“How about actually living?” “What did you choose this share house with decisive factors?” There are many things to worry about, are not you? In order to solve such a question this time, I have talked to the residents! (From the left, Aya, Nick, Natsumi)

 

—Please tell me the best reason you decided to live in this share house.

Aya

First of all, I thought that I would enjoy studying abroad if I live here. And it seems likely that I can have various friends. 

Natsumi

Nick is my boyfriend, but when thinking about him, I thought that this share house where people of various nationalities live is good. 

Nick

People living in the share house are all kind and helpful. I made friends who can speak English, as well as Japanese friends who teach Japanese.

Natsumi

Nick is studying Japanese very enthusiastic.

Aya

He can not only speak now but also can write kanji!

Nick

Thanks to everyone. I am grateful.

—I think the life here is very wonderful. Is there a lot of interaction among residents?？

Aya

It is quite a lot! Every day someone is playing a game competition or a drinking party. I have not seen a time when there is no one in the living room.

Natsumi

Living is always lively.

Nick

When I think “I want to talk with someone”, I try to go to the living room. Because everyone is there, I do not miss it.。

Aya

I agree . I like the living room the most. I may not have thought that I am lonely.

—Is English used when speaking between residents?

Natsumi

I often use English.  Because there are many people who can’t speak Japanese.

Aya

I also use English at least once a day. Just living, I will be happy to study English.

 

—Finally, please give the message to readers！

Aya

The best attraction of “Firsthouse Mizonokuchi 100+b” is that it is easy for new friends to make. It’s fun because not only Japanese but also friends from foreign countries can do it.  I recommend it to those who think that “I want a new encounter.

Nick

Resident is kindness anyway. We will help you when you have a problem, and will tell you gently what you do not understand. People who are the first to live in a share house should surely be able to live with peace of mind.

Aya

At first I was anxious about having a living with others. But now such anxiety has gone. People who are lost in living in a shared house, how about trying it once?

 

It was an interview with a peaceful atmosphere from the beginning until the merit of the three people was transmitted.Three people smiling fun talking about share house was dazzling!

 

 

 

I want you to experience the share house once in your life!

Next, I talked with Mr. Sugawara of Interwhao which operates ” Firsthouse Mizonokuchi 100+b”.  Mr. Sugawara actually manages the property while living in this share house.

—You are actually living in this share house, isn’t you?

Mr. Sugawara

While actually living, I am doing business of share house. I am listening to the opinions of residents or responding to small problems. While doing maintenance and cleaning of the share house, I am enjoying the feeling of the captain of a long ship as long as I am.

—I heard that this house was painted exterior wall recently.

Mr. Sugawara

This building is not a new construction but a renovation. For that reason, we want to carefully use while maintaining. The property owner arranged for this exterior wall painting. Moreover, it is finished with the sense of color of citrus system and green of interwhao corporate color since our foundation 20 years ago.

—There are many residents of foreigners, but is communication difficult?

Mr. Sugawara

I can communicate with the English speaking resident without problems. Communication with residents who can not speak Japanese as well as English is a little hard, but by speaking slowly and carefully, I understand in general.

 

—Do you participate in events between residents?

Mr. Sugawara

Of course! I also participate in drinking party and game competitions. Also, today I hold a special exhibition of the Tama River Fireworks display on the rooftop.

 

—Ah, that was right!

Mr. Sugawara

I heard that the fireworks display can be seen very well from the roof of this property. I am also looking forward to it for the first time this time. Everyone is already gathering at the rooftop!

 

 

 

A lot of residents go to the roof top of the share house. They seemed happy as they enjoyed drinking and having a chat with each other.

 As fireworks rise, various cheers! It is enviable to see such a sight at the roof of the share house where they live.

—Fireworks, it was very beautiful! Everyone in the residents seemed to be having fun too.

Mr. Sugawara

It was a very good event! I would like to think about event planning that everyone can enjoy from now on.

 

—Finally, please give the message to readers!

Mr. Sugawara

Once in my life, I recommend you to experience the share house life.By living with residents of share houses with various values, “my world” will definitely spread. Firsthouse Mizonokuchi 100+b has an environment where nature and residents’ community are born and can be found immediately. At least for half a year to a year since moving in, there are many people who live there. Moreover, you can secure private, furniture home appliances as well. It is perfect for the first share house. Please do come and visit us once! 

 

“How about actually living?” “What did you choose this share house with decisive factors?” There are many things to worry about, are not you? In order to solve such a question this time, I have talked to the residents! (From the left, Aya, Nick, Natsumi)

 

—Please tell me the best reason you decided to live in this share house.

Aya

First of all, I thought that I would enjoy studying abroad if I live here. And it seems likely that I can have various friends. 

Natsumi

Nick is my boyfriend, but when thinking about him, I thought that this share house where people of various nationalities live is good. 

