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The Discovery series is one of the most famous sharehouse brands in Fukuoka.

The Discovery series specializes in concept sharehouses, and is a strong prospect for those looking to live a new life in Fukuoka city. It’s actually also designated as “Fukuoka City Private Sector Establishment Support Project” by Fukuoka City. There are currently three Discovery series in Fukuoka city, and here we’d like to introduce 【3】- ‘The Entrepreneur sharehouse’ (referred to as “DMW”).

【1】 English Sharehouse → Discovery Hakata South (DHS)　→　Discovery Hakata South（DHS）
【2】 International Exchange Sharehouse→ Discovery Meinohama South (DMS)→　Discovery Meinohama South（DMS）
【3】 Entrepreneur Sharehouse → Discovery Meinohama West (DMW)　→　Discovery Meinohama West（DMW）

Through conversations with the residents and the management company who we met at our event, I felt that this Entrepreneur Sharehouse DMW was “a house where you could think seriously about work and living”.

When you hear the words “Entrepreneur Sharehouse”, you may feel that eligible tenants are few and far between.
However, this house isn’t limited only to people that have to have superb management skills or a high work ethic! So, what kind of person is the target candidate of this property?

①Having interest in starting a business as a student
②Having interest in sideline business and entrepreneurial work
③Preparation stage of entrepreneurship
④Freelance
⑤Venture business manager / staff
⑥Company manager
⑦I want to do something, but I haven’t decided

To put it simply, people of all stages in life are welcome. The important thing is to have a self-improving mindset and the mentality to change one’s life in a higher-reaching environment. While each resident has their own differing interests, environments that ‘aspire to improve’ will become a great asset in society.

In addition, the Kyushu Rep. Shirasuna, who manages this sharehouse, is also in the process of challenging multiple ventures, including sharehouses, hotels and even businesses in southeast Asia. It’s a pretty luxurious environment to be in with business senior’s in such close proximity. Simply living on your own will naturally create encounters that you couldn’t have imagined.

Social Gatherings ＆ Resident Interviews

We participated in a social gathering held once a month, and got to talk with the residents!

What kind of people are actually living here?
While there are many residents who actively participate in various ventures such as IT, real estate and even overseas import and exports of drones, many of the residents still aren’t completely sure what their goals are regarding entrepreneurship. The sharehouse may feel a bit stiff, but it is truly a place that you can relax in. From freelancers to individuals wanting to start a sideline business; we feel that there are plenty of people eligible for this sharehouse. At any rate, we believe that this is a place where you can really crack down and focus on your work. The concept of ‘how to work’ has changed more into an idea of ‘how to live’, and we feel this sharehouse is to thank for that.

By the way: are there a lot of residents here with sharehouse experience?
While there are people who have experience with dorms and sharehouses, there are also those with no experience whatsoever.It’s really not a big deal. The rooms are private and the washroom and kitchen are large, essentially feeling like an extension of a one-room apartment. A common pattern we’ve noticed with many of the residents is Kyushu natives who, after leaving Kyushu for some time, came back to Fukuoka and stumbled up on this DMW while looking for a new and interesting environment. Recently there’s even been an influx of residents who have no connections to Fukuoka whatsoever. All we can say is that everyone is positive and there are many people who are striving to do something from here on out.That type of ambitious feeling is especially necessary in a sharehouse.

What are your recommendations of this sharehouse?
You’re getting a really good deal with this house, that’s for sure! A small house usually wouldn’t have a seminar room and small office. It’s really helpful to have such useful facilities open for use while also having your own room to protect your privacy. The kitchen is a really great, fulfilling area, and the living room is very fancy. To put it simply, just thinking of the facilities is enough to realize how much of a deal this sharehouse is.

The seminar room and the like are really great and all, but what about the cleaning?
There are multiple shared areas, and if it were up to the residents to clean up according to assigned schedules then it could honestly get pretty tough. However, a cleaning contractor actually comes in three times a week and handles all of the cleaning duties! From the living room, kitchen, shower and other rooms, each room (aside from your own private room) is cleaned up. We’re sure this is more than likely much easier than living on your own!

