Save, Socialize and Share House in Japan!

Those who have seen Terrace House already have a good idea of what a share house is: a bunch of strangers living together under one roof. Not every share house is the same though, and while you can’t choose whom you live with, you can choose your room! Rooms available might include singles, doubles, rooms for 4 people or more, or even apartment-style with a private toilet and shower. Some may have all of the above.

Rooms aren’t the only thing that changes from house to house. Check out a website like Guest House Bank, and you can search in English through categories like “Women only,” “Building Features,” “Pets Welcome,” and a ton more, letting you easily find the best share house to fit your needs. Some share houses have pretty crazy amenities available too, like gyms and theaters.

Search Online

As there are so many different features stated plainly in most listings, you can quickly find a place where you know you’ll feel comfortable. If you need to find someplace to stay within the next month, you can be easily accommodated. Some sites even have 3D tours of the space you’ll be living in to help you make your decision.

I’ve saved the best pro for last. A big reason to choose share houses over apartments is the cost. I briefly mentioned Japan’s guarantor system, but you’ll also have to pay the real estate agent, an application fee (which you won’t get back, even if rejected), “earnest money” to prove your intent to pay rent, which is usually 5-10% of the total price, electricity, water, Wi-Fi, furniture…need I go on?

The average share house rent will be about 50,000 to 90,000 yen. The average rent for an apartment could be anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000 yen, plus the additional bills and costs mentioned above.

At a share house, you won’t get monthly bills for utilities, and most have free Wi-Fi. As an added bonus, they’re also fully furnished. You may not like the floral-print curtains hanging in your room, but what’s to complain about when you didn’t have hang them yourself?

Strange Roommates

Of course, living with strangers can’t be sakura and unicorns all the time. When you put a bunch of people together, drama is inevitable. He said she said they did who knows?

As with living in any communal housing, inconsiderate roommates are a very real possibility, leaving you to deal with strange noises at all hours of the night or dirty communal spaces. Not to mention you have to share the bathrooms.

Side by Side, Day and Night

Even if you have a single room, sharing space with strangers (or even friends) can be taxing. People could be in the kitchen at any time, which means you won’t be able to breeze through for a quick cup of tea in your underwear, as I’m sure everyone does.  

Stipulations

Depending on the share house, you might have some restrictions you find unfair or inconvenient, like being unable to have guests over. Some share houses also require you to be within a certain age range. It’s not uncommon to see “Over 20 under 39 years of age” listed under conditions.

Slacking off is off the Table

Shared chores can be a pro and a con. Since you are expected to clean up after yourself, you can’t put off cleaning the shower for a day because you’re exhausted from work, or skip cleaning the dryer filter for a load. Some share houses have a weekly leader who’s expected to wash the hand towels, restock the toilet paper and tissue boxes, and a few other things. If someone slacks off, things could get pretty filthy pretty fast.

Share houses have been gaining popularity for a long time, with a 30% annual increase in the early 2010s. Between 2000 and 2013, the number of share houses rose from 22 to 1,200. Where did it all start?

In the 90s, it was difficult for foreigners to find places to rent in Japan. When Japanese people traveled around the world, they were able to stay in temporary “guest houses” in places like Europe and America. Upon returning home, they began to create places like those “guest houses” to accommodate the market of foreigners who were struggling to find housing. While share houses were mostly used by foreigners in the beginning, getting the nickname “gaijin house,” these days Japanese people account for about 50% of share house residents.

When looking for your share house, don’t make the decision lightly. You might not be there forever, but you’ll be there long enough to be miserable if you don’t like your choice. Just like apartments, there are plenty of guides on how to choose a good share house. As a general rule when discussing your stay with a manager, be wary of suspicious behavior. If there’s no actual rental contract, you’re probably headed towards a scam. You also want to avoid places where the management can’t answer your questions or concerns in a timely fashion.