Staying at Sakura House (A Thorough Guide and Review)

If you are planning on staying in Japan for a lengthy vacation, attending a language school or if you are a going to be a university student here then you have probably spent some amount of time wondering where you will live and how much it will cost. Sakura House was bound to have been a recommendation for you whether it be from their hundreds of ads on Google and YouTube or a friend you know of that stayed here before,  you are probably familiar with their companies name. But for some odd reason there seems to be practically no (very little) information about this so called "nation wide famous foreign housing company" anywhere on the web which may come off as a bit sketchy.

This post will cover the pro's and con's to staying at Sakura House in Sendagaya, Tokyo, Japan as well as provide you with helpful tips and advice specific to people who are living here such where and how to shop and some basic information about the train lines nearby.

What is Sakura House?

Sakura House is a Japanese housing company that rents dormitories, and private rooms, apartments, and vacation homes to foreign tourists and long-term residents in Japan. They offer housing options in several different cities around Japan.

Who Operates It?

Sakura House has been in operation since October 6th 1986.  They currently employ approximately 50 employees from a variety of Asian and European countries. Hanako Tsukumo is the companies current president.

NOTE: Children are NOT allowed in dormitories. You must be at least 20 years old which the legal adult age in Japan or have permission from your parents in order to reside here alone.  

Japanese people are NOT allowed to rent or live in ANY of their properties.                           

How Do You Get There?

Upon arriving at Narita or Haneda airport you should take a bus or a train to Shinjuku Station (the world's busiest train station easily accessed from just about anywhere in Japan). From Shinjuku Station their office is about 10 minutes away by foot.

Where is it Located?

The main office is located in Shinjuku, Tokyo Japan. This is NOT to be confused with the address that you will be staying at. The office sits back off of a major street in Shinjuku. It's just a few minutes away from Shinjuku Station and it is possible to walk here by foot if you must. I don't recommend doing this ESPECIALLY NOT if this is your first time coming to Japan or if you have any luggage with you.

Sakura House Office 

Nishi Shinjuku K-1 Bldg. 2F

7-2-6 Nishi-Shinjuku

Shinjuku-Ku Tokyo Japan

Postal code: 160-0023

What's In It For You?

You will have your own private room or a bunk bed with curtains for privacy.

Each person is assigned several shelves throughout the house that serve as storage for easy access to personal items.

Janitors will clean the entire house once a week arriving around 9:00AM-10:00AM. The designated day can change without warning as it did when I was a resident there. 

There is free cleaning and cooking supplies, such as basic seasonings, oil, silverware, pots and pans, dishwashing liquid, trash bags, sponges, toilet paper and kitchen towels/rags.

There are approximately 3 showers on each floor and 2 separate bathrooms. There is 1 kitchen which depending on the dorm floor that you have chosen it may have an electric or a gas stove.  

There are 2 sets of washers and dryers located outside 200 yen for the washer and 100 yen for the dryer. Both machines run for 30 minutes but you can add extra money to increase the time. Don't forget to buy your own laundry detergent and fabric softener as this is not free!

Each dorm room has it's own shared mailbox. Private rooms have their own individual mailboxes. They are located outside just before the doors.

The Rules

There is no curfew. there is no staff or management at the dormitory. If you need help you have 4 options. #1 Email Sakura House #2 Call Sakura House #3 Tell the janitorial staff  #4 Visit their office in person

• No loud parties 
• No boys if you are staying in the girls only dorm
• Lock the door once you leave (nobody followed this rule in the girls dormitory)
• No fighting
• No stealing
• No smoking inside
• No candles (fire hazard/ happened in the past)

***Special Rules***

1. Dispose of the garbage when it is your turn. There are multiple charts hung up by the janitors/maintenance workers throughout the month. You and your partner are responsible for deciding how you will share this chore.
2. Clean up behind yourself. The janitors are not required to wash your dirty dishes or clean personal items.
3. Avoid using the washer and dryer after hours as they are located outside and tend to break down and make loud screeching noises.

How To Get Started

You will have to go here first in order to sign your contract, pay the first moths rent, present identity verification and receiving a large packet with answers to most of your questions regarding your stay.

All you need is your valid passport, a visa of any kind (including a tourist stamp) and your first months rent. If you are staying in Japan for more than 90 days you will need to show them your residence card(eventually) so that they can make a copy of that too!

It is best and recommended that you reserve your room online in order to ensure the availability of your room or apartment upon your arrival as tenants move in and out on a weekly basis so if someone takes the last vacancy you're pretty much out of luck.

You can receive special promotional offers and rent discounts if you move in during late fall or anytime during the winter. Keep in mind that Japan is not a popular tourist destination outsize of Spring and mid Summer so you can find good deals just about everywhere!

Almost all of the staff is bilingual or trilingual and can usually speak both Japanese and English. At the very least everyone speaks English. There are plenty of foreigners staffed there from other Asian and European countries such as Fracne and China so if you speak French or Chinese or happen to know someone else who does then don't let a little language barrier stop you from coming to Japan because there is at least one staff member here who can help you find the right place.

Most of the residents at Sakura House are tourists and language school students. Occasionally there are long-term residents that are university students, language school students, or teachers who will book a long term stay at Sakura House Sendagaya.

   Rental Fees & Payments

The rent ranges from about just shy of $500 USD The cheapest dormitory is $475 USD  and the prices apartment will cost you $1,300 a month.

In general most people pay their rent by cash. You can use a Japanese or foreign debit or credit card as well to pay your monthly rent OR you can request a cash advance or withdrawal money from several ATM's and banks such as 7/11, Family Mart and Mizuho.

If your rent is past due you will be charged $10USD per a day late and they will email you with warnings and reminders about your past due rent.In the future after having lived there for about 3-6 months you are allowed to pay your rent by credit card or through a bank transfer automatically every month. Simply go to their office in Shinjuku and ask to sign up for this. It'll saved you time and money and you'll never have to work about being late again!

During emergency situations such as being sick or outside of the country or simply out of town you can request to pay your rent via email through a credit card payment link. You will receive an email confirmation and number upon making a successful payment.

Checking Out

Upon leaving Sakura House you are supposed to give a one month's notice at their office and fill out a form. You'll receive a checklist of things to clean, do, and return in order to be reimbursed for your deposit which is given to you in cash at the end of your inspection.

The Location

Sakura House 

Sendagaya 4 Chome-12-4 

Shibuya-ku, Tokyo-to 

151-0051 Japan

Personally I had never heard of Sendagaya and when I tried to search the address for the house the are looked very strange and complex to get to.
Sakura House Sendagaya 4-chome is located in the beautiful, residential neighborhood of Shibuya-ku. It is walking distance from Shinjuku, Harajuku, and technically Shibuya too.
There are countless restaurants, fast food places, karaoke bars, izakaya's, and clothing stores that are walking distance or a train stop away.
Familiar "comfort brands" such as Forver21, H&M, Mc Donald's, Subway, Burger King, Taco Bell, and Starbucks are fairly close to your new residence.

