Hello, there!
I am Ryo Deguchi, the ambassador at Sharehouse Hidamari Mitaka!
I’ve been assigned to the new ambassador of Sharehouse Hidamari Mitaka for three months, and this will be my last article.
Thank you for those who have read the first and second article! I hope you enjoy this article until the end.
In this article, I will write about:
1. Sharehouse Hidamari’s good advantages according to its residents
2. Thoughts on my experience as an ambassador about living in Sharehouse Hidamari for three month
Please check my first and second article from here!
→ [The second article] What are around Sharehouse Hidamari Mitaka? [Wandering around in Mitaka]
Interview the residents of Sharehouse Hidamari! Why did you choose this sharehouse?
I interviewed two residents this time.
During the interview, I asked the following three questions:
1. Why did you choose this sharehouse?
2. How do you feel actually you stared living the sharehouse?
3. Comments for people who are going to live in a sharehouse!
Let’s begin!
Sharehouse Hidamari Interview: Ms. A who moved to Tokyo when she entered a university
The first one is with Mr. A, who moved to Tokyo for a university.
Deguchi: Ms. A, it’s very nice to meet you today! So, I heard you have been living in a sharehouse just for a half year, but could you tell me why you chose this Sharehouse Hidamari Mitaka?
A: I’m a university student now, and move to Tokyo to go to a university. I was originally going to live in Tokyo only for a half year and looking for a sharehouse. I found this Hidamari’s sharehouse when searching some apartments along the Chuo Line that is convenient for me to go to the university since it’s in Kichojoji.
I was not able to go to a house viewing since I was in Kyushu at that time. But, I had a friend visit the sharehouse on my behalf and s/he told me that it was very beautiful.
Moreover, initial costs get higher depending on sharehouse, but Hidamari’s initial cost was easy on the wallet and the rent was reasonable too because of the promotion that Hidamari offered during the corona pandemic. So, I decided to move in the sharehouse.
Deguchi: Hidamari’s sharehouses are very clean.
I’ve lived in several sharehouses, but only their sharehouses are clean from outside to inside. I thought it was just pictures on their web site, but their sharehouses are as beautiful and clean as the picture.
A: I also believe that we are able to maintain this cleanliness because a cleaning person named Kiyo-san cleans the sharehouse twice a week.
It seems Kiyo-san is a friend of a person who used to live here, so he often came here for cleaning. He always cleans a bathroom and toilet, making them shiny.
Deguchi: He must be really appreciated (LOL). So, a half year has passed since you strated living here. Could you tell me your honest impression?
A: The thing that made me truly happy was that I made friends that I wanted to keep in touch with even if after I moved out of the sharehouse!
Moreover, they are people working in a different field that I’m not studying for. So, I can learn a lot from them and am happy that I’ve met people I could work together in the future.
And also, another big advantage is that it takes only about 10 minutes by bicycle from Mitaka to Kichijoji for fun.
Deguchi: Friends are very important.
Despite its proximity, I didn’t have time to go all the way to Kichijoji. I shared several stores in Mitaka in my previous article, but could you give me some recommendations for Kichijoji?
A: Well, there are too many recommendations to choose from, but if I had to choose, I would say these three stores.
1. Ichinici and Hyakunen
A gallery space with bookstore for used books. They are sister stores and sell many fashionable and interesting books, mainly art-related. They are close to each other, so it is fun to visit both.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSQ4HmWnjdH/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
2. Taiwanese Restaurant Yue He Cha Kichijoji Branch
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIo12n6leSZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
A Taiwanese cuisine restaurant. Taiwanese culture and food are booming in Japan these days, and this restaurant’s teas are authentic and you can totally relax. Douhua, a Chinese sweet or savoury snack made with very tender tofu, is also very tasty.
3. chai break
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUwqKhiLOfX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
A store that specializes in chai. I recommend to get a chai to go and take a walk in Inokashira Park. Their morning set is too good, so just staying and chilling in the store is also simply nice. They are particular when it comes to spices.
Deguchi: All the stores you recommend seem really nice. I wish I had more time to visit them. But, I can’t believe there are so many stores you would like to recommend…you must have visited quite a lot in six months……!
By the way, are there any other good things/advantages about living in Sharehouse Hidamari Mitaka?
A: Recently, the rules within the sharehouse have been standardized because a rule book was compiled by Taku-san, the co-founder of Hidamari, based on voices from the residents. The rule book has made the sharehouse even easier to live in.
In terms of location, the area near Mitaka Station seems lively and noisy, but a little outside the station is quite safe. It is like a calm residential area.
Also, I used to go to Kichijoji only, but I found many good restaurants in the back alleys of Mitaka. Recently, I have found that the area around Mitaka is also interesting (LOL!).
Deguchi: The livability of Mitaka really goes without saying. By all means, please keep exploring!
And, this is the last question, do you have a message for future residents of Hidamari’s sharehouses?
A: Kichijoji is within bicycling distance from Sharehouse Hidamari Mitaka, and you can take the Chuo Line all the way to Shinjuku and Tokyo, so it really is a great place to live!
And I would like to tell you what you should prepare for moving in, including how to be prepared.