Is it true that there are free English lessons?
Yes, there are. At the moment, an English teacher from Australia will come twice a week on Sunday and Monday to give free English lessons. Therefore, this is also an environment where you can study English. The difference between this sharehouse and an International Exchange sharehouse in the vicinity is that their DMS is frequented by many foreign residents. However, the Entrepreneur House is frequented more by people with experience in foreign travels, or internationally minded people, so there are plenty of opportunities to have deep conversations and gain lots of information! On top of that, the Discovery series sharehouses are planning on increasing their number of gatherings, so we think it’ll be even easier to create environments where it’s easy to learn English.

Are there any other recommended services?

One very useful service is a Facebook group for residents that include tax accountants, creating a mechanism for residents to have discussions with said accountants. As entrepreneurs and sideliners bring in more sales and profits, naturally tax-related troubles also come into play. However, this environment is set in place to help you discuss those troubles at leisure, and not just for tax-accountants; this environment is set up to help you with anything you need to discuss. From overseas to legal discussions, you can talk to your fellow housemates about all sorts of things, and you’ll feel so fulfilled that you’ll think there weren’t enough hours in a day! It may sound like we’re talking up this sharehouse too much, but we’re really grateful for this Entrepreneur Sharehouse DMW!

Well then, what’s the main trait of the Entrepreneur Sharehouse？
Compared to the other two sharehouses (English Sharehouse DHS and International Exchange Sharehouse DMS), this sharehouse really gives you the opportunity to think about your work and ‘how to live’, and therefore is a place to develop you work skills, we feel. Of course this doesn’t mean that the other two houses don’t focus on ‘work’! They both play to their theme, one focusing on ‘increasing your English ability’ and the other focused on ‘international exchange’. This Entrepreneur House focuses very heavily on the concept of ‘Work = way of life’. These type of conversations take place amongst the residents quite often. The residents often come together with their individual skills and mix them, all betting on a new, sudden ‘eureka’ moment. This is one example of fun time well spent here.

Do these ‘eureka moments’ ever really happen?
They really do! A lot of the ideas discussed in this house actually happen! Many people leave the nest of the DMW as they come closer to their work or goals. Besides having a core business, there are also those are say that they’re doing so well with their moonlighting that they’re booked for more than six months. There are even cases where a totally new business has been born from the connections of two residents. Also, there are even residents who participated in the San Francisco Silicon Valley dispatch training program sponsored by Fukuoka City, and some residents are currently moving forward concretely with their overseas businesses.（Pictured above: Mr. Matsuo）

Mr. Matsuo! Please tell us about your current situation and initiatives!
As a professional psychology counselor, my jobs consist of counseling and corporate training, among other things. While there are many current SNS’s out there like Facebook, I felt that there were none out there that could be used to post a problem and and solve it with confidence. I then sent a message to the Heimo representative in Finland and told him what I was thinking, and after hitting it off, plans to work as the Japan Partner of Heimo are certainly steadily proceeding, and we’re now in talks of how to introduce Heimo into Japan. This has all happened in just one month, so I’m very surprised. The reason why I was able to participate in the dispatch program was that the Entrepreneur Sharehouse was officially recognized by Fukuoka City, and the staff in charge of the dispatch program came to participate in the DMW exchange meeting, allowing me to become aware of the program.
（ Heimo：An online platform to safely and securely talk about your personal problems　https://heimo.co/  )

Just around a month is some amazing speed！By the way, did you ever think about starting the service from scratch?
The service that I planned to spend years creating already existed in Finland. I thought about all of the people who, at this very moment, are suffering with problems that they can’t talk to others about and wanted to speed up the process even just a little bit to help those in need. Instead of creating the service from scratch, my desire to expand the service was insurmountable, so I didn’t hesitate in my decisions one bit. By the way, the other day we received a pitch to show up at Slush Tokyo 2017, a start-up event with an audience of over 5000, the start-ups of 200 people, 200 investors and even media!
（ Slush Tokyo 2017：The world’s largest start-up event　http://tokyo.slush.org/ ) 

Entrepreneur Sharehouse: Facilities and Services

From just a living standpoint; a fulfilling environment

Even as an entrepreneur, your living conditions are very important. The face of the house, the living room, is very stylish. The large windows in the room are a very noticeable trait, and keep the room nice and bright at all times. The basic facilities such as the rooms, showers and toilets are absolutely flawless, so there should really be no concerns with the facilities after moving in. At the monthly exchange meetings, you can do things like have discussions with managers, or improve your English with free English lessons. People in charge can also talk to you about overseas internships or trips in Asia. Furthermore, you can go check out the other Entrepreneur Sharehouses like the ones in Tokyo or Kyoto and join pitch events. This sharehouse has really become the type of place to allow you to really maximize your potential, what with all of the various services provided.

