So to choose company housing yay or nay?
First off, did you guys make sure that you could opt to not have company housing with your company? My company had a choice, but till this day I swear that the location branch I interviewed with would never have hired me if I fought to not have an apartment tied to the company! However once I got to Japan I found out I was free to cancel my company housing if I wanted to which I did 4months later! It could also cost you to cancel an apartment so keep that in mind as well.
I lived in both company housing and on my own in the year I spent in Japan and experience wise I can tell you how it went...
Company Housing: I was placed in a Leo Palace apartment which was a 20-25min walk away from the train station I used for work. The ward I was placed in used to be a place where a lot Japanese Untouchables lived back in the old days(Im only mentioning this because my real estate agent told me this..I don't know why he mentioned this..oh wait, light bulb went off!), but was now full of foreigners(mainly Brazilians, Chinese, East Indians, S.koreans, Pnoys,Yakuza, etc.) Don't get me wrong, it was safe since I came from the Boogie down Bronx, but according to people who knew where I lived, my location was apparently in a dangerous neighborhood Because foreigners are soo dangerous....pshh whatever. I was just pissed that my apt was too far from the train station! I had a 100yen vending machine right down stairs! I was a 10min walk away from a Karaoke place,a supermarket,drug store,and an electronics shop! I was also right across the street from a Pachinko joint, a chinese resturant, and if I walked for 6mins I had a Family Mart(conbini) and some other resturants!(like a chain resturant similar to Yoshinoya and a chain belt Sushi place!) Leo Palace apartments can vary between having a bed that can be used by either going up a ladder or a bed on the ground floor like mine wise. Some also come with wonderful super toilets or not(like mine...). Leo Palace also has some furniture ready/internet ready to go,an electric stove, a microwave,fridge,washing machine, as well as a tv and an air con!!
Sadly the company I was with required me to pay back a training loan for 6months, and I had bills to pay back in the states...so as wonderful as Leo Palace was, I really needed that extra 45,000yen($450.00) to go to me and not Leo Palace!(not to mention I had a kitty cat which will be covered in another entry, but the cat never stayed with me while I was at Leo Palace!). So I moved into another apartment that was smaller and older than a Leo Palace. Ofcourse this apt came with no furniture, but oddly enough, it had a super toilet!! It was also way smaller than the Leo Palace! I had my suitcase in my sleeping quaters for the whole time I was there...what a great reminder I'am leaving in a year huh? ,but.....it had a wonderful view of the river and mountains in my area, and it allowed pets!!(it was also a quick 13min walk to the train station yeah!!)Sadly I lived on the 3rd floor, and I think constantly walking up the steps every got damn day seriously fucked up my right knee... I was a 10min walk from another Conbini(circle-k!) and a 15min walk from a bigger supermarket(Aeon, the Japanese walmart!)
In my case, not living in company housing rocked!! If I ever got fired I didn't have to worry about loosing my place to live!! I also was able to save more money going dutch with the rent, and was able to have my cat which was a big plus for me!!
Now sadly I have no advice for you guys on how to get your own apartment...and I admit upfront that I had it easy due to my bf at the time(now fiance) happened to be Japanese so he was able to deal with all of that stuff!
But, THIS BLOG,Surviving in Japan, has all the tools you need to live on your own!!
If you have no bills or debt to take care of back in the states, just go with company housing cause 9/10 its already furnished and the company you work for will supply you with the basic necessities! I never would of left my Leo Palace if I didn't need the extra money.
Coming up next, Bringing your fur-babies to Japan!
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