Sharehouse.in » East part of Kanagawa

Let’s talk in the park beyond the door：Garden Terrace Tama Plaza

Ayano Washida — Tue, 17 May 2022 06:40:03 +0000

This spring is the year to do it.

Two years have passed since the spread of the new coronavirus, and we are gradually beginning to feel a return to a more conventional lifestyle. Many of you may have endured a long period of waiting at home and are now making plans to start anew this year, dispelling the sense of loneliness that has swelled up inside your hearts.

When you think about it, when you need a change in your lifestyle or daily life, changing your living environment or the people you meet is still a good option.

This time, we’d like to change things up a bit and show you a share house before it’s completed, in hopes of giving our media visitors a chance to get off to a “good start”.

Rather than starting with a completed share house, we thought it would be more enjoyable to take a little bit of a flying leap and experience the process of completing a share house. If you are going to get to know each other, it would be more profitable to start with the initial members.

So this time we’ll be taking a look at “Garden Terrace Tama Plaza,” which will be opening a 6 minute walk from Tama Plaza Station on the Denentoshi Line, from its pre-renovation state. There are many relatively large scale share houses in the area, but since this share house is managed by Share Design, a company that has created a number of unique large scale share houses with “fun” as their theme, our expectations for this share house were high.

On the day of the tour, we were shown around by the manager, Mr. Miura. When we asked him about the concept of the facility, he replied, “I think there are still many people who are concerned about the effects of Corona, so this time, all three units (bathroom, wash stand, and toilet) will be in private rooms to ensure enough privacy, while also providing a park-like area in the center of the building where everyone can gather. We’re thinking of creating a place where everyone can gather in the middle of the building like a park.

I’m sure share house managers have their own priorities, and when considering moving in, it’s important to not just look at the property information on the website, but to actually visit the share house and hear what the manager has to say in a realistic setting.

Incidentally, just around the corner from this “Garden Terrace Tama Plaza” is the “Share Residence Utsukushigaoka,” which we’ve covered many times. (It’s really close by, lol.) I’d like to visit “Garden Terrace Tama Plaza,” which is currently under construction, a one-minute walk down the hill across from “Share Residence Tama Plaza,” while fantasizing about how fun it would be to hold joint events with other neighboring properties.

Click here for details of Garden Terrace Tama Plaza

In the center of the building, a park where people can gather.

First, let me give you an overview of the building, which is a large five-story building with a number of private rooms lined up on either side, and a large space in the middle that is a bit strange.

This picture shows the first floor space that spreads out in front of you on the right as you enter the building and go down the hallway a little further. The point is to create a space for socializing in the center of a room where one can live alone. Currently, it looks inorganic, but it will be exciting to see how it will change from here. The red doors on the walls on both sides are private rooms, and the white door on the far right is the dining room and kitchen for communal use.

This building was once used as a student dormitory. By renovating this space, the space in the center of each room will become a park-like place. (It is difficult to imagine from the photos, but we are looking forward to the completion of the project and to exercise our imagination.)

The finished product will have artificial turf on the floor, and tables and chairs will be laid out. However, even at the time of our visit, the final touches had not been made, and they were still working on the atmosphere of the main space, mixing and matching several ideas such as café style, grumbling style, terrace style, and more. For those of us who always visit a share house when it’s completed, the passion and thought that goes into creating a place that values ideas and planning ability is truly impressive.

Incidentally, the laundromat will be located on the 2nd and 4th floors, but there are no large common spaces on the upper floors, the 2nd to 5th floors, which are mainly private rooms.

Now let’s take a look at the kitchen and private rooms in the back.

Kitchen space before renovation

Now, when we visited the kitchen area in the back of the building, this is what we found. When we visited, there was no running water or electricity, and it was quite dimly lit, giving the impression of “the site.

When the building was used as a student dormitory, the kitchen and space were separated by the dining hall, but the furniture and appliances in this area are going to be replaced substantially. The completed space will be reminiscent of a stylish restaurant, just like the other properties Share Design has worked on. The kitchen will be similar to that of the “Share Residence Akeigaoka,” a property by the same operator. Please check it out from the link.

Click here for more details about Share Residence Utsukushigaoka.

The dining room seen from the entrance. The door at the far right connects to the kitchen. The outlet hanging from above, reminds me of a home economics room.。

I think the fixtures are usable in their current state, but they are going to remove all of these fixtures and outlets. I am excited to see how the atmosphere will change.

Sufficient private room space for single occupancy.

Although still rare in share houses, each room is equipped with a three-piece water supply set including a bathtub, washbasin, and toilet. The fact that these three points are for your own private use should be a great point, considering the effects of the Corona Disaster.

Also, the size of the private rooms varies from room to room, but they are approximately 13.03 m2 to 14.84 m2 (8.41 to 9.59 tatami mats).
Although 1R apartments give the impression of being small, we urge you to match your own sense of value to see how much you can add to the use of communal spaces, kitchens, and other facilities.

Also, when we visited, a bed, a desk, a refrigerator, and a closet were placed in the room. The floors in the private rooms are all wood, and the desks and tables will be changed to match the wood. Wooden furniture is very calming, isn’t it? With the greenery reflected in the scenery outside, the overall atmosphere will be unified and calm.

A view of the private room from the window. You may have the impression that the room is a bit small, but it is a long and narrow living space with a three-piece unit in the back.

Bathtub, washbasin, and toilet. It is still nice to have a bathtub in a private room. You can slowly soak in the bathtub alone.


View of the main living space from the back of the facility.	The entrance to the private room looks like this from the front.

What did you think of the newly opened share house “Garden Terrace Tama Plaza”?

Even though it’s not yet completed, what’s still worth noting is the park-like space that stretches throughout the property. When you want a change of scenery, or when you feel lonely eating alone, just go out to the lounge and you’ll find someone there. The park will be a social place where you can live alone and socialize with your neighbors, and even the park will be happy about it.

I don’t understand what you are talking about even if you show me pictures of the facilities before they are completed…” I can understand why you would say that. However, it’s not uncommon for popular properties to have a waiting list for vacant rooms. This time, some of the rooms will be available for occupancy before the facility is completed.

I’m going to live in a flying house.

Having photographed many large scale share houses, we have no doubt that the quality of the space will be high once the facility is completed, but if you can get a sense of what we can expect from a visit report such as this, please be sure to visit the share house before it’s completed.

It will be fun to experience the process of creating the space, and I have a feeling that you will naturally get to know the staff. In the words of Mr. Miura of Share Design, those who find the pre-completion report interesting will receive a special discount plan until the building is completed.

Also, on the same day of our visit, we actually had the opportunity to visit the nearby “Share Residence Utsukushigaoka” and were told that Utsukushigaoka is a very comfortable place to live, and all the residents were very sociable, talked to us a lot, and seemed to be having a lot of fun. （The residents were very sociable and seemed to be having a lot of fun.) I feel that this is a place where the circle of exchange will expand.

If I were to raise a concern, it would be that if the environment is too well equipped for living alone, you may not use the communal space as often as you’d like, and even if the environment is very social, you may not get to know the other residents as well as you’d like. If you are interested in moving into such a place, perhaps it is important to have a little courage and be willing to try to communicate with others.

We have all endured a long period of self-restraint, so why not act with a bit of urgency this year? It’s spring.

/Author: Aya,Photo:Ishi

A place where to start the Sharehouse life : Share Reside Aobadai

Customer TSH — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 01:00:23 +0000

A place where to start the Sharehouse life.

If you have ever considered living in a share house, this is the house that will make you take that big decision. That lifestyle of sharing the same place with people with different backgrounds and personalities, sometimes even from the other side of the world, a place where you can feel at home with a second family.

Just a few years ago, skeptical eyes look at the idea of “sharing a house” as something impossible:“Is it really true?”. Now that a new way of living has become a general lifestyle that everyone is willing to try. This year, with the mission of keep spreading the “share” concept, a new share house has been opened. Making its debut in this business, “Waim-group” company is bringing a different style that will revolutionize the Sharehouse market.

After that big intro, I would like to introduce “Share Reside Aobadai”, newly opened in Aobadai, Yokohama, Kanagawa.