The full living room. The table is big, long and noticeable, and the room is filled with a warm, wooden vibe.   In the living room are individual wooden boxes. It’s helpful to have them on the first floor.   Over 200 books are in the living room. Books you’re interested in and not so much can both add to your overall study.

The kitchen is really big, almost like a restaraunt’s kitchen. This is a really useful facility.   There are plenty of cooking supplies. There are tons of tools that you probably wouldn’t buy living alone.   The kiln pizza oven used often during exchange parties. You can eat authentic and delicious pizza right at home ♪

A terrace is situated right by the living room. Treat yourself to a BBQ on nice, sunny days off.     A post box sits right inside the house! You can receive your packages without worrying about timing.   A real laundromat is right inside of the house. For large loads or those rushing, feel free to use these dryers.

The shower room. Being a booth-type shower, it’s not cold in the winter.    There’s also a bathtub! The bathtub is on the first floor, so feel free to take a bath from time to time.   From the second to fourth floor, every floor is fitted with wash basins and washing machines!

A small office. Unnecessary travel time is eliminated when your ‘home’ and ‘work’ are in the same place, right!?   A wonderful multifunction copy machine. It seems that it’s currently free to use, but please use it while thinking of others.   The seminar room. ‘Is this really a house?’ is what you might be saying after seeing the authentic acoustic setup, screen and photography equipment.

A private room (furniture included). The fridge, drawer and bed are all great items.    The more economic dormitory room. If you join with other entrepreneur friends then you can have 24 hour strategy meetings!   Every room has a large storage space. Even if you have a lot with you, there shouldn’t be a problem.

What are the merits to starting a business in Fukuoka?!

Even throughout Japan, Fukuoka is a start-up city that’s kind to entrepreneurs (photo provided by Fukuoka City)

Fukuoka city has been named as “Global Entrepreneurship and Employment Creation Special Zone” since May 1, 2014. It’s actually also very active in its exchanges as a start-up city with places like Finland, Estonia, Taiwan and others. When you ask about Fukuoka, we’re sure the impression of it just being an island on the western end of Japan is very strong, but Fukuoka is one of the closest cities to overseas destinations in Japan, and is becoming a city open to the world. Even when thinking of this Entrepreneur Sharehouse’s resident Mr. Matsuo, one can only feel that his start-up example came to be because it was from Fukuoka city.
Fukuoka City has a start-up cafe and many shared offices that are involved in the operation of Fukuoka City itself, in order to create a city that is easy to start a business in Japan. Since some kind of event is constantly held in these facilities, anyone can come and blend in to Fukuoka. Lastly, I’d like to introduce some easy-to-use shared offices in Fukuoka. For those planning on moving to Fukuoka, please use them as a reference.

BASES FUKUOKA Right in front of Hakata Station Chikushi-guchi. There’s everything, from JR, buses, subways and even airplanes; domestic, inner-city and prefectural travel access is the best around.   Co-work&Share.H Opened February 2017. The area is a large cultural and fashion area in Fukuoka. A new way of working seems to be peering out from here.   HOOD TENJIN Settled in smack dab in the middle of Tenjin, Nakasu is also nearby. Many exchange events take place here. Consultation for migrating to Fukuoka are also possible.

OnRamp OnRamp is managed by DOGAN, a company who supports ventures. It’s situated right above the subway station Akasaka, and with the city hall nearby it’s a really nice and convenient area.   Salt The sea in front of the office in Nishi Ward gives you the best view you could ask for; it’s a place where the charms of life in Fukuoka are put together. Consultation for migrating to Fukuoka are also possible.    START UP CAFE A place for information and exchange for businesses and start-ups for everyone.