Shinjuku- the business center of Japan as well as very well known for its alternative night life in Kabukicho.

Harajuku- well known for its fun and crazy fashion, and Yoyogi Park the largest park in all of Japan.

Shibuya- is 2 train stops away and about a 30 minute walk it is the fashion capital of Japan but it is also full of love hotels, great bars, and clubs.

Transportation

There are 3 major train stations and multiple lines which can take you anywhere that you need to get to in Japan. These are the stations that you'll use the most as they are in close proximity to Sakura House.

Kita-Sando (Tokyo Metro)
This is the station you will use the most as it is easiest to access other lines and just a 2-3 minute walk from your home. This train line can be taken to popular stations such as Shinjuku Sanchome, Ikebukuro, Nishi-Waseda, Harajuku, and Shibuya Station. All of which you can walk to by foot if you'd like to save some yen or of course you can also ride your registered bike. It is marked brown in color.

Yoyogi Station (JR Yamanote Line)
This is the train line that you will use the most to travel if you are planning on sight seeing, traveling long distances, headed toward the suburbs, Shinagawa immigration office, Ueno Park, or tons of the international clubs and parties that are available. Similar to the Chuo-Sobu Line this train stops in general city areas which is why the cost is typically a bit cheaper and the trains are almost always packed. Normally upon exiting the gates of the station you'll have to take a bus or walk a bit further than usual to get to your actual destination. Most people use the JR Lines to get to local subway trains like Tokyo Metro. It is marked green in color


Sendagaya Station (JR Chuo-Sobu Line)
This is the station and line that you will use to go to Chiba and Akihabara. Chiba is the home of Funnassyi, Tokyo Disney Land and Narita Airport. Akihabara is the electronics, maid cafe, cosplay, J-Pop, and gaming center of Japan. Here you'll find loads of cat cafes, maid cafes, arcades and
so much more. It is marked yellow in color.

Yoyogi Station (Oedo Line)
This train line will get you to Roppongi and Azabu-Juban with ease. Both areas are known for their bars, nightlife, clubs, and expensive housing. A lot of business owners reside here. The areas both have bad reps for being full of Africans whom bombard and harass you with flyers and questions which can be a bit uncomfortable. Similar to Shibuya the Yakuza's presence can be both seen and felt but there's no need to worry there's police boxes scattered around as well as officers on foot. The Yakuza is not the same as American gangs and pose no real danger to tourist or civilians but we can talk about this in another post. It is marked hot pink in color.

Train Station Notes & Tips

All 3 stations have a stop at Shinjuku and or Shibuya Station. Once you arrive at either major station (especially Shinjuku Station) you can transfer to another train line to go almost anywhere in Japan.

• Staff at most of the station in central Tokyo can speak and understand some basic English. Sometimes their are bilingual staff members too! 

• Google Maps & Google Translate are your best friends! Don't be afraid to use them. Take screen shots of your route and show them where you are trying to go. The staff can help you so relax and speak calmly. Just say the name of the station you are trying to get to. Use basic very slow and simple English if you must or simply say and type the Japanese word 

• You'll save 10 cents if you use your IC Card instead of using a ticket. You can purchase a PASMO or a Suica for just $5.00.  There;s no difference besides the color and picture on the card. They both work the same and can be used at the same places even if you see a picture showing only Suica you can use your PASMO card at that spot too. For a small fee you can have your IC Card registered under your name. This way if it is lost you can receive a replacement card. This service is unavailable in Kansai so consider yourselves lucky!

• If your ticket has anything less than enough money on it for another ride you'll just lose your money. So be sure to only pay what you have to. For example if you purchase a ticket for 170 yen instead of 150 yen once you put your ticket into the gates slot it will just keep it! If you have purchased a ticket for 300 yen and it only costs 150 to get to your destination the machine will give it back to you upon inserting the ticket and exiting the gate.

• As always if you need help don't be afraid to ask the ticket agent or a Japanese person nearby. Sometimes even other foreigners can be of help to you!

• There are buses but they're less convenient and full of elderly and disabled people. It can also be a bit difficult to figure out how to pay and where to enter the best and get off as it various in different areas.

• If you ever get lost simply ask how to get to Shibuya or Shinjuku Station. No matter where you are in Yokohama, Chiba or Tokyo EVERY Japanese person knows how to get there. From those 2 stations you can easily find your way home as they connect to every train station in Japan with just a few transfers.

• Names matter! Pay very close attention to the names of stations! There are several stations with the same names throughout the country and even within the same town. For example theres is Nisei-Shinjuku, Higashi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku, and Shinjuku-Sanchome Station. 

• Pay attention to the kanji characters! As for kanji there are different types of express trains which will make different stops. For example Express. Rapid Express, Local, Semi-Express. While Tokyo generally offers English translations to stop names and announcements they almost never do so for express trains! The only way to tell is to pay attention to the LED screens onboard, ask a fellow passenger for help, or google search the train line itself.

Marunochi Line This is the train Line that you should use to quickly get to  Shinjuku Station. Sakura House's office is about 10 minutes away or less by foot from exit B16. 

Grocery Shopping

There is a nice neighborhood grocery store OK Grocery. Here you can purchase all of your toiletries and food needs. The store has 3 floors of food, toiletries, pet supplies, cleaning supplies as well as seasonal and personal items.

Most grocery stores have a specific day of the week in which there is a sales for example Tuesday's might be the discount day so you can 20% off of select meat etc..
Fruit is VERY expensive in Japan $10 grapes and $7 strawberries! However they are pretty delicious and huge in size(for that price the should be!).

Frozen fish and meat is not common in Japan besides shrimp and some other miscellaneous or precooked meals. Typically 5-6 chicken strips, 3-4 thighs, or 1-2 pieces of fish (salmon/white fish) will cost about $5.00. In America I can buy a bag of frozen chicken thighs or fish with a few more pieces for this cost.


This store unfortunately doesn't offer free bags so it is best to either purchase your own recyclable bags or save your bags from your runs to the convenience store.
The clear bags that they sell are very durable and big in size. You'll find them just before the register and you are expected to grab the amount of bags that you'd like to purchase. Your cashier will confirm your selection of bags and give you a total. Don't worry if you forget to grab bags they might kindly suggest that you purchase some since they're used to seeing foreigners everyday who aren't aware of how checkout works.

Tips:

• I highly recommend labeling your food with your name and room number even although Sakura House recently introduced white bins which have your room and bed number marked on it s a reserved spot for you in the fridge

•  Try to keep items in grocery bags. Roommates are less likely to go into your bag of food or open up your cartons of milk tea or juice if they have to take extra steps to get to. This was no-one can say that it was by accident or say that they were confused etc.

