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
