a bedroom with other people. Sharehouses in Tokyo with a dormitory type room will feature bunk beds housing each of the residents inside of the bedroom, making it the most like dormitory living out of all the sharehouse room types. The compartment-type room, now, is like a capsule hotel. The maximum occupancy for a compartment room is a total of four tenants.
Semi-private rooms
The only real difference between semi-private rooms and dormitories is that the semi-private bedroom inside of sharehouses in Tokyo will provide a divider to separate the residents staying inside of the room, thus leading to a sense of privacy. Both room types at sharehouses in Tokyo will provide small storage space for each resident staying inside of the bedroom and so you do not have to worry about sharing any of the storage space with other residents in the room. Also, they're cheaper than renting a private room at sharehouses in Tokyo.
Location for Sharehouses in Tokyo
It’s hard to really give you an estimate of how much does rent costs for sharehouses in Tokyo. Main hubs and large wards such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Tokyo and Ueno will naturally have a higher fee, while lesser-packed neighborhoods will be your best chance to press down the budget even more. This is why we’ll break down the examples of recommended sharehouse based on Tokyo wards.
Cheaper Sharehouse Options
Cheaper sharehouses are usually 30 - 40 minutes away from the central six wards: Minato, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Chuo, Bunkyo and Chiyoda.
The places that you would be interested in living in include:
- Adachi City - Kosuge, Gotanno, Ayase, Takenotsuka, Nishiarai (northern outskirt of Tokyo)
- Itabashi City - Narimasu, Tobu-Nerima, Tokiwadai (northern Tokyo area)
- Saitama City - Kawagoe (northern & technically no longer Tokyo)
- Katsushika City - Shin-Koiwa, Koiwa (eastern outskirt of Tokyo)
- Edogawa City - Funabori (eastern outskirt of Tokyo)
A cheap sharehouse in Tokyo will usually have the very basic furniture you can expect in a room. Common amenities include a desk, a lamp, a comfortable bed and decent storage and closet. The size of the room will often vary.
You can be assured that even the cheapest option usually has a decent kitchen. Facilities are usually well-built and renovated if it’s outdated, so you can expect a western toilet, often with a bidet and a living room of sorts. Overall the defining factor whether the house is good is the management and good housemates.
Expensive Sharehouse Option
Sharehouses in Tokyo also entails a midrange – expensive range, and these buildings are often located just 10 – 15 minutes away from Tokyo’s main hubs.
Price ranges between ¥70,000 - ¥90,000 per month, including ¥10,000 - ¥15,000 for utiliesi.
The places that you would be interested in living in include:
- Suginami - Ogikubo, Koenji
- Shinjuku - Shinjuku, Shin-okubo
- Toshima - Ikebukuro
- Nerima - Nerima
- Adachi - Kita-Senju
Usually living in a sharehouse in Tokyo around this price range will include a mini-fridge in your room and a sound-proofed (or semi-soundproofed) bedroom. Depending on what area, you may even have a private en-suite bathroom or a toilet.
In Tokyo, if you find a sharehouses around this range you will definitely see a difference compared to the cheaper options. You could start seeing a pool table, higher-end facilities, karaoke rooms and a big kitchen. It really depends on where you chose your location and the company that you chose!
However, keep in mind that rules and requirements tend to be stricter in sharehouses in Tokyo when you start looking for the ones starting at the mid-range price. Companies become less and less lenient once the rent starts to go up, and that’s because everyone is paying a premium so a lot of the bad experiences that you may experience are minimized.
| Price of Sharehouse | Typical room space | Overnight guests | Typical contract lengths |
| ¥50,000-65,000 | 5m2 | Yes, for a fee | Monthly |
| ¥65,000-85,000 | 10m2 | Yes, for a fee | 1-3 Month |
| ¥85,00-95,000 | 15m2 | No | 3-6 months |
Options for Sharehouses in Tokyo
Still think a sharehouse is a perfect option for you? We’ve come up with a great selection of sharehouses to ease your room-hunting.
XRoss House
(¥29,800/month)
XRoss House is another sharehouse company that offers reasonably priced properties in Tokyo. They are known to have simple rate systems and boast a 10 – 20% cheaper rent rate than the average market price.
Here’s their typical rent for three different types of room:
- Dormitory ¥29,800
- Semi-private room ¥39,800
- Private room¥52,000～
The reason why they are able to reduce the rent cost is that the company uses second-hand houses. While it is not a newly built designer house, the company remodels the design themselves.