As I said before the operator is “Waim-group” which has plenty of experience in the market of rental offices and coworking spaces. Although they have been working in other industries “Waim-group” wants to provide “an ideal form of a share house” designed to take advantage of the experience and know-how accumulated in the real estate industry, and to remove the negative thoughts about the share house style. They have clearly entered into this industry with a strong vision.

If you get off from Aobadai Station and walk straight toward the south, you will see the sign of “SHARE RESIDE” at the entrance of a four-floor building. From the outside, you will be able to see a stylish room with a huge TV, comfortable sofas and a nice kitchen in the background. The glass-walled room lets the light enter as it were store apparel, people walking on the street will probably be wondering what this building?. “An interior design store? Wait… it’s a house!!”

A space filled with thoughts and commitment, a perfect new start.

“Click here for more details of “Share Residue Aobadai”

Start your day with delicious coffee and a “good morning!”

The large living-dining area has a relaxing atmosphere. The working space is connected to the kitchen, and the common space was designed to gather all the residences on the first floor of the building. A well-designed house to bring the sharing concept to its maximum.

As you pass through the entrance, the first thing that jumps to your eyes is the entrance to a huge living room: A Scandinavian living room mixed with the feeling of a coastal cafe, an interior that makes you feel relaxed as you were under a dream.

There is no better combination than a cup of coffee while working. As one of the big good points in this house, right next to the coworking space there is a Japanese coffee machine ready to be used. You will be able to warm your heart with the fresh fragrance of freshly ground coffee!

A coworking space right next to the main lounge and a coffee machine installed next to it.

Equipped with a large 85-inch TV and high-performance

7.1 surround speakers.

Large windows and good sunlight. Take a break with a cup of coffee.。

Make your usual meal more enjoyable.

Even if you want to improve your cooking skills, it’s sometimes difficult to get started especially if you are living alone. However, the kitchen of “Share Reside Aobadai” is fully equipped with cooking utensils and with enough space to have fun cooking with your housemates. It will be the trigger that wakes up your inner chef.

A big kitchen space where you can enjoy conversations while cooking. Since the dining area is right next to the kitchen, I think space design is suitable to bring together all the residences.

The kitchen counter is also equipped with a newly Google tablet, where you can review the best recipes or even check the weather while cooking with a simple “OK, Google”.


The open kitchen is connected to the living room.	It seems to be fun to cook together on holidays at Le Creuset and Stove.


Even the kitchen appliances have a stylish concept.	Stocker that can store seasonings.

Time to enjoy your privacy, even if you are in a share house

This is room 309 for women (Decorated as an example of how cozy and unique you can make your own place).
Surely the life of a share house is fun. They are exciting days that can never be experienced alone. But honestly, when you work on weekdays, you sometimes want to spend time alone. And that is totally fine. The private room space of “Share Reside Aobadai” blocks the sound of neighboring rooms to keep your privacy. In a quiet environment where no one is around, you can read books and think about your future plans. It’s a time just for you.


Good sunlight. Try to grow plants that can be used for cooking.	Desk, refrigerator, bed, closet. Full storage under the bed.

You have found the lifestyle you were looking for: It’s right here!

“Share Residue Aobadai” aimed at “an ideal form of share house”. That is why the enhancement of facilities in this house is surprising.

Right next to the living room, on the left side, an area where the sunlight enters through the glass window is a great spot for watching movies, a powder rooms fully equipped not only for women but also for men, a relaxing space, a theater room, a working area with a deluxe coffee machine and of course a huge kitchen. All these facilities are waiting for you.

Also, what really attracts attention is the smartphone system that shows the usage status of the “Share Residue Aobadai” facilities. For example, you can be easily checked the availability of the bathroom and washing machine on a smartphone, this useful application would let you fully enjoy the other facilities of the house.

“Share Reside Aobadai” is an attractive design like a hotel. In addition to all these facilities, a cleaning service visits the house 5 times a week to keep the lifestyle as much comfortable as it could be.


The bathroom is on the first floor. Availability can be checked with a smartphone.	Also equipped with a female powder room! I’m glad that there is also a facial device.


Theater room next to the living room	A smartphone page that can be exclusively used by residents. You can check the usage of the equipment on your smartphone. This is very convenient to live with a lot of people.

Pursuing the industry’s “best way of living”

“Besides running a share house, we have been working on co-working space and rental office business, and this share house is also designed using this know-how,” said the manager of “Waim-group”, the company operator of “Share Residue Aobadai”.

You will be able to experience the best living in a space filled with share house professionals. This time, we introduced the share house “Share Reside Aobadai” in Yokohama, Kanagawa. The location is convenient for access to the downtown and near the main spots in Yokohama. This sharehouse offers facilities like being in a hotel focusing on convenience and the ease way of living to enjoy and cherish the time with your housemates.

A cozy life that fits your taste awaits you here!

/Author: Moriyama, Translator: Katty, Photo: Ishi

Theme is “a Cafe in the Woods” : FineMaison Inadazutsumi

tokyosha — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 01:00:04 +0000

Like that there’s no border for a fine coffee…

It’s no doubt that everyone wants to be relaxed and have a good time with those living together.

Chit-chatting at a big living room or chilling out at the terrace on a fine day.

Some may wish to live in a stylish house like the ones you see in TV shows. Has it ever cross your mind how wonderful it will be to live in a house with a cafe-like atmosphere, encountering a drama-like scene in daily life.

The share house I will introduce today are for those who wants to make a dream of living in the house you long for come true. It is called “FineMaison Inadazutsumi”, a unisex share house with 42 rooms in total.

About 100㎡ wide living room is designed according to a theme “Cafe in the woods”. It is divided into 4 areas, lounge, dining, bar, and cafe counter. Residents have a choice where and how to spend their day in the room.

Outside the house is a terrace surrounded by trees. There is even a exciting plan to make manga room in near future.

You can access without train transfer to Shinjuku station from Inadazutsumi station which is the nearest from the house.Share house is 7 minutes walk from Keio-Inadazutumi station of Keio-Sagamihara line. (Only a 4 minutes walk from Inadazutsumi station of JR Nambu line) For a daily shopping, there is a convenience store within a walking distance.

In front of the building is a broad parking space. No need to search for a nearby parking lot! Feel free to enjoy cycling or motorcycle riding on weekends.

Now, let me start introducing the share house from the entrance.

Please click here for more information about “Fine Maison Inadazutsumi”

Walking from station to the house, bright red roof under the clear blue sky catches your eyes. Not only at the front, but also at the back are a terrace. The building is surrounded by lots of greenery.

Going through the big wooden door at the entrance and turning to the right, you will see the huge living room through the glass door.

Concept of the design is “Cafe in the woods”. Over 100㎡ big living room, wow!

Living room designed with a concept of “cafe in the woods” is all so overwhelmingly spacious. Interiors are stylish but also create a cozy atmosphere which enables you to feel relaxed. One of the unique feature of this house’s living room is that it consists of 4 different areas such as lounge, dining, bar, and cafe.

Space is enough for maximum of 42 rooms’ residents all gathered in it. If you want to spend your day alone studying, go to a cafe counter. If you are planning to spend time with your share mates, use a dining area. Isn’t it convenient that you have several choices according to your plan of how to spend your day?


Take a seat by the window with terrace view.	Living room from another angle.


A photo taken from a corner of the lounge area.	Several small fashionable interiors are placed on the table.

Big and functional kitchen you can’t expect living alone.

There is a kitchen right next to the living room. As you can see in the picture, it has ample of space and is functionally designed. In the back are two refrigerators.

Four kitchen sinks and other facilities such as IH stoves are equipped. Imagine cooking, serving, and eating with your share mates after work or on weekends. Doesn’t it feel fulfilling to share time eating together?


Enough space to prepare food with several people.	Plenty of space to store things. Basic items needed for cooking is equipped from the beginning.


This is what storage space looks like. Talk with your share mates how to divide them into each one’s personal space.	A view of lounge area from the kitchen.

Simple but elegant white rooms.

Individual rooms are basically white toned.

Almost every room has restrooms and washing basin equipped. Air conditioning, refrigerator, chair, bed, closet, and curtain are already set in each room so you can move in without big furnitures.

All rooms have digital self-locking system so that you can keep your personal space.

We will introduce to you how the rooms looks like.


