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canuck
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 1921
Location: Japan
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 Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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| Dominique wrote: |
Anyways, I'm stuck between choosing Hanazonocho to live with another female which won't be available in April.
Does anyone know much about this area? |
Hanazonocho = Shinimamiya. It's a nasty neighbourhood. I have/had friends that lived there. Cheap rent, big apartment but that's where it ended. They dreaded going outside. It smells outside. On your way to Namba if you ride your bike you will past the gas station where homeless people sleep starting at 9pm or earlier.
This is a nasty neighbourhood. If you're happy just going outside, rushing to the supermarket and the video store and back as quickly as possible....forget strolls in the neighbourhood, going for a coffee or a quick bite to eat. One of the worst areas in Osaka. |
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Mishark
Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 28
Location: Osaka
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for all your help everyone. I ended up choosing Juso over Daikokucho just because the pictures of the apartment looked nicer (and I am assuing that they put the nicest apartments in the pictures) and I figured in most cites, the closer to downtown you get the seedier they tend to be with really nice areas back to back with the red light district kind of thing. I definitely don't enjoy being followed by homeless half-naked men (someone mentioned this i a previous post).  Although I'm sure it would make for a good story.....once hindsight sets in....but only if it's an occasional occurance and not everyday! 
I live in the burbs in Canada anyways so a bit of a commute doesn't bother me too much. It used to take me about an hour just to get to high school! |
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Speed
Joined: 04 Jul 2003
Posts: 152
Location: Shikoku Land
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:51 am Post subject: |
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| Mishark wrote: |
and I figured in most cites, the closer to downtown you get the seedier they tend to be.
I definitely don't enjoy being followed by homeless half-naked men (someone mentioned this i a previous post).
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Actually in Japan, there are a bunch of places that the closer you get to downtown / the action, the area is just fine, just more expensive to rent.
Earlier I mentioned that Shin-Imamiya is the larget homeless area in Japan. Pure destitution.
Hanazono (southwest of Shin-Imamiya) and Daikokucho (northwest of Shin-Imamiya) are both one train stop away. Both are very close to "pee on the sidewalk" central (especially Hanazono Station).
Aside from the Shin-Imamiya area, anywhere is a much more pleasant place to be in Osaka.
[edited to add that Daikokucho is nowhere near as run down and desperate as Hanazonocho/Shin Imamiya]
Last edited by Speed on Sun Feb 06, 2005 3:46 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 6:08 am Post subject: |
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[quote="Speed"]
| Mishark wrote: |
Earlier I mentioned that Shin-Imamiya is the larget homeless area in Japan. Pure destitution.
Hanazono (southwest of Shin-Imamiya) and Daikokucho (northwest of Shin-Imamiya) are both one train stop away. Both are very close to "pee on the sidewalk" central (especially Hanazono Station).
Aside from the Shin-Imamiya area, anywhere is a much more pleasant place to be in Osaka. |
Theres probably no need to mention that as there is a large day laborer population that hangs around the labor center hoping to pick up work, there is a quite a large yakuza presence as well.
You probably wont notice it and they will leave you alone but its still a really run down and seedy place.
Smells of you-know-what like hell, too. |
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Dominique
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 141
Location: Juso, Osaka
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 3:01 am Post subject: |
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Hey Mishark,
Where are you finding images for apartments?
I can't seem to find squat on these areas 
Thanks very much for all the information given. I'll stay away from the hobo areas |
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gt37
Joined: 14 Oct 2004
Posts: 39
Location: Osaka
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 5:39 am Post subject: |
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| Anyone know of any real estate agencies that are gaijin friendly in Osaka? |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 5:41 am Post subject: |
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| gt37 wrote: |
| Anyone know of any real estate agencies that are gaijin friendly in Osaka? |
Try this one:
Kyoto office
http://www.housinginjapan.com/ |
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gt37
Joined: 14 Oct 2004
Posts: 39
Location: Osaka
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 8:42 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Paulh!
Btw do you know anybody that has used this company? The information looked really good(almost too good), so I'm a little cautious. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 9:00 am Post subject: |
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| gt37 wrote: |
Thanks Paulh!
Btw do you know anybody that has used this company? The information looked really good(almost too good), so I'm a little cautious. |
Sorry I dont know anyone but a few words of free advice:
real estate agents work in the interests of the landlord, not the tenant. The agent gets paid for introducing potential tenants to the landlord and when they decide to rent an apartment. Normally they will collect one months rent as a commission for finding a tenant and it costs you nothing until then. So what ever you do, you are going to have to pay anyway when you decide on a place.
I have not really had to deal with landlords (I leave that to the wife mainly) but like anything, you really have to shop around, have a good idea of what you are looking for and are willing to pay. Just because they have a flash website doesnt mean they are any good, so in a sense you have to 'shop around' for agents till you find the one that provides the best service.
My guess is many foreigners feel helpless when they first arrive here,as they dont speak the language, know their way around, and let the agent handle everything and are rather too trusting of the agent.
Probably a good idea is to write down exactly what you are looking for (price, size, area, distance to station etc), what your needs are and then go shopping for an agent who can deliver what you want. Rather than just have an agent throw everything but the kitchen sink, put yourself in the drivers seat. He only gets paid when you sign the lease, so you may as well make use of him and get him working for you. if you dont know what you are looking for, he wont have much idea either. |
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Rorschach
Joined: 25 Mar 2004
Posts: 130
Location: Osaka
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| Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2005 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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Personally I think the north of Osaka is much better than the south. I currently live across the Yodogawa river to the north of Juso (I'm on the Takarazuka Hankyu line). Juso is a great choice if only for convenience - it's only 5 mins from Umeda and from there it's about 10-15 minutes to the city centre. Plus it has all three Hankyu lines converging there, much better than Umeda in many respects.
I used to live in Kyobashi but it was very much a pit. There was a definite 'wrong side of the tracks' feeling to the place. The Keihan station is fantastic. You come out and you are right in the Keihan mall (very plush, a shopper's paradise). Walk 100 metres though towards the JR station (braving the nampa men) and you are in sin central. Lots of street level yakuza, drunk sallarymen and hookers. I was there for 2 and a half months, aside from a few nice bars I don't miss the place at all.
I moved to Kadomaminami after that. I was there for about 13 months. I hated the area, it was very industrial and my bike was always being vandalised at the station. Kadomaminami is a very blue collar, working class area. It reminded me a lot of Suminoekoen and Sakai. It was serviced only by the subway (Nagahori-Tsurumi Ryokuchi), which is also the smallest (car size) and slowest subway in Osaka, so getting to and from work took forever. On the plus side I was close to Namihiya Dome, an Olympic class training facility with perhaps the cheapest gym in Osaka (600 yen a visit, no membership fees - proper, fully featured gym). Also, it was only one stop from Tsurumi-ryokuchi koen - probably the best park in Osaka in terms of size and open, green spaces.
I moved to Toyonaka City in December. Best move I have made since I came to Osaka. It is a really nice area. Very residential and close to a lot of good shopping. It will be the last move I ever make while in Japan (short of moving to Hokkaido or Kyuushu). The north of Osaka just feels a lot more friendlier as well. I was walking around one day when I was caught in the rain, one old lady stopped her bike and gave me her umbrella. I tried to say no but in her best English she said she had a bike while I had to walk. Reaffirmed my faith in Osakan's. |
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gt37
Joined: 14 Oct 2004
Posts: 39
Location: Osaka
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| Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2005 1:29 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks for the great advice! I really appreciate it! |
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