Job Discussion Forums

[bexely2000]

Hi there.

I'll be studying in Tokyo from June 23-August 23 so I'll be needing some accommodation. How on earth do I go about this without bankrupting myself?

Any and all advice is welcome.

What kind of a ball-park figure am I looking at here? Alas, I'm 100% new to Japan...

Cheers

[ShioriEigoKyoushi]

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[Andru]

I'm sure you can find a gaijin house for a short-term stay. I did so a couple of years ago for a two and a half month period and was able to pay the deposit and first month's rent in advance through Paypal.

The actual place I stayed at I DON'T recommend because the place was rather dirty and run-down but the location was really convenient, within walking distance of the Mejiro JR station on the Yamanote loop line (as well as only a couple of blocks from a Catholic hospital with some English-speaking staff, which came in handy when I became really sick during my stay). There were also two supermarkets and two 100 yen stores nearby, as well as numerous cheap eateries near the train station. I could also walk to the hustle bustle of Ikebukuro (major dept stores, electronic retailers, etc) in about 20 minutes through the back streets (I walk fast).

http://www.bamboo-house.com/mejiro1.html#bottom

R202 was the actual room I stayed in and as you can see, it has a TV and a little fridge in the room. There was a shared kitchen, shower, and washer/dryer on first floor, toilet on both floors, and a sink just outside my door in the hallway. Other rooms had sinks right in the rooms.

Alternatively, you could stay at one of the cheap hotels in the "slummy" Sanya area of Tokyo (north of Asakusa, just south of Minami-senju JR station, Joban line), like the New Koyo, where I've stayed a couple of times. Only a TV in the room but a shared kitchen, sinks, toilets, and shower on the first floor. The room however was very very small. I only stayed for a couple of days though, anything longer and I may have gone crazy! Supermarkets and other stores (including a huge discount Walmart-like store called "Olympic") were mostly near the Minowa subway station (Hibiya line), but again about a 20-25 minute walk away was a major commercial area, Asakusa.

http://www.newkoyo.com/

I'm sure you can find other similar hotels in the area (former residential hotels for the day-laborers now catering to foreign visitors).

Hope this info helps.