Social Residence Ichigao West was opened in February 2018, near Ichigao station on the popular Tokyu Den-en-toshi line. It's just a 6-minute walk from the station, and it is the kind of house you'll want to live in for a long time.

This building was originally a company dorm for workers at a certain construction company. We've renovated it into a share house. In the entrance is a wall of glass blocks, which was part of the original building. We've left in some of the original design touches. The area is now part of the area where residents can store their shoes.

Going down the hallway, we next find the large and spacious lounge, the centrepiece of SR Ichigao West. This is where residents gather, usually in the evenings. We came to visit the house on a weekday afternoon so it felt like we had the whole giant space to ourself!

What stood out was the large window, making the whole lounge into something like a sunroom. It makes for a warm atmosphere, and not just in terms of temperature. At night the lighting makes it feel more like a large but intimate cafe. There are sofas by the window so you can relax with a book or something. Even there's other people there you can be in your own space. This is actually a relaxing and safe kind of feeling, to have other people around.

Not only is the lounge a place to eat and relax, but of course it is also a shared space where everyone gets together. Just the other day many residents gathered here to watch an international soccer match, and in July they all got together for a nagashi somen event. They have welcome parties for new residents, as well as seasonal parties regularly. There are people from Japan, Korea, Mexico, and many other countries. Here you can hear (and even start learning!) all sorts of different languages. It's like your own big family. You can discover lots of new things and people.

This is the kitchen space, with a kitchen counter with stools. This way, people sitting at the counter can easily talk with people making a meal in the kitchen. It's a big area with 3 kitchens. There are rice cookers, microwaves, coffee servers, pots, pans, and all sorts of cookware and appliances, as well as dishes and clean washcloths.

After using dishes or kitchen tools, residents wash up right after, dry them with a cloth, and put them back in their place, and the cleaner gathers the used dish towels and washes them and relaces them with new ones. Cleaners clean the house 4 times a week to help maintain a clean living environment.

The most important thing about a share house is having a place where you can come home to relax. That's why the baths, toilets, and laundry spaces, which you use pretty much every day, are maintained clean spaces.

The shared shower rooms have locks on the doors. The changing space is spacious. There is also a bathtub for those times you want a good soak. There is also a women-only shower room.

There is also a women-only laundry space, as well as mens and womens spaces on each floor.

The private rooms are spacious with semi-double beds. There is storage, lighting, an air conditioner, a desk, and refrigerator, every basic think you will need when you move in. And with everything provided you can start your life easily the day you move in. These rooms are good for 1 or 2 people.

There is a great view from the rooms. The road from Ichigao station is a bit of a hill, but since the house is on top of a hill you have a nice view of the town- something you can look forward to when you come home. We hope you will come see the house - and this view - for yourself!

Postscript
We heard from the manager that sometimes when people from the share house move out and live on their own, sometimes they'll even come back to live in a share house! It's a good and social experience, not only to make friends but to have a new kind of family. We think you will enjoy if you come see for yourself.
(writer: SAYO) (photos: TOMO)