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“Terrace House” that is a reality love story television program become famous in Japan. New lifestyle that is in a shared house become popular because of that. It is a life you live together with someone you don’t know.

Do you know that there are various type of shared houses? For example, dormitory style that has a bunk bed in the same room like Terrace House. Moreover, a shared house has a private room that has a bathroom and a luxury lounge. It is called “social apartment”.

Another Life IN A Shared House

There is a lifestyle living together with someone, but it is not called a shared house. That is a room share. What is difference between a shared house and room share? Moreover, What kind of shared house is there in Japan? We are going to introduce them.

Room Share

It is almost same as a shared house, but there is a big difference. A shared house is managed by a company, so a company gathers a resident and makes a rule. On the other hand, as for a room share, you need to look for those who live with you and you have to have risk of a vacant room. Moreover, you have to buy furniture and electronic home appliances, so it cost much at first. This is good for people who want to live with a friend and with a someone who have same hobby.

Social Apartment

This is a shared house with a luxury lounge. Moreover, this is reinforced concrete construction. Therefore, rent fee of this kind of a shared house is higher than that of a normal shared house. This house is good for people who want to keep your time and place and interact with many people and for those who don’t want to live in a one room studio because it’s small, but want to save money rather than a one room studio. Sometimes, it’s called “social residence” and “social mansion”.

Share Apartment

Although the size of this house is same as a social apartment, it is not more luxury than a social apartment. Also, some share apartments are not reinforced concrete construction. However, a private room has a bathroom. According to some share apartments, they has many program such as an English lesson.

Merit OF A Shared House

When you live in a shared house which means you live together with someone, you probably have an uneasy thing. Even type of a shared house is same, lifestyle is very different according to the number of residents.

We summarize merits and demerits each type, so you should check it out.
First of all, we are going to explain merits of a shared house itself.

Merit 1: You can save initial cost to move in.

You don’t need to pay security deposit, key money and brokerage commission. Moreover, furniture and home electronic appliances are already equipped, so you don’t have to buy it.

Merit 2: It is easy to move in and out.

Furniture and home appliances are equipped in the house, so you can move in the house with just a suitcase. Moreover, you don’t need to ask a moving company, so you can save money.

Merit 3: Good security

In some shared houses, an apartment manager lives in the shared house and a security camera is equipped. Anyway, the best point is that someone is always in the house because this is a shared house.

Merit 4: You can know many people.

You can know many Japanese people and it leads you to improve Japanese skills and understand Japanese culture more deeply. You come to Japan to do something new, so this is going to be great opportunity.

Merit 5: You can live with helping each other.

When you are in trouble such as cold, earthquake and moving a heavy stuff, you can ask help to housemates. If you live by yourself, you have to solve it by yourself. It is hard for those who begin to start a new life in Japan.

Merit and Demerit OF A Large Shared House

I am going to explain good points and bad points for living in a large-scale shared house.

Merit 1: You can know many people and build a new network.

There are about 30 to 100 residents in a large shared house. In some shared houses, there are more than 200 residents. Therefore, you can know many people. Moreover, you can invite your friend to come, so you can meet people without a housemate. Probably, the number of friends of Facebook increases.

Merit 2: Lots of events and parties

A managing company hold a lot of events to make communication place for residents because there are many residents such as a birthday party. One of companies hold sports festival and to go skiing and snowboarding.

Merit 3: Expensive furniture and electronic home appliances

There is a large lounge which has a concept such as a cafe and a hotel. A lot of furniture and electronic home appliances are equipped such as an imported comfortable couch and a projector. In addition, a commercial kitchen is also equipped.

There are some large shared houses that has a bouldering, a gym, a pool and music room. Therefore, you can lead more fun life.

Merit 4: You may meet a soul mate.

Almost all of large shared houses are available for male and female, so you may find a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Some residents got married. It is so nice that you find a boyfriend and a girlfriend in the shared house and leave there together.

Merit 5: You will be good at cooking.

A large commercial kitchen is equipped, so many people who like cooking gather. Always someone cooks, so you can share a dish and get a lecture. Therefore, when you leave a shared house, you are going to be good at cooking like a chef.

Merit 6: You can keep your time.

A private room and common place is completely separated, so it is easy to distinguish alone time from time shared with a housemate. Moreover, a shared house is designed that is you can got your room directly, so you don’t need to meet anyone.

Demerit 1: Sometimes a common place is not clean.

A cleaning company come to clean three times and five times a week.
They come to clean a house regularly, so you think that a shared house is clean. However, everyone thinks that someone cleans it up, so sometimes it is not clean. Moreover, it is difficult to find a person who make a common place dirty because there are many residents.

Demerit 2: Noise

Various people live together, so lifestyle is different. Some of them go to bed early, but some of them come home late. Because of that, you may care about it. Moreover, if you don’t join an event, you will care about noise a little bit.

Demerit 3: There is a person that you don’t like.

There are many people in a shared house which means there is people who you like and don’t like. It is difficult to keep distance completely because you live together.

Demerit 4: A little bit far from a common place to your room

Almost all of large shared house has a common place on the 1st floor and a private room on the 2nd floor, so the farther a common place is, the higher your room is. Basically, you have to use stairs, so you are unlikely to go to a common place.

Merit and Demerit OF A Small Shared House

In the end of this chapter, I am going to explain good points and bad points for living in a small-scale shared house

Merit 1: Quiet

It doesn’t happen to gather everyone in a living room at the same time, and it is normal to stay at your private room. That’s why the number of noise issues is few and you hardly bothered by noise. You don’t meet anybody on weekday and meet everybody in a living room on weekend.

Merit 2: Many shared houses for only female

There are lots of small shared houses for only female. This is good for women who don’t want men to see no makeup face.
There are also a few shared houses for male.

Merit 3: A common place is clean.

This is a small shared house, so you know each other. If you don’t clean there, someone notice that. Therefore, everybody always keeps in their mind to clean a common place.

Merit 4: Utility cost is cheaper.

You have to pay not only rent fee and also utility fee(management fee) every months. This includes water, electronics, daily commodities. The utility fee of a small shared house is cheaper than that of a large shared house. It is good for people to save cost.

＜Average utility fee＞
A small shared house: 10,000〜15,000 JPY
A large shared house: 15,000〜20,000 JPY

Demerit 1: If there is a person you don’t like, it is hard to live together.

Although close relationship between residents is one of merits, if there is a resident you don’t communicate with well, this is a demerit. If you live in a large shared house, you can keep a distance. However, this is a small shared house, so you cannot do that.

Demerit 2: A few events and parties

A managing company don’t plan to hold an event because there aren’t many people, so you have to plan an event and a party by yourself. However, if there is a person who like to plan it, it is no problem.

Demerit 3: You may wait for someone taking a bath.

You share a bathroom with five to six people, so sometimes you have to wait for someone. Both of a large shared house and a small shared house have advantages and disadvantages. You can choose your favorite shared house according to your lifestyle.