• DO NOT OVER BUY! Japanese food and beverages don't have as many preservatives and chemicals as American products. Everything here (just about) expires such faster. I highly recommend freezing your meat and fish. 

• Ziplock bags and plastic tupperware are your best friends! These reusable containers and bags can help keep your food bug free and fresh. Also the containers can be used to ration out a weeks worth of meals for school or work.

• Only buy what you plan to eat for the next 2-3 days. Most Japanese people go grocery shopping very frequently. I usually go at least 3 times a week in comparison to 2-3 times a month in America! 

• Grocery stores offer discounted bentos, fruit, vegetables, milk, and miscellaneous breads and frozen goods a few hours before closing time every evening. 

• If you purchase pregnancy tests sanitary pads, or condoms they will generally wrap it up and place it inside of a paper bag before placing it into a normal plastic bag. In Japan these items are embarrassing.

Other Tokyu Hands is about 25 minutes away walking distance or 1 train stop away. Here you can purchase all of your home goods, cleaning supplies, personal care, beauty products and makeup.

Convenience Stores

Konbini are what the Japanese call convenience or corner stores. They are similar to the ones back at home in America but they don't offer slushies, gas, or lottery tickets! Everyone uses these stores on an almost if not daily basis. Salarymen go here for bentos (a fancy portioned lunch or dinner in a clear plastic container) both before and after work. Elderly people sit in the cafe/lounge area  complete puzzles and read the news with a cup of coffee. Stay at home moms often come here during the morning with their babies and will sit and converse over breakfast with friends.

The two most popular convenience stores are Seven Eleven (7/11) and Family Mart. They have practically monopolized Japan. No matter where you are theres is always one of these two stores within walking distance from you. It is not unusual to see 2-4 within a few blocks of each other or even the same one!

Convenience stores are almost always 24 hours and those that are not are generally open until midnight and reopen at 5:00AM or 6:00AM. They offer all of the basic things that you need to survive.

Here you can buy snacks,  dinner, alcohol, toiletries, makeup, cleaning supplies,magazines, manga, under garments, office supplies, hair accessories and so much more.
Unlike in America the food here is fresh and can be trusted and the employees are very friendly and good workers. It is generally staffed entirely by native Japanese people but occasionally (especially in Shinjuku or other touristy areas you'll notice Chinese and South Asian employees from SriLanka and India etc..


Most convince stores offer a free rewards card referred to as a Pointo Kado. You can use this to save a little money occasionally and receive an occasional free meal or beverage after earning enough points.

Occasionally you can purchase discount bentos, and drinks as well as seasonal items from sales and marketing campaigns that flopped or items that were overstocked and are now near expiration.

Tips

• Bags are free of charge!

• Most konbini's have free and clean public restrooms. No purchase is necessary to access them.

• While most offer a cafe/lounge area for their customers to sit and eat or drink (no purchase necessary) not all of them do. Family Mart generally has larger spaces reserved for this.

• Occasionally outlets are available for you to charge your devices.

• All convince stores have Free Wifi! Lawson's has the best signal by far and there is no sign or time limit restrictions like Family Mart. 

• If you want to try something hot and fresh it's best to come just before 12:00PM or just before evening rush hour at around 3:00PM-4:00PM. Many stores add new batches of precooked meals and snacks around this time of day.

• DO NOT do all of your shopping here! I made this mistake and it was a costly one. It's easy to feel lazy and not be in the mode to walk to the grocery store after a long day or work school or travel but you'll save so much money and you'll get more food and have a better selection of products and groceries to choose from.

• Staff can warm up your bento for you free of charge. Unfortunately because most foreigners are stereotypically loud, obnoxious, rude and don't speak or understand Japanese MOST staff will not offer this service to you. If you're lucky they will ask and point to the microwave or they might even use broken English to ask if you want them to heat up your food. The choice is yours! 

If you purchase sanitary pads, or condoms they will generally wrap it up and place it inside of a paper bag before placing it into a normal plastic bag. In Japan these items are embarrassing.

Convenience Stores There are several convenience stores nearby such as 7/11, Family Mart,  Mini Stop, and Lawson

Pros & Cons

Overall Sakura House was great but as with anything there's always good and bad. The longer you stay here the more problems will arise and the more frustrated you'll find yourself with both the tenants and the staff.

Pros

When I first arrived I quickly felt at home. I was having a panic attack and freaking out because it was about 6:00PM-8:00PM and I had just arrived and couldn't figure out which side of the building was mines and I couldn't even find my floor(B00)! I later learned through adulating and common sense that "B" stood for basement and that Japan numbers floors differently than the U.S. Anyway a very nice Thai girl stayed outside with me about 20-30 minutes and even let me use her phone to call Sakura House's office for help. I became best friends with a Danish and Chinese girl. Whom showed me how to shop, purchase tickets, register my address at the ward office and of course partied, ate and shared their dating and sex lives/experiences with me (Oh how I miss the days of good old gossip). If you won't stay in Japan for long 3 months of less you'll probably leave before you turn into an old bitter hag like I eventually did after the "honeymoon-phase" wore off.

1. The closest train Station is about 2-3 minutes away from the dorm
2. Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku are less than 20 minutes away by train
3. You can walk to Takeshita Street and Yoyogi Park from the dorm
4. There's several convenience stores within walking distance 7/11 is less than 5 minutes away
5. You don't have to pay any bills just your monthly rent
6. Free cleaning supplies
7. Ample storage space under your bed and shelves around the house
8. Staff replies to complaints promptly
9. Small deposit fee
10. Quiet residential neighborhood
11. Room key and coded door padlock floor entry
12. You will receive your deposit back as long as you made an attempt to clean up behind yourself upon leaving.
13. Room can be prorated of you plan to leave before the entire month is up.
14. You can schedule the date and time for your move out inspection
15. The staff is generally very thorough with explains the rules of the house and you will receive a lot of pamphlets and papers about your contract and life in Japan
16. You can switch rooms within the month if a vacancy for a bed or private room becomes available that you'd prefer. You will lose some money in the process of this but if you can't stand snoring or if you overpacked or did a lot of shopping or just need some privacy you might want to move to a bigger space or get a quieter room.
17. Despite the lack of management the tenants are overall good people. I've ordered expensive meals and clothing and because of then confusing nature of the floors and rooms delivery dudes ALWAYS got confused and would often times drop off packages at the wrong floor/dorm. Thankfully people have been honest and either redirected them or signed for my packages and gave them to me! 
18. If you're not at home at the time that a package is being delivered for you usually your roomies will be kind enough to sign for you and leave it at your door or in the living room anonymously for you.
19. Your roommates are more than willing to share their personal items and appliances with you and even food! You can also stock up on leftovers (sealed unopened and new) when people leave.
20. You'll never feel lonely! Theres always friendly people to talk to hang out and eat with or even attend festivals, parties, bars and clubs with. Really nice if you're shy or traveling alone.