This is a picture of room 101.	The room you see in above picture is room 201. There is a washing basin equipped so you can get ready without stepping out of your room.


Room 219 is for 2 people.	This is room It is simply designed in white.

Remarkable facility utilizing its’ space to the maximum.

A large-scaled share house with 42 individual rooms are also remarkable in it’s facility. Surprisingly, there are 7 laundry machine and bathrooms(two bathtubs and 5 shower rooms). You won’t feel inconvenient living with that many people. Yes, you need to be considerate of others at some point, but with this much of facilities, your stress may decrease.


A picture of restroom. It has bidet functions.	Laundry and drying machines are placed in a room on the first floor.


This is a shower room. The room is colored in white.	There are bathrooms with bathtubs as you can see in the above picture.

A comfortably designed spaces leads people to be connected under the same roof.

By choosing a share house as your new residence, more or less, you are expecting to meet new people. Don’t you want to spend a great time with your new friends?

“FineMaison Inadazutsumi” can also keep your private space private by it’s structure. You don’t need to go through a living room to get to your private room. In addition, most of the rooms have washing basin and restroom equipped which enables you to feel more private compared to other share houses. The share space is big enough to find your best way to spend time according to your condition or purpose.

I assume that there will be variety of residents moving in. Like that there’s no border for a fine coffee and cuisines, you sure can get along with your share mates naturally by spending time in their own ways at the sharing living room.

Fine select Inc. runs this house.

Staff working in the firm is very ernest and trustworthy was the impression I got from the conversations we had. They focus and never compromise on creating a space that residents feel safe and comfortable. It runs over 100 share houses all over Tokyo which enables you to ask for an advise when moving to other district.

I recommend for those who even a little bit thought that “I might want to be a part of share house life, living with all sorts of people with different perspectives” to come and take a look. Once you see how fulfilling the facilities are, your heart may be filled with excitement imagining the life here.

Under a red roof is a cafe with a sense of warmth brought out by woods.

“Our life is exactly like the ones you see in TV Dramas”

At first, you were just one of the residents, sitting back, observing others’ life with a cup of coffee in hand. But when you know it, you are playing the leading part of your own story created in the house.

That kind of life may await you…

/Author:Moriyama, Photo: Ishi

Bar × Gym × DJ Room：【Share Residence MUSACO】

TSH writer — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 15:00:24 +0000

Say hello to the new you at new flat.

“How about going to cooking classes?”, “Wait, should I first work out at a gym?”, “Or maybe, try piano lessons”, “Hmm…Always wanted to go take English classes”. These ideas may come to your mind, but it is not easy to actually take an action. Even when you do so, it’ pretty hard to keep up the new habit. Then, what can we do? Not realistic proposal to just take a leap and go abroad to study English, is it? When you’re out of option, please consider moving into a share house.

Share houses today are quiet fascinating, with fulfilling facilities you would never imagine with singular living. It attracts various types of residents which makes your life even more stimulating. You can even expect meeting someone with expertise you’re willing to learn, or someone to share interests with. If so, wouldn’t it be fun to continue new challenges? The share house I’m introducing to you today is called “Share Residence MUSACO”, with accommodation of 65 people. It is the latest work of Share Design Inc., the company running over 20 share houses in the cities around Tokyo.

Share Residence MUSACO is 10 minutes’ walk from the nearest station called Musashi-Nakahara of JR Nambu line. Next to it is Musashi-Kosugi station, a door way to the crowded redeveloping city. Changing lines there, it only takes 20 minutes to Shibuya and 32 minutes to Shinjuku. Very convenient to access to the cities in Tokyo. Before explaining the house, let’s take a look at the surrounding environment!

For more information, please click here.

Living along side of Nambu line, with “Musashi-Kosugi”, the city with on-going development as your neighbor

Every time visiting Musashi-Kosugi, the scenery has changed. That’s how exceedingly the town is developing. Newly built high tower apartments and large scaled shopping malls are being constructed. It is one of the most notable redeveloping towns in Japan. Share Residence MUSACO is one station away from this place. You can never avoid using the Musashi-Kosugi station since it’s where you transfer lines going to cities like Shinjuku, Shibuya, or Shinagawa. You can take either Tokyu-Toyoko line or JR Shonan-Shinjuku line to Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Yokohama. If going to the Shinagawa area, take JR Yokosuka-line. Keep in mind though, that the station is overly crowded on the grounds of convenience.

Sight changing dramatically, this is the nearest station of the share house, the Musashi-Nakahara station. Except for the big ones like Musashi-Kosugi, towns along the Nambu line are mostly nice and quiet.

It takes about 10 minutes’ walk to the house. The roads are flat so you may ride a bicycle. About 5 minutes, I would say.Found “MARUETSU”, the supermarket! Spot to shop on your way home.

Here we are! This is what the Share Residence MUSACO looks like.

It used to be IT company’s dormitory. No wonder the apartment-like appearance.

Entering the automatic locking door, broad entrance spreads in front of you. Making steps further into the building through the aisle, there’s lounge space, one of the main feature of the house.

Complete work of the “Share Residence “, squeezing the idea all together.　

Share Design Inc. has been running more than 20 properties mainly in Tokyo, opening new one every year. CEO of the company produces its’ interior decorations, getting inspirations from his hobby, and that’s what makes the share houses special and unique compared to others. Share Residence MUSACO may be the culmination of the uniqueness piled up together with lots of entertainment aspects.

Above is the L-shaped authentic bar counter. Displayed bottles of liquors brings up the rock spirit.

Most times, people are surprised to find beer server in the house. Of course, it is for free use.

Coffee machine is at your service in the busy morning.

You probably have never seen this before at any other share house. Opening the retro refrigerator, you will find plenty of wines. Wish I had these for free…

Pleasant sunlight and ventilation. Main living room connecting inside and outside.

Big window from the floor to the ceiling is giving spaciousness to the room. Outside the window, you will find wooden floor terrace. Feel free to enjoy relaxing at the terrace on sunny days. At night, sit inside and share excitement with your house mates watching World cup or Olympic games! The living room creates lots of connections and memories among residents.

View from the living room sofa. The room is lit very bright with ample of sunlight pouring in!

Everything is custom-made, from cushions to teddy bears.

Enough space to set hammock and large-sized tents.

See the stump on the corner? That’s the tree cut at the vacation house of the CEO himself. Surprisingly heavy since it’s a real tree.

Enormous tent resembles the ones at the Glamping sites. No matter how old you are, crawling into it will take you back to the days when you were just a little kid.

Kitchen with professional equipments.

Kitchen room next to the lounge is quiet professional. Great environment for cooking lovers. Share houses ran by Share Designs Inc. throws parties and events regularly. It is highly convenient to cook together with your share mates on those occasions with wide table and enough space to move around.

Spices and cooking equipment of individuals’ are able to be kept in the locker at other room in the back.

Standard kitchen goods and tableware are well supplied as you can see in the picture, so no need to buy one when moving in.

Look at the power of the fire!

Here’s one fine oven. You can even cook turkey with this for Thanksgiving Day.

There’s two gas stoves and 3 IH stoves.

Opening the commercial use sized refrigerator, containers for each resident are lined up.

Each container may be a bit small for frequent cookers. Those should consider purchasing their own refrigerator.

Wow! There’s a soft cream maker hiding at the corner. I can easily imagine residents scrambling for use…

No excuses to make! Keep fit with latest exercising machines.

You haven’t seen everything yet. Don’t be surprise to find more great facilities the Share Residence MUSACO have. At one side of the lounge, treadmill, cross trainer, and a machine which seems like a fitness bike is equipped. Once you start, you can never go back since the eyes of the other residents. Seeing other share mates working out will definitely motivates you to keep up the good work.

Now, this really looks like a fitness bike, but it’s not. This is a game machine called “Zwift”. It enables you to connect with cyclists all over the world online.

Zwift had been first introduced to Share Residence AOBADAI which opened last year. This is how you play. Weight of the pedal changes in proportion to the level of courses’ inclination. It will make you absorbed in the world shown on the monitor.

Screen shows the speed, distance, and your avatar.

For those who cannot bear the eyes of other residents, don’t worry! There’s fitness room besides the ones at the lounge.