Nick

People living in the share house are all kind and helpful. I made friends who can speak English, as well as Japanese friends who teach Japanese.

Natsumi

Nick is studying Japanese very enthusiastic.

Aya

He can not only speak now but also can write kanji!

Nick

Thanks to everyone. I am grateful.

—I think the life here is very wonderful. Is there a lot of interaction among residents?？

Aya

It is quite a lot! Every day someone is playing a game competition or a drinking party. I have not seen a time when there is no one in the living room.

Natsumi

Living is always lively.

Nick

When I think “I want to talk with someone”, I try to go to the living room. Because everyone is there, I do not miss it.。

Aya

I agree . I like the living room the most. I may not have thought that I am lonely.

—Is English used when speaking between residents?

Natsumi

I often use English.  Because there are many people who can’t speak Japanese.

Aya

I also use English at least once a day. Just living, I will be happy to study English.

 

—Finally, please give the message to readers！

Aya

The best attraction of “Firsthouse Mizonokuchi 100+b” is that it is easy for new friends to make. It’s fun because not only Japanese but also friends from foreign countries can do it.  I recommend it to those who think that “I want a new encounter.

Nick

Resident is kindness anyway. We will help you when you have a problem, and will tell you gently what you do not understand. People who are the first to live in a share house should surely be able to live with peace of mind.

Aya

At first I was anxious about having a living with others. But now such anxiety has gone. People who are lost in living in a shared house, how about trying it once?

 

It was an interview with a peaceful atmosphere from the beginning until the merit of the three people was transmitted.Three people smiling fun talking about share house was dazzling!

 

 

 

I want you to experience the share house once in your life!

Next, I talked with Mr. Sugawara of Interwhao which operates ” Firsthouse Mizonokuchi 100+b”.  Mr. Sugawara actually manages the property while living in this share house.

—You are actually living in this share house, isn’t you?

Mr. Sugawara

While actually living, I am doing business of share house. I am listening to the opinions of residents or responding to small problems. While doing maintenance and cleaning of the share house, I am enjoying the feeling of the captain of a long ship as long as I am.

—I heard that this house was painted exterior wall recently.

Mr. Sugawara

This building is not a new construction but a renovation. For that reason, we want to carefully use while maintaining. The property owner arranged for this exterior wall painting. Moreover, it is finished with the sense of color of citrus system and green of interwhao corporate color since our foundation 20 years ago.

—There are many residents of foreigners, but is communication difficult?

Mr. Sugawara

I can communicate with the English speaking resident without problems. Communication with residents who can not speak Japanese as well as English is a little hard, but by speaking slowly and carefully, I understand in general.

 

—Do you participate in events between residents?

Mr. Sugawara

Of course! I also participate in drinking party and game competitions. Also, today I hold a special exhibition of the Tama River Fireworks display on the rooftop.

 

—Ah, that was right!

Mr. Sugawara

I heard that the fireworks display can be seen very well from the roof of this property. I am also looking forward to it for the first time this time. Everyone is already gathering at the rooftop!

 

 

 

A lot of residents go to the roof top of the share house. They seemed happy as they enjoyed drinking and having a chat with each other.

 As fireworks rise, various cheers! It is enviable to see such a sight at the roof of the share house where they live.

—Fireworks, it was very beautiful! Everyone in the residents seemed to be having fun too.

Mr. Sugawara

It was a very good event! I would like to think about event planning that everyone can enjoy from now on.

 

—Finally, please give the message to readers!

Mr. Sugawara

Once in my life, I recommend you to experience the share house life.By living with residents of share houses with various values, “my world” will definitely spread. Firsthouse Mizonokuchi 100+b has an environment where nature and residents’ community are born and can be found immediately. At least for half a year to a year since moving in, there are many people who live there. Moreover, you can secure private, furniture home appliances as well. It is perfect for the first share house. Please do come and visit us once! 

 

—Is this your first time living in a sharehouse?

—Is this your first time living in a sharehouse?

Haruka

Yes. I lived on my own before, and I never cooked meals like I do now. I hated coming home to an empty apartment so I always ate out with friends and begged them to keep me company. I hated living there (laughs). Now I love where I live and can’t wait to get home whenever I’m out! (laughs)

Ami

I lived in a sharehouse in Australia, but this is my first time in Japan. I didn’t know what to expect of Japan’s sharehouses, though, and did wonder what it would be like before moving in.

—How do you like living here？

Haruka

There’s something going on everyday. (laughs) There’s just so much excitement, and you learn so much from others. I’m glad I chose to live here because I have grown a lot since moving in, and I want to share the greatness that is a sharehouse with people who have never tried it.

Ami

You gain a lot of big brothers and sisters living in a sharehouse. I started living here when I was just leaving school and starting to make my way in the world, and having these people there to show me different lifestyles and ways of living was very helpful.

—Did you always have the desire to connect and unite people with the area?