/Author: TAKAHSHI

Fore  More detail

A luxurious Japanese mansion sat on a hill, surrounded in luxurious green for the taking

With such a large and lavish space to live in, your lifestyle will be born again as ‘mahoroma’, meaning ‘beautiful place’. The door opens to a new lifestyle you’ve never had before.

A calm atmosphere permeates the surroundings from the sliding door. The entrance is made with luxurious wood, creating a warm feeling. The entrance is fitted with a large shoebox. All sizes, from small to large, are set up, including umbrella space.

A large, plush living space of 21 Jō

From the living room window you can see forest behind the mountain, making you feel as if you were living in a villa. There’s a clear contrast here to the daytime city life.

The table set in the living room sits 8 people.

From the second floor veranda, it almost feels as if you could touch the trees of the forest; that’s just how close they are.

At the end of the living room is a sofa and TV, adding to your relaxing time. The wide, open kitchen is an easy-to-use L-shape, and is recommended to those who like cooking. The kitchen is fitted with all types of cooking equipment, so you can start your new life right away.

After coming through the entrance, the stairs to the second floor are on your left./p> The landing area of the entrance is really large, so you never feel compacted or tight. The second floor also has a large landing.

The bathtub is big enough to stretch your legs; if you use it everyday, it’s got to be the best.

The bathtub is good enough to feel like you’re back at home. The window is also large and the ventilation is on point.

There are two toilets; the toilets are both washlet types. The wash basin is a shower-fitted type with emphasis on ease-of-use. There’s plenty of room to change, as well. The second floor shower room. There are seven to a single shower room and one bathroom.

Room 102, the larget room at 17 m2.

There are 7 rooms in all, with each room larger than 10m2. Each room has a large window from where you can see the bright, green scenery.

Room 101. Corner rooms are always popular. Room 103. From the window you can see a wall of green. Room 205. The second floor also has a veranda, so it’s very useful for hang-drying your clothes.

Room 206 and 207 are simple. Size-wise they’re literally built like a one-room apartment. Room 208. The room is built as if it was split into two separate rooms. The storage space is also especially large. You won’t have trouble with even suitcases.

Dazaifu Tenmanguugaku: The God of Learning, Fascination and Misery

The Dazaifu Tenmanguugaku shrine is the main shrine of 12,000 shrines nationwide dedicated to Sugawara-no-Michizane. Dazaifu is blessed with plenty of nature and historical artifacts, and approximately 15% of it is designated as a historic site, making it a historic city.

Fukuoka prefectures number one tourist site. Dazaifu Tenmanguugaku is the god of learning, so the area becomes very lively during testing seasons. It’s a warming feeling to have a shrine path near your house; a feeling of something new. The Kyushu National Museum: 160m x 80m and long and a bumpy shape makes first impressions strong.

With Fukuoka city being a place of interest in the prefecture and seeing a rise in population, recently more and more people are migrating to Fukuoka city and the surrounding regions. While sharehouses are often thought of as places for individual, city-driven lifestyles, this is becoming a house where people from outside of Fukuoka can come, live, and ultimately experience even the outer reaches of Fukuoka. We recommend it to those who truly want to know Fukuoka.

The property introduced in this article made us feel a new way about how to start a new life in Fukuoka. ‘Dazaifu Chikushino Sharehouse Mahorama’ seeks out a higher standard of living. If similar minded people can gather together, then we feel that you can have an even better lifestyle than the one you were expecting.

/Author: タカハシ

Cats and sharehouses are a match made in heaven!

It’s often mistakenly believed that sharehouses are loud and exciting every single day, however this is not the case.

A sharehouse is a place where people can easily create genuine relationships in their lives with other sharemates who are never too far away when one wants to have fun or need a helping hand. Residents can seclude themselves in their rooms when they want to be alone, or head to the living room when they are feeling lonely to spend time with others, returning to their rooms when they want to be alone again. Sharehouses are places where one can do this without any problems.

This kind of sounds like the nature of cats, don’t you agree?

As cats and sharemates share the same behavioural patterns, they are likely to get along well. As outstanding sharemates themselves, cats are the glue that hold the entire house together. For this reason residents in this house must be people who want to enjoy life with cats as well as holding them in high esteem. All the costs associated with keeping cats, such as feed and cat litter, are all included in the administration costs, meaning there is no extra payment to be made.

