Living Environment › Newcomer's Guide


Living Environment


 


 

Housing is different for generally everyone around the ken. It is not standard, and there is no way that we can give an accurate or comprehensive run-down of your living conditions. Some have small city apartments, while others have houses. Some people have to pay full rent, and others have to pay none. Some have to pay a non-refundable deposit or for a phone line, and some just walk into a pre existing setup. Our best advice is for you to contact your predecessor and ask them about your specific living situation. A minority of you (those of you who are moving into new apartments i.e. not moving into a predecessor’s apartment) may have to incur some major expenses upon arriving in Japan: setting up a phone line, buying furnishings, paying "key money" (a kind of deposit for an apartment/house) etc. These costs can be considerable, and you should try and be prepared to pay them in full when you arrive. Key money is especially expensive (anywhere between ￥20,000 and ￥200,000), and is usually due in full before you get the keys to the apartment, but in most cases (most of those we have heard of anyway!) most money is refunded when the apartment is returned undamaged. If you are one of the lucky few who has to fork out for these things and won’t have the necessary funds, your office will usually be pretty understanding and help out with wage advances and such. In general, though, housing should be more than adequate for your needs.

The number one thing to "be prepared" for in your housing (and school) situation is that Japan hasn't really caught on to modern climate control. Don't expect central air conditioning or heating, and don't expect to have any effective insulation in your apartment. In winter you will have to use space heaters and wear layers at home and at school. In summer, you’ll probably only have air conditioning in a limited number of rooms and it’s a little pricey to run!

Luckily it seems that most schools are catching up with the information age, and you should at least be able to access the internet at your office, if not at all of the schools you will visit. If you are planning to bring or buy your own computer, most types of internet service are readily available in Yamaguchi. However, local calls are billed by the minute so home internet charges can really add up. If you plan on being a day trader or something, we suggest to settin up a direct internet connection when you get here as it works out a lot cheaper and much more convenient in the long run.