Cons

When I first came to Sakura House I absolutely loved it! However since I wasn't a "long-term tourist" or a crazy college party kid  the cons are what ultimately made me desire to have my own apartment. quickly became the resident asshole and I stopped being super friendly. I began to only help people when I was asked and I stopped attempting to make small talk and befriend people. My sanity and mental health plummeted as I spent my days in my room on my bottom bunk bed with the curtains shut. I tried my absolute best to spend as much time as possible outside of the house to avoid losing my temper and giving any of the girls a piece of my mind. 
I befriended several girls who helped me control myself. Looking back I was being judgmental and immature and I wish I had been more friendly to my roommates but I was never mean! I simply avoided talking to or being around other people. No harsh words or hands were ever exchanged .

1. The photos of the rooms are VERY misleading. The recent pictures are photoshopped and touched up and most of the pictures are very old from when the house was new! The rooms are dirty old and dingy and so are the hallways and appliances (iron, ironing board, dishes, pots/pans).
2. Non-Japanese staff can be rude
3. Males staff is notorious for being inappropriate and creepy. Asking for girls Instagram accounts and commenting on attractiveness. Asking unnecessary personal questions.
4. Males staff has a history of having inappropriate relationships with tenants from using them for sex, affairs, and yellow fever fetishes
5. Roommates are inconsiderate of other people's feelings about the A/C and cooking foods with strong foul odors
6. Most tenants don't clean up behind themselves so dishes and trashes all over the tables and sinks
7. Tenants don't clean the shower after use. Hair is commonly clogged in the drains.
8. Tenants have damaged the walls and showers with hair dye from cosplays, and seasonal parties
9. Roommates steal food and toiletries
10. Roommates don't respect persona storage space in the fridge
11. Roommates can be loud and noisy after the 10:00PM lights out curfew loud conversations, TV, and music is commonly heard late at night which sucks when you have school or work in the morning
12. People ignore the rules about having parties
13. People ignore the rules about using the broken washer and dryer late at night (it screeches occasionally and Japanese neighbors have called the police to file complaints against Sakura House at least 20 times during my 1 year stay).
14. Male Staff come over uninvited without warning. If you are in the basement dorm like I was it's an all girls floor. Besides the janitors which we know when they will arrive,e men are NOT allowed. A lot of the girls casually walk around braless or in their pajamas and even bathrobes and towels throughout the day.
15. People invite guys without warning. Again if you're staying in the basement dorm it's an all girls dormitory! If you want to be a whore or have sex with your Tinder dates then get a Love Hotel or switch to a new floor and get a private room! It's rude and disrespectful to the rest of us.
16. The door code doesn't change! So previous tenants can easily access the premises again
17. The staff don't wash the bedding! Unless the bedding is noticeably dirty and smells they will assume that you did a good enough job cleaning the bedding and will rent out your room or bunk bed to the next unsuspecting trusting tenant. That's pretty gross.
18. If you're an American you'll quickly notice how little people wash their hands. This i snot exclusive to Sakura House it's a Japan problem (cultural difference). I noticed that the Chinese and Malaysian girls in particular almost never washed their hands after using the bathroom or touching "dirty" things. Again it's a cultural difference but sure get offended and label me a racist for all I care.
19. The trash is often ignored and it's hard to establish who's turn it is to dispose of the garbage since there's two of you and you may not even know or feel comfortable with approaching your dumpster-buddy.
20. Sakura House staff is very nonchalant about personal problems and complaints towards other tenants such as racism, arguments about the A/C, TV, mail thieves/misplacers, and cleanliness of the house. Their advice is always "Hey I mean they're your roommates! This is a dorm not a hotel! You talk to them and figure it out yourself!"

In Conclusion 

No place is perfect. Every share house, dormitory, and even hotels or apartments have flaws. I would still highly recommend Sakura House to anyone who is new to Japan. Whether you are traveling own a budget, studying at a language school or university, or if you are working as an English teacher Sakura House provide you with a quick and easy hassle free way to live in Japan especially if you'll be staying in Tokyo.

The location is perfect. You are close to everything you need  and just a few stops away from almost all of the tourist destinations as well as transport to the airport or other prefectures in Japan. The train grocery store and convenience store is within a 10 minute walk from the dorm. It is very nice to have so many people to talk to and keep you company. Japan ca be difficult to navigate especially if you are traveling alone, can't speak/read/write Japanese, or if this is your first time leaving your country, or having your "own place". I am glad that I didn't do a homestay or get an apartment because there's so many things that I would have never learned or experienced otherwise.

The staff is generally very nice, friendly and helpful and the guests are mostly very friendly and helpful. You'll be able to quickly make friends and get advice about living in Japan from seasoned Tokyo veterans as there usually 2-4 people who have been there for months to a year who will gladly help you get settled into your new home. For less than $500 USD a month you get all of this!  I still have a handful of good friends whom I met by chance from staying here. It was thanks to them that I survived my first month in Japan despite being a bit clumsy and having anxiety. My roommates taught me the ropes, helped me get my first IC card, learn how to shop, showed me where everything in the house was and hung out with me for my 21st birthday, Christmas and New Year's Day.
So what are you waiting for?! Japan awaits you!

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you found this information helpful. If you have any questions or if you'd like to share your experiences with living at Sakura House please feel free to comment below.

Stay Tuned!

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Gaijin Apartment Helper Review

So you're in Japan and looking for a new home or maybe you have plans of moving here soon. You've probably scoured the web in search of an apartment and came across dozens of websites claiming to have no fees, low prices, move in specials etc. only to be disappointed upon discovering all of the hidden fees. Unfortunately for me I didn't have any of the advice or guidance that I am about to give you.

I've been living in Japan for almost 2 years. I lived in a share house in Tokyo for about 1 year and 2 months. I then decided to move to Kansai to be closer to my boyfriend who would be graduating and moving to another country for a 1 year business trip. I was broke unemployed and just finished being educated (I'm currently working on another degree). I came across countless ads thanks to Google and Facebook (creepily spying on my conversations and saving my web searches) that seemed too good to be true and ultimately ended up being so.
I was running out of time to find my own place which became even more complicated as I was pretty much lacking everything that I needed to move into a Japanese apartment despite the fact that I had been in Japan for nearly 2 years. I became so desperate that I resorted to Craigslist which is notorious for scams and spam. I actually came across 2 good housing companies but today we will focus on Gaijin Apartment Helper.


