Japan living guide - English

No boarders among cultural-exchange...What is a guesthouse?

2008-08-23T03:20:55Z

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VOULUME 1 What is this accommodation? I have never seen one like this
before...

It was back in the summer of 1974, when hippies and student activists had
their hot days. I used to be one of the college students, a second grader,
who had just started a journey in America. In due course of my journey, I
had a chance to make friends with another tourist from Japan. And he was the
one who told me about this unique housing, a GUESTHOUSE.

This accommodation was called Kolping House which was run by Catholic
association. It was located near Los Angeles. The building was old but it
looked fashionble and well antiquated. Inside the guesthouse, there were a
big living room and at the piloti, I saw a pingpong table as well.

I rented a private room for a week with a dinner and a breakfast service,
which costed me 35 dollars(1$=300yen). Every room was 13 square meters wide
and had a bed and desk&chair inside, which should be fairly good for
ordinary back packers. Toilets were much bigger and the water flow of the
shower was much faster than the Japanese ones.

There were approximately 60 guests staying at the guesthouse. Some of them
were American(mostly aged bachelors), some of them were Hispanic labours,
and some others like me...

It was totally a new world to me since I had never put myself into this kind
of multi-cultural and multi lingual environment.

In the lobby, I saw a Japanese youth talking with an American as if he was
enjoying a private language lesson. And in the living room, I saw another
student from Japan who was playing pool with Mexican friends. They seemed to
have chosen this place so that they get a new family bond.

Kolping House was full of wit and wonder. But at this point, I could have
never imagined myself running a guesthouse in the future.

(to be continued to next volume ... my very first guesthouse project)

A lot of wisdoms the weak live in land did not know were blocked in

Why is J&F House so popular?

2008-08-23T03:20:08Z

Why is J&F House so popular?

"I saw this article on the newspaper saying your company is working on a
dream conversion. Is it true?"
"What kind of people actually live in your GUESTHOUSES?"

I used to receive tons of inquiries like that shortly after I had a
newspaper interview on my very first guesthouse.

The guesthouse in Japan, known as "Gaikokujin (foreigner's) house",
gradually gained its popularity in the early '80s (It was then when great
number of foreign people started to draw their interests upon their new life
in Japan).
However, Gaikokujin house actually increased its numbers as the counter
measure for unpopular student dorms. Rather than leaving those
accommodations vacant, why not accept foreigners and make new style
apartments? That's how it began. Mean while, foreigners had been suffering
from burdensome rent system such as unrefundable key-money and guarantor
requirement. Gaikokujin houses asked none of them which must have been so
attractive.

J&F Plaza's very first guesthouse in Tokyo used to be a very old dormitory
(40 years old) which the building owner had no other choice but to end its
management. But we brought it back to life! The rent conditions that the
tenants share kitchen, living room, showers and rest rooms remained. And the
building's antiquity reamained as well such as the creaky floors, small room
size(8 square meters). However, the guests were happy to live there because
what they were looking for was a familiy-like bond, rather than just living
in furnished, private rooms. Each room was not FULLY furnished but TV,
fridge, microwave, computers, cooking utensils, sofas and many others were
provided in the lounge.

A guesthouse is not providing perfect service like a hotel but still,
majority of people around the world love to stay there. Isn't it
interesting?

更新料 Fee for renewing your contract

2008-08-23T03:19:00Z

更新料 Fee for renewing your contract

日本では、契約を更新する際に、更新料を支払わなければなりません。よって、2年後の更新料について確認しましょう。更新料は、賃料の1ヶ月分が一般的ですが、物件によって異なる場合があります。

In Japan, you will most often be required to pay a fee to renew your contract. The fee is usually the equivelant of 1 month's rent, but it depends on the apartments. It's a good idea to ask your agent about this before you sign your contract.