Mr. Yamamoto It started when I was in university. I actually hated this kind of thing when I was younger.

—I understand where you’re coming from.

Mr. Yamamoto I particularly hated the overwhelmingly close-knit culture out in the country and wanted to escape from it as soon as I could. It was only when I ventured overseas did I realize that it’s true what they say about Japan being a very blessed country. I lived on my own for a while but found it to be quite lonely, then recognising the importance of relationships. They give you emotional stability on a great level.

—These ‘relationships’ we often take for granted are actually quite important, aren’t they?

Mr. Yamamoto That’s right. I remember thinking to myself that they shouldn’t be taken for granted when I experienced the world outside of Japan.

—How did you come to be involved with the cultural exchange sharehouse?

Mr. Yamamoto When I first lived in a sharehouse with my friends it was really great. Calling on each other and talking about work and such was so stimulating and I came to the realization that one could grow in such an environment. It occurred to me that mixing this kind of lifestyle with people from overseas, who I have long had an interest in, would be even better. When I spoke to a professor at my university’s international relations section about wanting to start up a sharehouse for both Japanese and people from other countries they thought it was good idea.

—You went to university?

Mr. Yamamoto Yes. There weren’t a lot of rooms in the dormitories and the university was having trouble securing accommodation for their exchange students, so we decided to work together.
We brought in one more person who had been looking after exchange students in Ehime and the 3 of us set up a non-profit organization. That was in the autumn of last year. We opened the sharehouse, and now here we are.

The trio responsible for「Share Life Design」

—What inspired you to do that?

Mr. Yamamoto I wanted to live in an environment where I could grow as a person, and decided to get up and create that environment myself. Living with people from around world you can learn about different cultures and languages on a daily basis. Also, its hard to work up the motivation to study by yourself, often giving up and leaving things until another day. Humans are weak like that.

—Environment is indeed important.

Mr. Yamamoto Talking to exchange students and people around uni, I learned that they wanted to become more involved with the locals and make friends Japanese people. Sure, it’s easy to make acquaintances you sit with in class but it’s much harder to create true friendships. People often lose contact with so-called friends after they’ve returned to their home country.

—That’s true, isn’t it. They become good friends with other foreigners but don’t get to know Japan very well while they are here.

Mr. Yamamoto Yeah. So by living together I believe that that friendship will last even after they return home.

—Because you’re living and sharing your lives together, right!

Mr. Yamamoto Exchange students want to make friends with the Japanese, and there are also some Japanese people who want to make friends with people from around the world but don’t know how or where to start. It’s my hope that that through living in a sharehouse these people can interact with each other and also gain a connection to the local area.

—What kind of events to you hold?

Mr. Yamamoto Exchange students teach their own languages. We’ve done English, Korean and Chinese many times over. We also have a yoga instructor living in the house so we get her to do 2 or 3 classes a month for the sharemates as well as the locals.

One of the English classes.

—Why did you decide to run the yoga classes?

Mr. Yamamoto I felt the close bonds between the locals loosening and wished to resurrect interaction and communication amongst us Japanese ourselves, and wanted to create platforms to be able to do that.

A look at one of the yoga classes.

The connection widens

—You are also involved in another project. correct?

Mr Yamamoto That’s right. I run a thing called「1455634 University」.

「1455634 University」のWEBサイトページ。

—What exactly do you do?

Mr. Yamamoto We try to teach the best bits about Ehime that can’t be learned from a book by holding classes. Our catchphrase is ‘Everyone is a teacher, everyone is a student, everywhere is our campus’.

The people of Ehime become our teachers, teaching other locals about what they do for a living.

—Does this project have a connection with your sharehouse?

Mr. Yamamoto Yes, it does. The keywords are ‘Connection’ and ‘Learning’ between locals and this fundamental theme unites the university and sharehouse. Working in both areas I could see the synergy and it amazed me how much the two projects are linked.

—It must be great to have both your projects intertwine with each other! Aren’t you run off your feet?

Mr. Yamamoto Yeah, I’m really busy. My schedule is full for the next two months (laughs)

—Really! (laughs) Alright, to finish things off tell us what you think best thing about managing a sharehouse has been so far?

Mr. Yamamoto One thing I’m really pleased about is that we started the organisation with 3 members, and we’ve added to the ranks with some excellent people supporting us, including university acquaintances and local residents. It’s amazing to have the cooperation of such great members, and I think it might have been our motivation that drew everyone to us. In this way I feel that, in management, it’s really important to have clear vision and motivation.

—That’s great!

Mr. Yamamoto It’s a really great environment because we have such excellent members among our ranks. We attract students with a strong ambition for growth and magic happens among them. It’s a great environment and whenever we get together for drinks I always think to myself that I am among people who will eventually do great things for Ehime in the future.

—Thank you for sharing such an inspiring story with me today! I’m looking forward to the day one of you does great things for Ehime!