If you ever look at the housing section especially in Kansai it's pretty much spammed with their posts which honestly made me not trust them initially. I contacted them and soon after received a reply from Derek who jointly owns the business with his wife or as they prefer to say "partner". As expected I had to play a good old game of bait and switch with them as pretty much every place that I initially expressed interest in both from their ads on Craigslist AND even on their own website they claimed that the places were no longer available yet they didn't remove the listing from either location.... interesting. I am sure this is in the hopes or luring and attracting people to their business and attempting to persuade you into renting another and possibly more expensive property. However4 they still had plenty of places on their site within a similar price range.

The Basics

Who is it?

Gaijin Apartment Helper is owned and operated by a married couple Derek and Akiko. They also have an assistant whom I did not personally meet. They have been running this business for years to help foreigners find a home that's affordable with ease.
The company has a physical address and phone number. They're real people. Don't worry it's not a scam!

What Makes Them Special?

They offer bilingual housing assistance with both a native Japanese woman and a native Japanese man whom are a married couple. They offer affordable housing options for anyone who holds a valid  residence card and visa. There are no outrageous or hidden fees. They are very personable and easy to work with.

They won't reject you if you don't have it all together and figured out. They will work with you to help you get what you need. They can recommend apartments for you (within reason of course) if you don't know what you're looking for exactly.

How Does It Work?

You can view the apartments alone or with Derek and Akiko. All they need is a picture of your residence card (front and back) which can be submitted via email.
You can pay in cash and will receive a receipt that has been printed signed and dated. Upon signing your contract a licensed realtor will discuss all of the legal aspects of the paperwork over Skype. Akiko will translate it into English for you and will point to the lines that the realtor is explaining (very helpful and nice). You'll get your keys in a nice envelope by mail which can be sent to your hotel, current address or to a Japan Post office thats near you.

The Pros

This is by far the most personable housing or real estate agency that I have dealt with. They were very personable and friendly. They practically held my hand through the steps and they ultimately saved me a lot of time and money. I would have been in huge trouble if I didn't find this agency and give them a try.

1.) The Pricing

All of the apartments on their website are VERY affordable. Most of the houses are between $300-$600 a month and many of them include a few if not all of your utilities such as water and gas and some even come with free Wifi!
I still have no idea how exactly are they being paid or making any profit from this but apparently they are.  I moved in for less than $1,000 and that's crazy good. 

2.) Quick Move In

While this is on par with pretty much every agency I was able to apply and move into my new apartment in just shy of about 2 weeks. On average this can be done in about 7-14 days with most companies so it's nothing special, but since the initial move in costs are so low you'd think this would be the catch if not something else but thankful it's not! You can move in pretty fast for such a low upfront cost.

3.) The Ease in Passing The Guarantor Screening

They didn't ask many questions. They simply asked if I had a job and confirmed my emergency contact's information. They never called my job or my boyfriend (my emergency contact). Then we said our goodbye's and the next day I passed. I had a complicated situation as I had a student visa which is usually a red flag for companies. A lot of places don't rent to students especially nit foreign students as theirs a fear that you won't pay your rent or go back to your home country.
Gaijin Apartment Helper claimed to have explained my situation about who I was in the process of changing my residence status. Regardless of what happened it worked and I passed with ease! I have previous experience with more complicated screenings and I must say that this was hands down the fastest and easiest.

4.) The Friendliness 

The couple is very "real". I felt more like I was hanging out with my friends than I felt like I was with a housing agent. They were very kind and personable. We watched YouTube videos together talked about international and interracial marriage between Japanese and Americans etc..
They voluntarily gave me a ride to city hall and even offered to take me to get my bank account set up and my signature stamp! There's no other agency that would do this for you anywhere! I didn't pay them a dime more.

5.)  There's No Catch

There's absolutely no catch! You pay exactly what the website says. There are really ZERO hidden fees. No key money or guarantor fee. I moved into my current apartment for less than $1,000 (all fees included). I believe I only paid about $500! There is NO other agency in the entire country that can say this. Even if a website claims that there are no hidden fees it's a lie. As soon as you go their office and view the place you'll be shown a list of other fees such as fire insurance and an agency fee which is on par with paying a deposit and key money.

Before we get into the cons please keep in mind that this is for the sake of balancing this post with an honest perspective showing both sides. I would highly recommend this company to anyone who is new to Japan, doesn't have a Japanese partner, doesn't have Japanese friends who can help, or that lacks the needed Japanese skills or cultural knowledge to comfortably find a permanent home in Japan.

The Cons

Despite the lies and the screw-overs I honestly enjoyed working with these two. For the most part they were a fairly honest couple. They were very nice to me (especially his wife). However there was still room for improvement in regards to professionalism and honesty. I would still recommend this company and I would use them again if I could do it all over. They helped me a lot more than they hurt me. They did much more than most place are willing to.

1.) Unprofessional

After successfully persuading me to make a payment to secure my spot for this apartment I made an over one hour trip to Umeda Station with my dying phone and had used up my spare battery pack (my fault and problem of course). He was late meeting me at the Mc Donald's at there. That was okay I guess even although when I say late I mean he was over an hour late but I didn't have the time or money to waste leaving angrily just to come back again.
He claimed he was waiting on his wife to get me a receipt even although I was desperate and stupid enough to be okay with not having one as I said before (he told me he'd figure something out presumably make a makeshift receipt for me). Anyway once he arrived at the small packed Mc Donald's he was VERY loud and embarrassing.
Everyone in the small seating area could hear him and some even turned to look. It was obvious that we were discussing rent. He was also dressed very Unprofessionally. He had on a t-shirt and cargo shorts. Not really the kind of person you'd trust handing hundreds of dollars to! I believed I paid about $200-$300 USD to secure the place.

At the city hall office his wife was also loud and embarrassing and kept referring to her company's name "Gaijin Apartment Helper" which wasn't very discreet in the name itself. Even if you don't think you get embarrassed early which I can admit that I do, this is Japan and you are a foreigner. Japanese people already have all of these ideas that you can't understand anything because you aren't Japanese. I would think that it's common sense to speak quietly when discussing someone's personal business especially in regards to person things. My monthly rent, fees, down payments etc. were loudly being mentioned everywhere we went and I didn't appreciate this. I don't believe that it was intentional though. Personally I think being on the phone with other clients and even her husband/partner was a tad bit unprofessional too. I have et with multiple housing agents in Japan and I have never seen someone use their phone in front of me unless it was to arrange a ride for us and good manners were used to excuse themselves for doing so.
I'm human and I understand life happens (she needed to handle family business so I understood). but most people would find this unacceptable and rude.

