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Finding accommodation in Tokyo

 
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gohan86



Joined: 18 Mar 2008
Posts: 3
Location: Ireland

PostPosted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 9:54 pm    Post subject: Finding accommodation in Tokyo Reply with quote

Hi.

I will be moving to Tokyo soon to teach English for one year. I shall be working for Gaba and I will more than likely be working in Shinjuku OR Ikebukuro (I havn't made up my mind yet).

I was wondering if someone could recommend where I could find affordable accommodation in a near-by suburb that I could access via rail maybe? I'd be looking to find an apartment preferably.

I'd appreciate some advice.

Thanks Wink
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southofreality



Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 579
Location: Tokyo

PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 3:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The area around Ikebukuro in Itabashi-ku is full of reasonably-priced apartments. I've seen plenty of 6-mat apartments for around ¥55,000.
Nerima-ku isn't bad, either. Both offer easy access to Ikebukuro and Shinjuku stations via lines like the Seibu Ikebukuro, Toei Oedo, and Yamanote lines.
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jc1977



Joined: 21 Apr 2006
Posts: 29
Location: Nerima

PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 10:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll echo the reply; Nerima-ku is hella cheap if you work in Ikebukuro or Shinjuku. If you play your cards right, you can find a place for around 65,000/month that won't be suffocatingly small. And the commute is about 20-50 minutes depending on where you settle. Might not have the excitement of some other Tokyo wards, but it's close to all the action.
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gohan86



Joined: 18 Mar 2008
Posts: 3
Location: Ireland

PostPosted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 10:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks alot jc and south! and which area would to prefer to work in...?
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vancouver_syndicate



Joined: 09 Sep 2004
Posts: 46
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 2:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

you should work in shibuya. the area is more lively especially for foreigners. 2nd choice would be shinjuku. i lived in ikebukuro, i can see why they call it shinjuku's poor brother.
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gohan86



Joined: 18 Mar 2008
Posts: 3
Location: Ireland

PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 2:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks vancouver_syndicate. however my options are between ikebukuro or shinjuku, so i will not be able to work in shibuya. so are you saying i should work in shinjuku rather than ikebukuro? how do you find living in ikebukuro by the way?

i ask because i've never been to tokyo before..
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Apsara



Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan

PostPosted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you sure you will get Ikebukuro or Shibuya schools? In my experience with Gaba, they may well put you somewhere else entirely- one of the suburban schools like Seijo or Shin-yurigaoka, or more central ones like Omotesando or Tameike-sanno, regardless of what you ask for. In any case in Tokyo pretty much anywhere is accessible because of the train/ subway system- if you were to be placed in Shibuya for example, it is 7 minutes from Shinjuku on the Yamanote Line, so would it inconvenience you that much?
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GreenCardigan



Joined: 05 Oct 2006
Posts: 50
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Sat May 03, 2008 4:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gohan, accomodation is plentiful in Tokyo. Most of the guesthouse chains don't require key money or gift money.

You could try the ubiquitous Sakura House: http://www.sakura-house.com/

If you want something a little more upscale, then Oak House might be what you're looking for: http://www.oakhouse.jp/eng/

Try Tsubaki Gardens if you're working on a shoestring budget: http://www.conveniencehouse.com/En/

Stayed at Tsubaki a week ago; cheap, clean, and a friendly manager who's a walking encyclopedia on Tokyo.

Hope that helps. Good luck in Japan
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ghostrider



Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 147

PostPosted: Sun May 04, 2008 7:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

gohan86 wrote:
thanks vancouver_syndicate. however my options are between ikebukuro or shinjuku, so i will not be able to work in shibuya. so are you saying i should work in shinjuku rather than ikebukuro? how do you find living in ikebukuro by the way?

i ask because i've never been to tokyo before..


Being at a major station isn't really a good thing.
If you find a guest house within walking distance of Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, or Ikebukuro stations, you better love crowds, because they'll be everywhere. You may also find it hard to find a decent supermarket. Plus, those are often the dirtiest guest houses, with untrustworthy, spoiled rich-kid type roommates who constantly come and go. The companies know outsiders will always take the room because of the location and can only rely on the misleading photos on the Internet. You may see a ton of interesting people, but it will be hard to make friends. You'll just look like one of the thousands of other foreigners and tourists passing through.

That said, it's also a good idea to find a place within walking distance of an express or rapid stop. Local stops can be extremely inconvenient, and are usually a bit too laid back...boring. Some guest houses misleadingly advertise as being near an express or rapid station, but are in fact near a local stop and 20+ minutes from the major station.
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