Soaking yourself in English
I assume that a lot of people have wants to experience the foreign cultures and natures. Well, what would you do to learn English? There’s plenty of ways to learn without actually going abroad, such as altering language setting to English on your smartphone, take online classes, watch TV shows on Netflix, and so on. The problem is that you cannot feel the difference if you don’t continue. Of course, to acquire something, you need duration and continue the work, but wouldn’t it be great if you could learn efficiently? Imagine if you could use English every day as if you take a shower…. It is possible to create situation that you must use English in daily life in Japan by living with foreigners. From this aspect, I will introduce you today the English centered share house among all others.
Find out more about “First house Mizonokuchi 100+b”
Most of the residents are from abroad! “First house Mizonokuchi 100+b”
Inter wow Inc. is a corporation that runs various sized share house around Tokyo and Yokohama area. “First house Mizonokuchi 100+b” is a new comer. It opened this May and can have up to 40 residents. It is gradually getting occupied after 3 months from opening. The character of share house depends by the people who live there. The residents here are 60% foreigners and we can definitely say that this is a hyper international share house. For your information, sister house “First house Mizonokuchi 100+a” which had opened last year is just around the corner. The source of the house names are combination of the number of accommodable residents of a and b, which makes it 100.
Unified theme of design is “American Vintage
The open living room area is divided into 5 different sections. You may choose depending on the situation like dining, chit chatting, or spending time alone. The living rooms have lots of furniture made of leathers and irons. They are from furniture shops in Jiyugaoka and Futakotamagawa, both known as fashionable town in Tokyo. They have chosen dark tone wood for the floor to make the rooms’ look wild and vintage.
Communication is all about “having fun”.
This play area is like American dinner, the one you see in TV action shows . It has a whole new image. Record jackets on the wall and block check designed tiles make this place definitely photogenic. In fact, your friends will ask where you are right now by posting the photo on SNS. The billiard table at the center is popular among residents. Beginner can start by asking how to play, and there’s high chance of naturally getting along with others. You will get better at it too. Sometimes they do country matches! Imagine, isn’t it exciting?
Big island type kitchen; usable for many people at the same time.
This may be a familiar picture to you. Yes, it is a western type kitchen. The table is stand-alone type so more than 1 person can use the kitchen at the same time. You can take a sneak peek of what everyone is cooking!
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Residents’ voice ~People living in the First house Mizonokuchi +b~
The two in the picture is Felix from Germany (on the left) and Amanda from America (on the right), both the residents here. Surprising facts came up through this interview. Various nationalities exist in the house, and surprisingly some of them came to Japan to join internships. Interns tend to be young aged and no exception for Felix. Japanese look much younger at the same age, doesn’t it!
Amanda from New York, USA has been living in Japan for three months now. She wished to live near big city like her hometown and chose this place, near Shibuya. She is temporarily absent from college and came to Japan to study about car business by joining internship at the firm. Students joining internship mostly have chose Japan as their first choice. By living with Japanese in the same share house makes foreigners easy to learn more about culture, history, and their language, and vice versa.
They both answered that one of their reason to be interested in Japan is that they like Japanese anime! Manga and animes of Japan are appreciated abroad, more than Japanese imagine. Titles like Dragon ball or Sailor Moon is known by a lot of people from other countries. They have studied Japanese from the time they were children by watching animes. Talk about manga and anime you like for starter and you may get along well with them!
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How’s the daily life here?
When making decisions whether to join the share house or not, you should know about how the residents spend their daily life and how the relations are in advance. You wouldn’t want to feel the gap between the reality and the image you had. Some Japanese may be concerned that there’s lot of party going on every day or gets noisy every night, but in fact, those things are not to be worried about. Owner has full support and controls the situation.
It is basically quiet around the house except when people gather. Isn’t it surprising? Most cases, it is tend to be busy around the sharing space in the house since people have their own life rhythms and it won’t match one another. It happens not only with lot of foreigners but even if the residents are mostly Japanese. The party held by the owner regularly is also open for their friend too so the whole house will be crowded, but it’s the only exception.
For Amanda, the home is quiet but it is not too silent and people there at home will make her feel safe.
On weekdays, people gather at dinnertime and eat together or play billiard.
Some were cooking at the back kitchen while we were interviewing. Different from the Japanese-driven share house, the house members here tend to act as a group than individually. Don’t worry about not being able to join the existing community. The staff living together at the house will take good care of the new comer and help create new connection between them.
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Condensed cross-culture experience in Japan
Although recommended that you to stay there at least half a year to build relationship with other residents and experience things only acquired from share housing, if you’re in certain conditions, it is possible to live here from 1 month term. This may be attractive to some people. Many foreigners have problem concluding contract with apartment owners due to insurance issues. It makes the share house popular for them to live since it doesn’t require guarantor or hire Guarantee Company. Residents stay over a year at share house run by Inter wow Inc. They assume that live-in staff brings good effect for the residents to have smooth communication and build a comfortable environment for all.
There will be some changes but you can expect to meet different people. (Of course it is always sad to say good-bye…) It is rare to build relationships with people of different nationalities in one place. Sometimes former residents join house events and some of them even wish to come back, asking for vacancy.
These two who took their time on interview was also very friendly! Thank you so much for the opportunity!
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How did you like it? You may not believe it is located at Mizonokuchi when you visit the First house Mizonokuchi 100+b, with international living room and kitchen and foreign residents. Although official language in the house is English, you can communicate in Japanese with foreigners studying Japanese. Everyone including Europeans and Asians speak English fluently made me realize how we Japanese can’t speak English.
Both the residential staff and the residents themselves solve the anxiety for “comfortableness” that Japanese have. There seems to be no border between residents and the staff, and they all together create a one big community. Inter wow Inc. holds meet-and-greet events with other house residents. I recommend this share house to those who would like to communicate with people with various nationalities and experience the unique culture and sense of values.