Is the machine in above picture familiar to you? Yes, it’s O2 capsule. It will improve your blood flow, which is said to be effective to recover from exhaustion and keeping healthy skin. Residents are free to use at anytime!

Here’s good news for music lovers. There’s a music studio where you can play electric drums and pianos.

Wait, is it a barber shop!? Carbonate shower is at your service. This is way more than you can probably imagine.

Now this is where it gets interesting. Take a close and careful look behind the mirror. There’s a secret door…

Residents Only! Enter the mysterious Club Lounge.

I personally was shocked with this kind of surprise. I have never seen anything like this before at other share houses. Entering the secret door, there was a room filled with heavy bass sound and mirror ball hanging from the ceiling. Projector shows music videos on the wall and at the counter is DJ performing. This is the party room only the residents can use. Enjoy karaoke anytime. It is away from living district so you don’t need to worry about making noises and just have fun.

DJ in the picture is the owner of this share house! He has been working as professional DJ in the US.

Isn’t it fun to imagine Friday night here at the house? You don’t need to worry at all about taking the last train home.

16㎡ private rooms you can décor.

The share house once was a dormitory of the company. Wallpapers and flooring are in several different types, so you may have a choice if the rooms are available. Some rooms have great amount of sunlight, which may be too much in the summer time without air conditioning. You cannot see in the picture, but bed, desk, and a chair are equipped, so don’t bother buying big sized furniture.

The building is 3 stories high, 13 rooms on the 1st, 26 rooms each at 2nd and 3rd floor, which makes 65 rooms in total.

The closet and storage space should be enough for most people. There is a closet you can see in the picture above and a storage box at the right wall.

In addition, shoes boxes are in every room.

Shower booth and laundries are on the 1st floor.

Water basin, bathroom, and laundry are all together in one space on the 2nd and 3rd floor.

Picture on the left is the bathroom on 2nd and 3rd. Picture on the right is the 1st’s. There are more bathrooms on the 2nd and the 3rd, but 1st’s was cleaner compared to them since it’s recently constructed.

8 shower booths and two bathtubs + showers are available.

At this time of the season, shower booth may be enough, but when it gets chilly, you might want to soak yourself in a nice warm bath.

How did you like it? Today, I introduced you Share Residence MUSACO. The ideas of Share Design Inc. always surprise me, creating share houses you have never seen before with unusual concepts! The fun and unique experiences will melt your heart.

Here, they are planning to invite foreign internship students from abroad, bringing diversity to the member of the house. I was shocked to hear from the CEO that purpose of constructing club lounge is to provide opportunity to get along with each other. He said that “everyone can be friends without talking at the club”. Starting with non-verbal communication, you may end up learning other languages from foreign residents.

People change when either “The place you’re in”, “How you use your time”, or “the people you hang out with” changes. Share Residence MUSACO will change all three of them dramatically and may help find the new you. Spend time doing new things in your new home, meet people you have never had a chance talking, and eventually, dig up your hidden personality. Share Residence MUSACO is the perfect place to fulfill your mind.

/Author:kubota

Share Residence Yokohama: Circle of enjoyment created in port town

TSH writer — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 06:00:13 +0000

Excite your mind, body and soul every day in a house with countless charms, surrounded by its beautiful design and immersed in its warm atmosphere

Feel at ease gazing out at the ocean and be lured in by its romantic scent here in Yokohama, the biggest city in Kanagawa prefecture. Yokohama is known as a prominent tourist location dotted with so many sightseeing spots all over the city that even locals haven’t seen them all yet. It’s a place that people fall in love with the more they get to know the area. And yet, it is also a town where visitors can feel one with nature, and this is another of the city’s charms.

Share Residence Yokohama is a new 15-room sharehouse that has opened in this exciting, sea breeze-blessed city by Share Design, a company that already has a large number of creative and unique properties under its belt.

The interior, once unrefined, has been renovated into a space emphasizing the texture of the wood. As well as being the perfect size to enjoy interaction among housemates, the use of wood adds a warmth to the room and to the lives of the residents. You can imagine everyone coming together and enjoying a friendly chat in here.

The house sits in a convenient location for residents to head out on the weekend, whether they be taking themselves down to Chinatown or Minato Mirai, or going for a casual walk down by the wharf in the evening.

In this article we will show you a mid-size property with substantial quality. Let’s have a look inside the house!

「Share Residence Yokohama」House Details Page

Hang out and chat in a warm, rustic living room that will make you feel as though you’re not in Japan anymore

The front door opens to a place of rest and relaxation for the housemates. Interaction and conversation surely occurs naturally in the neat and tidy atmosphere of this room.

There’s nothing else quite like spending time on the sofa, laughing and watching TV with close friends.

The room glows brightly under the small bulbs scattered across the ceiling and the light from the second floor.

A unique, boldly designed white pillar in the middle of the room.

This photo was taken just for display, but it helps us to imagine the dinner table in full use.

A piece of artwork in the shape of a deer head adorns the wall.

Enjoy interaction with others in this simple, easy to use kitchen

The kitchen incorporates a compact design that works well in a 15-person sharehouse. Residents will always be looking forward to the new dishes and ideas that will be created in here.

The kitchen has everything residents need with a 2-burner stove top, large sink and even two rice cookers.

Fall in love with the elegant sign out the front of the house.

Pass through a narrow alley…

… and arrive at the entrance.

The house has an electronic lock that opens with a pin number.

Slow down and enjoy life in this refreshing, spacious area

This area on the 2F is a shared space in which to get in some reading or enjoy lazy conversations with housemates and is surely treasured by everyone as a place to relax and refresh.

The room from another angle. With its white-based color scheme this room creates a translucent atmosphere.

The bookshelves are lined with magazines, comic books and interior pieces. It could be fun for residents to use these shelves to bring in and share their favorite books and things.

The staircase.

Beyond the bathroom sinks….

is the toilet, washing machine and dryer.

Find a room that suits you out of a variety of different types

Bedrooms differ in shape and style so make sure to check them all out when you visit the house.

This is room 205, the biggest in the house with 12.96㎡ of space and a distinctive floor pattern.

Room 107 makes an impression with its floral wallpaper.

Share Design is the company behind Share Residence Yokohama. Houses in the ‘Share Residence Series’ are unified with ‘enjoyment’ as the theme, incorporating ideas to help residents enjoy themselves into the house design. The result is a polished, refined interior, with attention paid down to the smallest detail. The combination of many different components creates the uniqueness that is ‘Share Residence’.

The people who work behind the scenes enjoy their work creating sharehouses, and in turn the residents who live in their houses also enjoy themselves. Enjoying one’s self comes around full circle, and creates a fascinating community.

Also, the price of rent here is worthy of special mention. The price of a room is very reasonable despite its luxurious interior and the house itself being located in Yokohama. If you are work or study in Yokohama, this is definitely the house of your dreams.

15 people living together in comfort, sharing and enjoying their lives in an environment full of excitement. Would you like to be one of them?

/Author:Nakayama

Experience the country villa lifestyle in Yokohama: Hillside Terrace Yokohama

TSH writer — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 08:00:45 +0000

Enjoy yourself in a summer resort-like location in this house that loves to have fun amidst its subdued, mature design

“Experience nature while living in the city”
“Feel as though you’re in a resort in the middle of the city”
These titles and phrases have been popping up a lot lately when browsing through residential and interior magazines websites.

If we compare city life to country life, everything is hurried and rushed, driven by time. Thus, places we can take a step back and relax in are highly treasured and when looking for accommodation in the city the kinds of phrases like those above resound loudly. We, as humans, did always ask for too much…

In line with this we introduce to you today a sharehouse that offers that country villa lifestyle right in the middle of the city, Hilltop Terrace Yokohama. It is located in a quiet area abundant in greenery that could almost be mistaken for a summer resort, allthewhile being close to the city center. The building bears a striking resemblance to a holiday house in both construction and design.

This house would be particularly great for people who would like to maintain a bit of balance between their busy ‘ON’ days and fleeting ‘OFF’ days. Many people are sure to find the lifestyle they are looking for right here.

Without further ado, let’s have a look inside the house!