The house itself is a large 36-year old, 495m2 one-storey building that has been stylishly renovated to keep its traditional Japanese charm and at the same time transition into a comfortable place to live in for both residents and cats. It is also a safe and secure property as it has been converted into boarding-house style.

Let’s waste no more time and check out the house!

「Fukuoka Q House」House Details Page

A large Japanese-style garden connects the house with nature and allows residents to experience the four seasons.

You’ll end up basking in the sun on the traditional Japanese verandah, an essential part of any genuine Japanese residence.

The entrance has a sliding door and a Show-era style exterior.

Inside there is a lattice to prevent the cats from escaping. Made from wood, it adds a soft accent to the interior.

The tearoom.

There is access to water in the rear garden. Something like this is very convenient and useful.

The main man of this cat sharehouse is always the center of attention. Having this guy around will always make you feel better.

The Japanese-style living room is the place to be among residents at a spacious 14.5m2 Wooden flooring has become a popular choice for living rooms in Japan recently, but the Japanese will always want to relax out on tatami mats like the ones in this room. A another shot of the living room taken from a different angle. You can see one of the cats relaxing languidly atop the extravagant cat tower. The room is made perfectly bright just by opening the paper sliding doors. The full kitchen. This style of kitchen is the most convenient for life in a sharehouse. Let’s have a look around the entire house, starting with the hallway to the left of the front entrance. This is the hallway behind the kitchen. The verandah hallway. You can see the living room and kitchen on the right. The hallway behind the living room. These four hallways encircle the living room and kitchen, which are in the middle of the house. There are two washbasins along the hallways. This is what the shower looks like. The shower room is not affected by the cold at all. With a bathroom that has a tub as well as the two showers, there won’t be any waiting your turn to shower. The houses is equipped with two washing machines. This room is easy to use with shelves installed above the machines. This is the place for people who want to soak in a hot bath. Everybody loves relaxing in the bath, don’t they?

Room #8. All rooms at Fukuoka Q House are bright and cheerful These rooms may only be 7.81m2 but they actually feel much bigger. The large windows might have something to do with creating that spaciousness. Room #1 is the house’s most Japanese-esque room. This traditional tea room-type room has a nijiriguchi (a small entrance to crawl through) which is quite rare in this day and age. Room #5. This is a wooden floorboard-type room. It has a storage cupboard (not pictured) and is a comfortable, easy to use room.

This sharehouse is operated by Fukuoka Renobase, a company who create order made rental properties, an industry that is still quite new in Fukuoka.

The company order make homes with a thorough service that satisfies both the property owners and the residents as they pursue a new form of rental housing that aims the people within them to live in their own style.

The Fukuoka Q House cat sharehouse is Fukuoka Renobase’s second property.
（See their first property, M.O.C Yakuin, here）
This house is a safe and sound home that is the sum of the company’s previous renovation and sharehouse experience. Also, the unique thing and also drawing point about this house is that as there aren’t as many sharehouses in Fukuoka compared to the Kanto region, there are connections between the share properties here. Fukuoka Q House is also situated in a great location, in a place where major areas of Fukuoka city, including shopping area Tenjin, Daimyo and Nakasu, are accessible by bike.

There’s no mistaking that with its great location and connection with other sharehouses that this place is perfect for people wanting to move out on their own or move to Fukuoka from other areas. That said, Fukuoka Q House is first and foremost a place for people who can live in harmony with the cats.

Those of you who want to live with some friendly felines in friendly Fukuoka should definitely make their way to Q House. We hope the house becomes a home that connects cat lovers together freely as they grow to love the animals even more.

/Author: Takahashi

The neighborhood becomes part of your home living in this sharehouse, a mere 10-minute walk from downtown Kokura

Kitakyushu City is the gateway to Kyushu, the southernmost of the four main islands of Japan. Looking out to the island of Honshu in the distance, this industrial town prospered in the past because of the Hachiman Steelworks company. The area has evolved since then and has now been reborn as the first eco-city in the Asian region under the Kitakyushu Green Frontier Plan.
Furthermore, Kitakyushu has a healthy home renovation industry, something that goes hand in hand with sharehouse properties. In recent years it has been thriving as a town famous among renovation and real estate professionals, with applicants from all over the country coming to the Kitakyushu Renovation School, an event held twice a year.