Mr. Yamamoto is always surrounded by people in his photos.

When I asked why, he replied with a smile that he is the one who gets lonely the most.

 

SHARE LIFE DESIGN, surrounded by the warmth of support by others, aims to branch out into construction, design and much more.

We’re looking forward to hearing about Mr. Yamamoto’s endeavors and discovering what kind of relationships and connections will be born forth from Ehime!

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to sit down to an interview with us!

Author/Hiroki Watanabe

Tokyo Sharehouse editor. Keio University student, third year. Working towards connecting society together through shared living and will go through rivers and over mountains in order to achieve this.

 

—Mr Himeno, you’ve never lived by yourself before, have you?

Mr. Himeno

That’s correct. I never had the chance to. When I was in university I went to the same campus as my older brother so we lived together in the same room, and when I started working I moved in with a superior from work. I then quit my job there and went to Australia where sharehouses were the norm.

—I see, you never had the chance to live alone, did you. So, what lead you to running your own sharehouse after that?

Mr. Himeno

I then returned to my family home in Toyama for a while. Now that I was an adult, however, and had to pay my parents around 30,000 yen a month to stay there, I thought to myself that I may as well live on my own. That said, I couldn’t find a good place for 30,000 yen a month. I guess it all started in 2009 when I thought of the idea to rent a large house and find people to live and share the cost of rent with me. At the time I wasn’t looking to make money, but there was a lot of interest when I advertised rooms for rent and I ended up renting out every single one. But inquiries kept on coming, so I thought I’d give one more property a go.

—There weren’t many sharehouses around that time, were there?

Mr. Himeno

There were sharehouses in Tokyo and Osaka but they weren’t really a big thing. I think they’ve really exploded in popularity these past 5 years. Like, I am no longer asked what a sharehouse is anymore.

—What is your main goal or purpose in managing sharehouses?

Mr. Himeno

My main purpose is to connect people from all walks of life and for them enjoy themselves, so I don’t really like large-scale sharehouses for 30-40 people.

—You mean you want people to connect on a deeper level?

Mr. Himeno

Yes. I actually want to build families that share their lives together under one roof. This is why I don’t really want to create a lot of private rooms in the name of profit, and because of it we’re having financial difficulties (laughs). Rentals in Toyama are really inexpensive, so you’re not going to pull a good profit by dividing a property into 4 or 5 rooms. Creating a sharehouse in a big building and making countless private rooms within it would be profitable, but there’s just no warmth.

—I suppose you feel that way because you have so much experience living in shared lifestyle environments.

Mr. Himeno

I guess I feel that living with others in an environment just like a real family would is one of my ideals.

—That’s great to hear. Does that mean that the sharehouses you manage are thriving with interaction and exchange?

Mr. Himeno

That’s right. There is even interaction between residents of each of my sharehouses. Like, everyone will be invited to a party at one house or something. Or we’ll record a video to celebrate someone’s birthday, getting in touch with past housemates and the birthday girl/boy’s parents to send surprise messages to include in it. It’s almost like something you’d do for a wedding reception. Past housemates also drop by the house to hang out quite frequently.

—So you still have ties to past housemates? It’s so great that the housemates actively plan things like this amongst themselves.。

Mr. Himeno

I try to encourage the residents to do things independently and not have me to it for them.

—What other kind of events and things do your sharemates plan together?

Mr. Himeno

They hold a lot of home parties. Once one sharemate got his hands on some boar and bear meat and decided to make a Japanese stew with everyone, and from there the idea spread and these ‘stew parties’ are held every now and then. Last time they had as many as 30 people participate.

—Do they also get together to drink often?

Mr. Himeno

Yeah, they do. They’ll often go out to drink or even head on over to another sharehouse where a jazz pianist lives to listen to him play while having a few drinks.

—What makes this job worthwhile for you?

Mr. Himeno

I personally really love living in sharehouses and by interacting with others I get to hear their stories. Sure, it’s fun to get pumped up about something you already had a mild interest in when getting together with people who have similar hobbies and talk about topics relevant to each party, but even so I think it is limiting. The best and most interesting thing about sharehouses is discovering things you couldn’t even begin to imagine.

—Could you tell us about a time when you discovered something new from the unexpected?

Mr. Himeno

Sure. There was a time when I was living with a girl who, as far as I could tell, was really loud and showy. At first I wasn’t sure if I could live with that kind of person, but she actually had her own solid way of thinking and could be quite a strong person. She was sometimes quite childish in her speech and actions, but she was really good at English and already knew what she wanted to do in the future at 19 years old, and here I was not knowing where life was taking me, just hanging out in Australia. She was really fun to talk to, and I realized that I could become good friends with this type of girl.

—I see, so you came to that realization through living with each other. Moving on, has anything changed now that you have moved to the management side of things?