「Hillside Terrace Yokohama」House Details Page　

Residence atop a hill bearing a resemblance to a country villa and a satisfying Yokohama lifestyle living in relaxation

A 6-minute walk from Mizusawa-shimochō Station (right beside Yokohama station), Hillside Terrace Yokohama can be found in the corner of a residential area at the top of a small road branching away from the main road.

The path to the house is almost like something out of a Ghibli movie.

The bamboo trees lining the road add to the extraordinary ambiance, and the entrance to the house can be seen up ahead.

At the entrance stands personal mailboxes for each resident and a delivery box that means you can receive parcels even when nobody is home.

Inside shoe lockers line the wall on both sides, almost like the setup one often sees at an izakaya (a Japanese pub).

The front hallway is very spacious with plenty of room to sit down and put on your shoes.

Main lounge offers luxurious solace with its wide, open atrium and warm lighting

A mature ambiance floats about the room with its subdued design and color-scheme, the atrium feature creating a resort-like atmosphere. The room feels like a mix between a country villa and Western-style house.

Natural light shines in on the room by day, and by night it is lit up by warm colored lighting. The atmosphere changes drastically from day to night.

A exposed beam supporting top lights. A fan also hangs from the ceiling. These factors combined work together to create that resort-like feeling.

The television is mounted neatly on the wall above the fireplace. You can tell this sofa is comfortable to sit on just by looking at it. This kind of sofa makes you look forward to sit down of a night and chat with your housemates, a glass of wine held in one hand. When the staff member in charge of overseeing this house mentioned that a record player would really suit the interior, the company president ordered one almost immediately. It really does fit in with the house ambiance.
The wall next to the counter is plastered with indoor mountain climbing handles. And it’s not just for decoration – you can actually climb up! Please do refrain from using the wall when you are intoxicated as this leads to accidents. Sure, you can use the staircase to go upstairs, but how about climbing up every now and again? Stair-use might actually decrease.
In stark contrast with the uniqueness of the living room, the kitchen is a simple room with white as the base color. That said, the stovetop is professional-grade and you can enjoy cooking genuine cuisine here. Wine classes are displayed in a row above the counter and play a great part in interior decoration as well.

Start the day drinking in the sunlight with yoga, a gentle breeze flowing in through the window as you gaze out at the Yokohama city-scape.

In addition to private rooms a yoga studio can also be found on the 3rd floor, which is also the top floor. The room utilizes wooden materials to create a natural interior, and a gentle breeze flows through the room while the soft warmth of the sunlight filters in by the window.

Being in tune with your five senses during yoga releases you from the hustle and bustle of everyday and calms the mind.

This room is not only for yoga. You can also put on your favourite music and move your body as you please.

Here is another pretty special place in the house. Step outside from the living room and be greeted by a cafe-esque wooden deck area. As the property sits on a corner, there is nothing to bother you or no one to make awkward eye contact with on this side of the house. The deck is lit up at night, amping up the mood. It’s a great place to drink your tea or coffee and relax with a book on a sunny day. Spend your day off out here in elegance.
Let’s briefly look at the kitchen, bathroom and toilet facilities which have all been remodelled. The washing machines and dryers in the laundry room can be used free of charge. Hallways in the house are wide and spacious. One way to amuse yourself is to look down at your housemates in the living room from the 2nd floor.

Choose your favorite from a variety of different rooms

As each room has a different layout make sure to check them all out when you go in for a private viewing. There is something to suit all tastes, from the standard flat-type room to a room with excellent storage capabilities.

This room is the most common layout in the house. One wall is made up completely of storage space.

There is even a room with a full-length mirror attached wardrobe. As available rooms vary at any given time inquiries are necessary.

Managing Hillside Terrace Yokohama is the company Share Design. Everytime they complete a new house it is always with great anticipation that I make my way over to check it out. They always have all bases covered, from their carefully selected antique furniture to stylish bar counters, and the housemates always throw themselves into planning in-house events and the like.

The staff at Share Design love creating sharehouses, and what I found to be most impressive is that they improve things as they go together with their residents.

This particular property may be a country-villa like atmosphere, but as the nearby train station is just one stop from Yokohama station it’s not only a dream location but a dream house for those working in the city.

Just imagine the kind of experiences waiting for you living your very own Yokohama country villa lifestyle. You should definitely take advantage of it.

/Author:Kagawa

Tenants Interview：Share Place Higashi Kanagawa 99

Caster Media — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 04:20:11 +0000

PROFILE (L-R)
Mr. Koto (28): From Tokyo. 2.5 months in the house. Company employee (system engineer), Ms. Rie (36): From Kanagawa. 2.5 months in the house. Company employee (graphic designer), Ms. Watchi (34): From Hokkaido. 2.5 months in the house. Currently unemployed (formerly worked in advertising), Mr. Sekiguchi: Doctor ※ comes in halfway through the interview.　

The present and future of Share Place Higashi Kanagawa 99, 3 months since its grand opening.

“A small town of 99 people.” Since first hearing this catchphrase from ReBITA’s project coordinator I’d made my way over to the property many times before it opened. The property and location are very enticing, and I wondered what would happen when 99 people started to live here, each time indulging my imagination the entire way back to the station from the house.

It’s been three months since the grand opening, and people of all different walks of life have begun to gather at Share Place Higashi Kanagawa (hereafter SPH99), and the tenants who had never met each other prior to moving in have started their new shared lifestyles together.

I headed on over to the property once more after receiving the opportunity to interview the people actually living in the house. During the interview we spoke about the current conditions of SPH99 and the kind of lifestyles these tenants wish to create for themselves in the future.

A building’s design and its facilities are important when interested in or considering living in a share house, however there are also those worrying about what shared living is actually like and what kind of people are living in them. If this sounds like you, then read on.

Without further ado, onto the interview!

These tenants graciously agreed to an interview. Everyone had great personalities and we were able to have a nice, long conversation.

: —First things first, tell us why you decided to live in a share house.

Mr. Koto

I actually quit my job 3-4 years ago and went to Australia for a working holiday, sharing a room with friends while I was there. So, I have no real aversion to sharing and decided I wanted to live in a share house when I got back to Japan.

Ms. Rie

My story is completely different. I’d never lived on my own before and up until now was living with family. But, thinking that it was about time I left home, I searched around for a place in Yokohama but couldn’t really find a property I wanted to live in.

Ms. Watcha

What kind of property?

Ms. Rie

Well, I want a big room, like a one room apartment with 16.5㎡ of space, a verandah and good exposure to the sun. But at the same time I didn’t want to spend too much money (laughs) I was also thinking about initial costs, and I couldn’t find a place that fit with what I wanted… and it was then I found out about share houses.
: —Does this share house fulfill all of your requirements, Ms. Rie?

Ms. Rie

It does. Everything I could possibly need in my daily life comes with the house, so I could keep initial cost down, SPH99 rooms are spacious and the location is just fantastic.
: —What lead you to living in the house, Ms. Watchi?

Ms. Watchi

For me it was the Tohoku earthquake three years ago. I was living by myself at the time and was scared being alone afterwards. I only knew my neighbors by face so I couldn’t really depend on them. I began to think that it would be better to live somewhere with people you can count on when things go wrong, and came across ReBITA’s share house.

—I often hear about people who moved into share houses after the Tohoku earthquake.

Ms. Watchi

I had a lot of stuff when I moved so like Rie, I was thankful for the large room. And the communal living room had to be stylish or I was out (laughs)

Mr. Koto

My commute to work was terrible. It took 1.5 hours one way just to get to there from my old place, it’s was pretty painful. 3 hours commuting a day was such a waste of time.

Ms. Rie

Oh, I had a hard time to with my place because it was 12 km by bicycle to work.

Life changes when moving into a share house

: —You’ve all lived here for about 2 months now, have your lives changed at all?

Ms. Watchi

It’s changed so much! I’m pursuing so many hobbies (laughs) I’ve even started running and mountain climbing, and we all climbed Mt. Fuji together. I also do bowling and got interested in coffee, even learning how to brew it myself from the grinding of the beans. All I need now is more time and money.
: —You’re really enjoying the share lifestyle to the fullest, aren’t you! Do you share your hobbies with the other tenants?