2.) The Lack of Knowledge

I understand that like most agencies they have countless units available for rent so it's impossible to know everything or to even remember all of the details for each unit. However I think if you're trying to make a sale you should attempt to visit the place before hand or at least refresh your memory.
The pictures are similar to the unit that I viewed but not the same. They weren't sure about how the building should look and simply told me to check Google to ensure that I wasn't at the wrong home as I was viewing the apartment alone.
They thought that there was a lock for which they'd give me the password to open the door. The door was never locked with a keypad AND even when I moved in after they had cleaned it and I had walked 10 miles with 4 heavy travel bags and pneumonia they had never even manually locked the door( but this last part isn't Gaijin Apartment Helper's fault since they don't own this place)!
They did warn me about how small the place was going to be so I appreciate their honesty but I felt as though they should have been more aware of what I needed to finalize my move in and be more familiar with the home I was going to be renting as other agencies I have spoken and met with have been.

3.) The Lies

I insisted that I keep or at least get 2 jyuniho's (a certificate from city hall proving were you previously resided at) as I was both told and had read online that this was needed to update my residence card which was also needed to set up a bank account and health insurance.
She angrily (fast speaking raised her tone never yelled at me of course) insisted that I didn't need it and that only the landlord/housing agency needs this. She insisted that there wasn't time because they were closing soon. She convinced me that if I did need another copy I could easily obtain it myself.

She assured me that without a doubt it wasn't needed and just as she was wrong about me needing an updated address on my residence card she was also wrong about this but I wasn't surprised just angry because I knew I was right. Of course they didn't apologize either!

I have mixed feelings towards this situation as this was an example of them going above and beyond what was expected in regards to customer service. She went out of her way to pick me up and take me to immigration using her own family car and even did all of the paperwork for me once we arrived.
They offered to and tried to help me set up a bank account and even volunteered to take me to get my personal stamp (my boyfriend was able to help me with that though).
However she also complicated my work once she was gone and had received her pocket money from me or the licensed agency that they go through (Gaijin Apartment Helper is a middle man company and not licensed).

I don't expect for them to be god's or wizards who know everything about everything BUT I absolutely hate it when people tell you incorrect information with confidence. If you don't know just ask or simply say "I don't know" or "I am not sure". They clearly were being lazy and wanted to take the easy way out of this. This costed me time and more money and it made me VERY pissed off. She somehow worked some kind of magic when she went to the office. The pulled up my jyuniho electronically within just about 30 minutes before closing time!

Once I had moved and was ready to update my residence card my boyfriend who is Japanese came with me and was told that I needed to write a letter (fill out this simple application) and mail it to Shibuya's ward office and request it manually. This took almost a week and he was unavailable to go to the office with me the second time around(he was moving, graduating, and going on a business trip) so I had to put my big girl pants on and do all of the hard work myself.
I was extremely angry at them to say the least.

My keys arrived later than expected by mail at the post office. When I arrived I had a ratchet cashier at the post office who almost got cursed out as I had pneumonia and couldn't breathe and had been homeless all day as I had to check out of the hostel I stayed at. It was very cold and I had about 4 bags to carry which made it even harder for me to breathe and walk. I went to the wrong post office initially in the opposite direction and it was cold. I walked about 10 miles with mycoplasma pneumonia!
I called them and complained that the woman was saying something that I couldn't understand and refused to give me my package that had my new house key. They insisted that my package hadn't arrived yet and that this was why. I argued with the real estate people that my Japanese boyfriend called them over an hour ago and asked about my package and they told him it had arrived which is why I left from the mall I had been staying at. Otherwise I wouldn't have been walking around looking for the post office.

Again the real estate people insisted that Japan Post said they'd notify them by phone once it arrived at the post office because they asked to be notified by phone upon its arrival.

I didn't care about them being wrong all I wanted was for them to figure out why I couldn't get my package (I will make a video about this later). 

I tried using Google Translate to communicate. I showed the cashier my residence card and passport as I wasn't sure if the envelope wasn't being given to me because my ID had a Shibuya, Tokyo address and the package was addressed to my boyfriend's Kyoto Address. I tried everything that I could and she was clearly enjoying embarrassing me in front of everyone.
Between being really sick (the sickest I've ever been) and having my apartment keys held hostage (I could literally see my package in her hands in the back and could even see my name on it but she wouldn't hand it to me!

Long story short I was eventually given my package and the lady had the nerve to hand me a brochure about Japanese classes and life in Kyoto .I looked at her in disgust. I didn't thank her. I left all of the 5 plus useless pamphlets on the counter and I sadly left out as a stereotypical "angry black woman". I never yelled or cursed at her as much as I wanted to because my mother raised me better than that but boy was it hard. Now I almost laugh looking back on this but it was by far the worst customer service experience I have had here in Japan.

4.) Strictly Business

Despite the fact that I helped them by getting tracking on my envelopes so that they could run back and tell the licensed company that does all of the legal and good stuff, they were;t willing to provide any further assistance to me after I moved in despite their claims that they could or would.
I misunderstood the 2 months free rent policy which this is questionably not really 2 months free rent.
I missed a payment so they didn't hesitate to contact me to let me know that they were told I hadn't paid my rent BUT when I asked for the exact date in which rent is due they basically told me to figure it out and find it somewhere i the 50 papers I signed. Understandable. It is my apartment and my responsibility BUT I didn't have to get tracking or tell you the tracking numbers for my paperwork. I also didn't have to go through this agency and help them put food on the table or gas in their car by giving them my money as a customer. It was a simple question and the made no attempt to help answer it.
I found this to be rude.

5.) Bait & Switch Memory Loss

In my initial email I specifically asked it they had apartments available in Kyoto. I was told that they didn't have much to offer but that they did have a small selection. I was asked to arrange a phone call. I did. Over the phone they asked what station I'd like to be near and they told me that they had nothing at that station but they told me that they could easily find me an apartment in Kyoto since I said anywhere in Kyoto even the countryside would be fine.
Upon contacting them again they acted as though they had no idea what I was talking about and instead that they only had places available in Osaka and Tokyo. There website doesn't list any Kyoto apartment which is why I asked in the first place as I know not everything available is necessarily listed on their website as their site even says.
Since I was desperate and the pricing was low I went ahead and decide to pursue an Osaka apartment as long as I could easily commute back to Kyoto. I have no regrets.

5.) It's Not REALLY 2 Months Free

Despite the fact that it says all of their apartments are 2 months free it's a lie. You pay for the first months rent plus a small fee of about $200-$300. Basically unlike most Japanese apartments you don't pay the previous month's rent ad there's no key money or deposit to be made. So you are basically just paying a few hundred more than the cost of the first months rent. It's still a great deal! Even in America I can't think if anywhere even in the poorest most dangerous neighborhoods where I could move in for anything less than $1,000. However it's still false advertising but every company in Japan does that. You'll pay rent at the end of the first month just as you would anywhere else. If you think about it you still ultimately saved a ton of money as most places cost about $3,000-$6,000 to move into (if it's a nice apartment on par with an American home).