Mr. Himeno

Through sharehouse management the opportunities to hear other peoples hopes and dreams has certainly increased. Everyone gets together before bed to have a drink and someone will start off by saying, ‘I really want to do such and such,’ and then idle chatter will evolve into a discussion about what everyone wants to do in the future. I really feel like my job is worth doing when I can encourage others to reach for their dreams.

—I really understand you there, I feel the same thing.

Mr. Himeno

Yeah, it’s really stimulating. Of course it’s also fun to talk about stupid stuff, but it’s just so stimulating to talk to your friends at night about your future dreams and I think there are plenty of opportunities to do that living in a sharehouse. Time intersects with the relaxed ambiance of the house and a strange but wonderful magic that encourages you to talk occurs… and afterwards when you retire to your room you can fall asleep almost immediately. I guess that what happens when you talk with others in a quiet, peaceful atmosphere. It really feels like your own home, seriously.

The chic, relaxed interior. It certainly seems like the place to talk about dreams together with your sharemates at night.

The purpose is not to increase sharehouses, but to increase sharemates

—Will you increase the amount of sharehouse properties you manage in the future?

Mr. Himeno

I do want to increase my houses, but more than that I want to create friendships between sharemates who share everything from their stories to their lives together. In order to increase sharemates, I must create new houses. So the main purpose is not to increase houses, but to increase sharemates.

—I understand, so you first and foremost want to increase sharemates, and as a result increase sharehouses!

Mr. Himeno

That’s it! I really want to create those kinds of friendships.

—Thank you for sharing your amazing story with me today!

Mr. Himeno graciously allowed us to interview him for more than 3 hours, and as he spoke with a very lively expression on his face I could tell just how much he loves spending time with his sharemates.

 

Hearing stories of sharemates going off and getting married and projects like making birthday celebration videos with the help of past sharemates who no longer live in the house, it seems as though Mr. Himeno’s ideal of ‘living as though a real family would’ has already been realized.

 

Also, while conducting this interview I unexpectedly met an old acquaintance at the house and it sunk in how fitting it was to bump into each other in a sharehouse.

 

After the interview Mr. Himeno was headed right back to work to start on plans for a new sharehouse. We look forward to seeing what kind of house he creates and what kind of connections are born from within it!

Mr. Himeno, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to tell us such a fantastic story!

 

Author/Hiroki Watanabe

Tokyo Sharehouse editor. Keio University student, third year. Working towards connecting society together through shared living and will go through rivers and over mountains in order to achieve this.

 

—First things first, tell us why you decided to live in a share house.

Mr. Koto 

I actually quit my job 3-4 years ago and went to Australia for a working holiday, sharing a room with friends while I was there. So, I have no real aversion to sharing and decided I wanted to live in a share house when I got back to Japan. 

Ms. Rie 

My story is completely different. I’d never lived on my own before and up until now was living with family. But, thinking that it was about time I left home, I searched around for a place in Yokohama but couldn’t really find a property I wanted to live in.

Ms. Watcha

What kind of property?

Ms. Rie 

Well, I want a big room, like a one room apartment with 16.5㎡ of space, a verandah and good exposure to the sun. But at the same time I didn’t want to spend too much money (laughs) I was also thinking about initial costs, and I couldn’t find a place that fit with what I wanted… and it was then I found out about share houses.

 

—Does this share house fulfill all of your requirements, Ms. Rie?

Ms. Rie

It does. Everything I could possibly need in my daily life comes with the house, so I could keep initial cost down, SPH99 rooms are spacious and the location is just fantastic.

 

—What lead you to living in the house, Ms. Watchi?

Ms. Watchi 

For me it was the Tohoku earthquake three years ago. I was living by myself at the time and was scared being alone afterwards. I only knew my neighbors by face so I couldn’t really depend on them. I began to think that it would be better to live somewhere with people you can count on when things go wrong, and came across ReBITA’s share house.

—I often hear about people who moved into share houses after the Tohoku earthquake.

Ms. Watchi 

I had a lot of stuff when I moved so like Rie, I was thankful for the large room. And the communal living room had to be stylish or I was out (laughs)

Mr. Koto 

My commute to work was terrible. It took 1.5 hours one way just to get to there from my old place, it’s was pretty painful. 3 hours commuting a day was such a waste of time.

Ms. Rie

Oh, I had a hard time to with my place because it was 12 km by bicycle to work.

 

 

—You’ve all lived here for about 2 months now, have your lives changed at all?

Ms. Watchi

It’s changed so much! I’m pursuing so many hobbies (laughs) I’ve even started running and mountain climbing, and we all climbed Mt. Fuji together. I also do bowling and got interested in coffee, even learning how to brew it myself from the grinding of the beans. All I need now is more time and money.

—You’re really enjoying the share lifestyle to the fullest, aren’t you! Do you share your hobbies with the other tenants?