Ms. Watchi

Yeah, everyone has their own hobbies and at first I have a go just out of curiosity, find that it is actually fun and get really into it… my days off are so packed with plans I’m always jumping from one to the next. I really don’t have the time to sleep (laughs)

Mr. Koto

Watchi is pretty much always in the living room. When do you sleep?

Ms. Watchi

I’m always up until 4 or 5 in the morning chatting away. It’s so much fun I can’t sleep. I need more sleep.
: —So your life has changed entirely. What about you, Ms. Rie, any changes from before you moved in compared with now?

Ms Rie

To be honest, I was never excited about going home when I lived with my family, but ever since moving in here I really look forward to it. I’m not always in the living room but when I feel a bit lonely I pop in and there is always someone there to talk to. Also, it’s really great that there is someone to rely on if I get sick or hurt myself. I’ve actually broken my leg at the moment and can’t move around a lot…

Mr. Koto

I read a lot more books since I’ve moved into the house. I was never one to actually go out and buy a book to read, but now I’m always borrowing them from the others.
: —That’s a different kind of change you experienced than the other two.

Mr. Koto

Well of course I have fun with the others, too. I spend a lot of time in the living room when I get home from work before retiring to my room at about 1am and set aside an hour to read before bed. It’s interesting to borrow books you would never choose to read yourself from others. Oh, and I’ve also started getting into making sweets and things.
: —When you say sweets, what kind of things are you making exactly?

Mr. Koto

Things like chocolate gateau and coffee-flavored jelly. I’m thinking about making pudding today.
: —Wow, have you always been good at making sweets?

Mr. Koto

I’ve always liked making sweets, but I could never finish eating them all when I was living alone. Living in a share house your housemates can help you eat them and it’s a good feeling when someone says something you have made tastes good. The kitchen here is also very spacious and easy to work in.

Ms. Watchi

His sweets are really good! But many people do cook in this house. Girls just easily whip something up in no time but when guys start to cook, they really get stuck into it.

(General practitioner Mr. Sekiguchi enters the conversation)

Just the other day, Gucchan (Mr. Sekiguchi) was making a curry from scratch at 11pm at night and went out to buy more spice when he didn’t have enough for the recipe.

Hearing everyone, regardless of age or sex, talk excitedly about their lives here really left an impression on me.

～My favorite place～

: —Other than the main living area I understand that there is also a theatre room, Japanese-style room, work room and rooftop terrace here in SPH99. Do any of you have a favorite place?

Mr. Koto

Mine is the seat I’m sitting in right now. It’s where I can best relax. The sun shines in on a clear day and it’s is really comfortable. Actually before the interview started I was having a nap here (laughs)

Ms. Watchi

I love this sofa too.

Ms. Rie

I love it here too.

—It seems everyone loves it here. I guess it’s because it’s a great place to sit back and relax?

Ms. Rie

I think so. Also, the rooms that branch off from the center hallway in Building 2, like the Japanese-style room, are somewhat closed off and very relaxing.

Mr. Koto

Yeah, a Japanese-style room really soothes the mind. A great place for a bit of reading, work or even study.

—I see. Is the theatre room beside the living room used a lot?

Ms. Watchi

I do watch a lot of movies but it’s great for watching sporting events. We all watched the Sochi Olympics opening ceremony and the World Cup is in June so we’ll get together to cheer the team on.

—Mr. Sekiguchi, with your job as a doctor you’re on call 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Are you ever at home?

Mr. Sekiguchi

Yes, I do spend time at home. I often pop my head in the living room to say hello. My room is a garage type, which I love, and more than anything I’m thankful I can park the car I use for rounds here.

—How much does it cost to park?

Mr. Sekiguchi

It’s free. That’s the great thing about the garage-type rooms. It really helps out those with cars.

The sofa that Mr. Koto, Ms. Rie and Ms. Watchi love so much. It doesn’t just look good, it’s really comfortable to sit in.

Tips for getting along with housemates

: —As the name implies, this is a large-scale share property to house 99 people. Do you have any advice on how to get to know others for those first-timers or those thinking about moving in?

Ms. Watchi

I don’t think there is any need to worry about it because everyone is welcoming towards new housemates. It might be nerveracking to move in at first, but everyone has experienced the same thing. So all you have to do is take that first step and you’ll soon be great friends with everyone.

—Could you give us an example?

Ms. Watchi

Hm… well, if you bring a small gift for everyone when you move in everyone will come to you without you having to make the first move! (laughs)

—I see. Lure them in with food, right? (laughs) But I think it’s a great idea and something you can do straight away. What about you, Mr. Koto?

Mr. Koto

Definitely greetings. Not just to be polite, but because communication often stems from those first initial greetings, and I don’t think anyone is going to be upset by a hello. I myself love hearing ‘welcome home’ when I get back from work, so I think greetings are really important.

Sitting on the sofa and chatting naturally brings other people to the room. When people pass by they wave and exchange greetings.

The tenants talk about the appeal of SPH99

: —I’ve asked you a lot of questions already, but tell me again what SPH99’s appeal is.

Ms. Rie

When I came for a private viewing, the rooftop terrace is what made up my mind. You can not only view the city of Yokohama but on a clear day you can see Mt. Fuji. You’ve gotta see the view from up there at least once.

Ms. Watchi

I really liked the look furniture in the living room and actually looking at it close up it may be a bit cheap, but the house is the real deal. As expected of ReBIYA. (laughs) The house is located right in the middle of Yokohama so I recommend it for those who really want to experience this city. Even out running you can experience of the sights and sounds of Yokohama and even the central business district, Minato Mirai. You feel proud that you live here. (laughs)

Ms. Rie

There is also a library on the way to the house from the station, so you don’t have to buy a book yourself. It’s also easy to return them, which is very convenient.

—It’s interesting that everyone finds appeal in different places. Living here is like that nursery rhyme ‘I wonder if I can make 100 friends’, isn’t it, because you can gain heaps of friends in no time at all.

Mr. Koto

Well yeah, there’s no doubt about that (laughs)

—Do you feel any kind of aversion to living with 99 other people?

Ms. Watchi

Not at all. It’s not even that many people. It is a little hard to remember names and faces, though. I’m really looking forward to meeting to many new faces.

—Remembering names would be a bit difficult. The house hasn’t been open for very long, but have you had any mingling events at all?

Ms. Watchi

We had an opening party when we first moved in and we periodically plan events. We do ‘nabe’ (Japanese hotpot) a lot. Also today, a couple of guys rented a car and are off to see the cherry blossoms before going to a hot spring.

—Sounds like fun! How do you go about letting everyone know about these events?

Mr. Koto

We use facebook or a mailing list, as well as use the message board at the entrance of the living room.

—Message board? Are you talking about the whiteboard printed with a map on it hanging on the wall?strong>

Ms. Watchi

Yes. There was already so much written on it when I moved in and I didn’t even know where the nearest supermarket or convenience store was, so it really helped me out.

—I see. It’s great to share your favorite spots with others.

Ms. Watchi

Just the other day some people from a nearby ReBITA share house came over to hang out and told us about some great restaurants and bars where you can go to forget about your one-sided loves (laughs)

The map on the message board is filled with everyone’s favorite spots.

Plans for the future of SPH99

: —Finally, tell us what you hope to achieve in future together with your housemates.

Mr. Koto

Let’s see… well it’s way too comfortable in here and I spend a lot of time inside, so when the weather gets warmer I’d like to go out to eat or go on drives with everyone.

Ms. Watchi

I haven’t travelled with everyone yet, so I’d like to go on a trip. I’ve done day trips but I’d like to see more of the country by traveling and staying overnight.

Ms. Rie

It might be fun to turn the rooftop terrace into a beer garden! Ways to entertain ourselves broaden as more and more people start to live here so I’m really looking forward to it.

—Just by looking at your excited expressions I can tell that living here is really fun and fulfilling. Thank you for talking to me for such a long time today.

and it left a deep impression on me. They are enthusiastic in making the house into something great together, as if it were a story or play.

But it’s not as if they are short of breath, driven by a sense of duty to make it work – they do so in a relaxed, comfortable environment without a care in the world.

The transformation of SPH99, as well as its tenants, is carried out little by little as the seasons pass. If you are interested in the house now as well as what it could become, feel free to call up at any time.