The house we will look at today may have no direct ties to the Kitakyushu Renovation School, however as a renovated property itself it has a unique design with the entire rooftop made into a terrace. This big, spacious rooftop terrace is definitely a big selling point, but the best things about living at Share Terrace is that it’s minutes to downtown Kokura on foot, and that one can connect and interact with the neighborhood here.
A sharehouse is a place where different people share their lives under one roof. At Share Terrace, residents can live truly fulfilling lives sharing not only the terrace, but the neighborhood around them also.
Share Terrace is bursting with reasons to make your new life in Kokura enjoyable, even if you’re a first-timer to Kitakyushu.

Let’s have a look inside the house!

「Share Terrace」House Details Page

Bright and sunny renovated living room

The living room and kitchen share the same space. The room is the center of life in the house, with housemates sharing meals or watching TV together.

A shot from the living room of the hallway stretching back towards the bathroom.

A cool-toned sofa sits in the corner of the living room.So Comfortable space!

The stove has two burners. 

The kitchen is fully equipped.

2 refrigerators for 6 tenants.

A beautifully chic washstand is not common, and this one is the product of renovations One of the two washstands in the house. This particular washstand has quite a unique design, however the other looks like something you’d find in a one room apartment. There are also two bathrooms. Sharehouses usually have showers only, so the bathtubs in this house are something to be happy about. There are also two toilets in the house. A regular 6-person family may only have one washing machine, but this sharehouse of course has two of them.

Share Terrace’s claim to fame is its rooftop terrace, something impossible to have living alone in a one-bedroom flat Parties and BBQs are held up on the terrace from time to time, and with guests not living in the house able to attend this house has the perfect environment for networking and making connections. A rooftop terrace is an extravagance made possible in sharehouses. Spacious, isn’t it? They put in artificial grass sometime after we took these photos. The landing before the stairs to the rooftop. You can see the coals remaining from a BBQ held the other day. Rooftop parties are enjoyed by sharemates, their friends and even the owner. Having fun with a lot of different people widens your circle of friends. Spending your weekends relaxing up here will get you in vacation mood. Watch Kitakyushu’s famous fireworks display from the terrace.

Room A before sans wallpaper. Plenty of room with 9.9 square meters of space. You can change the wallpaper to any color you please when you move in. This is Room S. It has a relatively large window. Room H. Together the room names spell out S・H・A・R・E・6.

Kokura station is the main station in Kitakyushu with the bullet train passing through and the monorail as well. The house is located in a convenient location a 17 minute walk from Kokura station and 7 minutes from the nearest monorail station. Nearby is Tanga Ichiba market, otherwise known as Kitakyushu’s kitchen. Delicious food from all over Kitakyushu can be found here. Riverwalk, a multi-purpose complex, is a 10-minute walk from the house. It really is the perfect location surrounded by the sights of Kokura castle and Murasaki river. This is Kokura castle, constructed in 1602 by Hosokawa Tadaoshi.

Many more interesting share properties are sure to pop up in Kitakyushu, where the renovation industry is robust, however the city is quite small compared to places like Tokyo and Osaka, which means that it is easier to make connections, and a new style of share house culture in which housemates share the city is taking form here. For those of you thinking of starting a new life in Kitakyushu, living in a sharehouse is a very accessible alternative.

Share Terrace will surely add something a little extra to your life, be you someone wanting to spice up your lifestyle, live life to the fullest or just enjoy Kitakyushu to the max.

/Author: Takahashi

「Discovery Hakata South」House Details Page

Front entrance boasts comfortable leather sofa and stylish bulletin board This relaxation space right inside the front door makes it easy to forget the time and spend ages talking with your housemates, and counts as one of the houses amazing common rooms.

A shot from the outside. The wooden doors of the building set it apart from others. The entrance is back away from the road, which feels much safer than a front door opening straight out onto a busy street.

The stylish nameplate. No corners have been cut in the creation of this home. A hand-drawn welcome board is displayed extravagantly in the front entrance overseeing the coming and going of the house inhabitants. Simple yet retro shoe lockers bring back old school memories and speak of strengthening bonds between housemates.