連帯保証人に関するもの From the guarantor:

2008-08-23T03:18:20Z

連帯保証人に関するもの From the guarantor:

・印鑑(登録)証明書　Certificate of Seal Registration
・印鑑(実印) Seal(registered seal)
・保証人が立ち会わない場合、保証人引受承諾書(署名の上、実印押印)
Undersigned and sealed 'Certificate of being a guarantor' (If the guarantor is not present
for the signing of the contract)
（賃貸借契約書の保証人欄に署名・押印することで代用できる）
（Otherwise, the guarantor may be required to sign or stamp their seal somewhere on the
contract itself)

火災保険KASAIHOKEN (Fire Insurance)

2008-08-23T03:17:48Z

火災保険KASAIHOKEN (Fire Insurance)
物件によっては加入が入居の条件になっていることも。広さ、構造などで金額が異なるので事前に確認しておくこと。約 1～3万円程度。
You will be required to have insurance, the amount of which will depend on your apartment. Since Insurance fees vary depending on the size of the room and the type of construction of the apartment, it's a good idea to ask in advance. It's usually somewhere between \10,000 and \30,000.

敷金（deposit)

2008-08-23T03:16:53Z

敷金　SHIKIKIN (Deposit)
賃料の2か月分が大半だが、物件によって異なるので要チェック!退室時に、部屋の修繕にかかった費用やクリーニング代を差し引かれた残額が返還される。
Shikikin typically amounts to the equivalent of 2 months' rent. However, it depends on the apartment. When you move out, a certian amount of money will be deducted from the Shikikin to pay for cleaning and repairs. Any money left over will be refunded.

退室時の原状回復及び敷金の返還
Paying for repairs/cleaning after you move out, and refund of deposit
退室時の原状回復の内容は、不動産会社によって異なりますし、トラブルの原因にもなりますので、契約時に確認しましょう。この原状回復にかかった費用を敷金から差し引いた残額が、退室者に返還されます。
Different agents have different requirements when you move out of your apartment. Even if your room seems clean to you, they may require you to pay a fee to replace the tatami, repaint, etc. The expense for any restoration will be deducted from your deposit, and the balance will be refunded. Ask your agent about this beforehand.

礼金（reikin） key money

2008-08-23T03:14:55Z

礼金:れいきん:Reikin Reikin:レイキン
契約時に､家主(大家）に払う料金。家賃の１～２か月分が相場。

A sort of manditory monitary `gift`, given to the owner/landlord upon signing a contract. Usually an amount equivelant to 1-2 months rent.

礼金　REIKIN (Gift-Money) 賃料の2か月分が一般的だが、１ヶ月分、ゼロという物件も出始めている。
Typically, reikin will amount to the equivalent of 2 months' rent, but occasionally you can find an apartment requiring only 1 month or so. Reikin is a mandatory non-refundable gift to the owner.

2008-08-02T11:11:35Z

不動産仲介会社"海外放浪社長"のブログです。
現在、運営中の外国人向けゲストハウスを中心に、さまざまなエピソードや海外賃貸事情、200万人在住外国人の動向などを幅広くご紹介。
また、不動産会社向け外国人賃貸契約のノウハウを紹介したＱ＆Ａや外国人向け賃貸契約Ｑ＆Ａ（日本語、英語、中国語）など、外国人賃貸にともなう情報を掲載中です。

test

2008-08-02T11:09:39Z

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名都御庭Ⅱ期　 Mandarine de Gubei

2008-08-02T10:50:48Z

快適な環境と高品質なサービスを提供する上海のエグゼクティブ・アパートメント　上海の高級住宅エリアである古北地区に位置する名都御庭。
2006年10月1期オープンに次いで2期が誕生しました。

35万㎡の敷地には高級マンション60棟、ヨーロッパ式別荘25棟を備えており、その約５０％が緑に囲まれた環境の良さも魅力です。　

99年に上海で中国建国50周年の最優秀住宅に表彰され、同年の上海グリーンの代表住宅にも指定されました。　
敷地内に豪華なクラブハウス、スーパーマーケット、銀行、医療センター、美容院、クリーニング、幼稚園などの施設も充実しております。2期の室内プールに加え、1期のジム施設、テニスコート、野外プールの施設も利用可能。1期と2期は徒歩10分ほどですがシャトルバスが運行しておりショッピングにも便利です。　
名都御庭の画像＆情報がこちらをご覧ください。ブログにて随時更新中！