Easily switch between lifestyle modes
Work in the city, play in the city, and relax and sleep in a quiet town. That's the kind of living you can expect at Social Residence Chofu, where we explored this time.

The house is in a quiet area even for Chofu. There are no big roads nearby so it's pretty quiet. The house is off a road near Tsutsujigaoka station on the Keio line. The station is a stop on local and express services so it is easy to get around.

If you take the express, you can get to Shinjuku easily, with stops just at Tsutsujigaoka, Chitose Karasuyama, Sakura Josui, Meidaimae, Sasazuka, Hatagaya, Hatsudai, and then Shinjuku. Depending on the train you take you can get there in 20 minutes, or change at Meidaimae to get to Shibuya in 23.

International atmosphere
The residents are about half city workers and half students, with 70 people total, from Asia, Taiwan, Korea, France, Sweden, and other countries. Most are in their 20s and 30s, with several international language school students. SR Chofu is popular for its good access into Shinjuku and Shibuya, where there are places to work and study.

Freedom of time
The lounge is long, divided into areas with tables and sofas. There's a big TV, a hammock, and an ironing board. It's a big space so there are usually plenty of people in here doing their own thing, or all together. There are so many ways to be social, and so many ways to be on your own in a share house.

One of the parts of the lounge is lined with glass windows so it's a sunny space from sunup to sundown. The wood deck is a place where the residents have events or BBQs.

A place to chat, cook, and eat

While we were looking around the house, there were some residents sitting at the kitchen counter space eating. One of them seemed European, eating jam on toast. Another resident started a conversation with them while preparing their own food.

The manager told us: "The counter kitchen is everybody's favorite place. You can eat and talk to others easily. It's easier to chat than at a table, for some weird reason. Here, you can cook and eat at a good pace and still have lots of time to chat. It's more relaxing this way, I think. Everyone really likes talking to people from other countries who live here."

A strange sight in a share house...

Something felt different about the kitchen, and the answer became apparent the more we looked at it.

The kitchen was so clean and tidy.

As we watched people work in the kitchen, the answer became clear: a resident from Korea was making lunch in the kitchen. They naturally opened the door beneath the stove and pulled out a pot. In this kitchen, everything is in a clearly-labeled spot, from pots and pans to knives and cutlery, making it easier to find and put away. Because everything is labeled not just with a word but an icon, everyone knows exactly what to do.

Your neighbor could become your instructor

The multi-purpose room was quite interesting, as it can be a fitness gym or theater room too.

The manager said: "Some residents use the whiteboard and do language lessons. They coordinate on the LINE messaging app and hold English or other lessons on the weekend. You can even practice an instrument in here, and some of our musically-inclined residents jam together. So there's lots of different ways to enjoy this room."

Because you'd be living with people from all over the world, it's so much easier to get in touch with other languages and cultures that people bring to the table. There is also a projector so you can watch movies!

Everything you need to live
All the rooms have a refrigerator, desk, and bed, so you can start living right away. The rooms are 11.47m², so it's just right. There is wifi in the house too.

Plentiful storage
The rooms are simple, but have plenty of places to store things. You may even feel like it's too much!

With all the doors and drawers shut, it looks normal. But the spaces are deep, and there's really plenty of space to store everything from clothes to other things.

Events to get in touch with Japanese culture!
The Oakhouse manager lives in the SR Chofu house too and supports the residents as they live their lives.

"We hold fun events every month for residents to get to know each other. We'll do Christmas, Halloween, maybe nagashi somen on the balcony, or look at the moon in the autumn from the roof. I try to have events with a Japanese taste so everyone can get an authentic local atmosphere."

Postscript
There's a supermarket 4 minutes from the house, and 3 each of convenience stores and drug stores nearby. From Tsutsujigaoka you can easily get to Shinjuku and Shibuya. Plus there are lots of events and other opportunities at SR Chofu to get to know your fellow residents, so it seems like an ideal environment.

Writer: / hike
Photos / YOSHINORI OHGA