Ms. Watchi

Yeah, everyone has their own hobbies and at first I have a go just out of curiosity, find that it is actually fun and get really into it… my days off are so packed with plans I’m always jumping from one to the next. I really don’t have the time to sleep (laughs)

Mr. Koto 

Watchi is pretty much always in the living room. When do you sleep?

Ms. Watchi 

I’m always up until 4 or 5 in the morning chatting away. It’s so much fun I can’t sleep. I need more sleep.

—So your life has changed entirely. What about you, Ms. Rie, any changes from before you moved in compared with now?

Ms Rie 

To be honest, I was never excited about going home when I lived with my family, but ever since moving in here I really look forward to it. I’m not always in the living room but when I feel a bit lonely I pop in and there is always someone there to talk to. Also, it’s really great that there is someone to rely on if I get sick or hurt myself. I’ve actually broken my leg at the moment and can’t move around a lot…

Mr. Koto 

I read a lot more books since I’ve moved into the house. I was never one to actually go out and buy a book to read, but now I’m always borrowing them from the others.

 

—That’s a different kind of change you experienced than the other two.

Mr. Koto

Well of course I have fun with the others, too. I spend a lot of time in the living room when I get home from work before retiring to my room at about 1am and set aside an hour to read before bed. It’s interesting to borrow books you would never choose to read yourself from others. Oh, and I’ve also started getting into making sweets and things.

—When you say sweets, what kind of things are you making exactly?

Mr. Koto 

Things like chocolate gateau and coffee-flavored jelly. I’m thinking about making pudding today.

—Wow, have you always been good at making sweets?

Mr. Koto 

I’ve always liked making sweets, but I could never finish eating them all when I was living alone. Living in a share house your housemates can help you eat them and it’s a good feeling when someone says something you have made tastes good. The kitchen here is also very spacious and easy to work in.

Ms. Watchi

His sweets are really good! But many people do cook in this house. Girls just easily whip something up in no time but when guys start to cook, they really get stuck into it.

(General practitioner Mr. Sekiguchi enters the conversation)

Just the other day, Gucchan (Mr. Sekiguchi) was making a curry from scratch at 11pm at night and went out to buy more spice when he didn’t have enough for the recipe.

 

—Other than the main living area I understand that there is also a theatre room, Japanese-style room, work room and rooftop terrace here in SPH99. Do any of you have a favorite place?

Mr. Koto

Mine is the seat I’m sitting in right now. It’s where I can best relax. The sun shines in on a clear day and it’s is really comfortable. Actually before the interview started I was having a nap here (laughs)

Ms. Watchi 

I love this sofa too.

Ms. Rie 

I love it here too.

—It seems everyone loves it here. I guess it’s because it’s a great place to sit back and relax?

Ms. Rie 

I think so. Also, the rooms that branch off from the center hallway in Building 2, like the Japanese-style room, are somewhat closed off and very relaxing.

Mr. Koto 

Yeah, a Japanese-style room really soothes the mind. A great place for a bit of reading, work or even study.

—I see. Is the theatre room beside the living room used a lot?

Ms. Watchi 

I do watch a lot of movies but it’s great for watching sporting events. We all watched the Sochi Olympics opening ceremony and the World Cup is in June so we’ll get together to cheer the team on. 

—Mr. Sekiguchi, with your job as a doctor you’re on call 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Are you ever at home?

Mr. Sekiguchi 

Yes, I do spend time at home. I often pop my head in the living room to say hello. My room is a garage type, which I love, and more than anything I’m thankful I can park the car I use for rounds here.

—How much does it cost to park?

Mr. Sekiguchi 

It’s free. That’s the great thing about the garage-type rooms. It really helps out those with cars.

The sofa that Mr. Koto, Ms. Rie and Ms. Watchi love so much. It doesn’t just look good, it’s really comfortable to sit in.

Tips for getting along with housemates

 

—As the name implies, this is a large-scale share property to house 99 people. Do you have any advice on how to get to know others for those first-timers or those thinking about moving in?

Ms. Watchi 

I don’t think there is any need to worry about it because everyone is welcoming towards new housemates. It might be nerveracking to move in at first, but everyone has experienced the same thing. So all you have to do is take that first step and you’ll soon be great friends with everyone.

—Could you give us an example?

Ms. Watchi

Hm… well, if you bring a small gift for everyone when you move in everyone will come to you without you having to make the first move! (laughs)

—I see. Lure them in with food, right? (laughs) But I think it’s a great idea and something you can do straight away. What about you, Mr. Koto?

Mr. Koto 

Definitely greetings. Not just to be polite, but because communication often stems from those first initial greetings, and I don’t think anyone is going to be upset by a hello. I myself love hearing ‘welcome home’ when I get back from work, so I think greetings are really important.

Sitting on the sofa and chatting naturally brings other people to the room. When people pass by they wave and exchange greetings.

