– What brings you to Japan?

When I was still a high school student in Hong Kong, I didn’t want to stay in Hong Kong for university because everyone just goes to university for the sake of money and social status. Also, I wanted to leave my comfort zone and explore the world by myself. I was applying to universities in Hong Kong and the USA, but I never thought of coming to Japan.

I didn’t speak any Japanese and wasn’t a fan of Japanese culture. But then someone told me about a new program offered in the University of Tokyo that is taught in English (PEAK-Program in English at Komaba).

I casually took a look, and found it quite unique so I just applied without thinking too much. Then, after getting all the offers, I thought that coming to Japan was the most exciting and challenging option. Because I knew almost nothing about Japan.

– What did you go to Tokyo University (UTokyo) to study?

I only applied to the English program in UTokyo because I didn’t know about any other ones. Back then UTokyo wasn’t my first choice, but I changed my mind after the professors came to Hong Kong to interview me. I thought they were very humble and I thought that humble people were the ones who actually knew something. Because the more you know, the more you realize how much you don’t know. So, the humbleness of the professors was one of the reasons that I decided to come to UTokyo.

– Where did you live before coming to HASH?

I lived in a student dormitory when I first came to Japan. Then I went for exchange in Switzerland in where I also lived in a student dormitory. When I came back to Japan in September 2019, I lived in a sharehouse for foreigners called Sakura House near Shibuya until June 2020. I did homestay for about a month with my friend right before moving to HASH, just because we wanted to try something new.

– Why did you choose to live in a sharehouse?

In a sharehouse, you get to meet people from different countries and different walks of life who share different perspectives. I love meeting people who hold different values to me. Sometimes we have conflicts, but there is usually a beautiful firework after a clash of values. I think in order to create world peace, we need to make peace with everybody, including those who don’t think like us. And a sharehouse is a good place to meet people who are different from me.

– Why did you choose #HASH196?

I’m starting lab work at Kashiwa Campus in September, so I was looking for accommodation in Kashiwa. I actually wanted to live alone in an apartment originally, but I randomly found HASH and really liked the concept of connecting people and living as a family.

– The sharehouse also has some special offers for foreign tenants. Were they a factor?

A little bit, but I think I would’ve chosen HASH anyway even without the special offers. That’s how much richer this house has made my life in Japan.

– How was your first day in HASH?

I actually had a deadline the day I moved to HASH, so I was really busy. But I still got to chat with a few new friends. I felt right at home, although I usually do wherever I go haha.

(#HASH196 had a Yukata Night in the summer !)

– What surprised you the most about living in HASH?

The kitchen is so clean!! There are so many people, yet it’s cleaner than my previous sharehouse which had only 9 people. I think it’s because there are mostly Japanese people here. I’m impressed!

I’m very impressed by a lot of people’s cooking skills. There are so many chefs in HASH. I was also quite impressed by the Yukata Night. It really felt like a summer festival!

– Please tell us about your daily life in HASH.

Well, my daily life is pretty irregular. Sometimes I wake up and do morning yoga with friends in the theater room (but I’ve only successfully woken up once??), then I eat/skip breakfast and have online classes. Then I’ll cook or buy lunch and keep having classes or do my work. I volunteer at a cafe in Asakusa on Fridays and Saturdays, so I’ll just wake up and leave HASH. Sometimes at night we have parties with delicious homemade food.
Summer vacation has just started, so I usually wake up in the afternoon and play the guitar for hours and do nothing.

 
– Do you have any suggestions on how to make the foreign members feel good about living in #HASH196?

I think having more events where we could communicate and get to know everyone would be nice. HASH Talk Live is nice. The Japanese level of foreign members kind of varies. It might be slightly difficult for those who don’t speak much Japanese to feel a sense of belonging in the HASH family, if I really had to find a problem. Something like a “buddy” system would be nice. (Since there are more Japanese members than foreign members,) we could pair one or more Japanese members with each foreign member. They regularly chat with each other or do something together. The Japanese member could help the foreign member with Japanese and getting adjusted to life in Japan, whereas the foreign member could teach their own mother tongue or any languages and share stories and perspectives from other countries. It’s also kind of like language/cultural exchange.
 
– Do you have any good memories or fun times at HASH?

I enjoy singing and playing guitar with people at HASH. It was also fun playing with the kids. The food was amazing too!!

– Is there anything you want to do now that you’ve come to live at HASH?

I want to play more music with people here. I want to be more fluent with my Japanese. I want to go hiking, travel, surfing, diving with my HASH family. Oh, and I also want to improve my culinary skills.

– Please tell us what you want to do in the future.

There are a lot of things I want to do. I like music, science, nature, adventures, art. So maybe something that combines all these. I think what I truly want to do in the future is to keep exploring. Knowledge is infinite and so is human potential.

– Please give a message to future Kizunaya international family members.

Kizunaya is the perfect sharehouse if you wish to get to know the authentic Japanese lifestyle. I know a lot of foreigners in Japan feel like they’re living in a bubble. Living in Kizunaya would be one of the ways to break out from the “Gaijin Bubble”.

See here for details:

#HASH196

27 minutes to Nippori Station and 30 minutes to Ueno Station from Kashiwa Station, a bedroom town in Chiba Prefecture.
This property is recommended for those who are based in eastern Tokyo such as Ueno and the Tokyo station area.
Located close to the University of Tokyo Kashiwanoha Campus, National Cancer Center, etc.

Kizunaya Sharehouse HASH196

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Access: JR Joban line Kashiwa station (8 minutes on foot)
Rent: Private room from 43,000 yen / Dormitory from 27,000 yen
Utility fee: Private room 15,000 yen / Dormitory 12,000 yen
*Includes utilities and house supplies
*Free Wi-Fi service
Initial contract fee: 44,000円

Click here for inquiries!

Contact us through our official LINE account!

Overseas residents can complete the entire process online, including the viewing, move-in procedures, and initial fee transfer. Please feel free to contact us.