The appeal of a town is made up of various factors, including the area’s history, industry as well as its community, and not just its population. In the same way, SPH99 is full of opportunities to transform into such a ‘town’. SPH99 will guide you to new heights, for it is a place in which people from all walks of life gather and will become the main force behind the desire to make the most of every day.

Author/Shinya Kagawa

Manager and editor of Tokyo SHAREHOUSE. Currently living in a share house and is proud to have visited almost 300 other share house properties. Being a tenant himself he aims to spread the appeal of share houses to others.

A colorful lifestyle at Share Residence Motosumiyoshi

Caster Media — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 01:27:03 +0000

Experience a variety of colors in a simple lifestyle.

How many colors in a rainbow? We Japanese would probably say 7. From a global perspective, however, there aren’t that many cultures that recognise a rainbow as having 7 colors. The majority of the world see it as 5 or 6 colors, or even less.

The Japanese are said to have long had a rich sense of color. According to the Dictionary of Japanese Colors there are 465 words to express color in Japanese. This of course includes colors we have never heard of before but surely have come across in our daily lives. It wouldn’t be such a bad thing to tap into in our sense of color amidst a lifestyle surrounded by those colors we are not usually conscious of.

There is no point to an uncomfortable life. Today we will introduce to you Share Residence Motosumiyoshi, a simple house accented by colorful furniture and wallpaper. The base, however, is a simple white. The furniture, set against this blank canvas, creates a stylish and playful atmosphere.

Nearby the house you’ll find a bustling shopping street with everything you need including fast food restaurants, a supermarket and even a convenience store. Heading into the city is no problem with Yokohama 15 minutes and Shibuya 20 minutes away. The house stands in a quiet residential area with a terrace from which you can look up and take in the bright blue sky.

You’re sure to find a plethora of colors within this house. Let’s have a peek inside, shall we?

「Share Residence Motosumiyoshi」House Details Page

Relax and bathe your whole body in sunlight on the 2F terrace

Jumping ahead for a second here is the 2F terrace. It’s a wide, open terrace where you can just imagine yourself reading or basking in the sun come spring.

The entrance with security in place. The clover pattern on the wallpaper is quite cute.

This tall rack is great for storing shoes.

The living room, with its bright furniture, fosters communication.

Red, orange, green, light blue, purple… you’ll feel pumped up just by being in the living room furnished with such vivid, multicolored furniture. It’s easy to imagine chatting and laughing with everyone watching TV, listening to music or making dinner.

The dining table chairs stimulate your senses with their purple and light blue color.

The view of the entire living and dining area. The area feels nice and clean with the white-based color scheme.

The stove is of the gas variety, something people who cook often always look for.

One appeal of the sharehouse is in the provided essential cooking utensils. You can begin cooking right away without going out to buy anything.

All space is used efficiently, something to be thankful to the management for.

Let’s move on to the bathroom and toilet facilities. This is the washroom. The chairs in here are also colorful.

The toilet. There are also two other toilets in the house.

There is one other shower in addition to this one. Incidentally, there is also a public bathhouse near the station if you ever need a proper soak.

Indulge in freedom of privacy with rooms boasting giant windows

One big appeal of Share Residence Motosumiyoshi is the large window in each room, and room with great lighting can refresh one’s body and soul. There’s only about 12.24m² of space but its cheerfulness was very impressive.

Room 207. It’s quite a luxury to have this much space even with a bed in the room.

Room 208. This is how much space there is without a bed.

Room 202 is adjacent to the living room so it’s a little confined compared to the other rooms, but still plenty of space to live in.

Room 213. This room is facing another room across the hallway.

Room 201. This room may be small but the relatively large window brings in the light.

Room 206. You might have already noticed, but the curtains differ from room to room.

Room 204.

Room 205. Rooms on the 2F can be divided into 3 types: large, medium and small. It’s great to have choices you can match to suit your preferences.

Different to the 2F rooms this one comes with a washbasin. You can do everything you need to do to get ready for heading out in this room.

There is also a toilet. You may never leave the room at all.

The houses we live in change according to our tastes. Living in a sharehouse, you will also be influenced by those around you. And of course, there will be times where we’ll discover things we’ve never seen before because of the people we live with, not only in the living environment but within the house community also.

Share Residence Motosumiyoshi is a sharehouse brightened by the management’s use of color throughout. The company, Share Design, have really pulled out all the stops to make their houses interesting and you could even go so far as to call them the artisans of sharehouses.

The message of these artisans of wanting the house community and tenants themselves to fill their lives with color can not just be seen in the furniture, but hidden throughout the entire house.

/Author: Emoto

The sky, sea and sun: Share Place Higashi Kanagawa99

Caster Media — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 04:30:10 +0000

On the top of a hill with a full view of the city of Yokohama, there is a little town where 99 people live together.

View of the city from the top of the hill. Looking from above not only on large buildings, but on woods and mountains as well, with a faint feeling of pleasure surely I am not the only one who gets a odd feeling of superiority.
When large things are right in front of you, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by their scale and presence, as if they could swallow you whole, but when looking from up high they suddenly seem so small. Just this small change in the way you look at things can also manifest itself in your mindset, where you may realize the problems and troubles hanging over you are in fact rather trivial.

This time we would like to introduce our sharehouse ’Sharehouse Higashikanagawa 99′, a short 12-min. walk from both Higashi-Hakuraku St. on the Tokyu Toyoko Line and Higashi-Kanagawa on the JR Yokohama Line, standing slightly elevated on top of a small hill. Without having to go out of your way to see it from an observatory tower, the panoramic view of Yokohama becomes part of your everyday life. To have it built on a high place gives a feeling of true privilege.

Now, Let’s check out!

「Share Place Higashi Kanagawa99」House Details Page

The sharehouse itself is made up of two buildings facing each other with a large open plaza bringing the two together in the center.

As it is a large-scale sharehouse with 99 rooms, it feels more like a small town. For this reason, other than the large main lounge, a number of finely divided purpose-built spaces have been prepared so you can feel free to choose a place to spend your time depending on your needs or mood.

The house nameplate. The green shrubbery on the wall changes appearance as the seasons pass.

Reaching the top of the hill this large area spreads out before you.

There are two buildings, so let’s start with the main lounge in Building 1.

The entrance.

Open the door to find individual mailboxes lined up in a row. There is one box for each room.

Behind the mailboxes are parcel delivery boxes, a great addition to make the busiest of working adults happy. Collect your parcels at any time of the day.

Having so many people coming together to eat creates almost a party atmosphere.

This large space makes up the main lounge and is suitable for a wide range of uses. The main lounge located in Building 1 is a large space which can be enjoyed much like a cafe, ready to play its part in bringing people together people for an event. As you can go straight out into the central garden from the lounge, it would be interesting to come up with events for a fine day using both these outdoor and indoor spaces in a variety of ways.

There is a theater room at the back of the main lounge in Building 1. Relax by taking off your shoes and sitting directly on the floor.

Here is the lounge in Building 2. It’s not as spacious compared to the one in Building 1, although its the perfect size for a small number of people to hang out around the table.

The main lounge can be used for a variety of objectives, from finishing off a little bit of work, chatting with friends or even holding a large dinner party. There is an area arranged with a few sofas to really sit down and relax in, a mature area quite different from the atmosphere of sitting at a table. In one corner of the lounge hangs a large map of the surrounding area for tenants to share favorite spots and detailed restaurant information with each other.
Enjoy a long conversation and the surrounding atmosphere at the counter peeking in at what’s happening in the kitchen. The island kitchen is bigger than anything you would use living by yourself with plenty of preparation space. There are both 3 sinks and 3 induction cook tops. There’s enough room to hold a cooking workshop or something along those lines!
The kitchen in Building 2 is on the other side of the hallway from the lounge. In the lounge is a work space available for use for those who want to concentrate and immerse themselves in their work. For those who want to take a break and go for a cigarette, there is a smoking zone opposite in Building 1.

A large 360º panoramic view of Yokohama city. Overlooking the Minato Mirai fireworks in Summer, and snow-capped Mt. Fuji in Winter.

From the roof of this house on top of the small hill, you can get a far-reaching view of the Yokohama scenery. Being able to see the lit-up parts of the city at night, it will surely become your own personal viewing spot.

