【Lifestyle Information】Smart Way of Choosing Rooms for International Students
Written by Masami Sugimoto(Career Education Center, Kanda University of International Studies)
Whether your study-abroad life becomes fruitful or not depends on what kind of housing (room) you choose. When choosing your room, make sure to give careful consideration to your lifestyle and personality as well as what kind of life you would like to experience while studying in Japan. We have summarized the main types of housing in Japan and our advices below.
Apartments
For international students planning to study more than 2 years in Japan / for students who find privacy to be important.
Currently, 70% of international students in Japan are living in apartments. Generally, the contract period of renting an apartment room is 2 years. As for the area around Tokyo, a fee that equals about 3 to 4 months’ worth of the rent is necessary before moving into an apartment. This includes the first month’s rent as well as deposit (type of security deposit), commission to the real estate agency, key money (fee to be paid to the landlord) and home contents insurance fee. Also, in many cases, the room is not furnished. Therefore, we recommend that you take a look at the room with your own eyes and choose before deciding to move in.
Although the initial payment may seem costly, we find this kind of housing suitable for students planning to study in Japan for more than 2 years or those who wish to have privacy to concentrate on their studies or research themes.
Student Residence (dormitories)
For students planning to study in Japan for a year or less / for those who can live together with other people and follow dormitory rules.
Dormitories are already equipped with beds, desks and air-conditioning. Therefore, in most cases, you can begin living there right away with no hassle. They are suitable for students planning to study on a short term of a year or less. However, dormitories have communal spaces as dining halls and kitchens. Living in a dormitory also means that you will have a curfew. Therefore, it is extremely important to cooperate with other students and follow the dormitory rules.
Homestay
For study abroad of 1 month to less than a year / for students wishing to study Japanese in a short period of time.
Homestay in Japan such as international students staying with Japanese families is not as common as it is in European or American countries. Nevertheless, since the number of those homestaying has been increasing recently, it may be a good idea to consult companies or universities offering homestay programs. In general, homestaying is more costly than renting an apartment or living in a dormitory. However, meals will be prepared for you and if you enthusiastically try to communicate in Japanese with the family you are staying with, your Japanese skills will improve quickly. Therefore, it is suitable for those wishing to get better at speaking in Japanese within a short period of time or those who are enthusiastic in getting to know the Japanese people.
That’s it for housing (room) types and our advices. Regardless of what type of housing you choose, remember to (1) use the room neatly since it is not yours and (2) try communicating enthusiastically with your host family, roommate and/or neighbors. We advice that you keep in mind these points as you live in Japan.
*Reference: Nextage Co., Ltd. (Homestay in JAPAN)
http://www.homestay-in-japan.com/eng/