| THE APARTMENT is a small one-bedroom, with a walk-through kitchen; balcony; bath and restroom areas; and space for a washer. See a list of apartment items and pictures here. It is located on the (elevated) first floor of a 9-unit complex and is owned by a neighborhood businessman in Chikusa Ward. The easiest and fastest way to get around the neighborhood is by bicycle. If you're hoping for immersion, this is a great neighborhood to do it. For one thing, you might go for weeks without seeing another foreigner. For another, a lot of the people around here have lived in the area for entire generations, so you get a good chance to experience (and live on the fringes of) a Japanese community. Anything you might need/want is within walking distance. Because just about all things are written in Japanese, you'll have a great number of chances to improve your language skills. (More information about the area is here). Despite, or perhaps because of, the language barrier, people are generally friendly and willing to patiently wait and help while you stutter your way through a situation. Your landlord's name is Mr. Takagi. If you have any problems, you can take them directly to him. He speaks only a little English, but he's incredibly nice and always willing to help, as are his wife and their children. (His whole family lives in this neighborhood, and he knows virtually everyone in the area through some means or another.) If you have trouble communicating with him, ask Omiya sensei to help you. Your rent is 50,000 yen/month. It is due on the 1st of the month and can be paid in person at Mr. Takagi's home, which is one street over from the apartment complex, or you can drop it off at his office across the street from the Takenokoshi bus stop. Key money/deposit. Most places require that you pay key money and a deposit. The key money is non-refundable and is basically for the use of the property. The deposit, however, is refundable, as long as the apartment is clean and undamaged when you move out. (To err on the side of caution, expect to pay up to 3-months' rent for both of these items, but if Mr. Takagi doesn't charge you as much, consider it his way of welcoming you to the neighborhood.) In case you want to ship things before you get here, your mailing address is: 103 Hani Kamu Miyane Miyane Dai 1-7-15 Chikusa ku, Nagoya 464-0008 JAPAN (maps) In Japanese: 464-0008 �����s���� �{����P�|�V�|�P�T �n�j�[�J���{�����P�O�R |
| DAY-TO-DAY DETAILS: Your mailbox is under the stairs, by the bicycle area. Mr. Takagi should give you the combination when you move in. Most of your mail will arrive here, but some will be put in your front door's drop box. You will have to pick up large packages and registered mail from the ward's central post office (at Ikeshita Station.) You can pay all your utilities at the counter of any convenience store. The water bill comes every 2 months. All others are monthly. (Average bills from 2006-2008 were: Internet: 6,000 yen; Electricity: 5,000 yen; Gas: 2,500; Water 3,000. Your primary means of transportation (unless you get a car) will be your bicycle. You actually have two, in case of a visitor. The bus stop closest to your apartment is Takenokoshi. The nearest subway station is Chayagasaka on the Meijo Line. (Click here for more transportation details.) The trash system in Chikusa Ward is as follows- Bags with RED WRITING are for burnable trash: leftover food, receipts, bathroom trash. Pick-up days are early Monday and early Thursday at the lightpost directly across from the apartment building Bags with BLUE WRITING are for recyclable trash: 1. plastic bottles (without caps); 2. cans; 3. glass; 4. carton boxes; 5. disposable plastic containers & bags. Please sort each numbered item SEPARATELY. Pick-up day is early Friday around the corner from the apartment (between the building and Mr. Takagi's house) Bags with GREEN WRITING are for small non-recyclable trash such as CDs or tennis shoes. Pick-up day is early Wednesday at the lightpost directly across from the apartment building Books, newspapers and cardboard (all of which should be tied separately) are picked up as bundles on the 3rd Saturday of the month at the foot of the apartment building's stairs (at the lightpost) Larger non-recyclables (ex. TV, bookcases, bicycle) can be thrown away by calling the ward office and paying a fee to have these taken away. Another option is to take them to a recycle shop and see if it will take the items, instead. |
 |
| GO TO: |
| The area. Transportation. |
|