Wide, open cafe-style dining room a gathering spot for housemates The dining room is a warm, inviting place furnished in exquisite harmony with antiques where one can feel history through its wooden floorboards.

In the center of the room is a large table created from antique pieces of wood. The kitchen is of a size unfathomable in a regular house, perfect for those who love to cook.

This piece of furniture, built with personal storage space for each housemate, is a familiar, overwhelming presence in the room. These comfortable seats by the window transport you to an inner city cafe as you dine.

Transform the dining room into a makeshift bar when the sun goes down with these wine glasses. It will please you to know that the kitchen is complete with plenty of bowls, pots and pans. Not much is needed when moving into a sharehouse. The color-scheme of the rubbish bins blends well with the overall theme of the house.

Study room fitted with multi-purpose sofas and desks reminiscent of antique furniture shop Beautifully designed rooms like this one with its beautiful colors will beautifully escort you through your sharehouse life.

Full view of the study room. With a room like this one in your own home you might not even feel the need to hang out at a cafe on the weekends. The sofa area gives off an impressive vibe and could even be used to host a casual business meeting.

Gathering around this circular table will bring you closer to your sharemates who were once strangers. Enjoy yourself stocking book shelves reminiscent of those found in a library. This sharehouse also shares books! 2 sturdy desks. Take a seat here when you seriously want to get some work done.

There are personal lockers for housemates in the study room too, so you can keep your study tools closeby. A stylish, artistic lamp adds a nice touch to the study room. This is a whiteboard used in English classes for the Japanese residents held on Wednesdays and Sundays. It is also available for use outside of class.

A house with its stylish theatre room connecting the world through film You’ll be drawn to spend time in this secluded, uniquely decorated room even if you aren’t coming to watch a movie.

The theatre room is located at the back of the study room. The elevated seating arrangement is reminiscent of student life on campus and will surely make you and your housemates feel like a real group. You can hook up your personal computer to the room’s projector. Share what you can with each other to enrich your lives.

The everyday bathroom sink is decorated with gold-colored hardware and framed mirror This washstand is located beside the common area on the 1st floor. We should take care of the things we use the most!

The white color-scheme of the showers behind the washstand suggests a clean and spotless environment. There are 5 showers in total and the shelving inside makes for ease of use.

The gorgeous sofa chair in front of the showers is proof that every little thing has been thought of. A toilet on the 1st floor. With a total of 8 toilets, 2 on each floor, you’ll always be able to find a vacant one. The other toilet on the 1st floor.

A 10m2 room, the perfect size for one person (Low Bed Room) With everything you could possibly need already arranged, all you need to move in is yourself and your suitcase. That’s one of the privileges of living in a sharehouse.

A High Bed Room-type room uses space economically to advance its storage capabilities. This is the tatami room. It has a free, unrestricted layout with 3 tatami mats laid out on the floor.

Low Bed Room. Refrigerators have been prepared in every room. At a reasonable rate of 25,000 yen, the dormitory room is most suitable for those who love to communicate with others.

The owner of this sharehouse is Irodori Factory, a company looking after over 10 properties in the city and Yokohama.

This is their first Fukuoka property, creating a new type of house with English as its main theme in the cosmopolitan city brimming with people from all over the world. The interior design of the shared areas -the dining room and study room- overflow with an elegance one would be lucky to have in their own home. To top it off, there is even a theatre room! Oh, the luxury! With much knowledge and experience gained in previous endeavours poured into this house anyone can move right in without a thing to worry about.

We also asked the company about their goals in the future, and were told that they would ideally like to build houses in cities overseas and create a community that knows no bounds. It goes without saying that as barriers between countries are lowered people travel the world more and the opportunity to interact with a person from a different country and culture increase. This might be irrelevant, but I was reminded of something former Apple CEO Steve Jobs said at a lecture he gave at Stanford University. “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.” Living life in many different cities may just be new way in which we will all be living in the near future.

This sharehouse may not be the place for everyone as it strives to become a home for people interested in the world and intercultural exchange. However, I believe a unique community will go on to be formed as housemates with the same interests, who start off as not family or friend, share their home and lives together.

※ Same Concept Share House will be open July in 2016　→　「Discovery Meinohama South」

/Author: Takahashi