The tenants talk about the appeal of SPH99

 

—I’ve asked you a lot of questions already, but tell me again what SPH99’s appeal is.

Ms. Rie 

When I came for a private viewing, the rooftop terrace is what made up my mind. You can not only view the city of Yokohama but on a clear day you can see Mt. Fuji. You’ve gotta see the view from up there at least once.

Ms. Watchi

I really liked the look furniture in the living room and actually looking at it close up it may be a bit cheap, but the house is the real deal. As expected of ReBIYA. (laughs) The house is located right in the middle of Yokohama so I recommend it for those who really want to experience this city. Even out running you can experience of the sights and sounds of Yokohama and even the central business district, Minato Mirai. You feel proud that you live here. (laughs)

Ms. Rie 

There is also a library on the way to the house from the station, so you don’t have to buy a book yourself. It’s also easy to return them, which is very convenient.

—It’s interesting that everyone finds appeal in different places. Living here is like that nursery rhyme ‘I wonder if I can make 100 friends’, isn’t it, because you can gain heaps of friends in no time at all.

Mr. Koto 

Well yeah, there’s no doubt about that (laughs)

—Do you feel any kind of aversion to living with 99 other people?

Ms. Watchi

Not at all. It’s not even that many people. It is a little hard to remember names and faces, though. I’m really looking forward to meeting to many new faces.

—Remembering names would be a bit difficult. The house hasn’t been open for very long, but have you had any mingling events at all?

Ms. Watchi 

We had an opening party when we first moved in and we periodically plan events. We do ‘nabe’ (Japanese hotpot) a lot. Also today, a couple of guys rented a car and are off to see the cherry blossoms before going to a hot spring.

—Sounds like fun! How do you go about letting everyone know about these events?

Mr. Koto

 We use facebook or a mailing list, as well as use the message board at the entrance of the living room.

—Message board? Are you talking about the whiteboard printed with a map on it hanging on the wall?strong>

Ms. Watchi 

Yes. There was already so much written on it when I moved in and I didn’t even know where the nearest supermarket or convenience store was, so it really helped me out.

—I see. It’s great to share your favorite spots with others.

Ms. Watchi 

Just the other day some people from a nearby ReBITA share house came over to hang out and told us about some great restaurants and bars where you can go to forget about your one-sided loves (laughs)

The map on the message board is filled with everyone’s favorite spots.

Plans for the future of SPH99

 

—Finally, tell us what you hope to achieve in future together with your housemates.

Mr. Koto

Let’s see… well it’s way too comfortable in here and I spend a lot of time inside, so when the weather gets warmer I’d like to go out to eat or go on drives with everyone.

Ms. Watchi 

I haven’t travelled with everyone yet, so I’d like to go on a trip. I’ve done day trips but I’d like to see more of the country by traveling and staying overnight.

Ms. Rie 

It might be fun to turn the rooftop terrace into a beer garden! Ways to entertain ourselves broaden as more and more people start to live here so I’m really looking forward to it.

—Just by looking at your excited expressions I can tell that living here is really fun and fulfilling. Thank you for talking to me for such a long time today.

and it left a deep impression on me. They are enthusiastic in making the house into something great together, as if it were a story or play.

 

But it’s not as if they are short of breath, driven by a sense of duty to make it work – they do so in a relaxed, comfortable environment without a care in the world.

 

The transformation of SPH99, as well as its tenants, is carried out little by little as the seasons pass. If you are interested in the house now as well as what it could become, feel free to call up at any time.

 

 

The appeal of a town is made up of various factors, including the area’s history, industry as well as its community, and not just its population. In the same way, SPH99 is full of opportunities to transform into such a ‘town’. SPH99 will guide you to new heights, for it is a place in which people from all walks of life gather and will become the main force behind the desire to make the most of every day.

 

Author/Shinya Kagawa

Manager and editor of Tokyo SHAREHOUSE. Currently living in a share house and is proud to have visited almost 300 other share house properties. Being a tenant himself he aims to spread the appeal of share houses to others. 

 

—Firstly, why did you want to help student entrepreneurs?

Mr. Kuroishi 

I started WILLFU because I felt it was necessary to increase the number of entrepreneurs in Japan in order to achieve national growth. When researching the pasts of entrepreneurs who have succeeded in business I noticed that a large number of them had started their companies while still students, and I decided to support student entrepreneurs because I believe that such experience when younger leads to successful careers. 

 

—So why did you start a share house?

Mr. Kuroishi

There are 3 reasons. Firstly, because the success rate of student entrepreneurs was low compared to those with more experience. I want to increase this statistic by creating an environment in which students can periodically get feedback from managers and investors already in the business. Secondly, while they are student entrepreneurs, there are many costs involved in establishing a company such as office and tax consultant fees. I want to cut costs by providing a share house that comes with office space for 37,000 a month. Furthermore, with the cooperation of the tax agents we are able to offer cheaper consultations. Lastly, there still aren’t many serious student entrepreneurs out there. If you start your own business your school friends might think you’re pretty amazing, but within the student entrepreneur community you’re more likely to be asked, ‘Man, you’re still messing around with that stuff?’. By making a place for serious students only I hope to raise the bar and stimulate their growth.

