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A place to relax, filled with the sounds of camaraderie |
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There are probably a lot of people who believe that being in a place away from the city, without the bothersome sound of cars and the bustling voices of people, one is sure to relax and feel at ease. However, as one continues to live such a quiet life without contact from other people, I’d like to think at least once in a while they will long for the presence of others they once felt accustomed to, or perhaps even thought to be annoying. Come to think of it, although this is a personal experience, when preparing for high school and college entrance exams, rather than studying alone secluded in my room, I felt that I could concentrate much better in the living room amidst the talking and laughter of my family. I couldn’t understand why back then, but looking back on it now, I think that being surrounded by people I had a connection with and knowing they were there for me, gave me a great sense of stability. Today I’ll be showing you “Share Panda”, just a minute walk away from Nishi-Kawaguchi Station along the JR Keihin Tohoku line. The company that manages Share Panda, Domingo , is filled with very considerate and generous people who support dedicated individuals working toward their goals with great enthusiasm. “If you’re proactive and hard working, you’re more than welcome.” As expected from such a straight forward remark, proactive people seem to be steadily gathering together. If you think you’ll find a place to belong where the air is filled with the voices of busy people, where the warmth of others will be waiting for you when you get home, this place is perfect. “In any case, if I’m going to live together with others, I want to it be active and fun!” If this sounds like you, this is definitely a share house we want you to see. So let’s get started! |
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 Here we have the outside of Share Panda. The 1st floor is a pachinko parlor while the 3rd through 6th floors are for the share house. The surrounding area is also fairly quiet as well.  This is the entrance. Each resident has their own mail box, so there’s no need to worry when dealing with mail. |
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 The key is a non-contact type. Because there are so many people living together, they seem to be emphasizing security, and to unlock it from the inside, a button has to be pressed, which I thought may be important for the assurance of female residents.  Here’s a shot of the lounge. It’s fairly spacious, and the occasional breeze through the window makes this space quite comfortable. |
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 What I felt to be a distinguishing feature of the lounge is it’s color scheme, which has such a tranquil atmosphere despite being so colorful. With wood-grain flooring, I thought the room had a great look that didn’t overemphasize anything too much.  This is the kitchen and dining room. The seats and shelves here have a very vibrant color scheme. |
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 The red shelves on the right side are for each resident to freely store items as they please. A place to put your own seasonings, emergency rations, etc. certainly seems invaluable.  The lounge is also furnished with two computers which anyone can freely use. Because they’re free to use for all residents, they’re obviously great for those who don’t own computers, but perhaps they’re also used as people plan holidays, trips, and other various things together. |
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 Here’s a closer look at the kitchen. It’s been furnished with a 2 burner gas stove and 2 sinks. It looks like everyone takes care of dishes right after eating.  This is the free space located on the outside of the dining room. The bright red vending machine is quite impressive, but it seems to be a unique area inside the building where one can smoke. Perhaps this is a place for those who smoke to get together. |
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 This is the separate women’s only wash stand and washing machine. This washing machine can be used for free.  There’s also a shower room equipped with a bathtub. However, this seems to be a women’s only room as well, so men can only use showers. I guess it really pays to be a woman living in a share house. |
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 The wash stand, bathroom, and shower rooms are together in 1 unit on the 4th through 6th floors. Of course, men can use these facilities as well.  There’s a laundry space on the 6th floor, but this one appears to require payment. (1 use of the laundry machine is 200 yen. 30 minutes in the dryer is 100 yen) Also, the door on the right side inside this space leads to an area on the roof to hang clothes to dry. |
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 This is one of the rooms (room 305), with a cute polka dot design accenting one of the walls. Also, the room is 7 tatami (11.5m2) in size, so you could probably say it’s a relatively spacious private room compared to most share houses in the city.  Here’s a look at room 304. The basic layout and furnishing of all the rooms is the same, and only the wall paper seems to be different. |
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 The basic layout of each room is very simple, and although it’s a share house, this is your private room, so it could be fun to decorate it and create your own unique space. (This is room 303)  This is room 405, furnished with a folding bed. When you’re not sleeping, it’s a great to make effective use of your space. |
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 Here’s a shot of the closet space which can be found in every room.  You can fit quite a bit into these closets, so I don’t think there will be any problems moving in if you have a lot of personal belongings. |
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 The desks which can be found in every room seem to be custom made and are a part of the wall. Because the desk is place along the wall, you can not only make effective use of your room’s space, but it also has a very clean look. I like how it casually blends into the room. |
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Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get any photos of the residents going about their daily routines, but Share Panda is a large scale share house accommodating up to 52 rooms, and there appear to be a variety of people from many different nationalities.
Whether they’re study abroad students who’d like to know more about Japanese culture, Japanese people who decided to move in for the chance to partake in culture exchange, men, women, students, or working adults, there seem to be people from all walks of life living together here under one roof.
Living together with a large number of people, you can’t say things will go swimmingly from the start, but this is an opportunity to spend time with people you’d never expect to meet if not for living in a share house. And by being in contact with these people who have different values and ways of thinking, you may find life leading you in a slightly different direction. From there perhaps there will be some unexpected chemistry as you find common interests with other residents. Just thinking about it you’ll be in a more pro-active state of mind.
Osamu Dazai once said “Every day we live is a miracle. No, life in itself is a miracle.” Years from now, if you can look back on your time in this share house and say “it was a blessing to have lived in a place like that,” there’s no doubt your life will be much more fulfilling for having had the experience.
“A first step taken from curiosity can lead to a world of possibilities.” If this phrase piques your interest, even if it’s just to take a look, please stop by.
/Author: Kagawa, Translation: Paul