In order to make the environment more comfortable, XRoss focuses on the management system. They have house managers, cleaning staff, maintenance staff, house-viewing staff, auditors and executives to go on tours of inspections. Each of their houses typically has 2 managers.
XRoss also guarantees “comfortable living.” If you do not get along well with your tenants, have a sudden job transfer, or don’t have your expectations met, the company is willing to relocate you without an extra charge to one of their 65 properties in Tokyo. In addition to that, similar to GG House, the company has an age limit of 18 - 33 years old.
Oakhouse
(¥63,000 - ¥77,000/month on average)
Oakhouse is a company with multiple sharehouse buildings where a resident of Tokyo can enjoy living as a resident. No security deposit is required by Oakhouse to be provided by residents. You can also expect not to pay key money to the landlord or guarantee fees to any of the guarantor companies in Tokyo.
The only initial fee you will be paying as a future resident of Oakhouse is the contract fee that is about an estimate of ¥50,000, while initials fees for renting a room in other sharehouse buildings can go up to as much as ¥110,000.
Another benefit you will get from becoming a resident at Oakhouse is a good environment to work from home, especially as a significant portion of the population worldwide is working from home due to the prevalence of COVID-19. Internet connection at Oakhouse is, and a number of the common rooms available in an Oakhouse building are study rooms where you can work in peace.
You may also find soundproof studios or perhaps a theater room where you can comfortably make Zoom calls with your professor or coworkers. Extended monitors, desks, and office chairs are all available to the residents of the Oakhouse to rent for their work.
So, how much are you paying for all of these benefits if you decide to rent one of the numerous rooms offered by the Oakhouse company at their sharehouse buildings? Residents can expect to pay anywhere from ¥63,000 to ¥77,000 a month on rent. A private room, a room with an extended monitor and desk chair, a sharehouse room with a kitchenette, will all cost more.
GG House
(¥35,000/month)
GG House Management is one of the best deals you can find to find the perfect sharehouse in Tokyo, and it’s clear to see why: they have the most properties listed in the sharehouse industry, with over 400 in Tokyo and 5,000 rooms.
All rooms are also private, and you can expect the rent to start from ¥35,000. Utilities will be provided, and they offer a cleaning service once a week. Their staff takes care of common areas such as toilets and shower rooms.
GG House offers options for female-only and male-only rooms, and interested visitors are always welcome to a house tour.
In terms of the contract, GG House has some relatively simple and loose procedures. It takes about an hour to make the contract and receive the key in their office in their Nippori office. The company does not take any deposit, administrative fee and contract renewal fee.
However, there are some things to keep in mind before you jump on the wagon. They have a minimum contract period of one month and impose an age limit of 18 to 39 years old. You are also allowed to invite your family or friends to your room, but an overnight stay will not be possible.
Ladies Only Sharehouse
(¥60,000/month on average)
The Ladies Only Sharehouse is one of the sharehouses in Tokyo that only accepts women as residents of the building. You can expect the staff for the building to be all-female, and you will not find yourself experiencing the same trouble that it is possible when renting a room in sharehouses that are co-ed
The fact that the Ladies Only Sharehouse only accepts women as residents of the building is only the start of what you can enjoy from this sharehouse. The monthly rent is about an estimated ¥60,000/month. As a comparison, the average rent in Tokyo is about ¥70,000 to ¥120,000 a month, for comparison, the bill for the water, gas, electricity and Wi-Fi are all paid by the Ladies Only Sharehouse. You can be reasonably expecting to save an estimated amount of ¥15,000 yen on the utility expenses every month you are a resident.
Last, but not least, Ladies Only Sharehouse is located in a great place. It takes only 10 minutes to get to Ikebukuro and 15 minutes to Shinjuku and Akihabara from sharehouse.
Another great thing about the Ladies Only Sharehouse is the rooftop access that is available to residents of the sharehouse. It actually is one of the benefits offered to the Ladies Only Sharehouse. The rooftop views allow you to watch fireworks when they are set off during summertime, to experience a view of the Skytree in Tokyo, and to have yet one more place of enjoyment during your time as a resident. You can see pictures of the rooftop sharehouse space using the following link. So, ultimately, you will want to rent a room at the Ladies Only Sharehouse for a few reasons. If you own a vehicle and would like to have free parking as one of the perks to your residency while you are living in Japan, then this sharehouse building is one option for you.
You may be like me and find the idea of sharing common rooms in a building that does not accept male residents to be more comfortable than the idea where you are in a sharehouse accepting of male residents.