The wooden deck on the rooftop means that you can stretch out and relax outside. It would be great to eat lunch with friends up here underneath a bright blue sky!

There is also another wooden deck as part of the open terrace on the other side of the courtyard which is lit up at nighttime.

The open terrace and kitchen in the courtyard. I can’t recommend rugging up and drinking a warm soup out here on chilly days enough. This is the shared vegetable patch. You can just imagine everyone working together, planting, cultivating, and eventually harvesting the vegetables grown here to use in a big taste-testing event or something. Beside the vegetable patch is a small playground with a swing set and horizontal bar. It’s almost like a public park.
Let’s now move on to the common areas of Building 2. The main feature is the many small spaces branching off from one main hallway. There is a small Japanese-style room with a traditional low table, and even a mini theater room.
There are also three kitchens along the hallway. It’s easy to enjoy cooking in a big, shiny and new kitchen. There is also space for tenants to store their own personal items such as foodstuffs and condiments.
There are 2 bathrooms but it is not free to fill the bathtub up with hot water. There are 15 showers spread throughout both buildings. Beneath Building 1 are 20 bicycles to share, which you must be registered to use. Registration is a one-off fee of 6,000 yen, so if you register when you first move in you can use a bicycle whenever you want for no extra cost.

Garage, loft and unit types. You can choose a style that suits your preferences.

One of the charms of SPH99 is the rich variety of different individual rooms available. There are rooms with garages attached on the west side of Building 1 on the ground floor, where it is possible to do any maintenance to your vehicle from your own room.

This is what the garage-type room is like (model room). Outside the rooms are divided by concrete walls and this space can be used as a place to park your car. You could arrange these rooms in a unique, manly fashion if you wanted to.
Let’s move on to the loft-type rooms. These rooms make full use of the high ceiling and feel extremely spacious. This is what the unit-type rooms look like. They are made up of three rooms in one with a bathroom and toilet as well as a front entrance. This is one of the standard rooms. The basic design is very simple and is easy to use.

End November SPH99 opening event

The opening event was held on the roof, making full use of the view to both Mt. Fuji and the Bay Bridge, with a broad variety of activities arranged including outdoor yoga, a toy exchange for eco awareness ‘Kaekko Bazaar’, as well as cooking studio classes, while down in the plaza, local Yokohama farmers, bakers, and houseware sellers brought the plaza to life setting up their stalls.

The event held in the center courtyard. It almost feels like a local festival. Satiate your appetite with a variety of Japanese-style breads and pastries all displayed in a row, and warm your body with a hot coffee that goes perfectly with the bread.
Inside workshops were held by handmade miscellaneous goods brand SLOW LABEL, as were lectures by professional cameramen. Many local children also participated in the event and the toy bazaar was very popular.

The company managing this sharehouse is ReBITA Inc. In recent weeks as part of our Shareplace series, we were granted interviews with a number of key people from companies involved in property. The interview can be seen here (http://blog.tokyosharehouse.com/?lang=ja&p=20512). Rather than just the buildings themselves, significant emphasis was placed on the communities these places foster as well as the interaction between fellow residents creating a more lively impression.

Even saying so, as many of the residents were full-time workers, the provision of space where one can guarantee their own private time was one attractive point. As we’ve provided a space where you can both easily shut off and then switch back on, we think you will be able to make a much clearer decision when weighing up between living alone and a sharehouse. Living by yourself is too lonely. But always having people around can be suffocating. For such people, we feel this is the perfect place.

A tale of 99 roads, woven by 99 people.

Somehow just thinking about it may get your heart racing, but it is truly a ‘no drama, my pace, my pace’ kind of place. When visiting this place, these words will come to you beckoning your shoulders to soften and relax, a truly strange sensation. What is it I wonder? Perhaps it’s the laid-back living space away from the city, or perhaps the locally-flavored nature and backdrop of this place in touch with the sky, sea and sun. You may just find the answer to that question with a visit to this wonderful place.

/Author: Kagawa

A pleasant life at Cocoro Okurayama

Caster Media — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 00:00:52 +0000

A new house to the lineup in the Cocoro series with an overlap of both design and function.

There is a relationship between people and the houses they live in. People imagine how their lives could be lived as stress-free as possible when designing and building houses, however upon completion something is often discovered to have been left out or missed.

This is similar to interactions among people themselves. Meeting someone new you are not completely aware at first, but the more your relationship deepens you come to know their true character.

And so today we bring you Cocoro Okurayama, a female-exclusive sharehouse 7 minutes walk from Okurayama station on the Tokyu Toyoko line. It has already been 4 years since the house first opened its doors, and we headed on over to check out their recently renovated common-use areas.

The renovations were carried out upon discussions with the residents about which aspects are inconvenient and how the house could be made more user-friendly, and just by looking at the finished product it goes without saying they’ve really upped on the functionality of the house.

Now, without further ado, let’s head on inside!!

「Cocoro Okurayama」House Details Page

A great location 10 minutes to Yokohama station and 25 minutes to Shibuya station

Okurayama station sits between two terminal stations, Yokohama and Shibuya, and the area around it is lined with supermarkets, convenience stores and drugstores indispensable for buying everyday necessities, making it a very convenient area to live. Cocoro Okurayama can be reached by a 7-minute walk from this station.

Having a look out back before going inside we find a clothing line in the garden area.

Returning to the front we open the door and head inside. In the photo on the left is the shoe storage cupboards.

These brand new cupboards were put in with the renovations. There is also a shelf for boots.

The IDEE brand furniture filled room creates a fresh, warm and comfortable atmosphere

The communal area was renovated in September, 2013 incorporating the tenants opinions to fix its hard-to-use aspects and take both its convenience and design up a notch. What resulted is this comfortable area as clean and fresh as a newly-built property.

The green-colored sofa stands out against the wooden furniture. It’s also quite comfortable to sit on.

The dining room may seem like a simple design but if you look closely at the chairs you will notice that each is slightly different. The lighting fixture is also from IDEE.

Against the dining room wall is a bit of artwork and space to keep books. On the shelf when we visited the house was Globetrotter travel guidebooks. I guess there are a lot of travel lovers here. The window blinds are also wooden. They not only look nice but shut the light out very well.
Let’s move on to the kitchen, which the manager is quite fussy about to get it just right. The refrigerator and other electrical appliances which were once out on show in the living room now have their own place in the kitchen. New shelving has been put in with plenty of room for each tenant to use. The tea towels are folded away nicely in this drawer.
A different angle of the kitchen. With plenty of preparation space you can enjoy cooking without any stress. Pull down the cover behind the light to find a shelf for storing spices and things. When not in use everything is stored away nicely out of sight. There is also a built-in water purification system, with clean and pure water coming out of the tap with you turn the small nozzle on the right.
Like all houses in the Cocoro series, the kitchen floor is fitted with mosaic tiling. Space has also been added to charge electronic devices so that you can plug in your iPad and follow a recipe while cooking. The stove is a gas stove with 3 burners.
Lastly we’ll show you the bathroom, laundry and toilet facilities. This is the washstand and laundry room. The bathroom is fitted with a tub. And, in a novel idea, the shower is located next to the toilet.

Managing this property is Arco Design Works. The manager worked for a company doing housing and hotel planning, design and interior design before breaking away to go independant and now develops houses with both functionality and convenience. The plan is to continue to develop more houses in line with the Cocoro series unified by its consistent theme.

They also gain points for demonstrating that they manage their houses by listening to the needs of its tenants by endeavoring to create even more simple environments to live in, as can be seen by today’s remodeled common area.

Due to there already being tenants living in the property during our visit we were unable to show you the rooms, however as several of them are being considered for remodeling we hope to bring you updates on that front in the future.

Return home to be welcomed by good quality furniture bathed in the warm glow of the lighting. You’ll love sitting on the green sofa, and your daily routine will become one of waking up early on weekdays to calmly eat your breakfast with a coffee in one hand. Your days off will be spent getting into cooking following along with a recipe on your tablet and hanging out with friends at the dinner table.

Looking around at the house after speaking with the manager, the above scene played over and over in my head, most likely because they had spent time focusing on not only design but functionality as well. This visit really made me rethink my definition of what an easy-to-live-in house was.

/Author: Kagawa