Home Is a Tiny Plastic Bunk

[james]

[Kanchou]

I find it hard to believe that there aren't more affordable options in suburban Tokyo than paying as much monthly rent as a small apartment for 1/5th...of a small apartment.

Like maybe... a small apartment?

Paying that much for a capsule hotel for long-time lodging is like buying bottles of oxygen to breath from when you're surrounded by good O2.

[GuyJean]

I find it hard to believe that there aren't more affordable options in suburban Tokyo than paying as much monthly rent as a small apartment for 1/5th...of a small apartment..

I'm sure he could find a 1dk for 59,000. Where you get screwed is key-money, realtor fee, etc. To move in Tokyo, you're looking at needing at least 300,000 yen in pocket for everything. Maybe he doesn't have that.. Or, maybe he should skip this weeks hostess/whore visit to save some cash.

That's why gaijin houses are nice sometimes. Moving in costs maybe 10,000 deposit, that's it. He could Bosom-Buddy it and move in with the gerbil girls.

GJ

[Kanchou]

There are exceptions to the rule though... anything would be better than living in a capsule hotel.

[canman]

I thought the big advantage to Leo Palace and Ehomenet was the fact that there was no key money and the rents were not all that high including utilities. Now it is true the rooms are small and they usually have lofts, but most of the students at the univerisity I teach at, like them because of what I mentioned above. Plus they also have internet and other things that are useful.

[Catoneinutica]

Juxtaposed against this you have William Stonehill posting over at the NBR Japan Forum,

"As some members of this forum are aware, you can now buy houses with land within an hour and a half of Tokyo for the rough equivalent of US$ 20,000."

The price for the tiny plastic bunk represents quite a premium for being close to town. Oh well, location, location, location.

[Kanchou]

A premium that means NOTHING for a dude with no job.

[AssKissinger]

A premium that means NOTHING for a dude with no job.

Well, if you're looking for work it helps to be close to the action.

[rooboy]

[quote="Catoneinutica"]Juxtaposed against this you have William Stonehill posting over at the NBR Japan Forum,

"As some members of this forum are aware, you can now buy houses with land within an hour and a half of Tokyo for the rough equivalent of US$ 20,000."


Fuck! Where are these houses - what city/ward? Even I could probably get something if J law lets me buy! Anybody have more info?

[Kanchou]

Well, if you're looking for work it helps to be close to the action.

Not in a city where it's more than worthwhile to commute an hour to work (since an hour driving does not equal an hour of train riding), especially when the business end of the train is probably going to put you in no more than a 20-minute walk from your company. With a train pass paid for by the money he'd save, he could spend all day in Tokyo looking for work and ride the train home and night. And if the need to live close to the office arises, he can move out and find another place close to Tokyo.

I don't even want to imagine what kind of discount it would take to get an American to live in a capsule long-term, even in a big city... it would probably have to be under $100 a month.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Even if you could find a place that would let you move in without paying a deposit, agent fee, fire insurance premium, or key money, they probably wouldn't rent to you if you were unemployed. I can't imagine living in a capsule hotel either, but if were between that and a cardboard box in Yoyogi Park, I'd probably do it.

It seems like a gaijin house outside of the 23-ku's would be the best option though. I wonder if these guys even considered that option.

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

They thought that they couldn't afford to label their dish-washing liquid so the share house is no go.

[tidbits]

http://touto.good-server1.com/search/shousai.html?bukken_no=23673

About a year ago, I chat with one of the (foreigner) residents at the above guest house and she is all happy about this place that she has been living for a few years. Deposit of 10,000 and monthly 55,000 is all she has to pay. Not bad for a location that is 20mins train ride from Otemachi/ Tokyo. I guess even these unemployed men knows about the guest house, there still aren't that many to accomodate them. Accoding to the lady I spoke to, all the rooms had been occupied at that time.

[Kanchou]

The downside to having two massive windows in a room that size is that you're going to freeze your ass off in the winter, if the insulation and heater is average by Japanese standards.