Overall 

The good thing is that they told me the truth about me being able to move in and that I wasn't scammed. They are good and nice people.I got my keys and made the 2 hour trip to Osaka, Japan.I am now living in my very own and first mini Japanese apartment. My rent is cheap there's no gas. The water bill is included in the rent and my electric bill is only $4-$5 a month and $15 if I use the A/C. The apartment isn't nice but I knew this before I moved in. It's a place to live and it gives me privacy and a personal and permanent address here in Japan. I can easily commute to Kyoto, Kobe, and anywhere within Osaka from here. I live fairly close to Umeda Station. I have a nice mall, 3 pharmacies, two hospitals, Mc Donald's, Osaka Subway, Coco's Curry, TSUTAYA, Mister Donut and countless hair salons, convenience stores, grocery stores and bars all less than 10-15 minutes walking distance.I am in a more convenient location here than I ever was in comparison to Nerima and Shibuya.

If you are looking for a new home in Tokyo or Osaka I would highly recommend this company! I wish I had known about them back when I was in Tokyo. I honestly probably wouldn't have moved here in the first place!
Thank you so much for reading my review!
So have you used this agency? What were you experiences? Please share in the comments below.

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PROQUALITE Japanese Hair Relaxer /Permanent Straightener English Review

プロカリテロング

If you've lived in Japan for a full year or at least if you have endured the summer here then you know just how humid, hot and unbearable the tropical island weather its here. As a girl with super curly hair my hair is very prone to frizz, flyaway, and puffiness if I try to wear any hairstyle that isn't curly.
I spend hours blowdrying, flat ironing, combing, and moisturizing my hair with expensive oils in an attempt to tame my mane and keep all of my curls straight.
Recently I began walking slowly and moving my bangs from my face and tying my hair up into a ponytail to cut back on the frizz from my sweat. Yes this dead help out a lot but my hair wouldn't stay straight. Even after styling hair it would still have too much volume (a strange amount of thickness of you will) before I'd even leave out the house for work. I accepted the fact that the only time I could have straight hair was during the winter time.

My Natural Hair

I struggled with getting my curly hair straight in America too but usually if I just waited 3-7 days my hair would accumulate enough oils and become "dirty" enough were frizz and humidity had no affect on my strands. I finally had enough and began searching for a "PERM-anent" (get it) solution. My mother and half-sisters warned me of all of the dangers about using relaxers and so did my friends and even strangers. Every black person knows countless people with practically no hair, invisible edges, or at least some sort of horror story to tell about their use of relaxers i the past.
Ever since I was a child I envied my classmates who had relaxers. Once I went to school with all white people, this interest became even stronger. By the time I got to high school it was no longer because I wanted to look like or fit in with the crowd, but I simply agreed with the fact that straight hair made me look more attractive. It frames my face and fit my overall look better than curly hair did.
When I was 9 years old I joined a dance group at my church called "Kids Stuff". For my first performance my oldest half-sister offered to straighten my hair and put it into two long pigtails. My mom was opposed to the idea of this and protected my hair for almost 10 years but eventually caved in. I was instantly in love with how much longer my hair was. I was fascinated with how easy it was to style, manipulate and for the first time to run my fingers through my strands. At just 10 years old I began straightening and blowdrying my own hair religiously everyday. Sometimes I would do this multiple times a day. I know it wasn't healthy for my hair but I loved the way I looked with straight hair.
I tried to go natural but I didn't like the way it made me look. People are never satisfied with what they've got. As humans its natural to want whatever it is that we don't have.

Since I already spend hours a days styling my hair to make it straight or to curl it because I can't get it straight I decided to go against her advice once more and just get a relaxer, but not just any relaxer a relaxer that's not made for people like me and that's written in instructions that I honestly can't read.
I was very scared and I felt as though I were losing my hair virginity but I am glad that I took the plunge and went for it!

The Review

Proqualite does work! I am a black woman with super curly hair and I finished my hair in under 3 hours. If it worked for me it can definitely work for the Asian or European girl reading this as your hair is much easier to chemically straighten than mines.
This product was not intended for use on hair that is so far from being straight nor is it made for people with coarse or very thick hair (like me). It's a miracle and straightened my hair! I am now on day 2 as I am writing this and it didn't become stiff as some reviews said.

My boyfriend who is 100% Japanese and has naturally wavy hair told me that both and his sister attempted to use this product under the supervision of their cousin who is a hairstylist and it made both of their hair more curly instead straightening it! I myself a non-Japanese woman gave it a try and to my surprise it worked! I have nothing to compare this to so I can't say that it's better than perms in America but if you were to ask me I think its better to use a relaxer that is made for black women or curly hair styles (even if you're Asian/white with curly or wavy hair).
Being in Japan with limited options I settled for what I could find and I chose this brand as it claims to be "#1" and from food to beauty products everything else I've purchased here that has that label has yet to disappoint me (I recently got some scrumptious karaage seasoning that claims to be #1 and it mad the most delicious pork-chops the other day lol!).

NOTE: I believe the product didn't work for their hair because like most Japanese (Asian) people they wash their hair every time that they shower, thus they permed their hair after it had already been cleansed. This is NOT the right way to use a relaxer!

You should start with hair that is already dirty and preferably that has been straightened in advance and detangled. I recommend going 1-2 weeks without washing or using a dry shampoo (if you have very curly hair) or at the very least 3 days without having had a wash  (if you have slight wavy frizzy hair) before using PROQUALITE depending on your hair type.

Where Can I Buy It?

I had trouble finding this at local stores here in Osaka. I went to several pharmacies, the mall, konbini shops and even grocery stores with no luck of ANY straightening products. I decided to just buy it from Amazon Japan.
You can buy it from Amazon or at your local pharmacy if you live in Japan!

Buy PROQUALITE Now!

Here Is Their website!

PROQUALITE Official Website

How Much Does It Cost?

I paid ¥1136 for this so it costs about $11 USD from within Japan. If you are purchasing this online from America it is about $9.55-$10.00 USD. Buy PROQUALITE Now!

What's in The Box?

1. A white, thick plastic, double sided tail-comb
2. 3 packets of essence hair after treatment
3. 2 bottles of relaxer solution
4. 1 packet of relaxer solution
5. 1 pair of thin one-size first all plastic gloves
6. Instructions

My Honest Opinion

The product is amazing and I will definitely purchase it again! I highly recommend it and I am a very satisfied customer. straight hair without the frizz for less than ¥2000 is a steal! No salon is necessary. It's stainless and it really worked. I sweat a lot and easily and my hair always becomes frizzy and poofy in the morning but not today! It looks like I just styled my hair for hours. I have NEVER seen my hair this straight despite how many hours I spend styling it and how much money I have spent on products for it. I am sure American brands are better as they are made fro girls with my hair but for this to be Japan and aimed at women with such fine silky straight to slightly wavy hair it worked perfect on my strands and I think you should give it a try too!