Moving-In Process for Sharehouse in Tokyo
It is repetitive, but, once again, different share house companies have different move-in procedures. Unlike apartments, the procedure is relatively straightforward. Many companies allow you to view the house first before making the decision, and this allows you to see the actual space and atmosphere. You can notify them of an interesting space, and they will usually keep them for a few days for you.
You will need to undergo resident screening, and it could just be a form of formality. In general, companies want to make sure that you have a valid visa or passport and the ability to pay your rent. They will also take your age into account; many companies pose a strict age limit between 18 – 39 years old.
Once the screening is done, you would have to pay a deposit. You would also need to confirm your move-in date as the place needs to be cleaned and prepared for your move. After that, you will sign the contract (usually done in the office) and receive the key to your room.
Once you’ve sorted out your place to stay, there’s a very important step that you need to take. You need to go to the local ward office and let them know that you are a resident of their ward. You must let them know within 14 days or it will cause complications later on.
Moving-Out Process for Sharehouse in Tokyo
The great thing about living in a sharehouse is that moving out is relatively easy and painless. You can inform your management company of your decision one month before. Keep in mind that some companies do impose a cancellation fee of ¥10,000 yen (not including tax), but this entirely depends upon your contract and their rules. Once that’s all done, all there is left is to grab a certificate of moving from the ward office. Bring that to the new ward office of the location you’ll be moving to and you’ll also get an updated stamp of residence on your card.
Where to find sharehouses in Tokyo
Naturally, we understand that you’d want to find as many options as you can before you finalize your decision. If you don’t want to sink down the rabbit hole of searching on Google for hours, here’s some of the well-known and trusted sharehouse companies available, all with English support.
Tips for Sharehouses in Tokyo
Choosing a sharehouse can be a difficult decision, but it’s another thing to find a good one and enjoying your stay there, especially when you have to make the choice in a short amount of time. Here are some tips to help you make your decision without compromising on your needs as a future resident of Tokyo or the limited time you have to find accommodations in Tokyo.
Take advantage of your short stay
To begin with, do not need to stick with one apartment from the start; if you take advantage of the low minimum-stay requirements of a sharehouse, you can spend a short amount of time living in the inexpensive housing while you spend a comfortable amount of time to search what will be your more permanent home in Japan's capital.
If you choose a furnished apartment, which also has a low minimum-stay requirement, you can live in that apartment while you look for your more permanent home and still enjoy privacy. You can also wait inside pre-furnished accommodations while the moving company sends over your furniture from across the ocean, before moving out into your more permanent home in Japan's capital while the Tokyo moving company is unpacking your belongings in the place. To be more clear, let us say that you do not have a lot of time to look for the right apartment because you need a place to stay in Tokyo sooner rather than later in your schedule as you leave for Japan.
A sharehouse room is not expensive and you can leave a short time after signing the housing contract, you do not need to stay for a long time. The furnished apartments in Tokyo come with furniture and in those, too, you can leave a short time after signing the housing contract. You can use either one of those places as a temporary home while you search for more appropriate accommodation to suit your needs as a resident of Tokyo.
Keep in mind of the gender ratio
If you’re open to co-ed sharehouses, make sure to note the gender ratio at each given space. Wouldn’t it be strange if a middle-aged man lived in a sharehouse dominated by young students or if a woman decided to live in an all-male sharehouse? To prevent people from being alienated, it’s important to look up the ratio of males and females in the sharehouse.
Always follow the rules
Many have noted that once someone decides to break a common sharehouse rule, other tenants have the tendency to follow the same path until everyone is neglecting every rule. This is why it is important for you to always be conscious of your actions.
Keeping the peace
A tip when it comes to communicating with other tenants is to never focus on the negatives. If one of your housemates has a habit they need to break, make sure you aren’t confronting them aggressively. Living in a space with strangers and getting stressed with work – these factors can escalate tension. Most people would want to unwind and feel relaxed and unthreatened in their own home, so a wrong tone or word choice can quickly turn into a nasty argument if you are not careful. To be safe, because most sharehouses have house managers, report any problems to them instead of pointing fingers at the person directly.
Be considerate
Don’t go thinking every person in a sharehouse wants to socialize, because not everyone is an extrovert, and some might just want to be left alone. Living in a sharehouse means meeting people with different bubbles of personalities, and this is all part of the trade that you get for. If you can’t adopt an attitude that assumes everyone does is non-malicious, you will end up paranoid. Everything that happens in the house will affect your experience if you start to think everything is malicious. Most of the time people are just trying to live their own lives without affecting others, sometimes it does affect others and if it affects yours - give them a friendly reminder!