—I see. What kind of people can students get feedback from specifically?

Mr. Kuroishi 

The share house was created with an investment from CyberAgent boss Susumu Fujita, so we receive feedback mainly from the CyberAgent Group company president and also often from successful entrepreneurs like President Tsuruoka from BASE, which recently experienced rapid growth with funds of 200,000,000 yen; Mr. Suda, the CFO of AERIA who has had 3 companies on the stock exchange; Mr. Ijichi, the CEO of Creww, who experienced rapid growth with his 5th company by a capital alliance with Nippon TV. Students can also get feedback from investment bankers such as Mr. Ono, the man in charge of CyberAgent’s Fujita fund; Mr. Kinoshita, Skyland Ventures’s partner and Mr. Shimizu from Nippon Venture Capital.  

 

—What kind of support do you provide specifically?

Mr. Kuroishi

Once a month we invite an established entrepreneur to the house to check out the student’s state of progress and share their worries and concerns about opening a business, with the student’s being able to freely ask for advice on any matter.

 

—It sounds like a great program! It must be reassuring to the students to have such support.

Mr. Kuroishi 

That is true. With this environment in place I’d love for students who are thinking, ‘I seriously want to open my own business!’, ‘I want to make the most of this service!’ or even ‘I want to start a business that will solve society’s problems!’ to drop by. 

 

 

—Mr. Osawa, you’re a student at the moment and you’ve already launched your own service. Can you tell us little more about this service?

Mr. Osawa

I created a Q&A mobile application called aorb. It’s a simple application where one can answer a contributor’s 2-choice question posted with their photo, so it’s fun to ask questions you don’t usually get to ask people and because it’s anonymous you’ll definitely get a response. It’s also easy to collect responses. At the moment we have a 100% response rate within 24-hours so it’s an application for quickly getting responses. You can even ask questions you can’t ask Google (laughs).

—That sounds really interesting! Why did you decide on a web-based business?

Mr. Osawa

Ever since I got hooked on NicoNico Douga as a teenager I was really into the internet and it started from there I guess. I thought of the idea last summer, found like-minded friends on vidicon and it took 4 months to develop. This job involves playing with the same application day in and day out, so if I didn’t have an abnormal fondness for it I wouldn’t be able to continue doing it.

 

—Have you always wanted to start your own business?

Mr. Osawa

Rather than starting my own business, I wanted to create a service that everyone would use. Starting a business is one way to do that, and I started to become aware of the entrepreneurial world. My new objective is to make it into application that is used worldwide.

 

—Why are you living in this share house?

Mr. Osawa

I actually found out about it from a post made my Mr. Kuroishi on Facebook. Because I’m an entrepreneur I really liked the idea of an environment in which I can work for 24 hours without separating my work and private life. The house mentors was also a large appeal to me, so I moved in.

 

—Ms. Okubo, what kind of business are you working on?

Ms. Okubo 

I actually spent time volunteering in an orphanage in Vietnam. From there I went on to university, then worked as a Cambodian health and education aid worker. I wasn’t building schools or anything, which can be built straight away if you have the money, but working at creating a better life for these children through knowledge and wisdom, teaching them how to wash their hands and other ways to ward off malaria. It grew from there and now it’s become my main objective.

—You are currently taking leave from university and have moved from Kansai to Tokyo to live in this share house. What lead you to do this?

Ms. Okubo 

In order to investigate what I wanted to do, I thought Tokyo would be the best place to get money, information and other people on board. I moved into this share house more for Mr. Kuroishi than its facilities or anything else. He really helped me by looked over my ideas and I was able to organise my own thoughts and a business plan to go with it.

—It’s amazing that you’ve taken leave from school. It’s quite difficult to get into uni life, how did you fare?

Ms. Okubo

I’ve always had an interest in the way society works and studied properly. Test grades in the Law Department are really important so I turned up to every class. Also university was so different from middle school and high school. I was able to come in contact with many different sets of values and my mind was stimulated so much. I was a very important place to me.

 

Everyone was at ease and had a good time during the interview.

—Lastly, a message to our readers?

Mr. Kuroishi 

Students in university thinking about starting up a business, or those who already have, should at least come over and check the house out. Whether you move in here or not, I want to support student entrepreneurs as much as I can.

Mr. Osawa 

I want someone really passionate about their goals, whatever their field, to move in. I think that such enthusiasm can encourage new motivation.

Ms. Okubo  

It’d be so much fun with people of different fields living here, whatever that field may be.