1. Something that can adjust temperature in the sharehouse
Sharehouse Hidamari Mitaka is renovated from an old private house, so temperature can be different depending on rooms. I recommend that you prepare your own warm clothing and other items that will allow you to regulate your temperature properly.
2. Refrigerator for yourself
There are refrigerators in the shared spaces, but they are small. If you need one, I recommend you to bring your own refrigerator, like Deguchi-san did (LOL!).
Please enjoy your life in Miataka!
Deguchi: Thank you so much for the interview! I hope you continue to have a wonderful life through Hidamari.
Sharehouse Hidamari Interview: Mr. R who moved to Tokyo for work
Next interview is with Mr. R who moved from Kumamoto to Tokyo for work. It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. R. Why did you choose Hidamari?
R: I decided to move to Tokyo because for my job during the corona pandemic, but it was difficult to for me to go to a house viewing due to the pandemic. So, first, I thought it would be good to live in a sharehouse once since it’s easy to move in, and then I was going to research the characteristics of each area/ward in Tokyo.
When I talked to a friend about this, I heard that there were sharehouses run in Kumamoto, Tokyo, and Kamakura. I felt a sense of familiarity and decided to live. Then, somehow I have been living here for about a year already.
Deguchi: It seems you made your decision quite quickly. Have you visited other sharehouses?
R: Yes, I have visited other sharehouses, but all the ones I saw were more like homes and much clean. On the contrary, Hidamari’s sharehouse was clean and beautiful, which was an additional good point.
Also, as a place to live, there are few single-person houses around the sharehouse and many people live with their families. The quietness and safety of the area were also factors that encouraged me to move in.
Ms. A, who you just interviewed, said the cleanness that Hidamari has was excellent, too. I’m not too concerned since I am a man, but women would concern about the cleanness.
Deguchi: Thank you. Next, could you tell me what you liked about living here.
R: Everyone who lived here before me and those who came in later were all very firendly, and we went out together for drinks when the corona pandemic calmed down a little bit. Thanks to that, I have been able to keep in touch with them after they have left and had online drinking sessions.
I myself had no friends when I moved to Tokyo. If I had not had these encounters, I might have become lonely and returned to Kumamoto by now.
Deguchi: People we meet at this sharehouse, where we share necessities of life, are irreplaceable.
I asked Ms. A the same question, but could you tell me shops/stores that you recommend?
R: Since Ms. A shared the stores/restaurants in Kichijoji, I would like to share a famous store in Mitaka.
・ Japanese sweets Taiyaki (a fish-shaped waffle filled with sweet red) Sueki
https://www.instagram.com/p/CU06lG2hYj-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Sueki is run by a husband and wife and has an warm and retro atmosphere space. The menu changes seasonally, so you will never get bored. I recommend any kinds of their taiyaki!
Deguchi: Thank you so much! I couldn’t go there during my three months here. I used to eat taiyaki 3 times a week when I lived in Todoroki, so I am very curious.
Other than that, have you noticed any other things while living in a sharehouse?
R: For my job, sometimes I work on my PC in a private room to concentrate, but sometimes I work in a shared space. The shared space is quite spacious and stylish, so it’s cost-effective than going to Starbucks, Doutor, or other cafes.
Unlike working in my room, I have a rule that when I shift my gears when I get to the shared space.
Deguchi: I agree with you! I can’t count how much coffee I had and how much I worked online in the shared space.
Lastly, do you have a message for future residents of Hidamari’s sharehouses?
R: When I first moved to Tokyo, I was very anxious and alone. But after making friends at Hidamari, all my loneliness and anxiety disappeared. If you move in, don’t spend all your time in your private room, but please get out of it and have fun with everyone!
Deguchi: Thank you so much, Mr. R!
Thoughts on my experience as an ambassador about living in Sharehouse Hidamari for three month
Next, I would like to share my thoughs on my experience about living in Sharehouse Hidamari for three month.
I have always enjoyed meeting different people and experiencing many things in unfamiliar places, but the encounters and experiences I had at Hidamari were also special. The best part, as Ms. A and Mr. R mentioned, was meeting new people at the sharehouse.
A phrase I cherish in my life is “Once-in-a-lifetime encounter.”
The number of people we meet in our lives is sort of fixed. The time we spend living with strangers is not infinite but finite.
During this period, I made friends that I would not have met in my normal life. I especially enjoyed hearing the stories behind each profession, as there were many people who working in video/film fields in the Sharehouse Hidamari Mitaka.
It makes it even more enjoyable to think that such casual communication/conversation on daily life will come in useful some day later on in life.
This three months indeed have become a time period that I experienced Hidamari’s philosophy, “To create relationships where people’s values are mixed together and where people become aware of their own value through communication and a slightly mysterious community.”
Summary: Thank you for the three months as an ambassador!
As an ambassador, I had a lot of inexperienced parts, but I would like to thank Rinta-san, the co-president of Hidamari, Taku-san, and a writer who edited my poor writing and made my article like a professional.
Ms.A and Mr. R who took an interview.
Local residents who run stores and restaurants in Mitaka City.
I would like to thank many people who have helped me successfully publish three articles.
I really hope that you will continue to be someone’s “Hidamari”.
And, thank you very much for taking the time to read this article to the end.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CULrHl_v3NX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