Simplified English Instructions 

Step #1 Be Prepared

1. Start with dirty (at least 3 days-2 weeks since last washed), dry, preferably straightened hair.
2. Brush and comb out your hair and clip it into 4 sections or more to make it easier to apply the solution evenly.
3. If you have sensitive skin then consider applying vaseline or cocoa butter to your edges, the nape of your neck and behind your ears to avoid chemical burns.
4. Wear a protective T-shirt and wrap a towel around your neck to avoid getting chemicals on your skin.
5. Remove and wear the provided pair of plastic protective gloves from the box attached to the instructions,

Step #2 Lather 

Squeeze the cream solution from the teal bottle labeled #1 onto your hands and distribute the product evenly into each section of hair. Use the comb to help distribute the product and try to avoid getting it directly on your scalp for now. Wait for 5-15 minutes and then rinse the product out of your hair using warm water. Wring out your hair and lightly pat it dry

This is my hair after just using the 1st bottle of hair treatment. I have never seen my hair this straight after washing it!

Step #3 The Semi-Finale

Apply the white bottle labeled #2 to the entire length of your hair including your roots and ends using the provided comb to evenly distribute the product once more.  Wait for 5-15 minutes and then rinse the product out of your hair using warm water. Wring out your hair and lightly pat it dry.

Step #4 Finishing Touches

Using your hands apply the shiny packet labeled #3 to your hair. It's a bronze/golden-orange colored packet. It looks and feels like shampoo or soap and will appear a little sudsy or bubbly (your hands might feel a strange warmth but it doesn't burn). Be sure to focus on the ends of your hair with this solution! Wait 5 minutes and rinse out the solution with warm water and dry your hair completely!

Step #5 You're All Straight 

Blow-dry your hair and use a good flatiron to lock in your new straight, non-frizzy, humidity-resistant hairstyle. Once your hair is dry and straight apply the white pack labeled #4 throughout the length of your hair. It feels like (and possibly is) a leave in conditioner. You're done and free to sweat, run, and play in the sun! No more curls no more frizz!

Tips/Advice:

• DO NOT OVER BUY! One box is all that you will need even if your hair is very long! I have thick and long hair for a black girl and to the rest of the world I have very thick medium length hair. Because my hair is so curly, thick and coarse I always buy 2-3 times the recommended amount. When I dyed my hair sandy brown years ago I always purchased 3 boxes of hair dye as long as it was in stock. Trust me, you will have more than enough relaxer solution with just the one box! It is specifically made for Asian women with long hair (hence the name PROQUALITE Long). If you are white or Asian your hair may be long, but it probably isn't as thick or coarse as mines! My hair is short in comparison but mines isn't thin (like yours)! Even Asian hair that is classified as curly and thick doesn't require as much product as mines does Trust me, I have more and thicker strands than you. My strands just aren't as long in length haha. Thick and coarse hair generally requires more product than fine or long hair both of which aren't as thick or curly in comparison to my 3B/3C Hair. Buy more boxes at your own risk. The choice is ultimately yours! I personally had more product than needed and I pretty much forced myself to use the entirety of one box's contents in my hair (I purchased 2 boxes). 1 box is all you need regardless of how long your hair is unless it's past your waist, very thick, or coarse. It's better to be safe than sorry so go ahead and buy two if you're unsure.

• DO NOT PURCHASE PROQUALITE FOR SHORT HAIR ! This is intended for girls with  BOTH (keyword both) thin and short hair that is at the neck and for men. I personally tried this one and it wasn't enough. There's significantly less product in the tubes even although the price is the same. I ended up having to run out to the store with the product in my hair and bought two additional boxes just to be safe. Since the price is the same, I see no reason for anyone to purchase the version for short hair (cut down on plastic waste maybe?) but of course you're free to make that decision for yourself.

• IT DOES NOT COME WITH ENGLISH INSTRUCTIONS! There are no manufacturer official English instructions for this perm kit. It only comes with Japanese instructions. There's a lot of Chinese resellers that are lying and claiming that it does. I assume they must mean that they themselves will provide their own instructions (just as I did) for you. I live in Japan and purchased mines here so I can't recommend a seller for you (sorry).

• I recommend leaving the products on for longer that the 2-15 minutes that it suggests if you have very wavy or curly hair but especially if you have curly hair!  However I'm not responsible for your hair if it becomes damaged! I'm just giving advice and telling you what worked for me.

         Step 1 40 minutes
         Step 2 40 minutes
         Step 3 10 minutes
         Step 4  leave in moisturizer (no time DO NOT RINSE AFTER)
        After each step rinse hair with warm water

• Be sure to focus on your roots and the back of your hair of you're a curly girls as this is probably your biggest problem area! 

• My hair wasn't "bone straight" after washing and drying my hair with a towel or even after using the blowdryer. I noticed how straight my hair was after rinsing my hair after Step 1 and after Step 2 I knew it had worked! While my hair was damp it only had a slight wavy-curly pattern which I had never seen before on my own wet hair. I simply straightened my hair with my Chi flatiron after blowdrying it with my Revlon blowdryer. I instantly noticed how fast and smooth it because straight with minimum effort. I usually run heat over my hair several times and I hold the flatiron there. Again my hair is much stronger than most people's. I know it's really bad and dangerous so yeah, yeah, yeah, tomato, tomato!

• I personally didn't wash my hair before applying the solution. I applied step 1 to hair that had been straightened and curled with a flatiron from 2 days ago, slept on, and brushed out to avoid tangles.

• The product didn't burn my hands, neck, or face and more importantly it didn't burn off any of my hair. I felt no tingling sensation and I didn't lose wads of hair 

• I recommend wearing an old protective t-shirt and a towel around your neck and back to avoid unnecessary contact with the solutions that you are placing on your hair. This can also be used for drying your hair between the steps.

• I didn't use all of step 4. A little goes a long ways! Now that my hair is thinner thanks to the relaxer (not in a bad way it just looks more flat because of how bone straight it's become) I didn't need a lot of product to cover my strands. The box tell you to use the "Essence cream" over the course of about 3 days and you are given 3 packets.This 1 pack will probably last me a week at the rate that I am using it.

Update:
I am now on day 3 of my newly relaxed hair and it's still going strong! I actually used up the first #4 pack so maybe I can't get a week out of it but there is definitely enough product for 2 days if you have thick medium length hair.
I've been getting lots of compliments stares and head turns from both Japanese and foreigners alike. Just yesterday a man ran up to me at the train station telling me that I was so beautiful that he had to try to speak to me haha.
I personally think I look so much better with straight hair and most people seem to agree as well. The product is doing as it should. It is helping my hair avoid frizz and remain straight even when I sweat which I do A LOT.




Thank you so much for reading! I hope you found this review helpful. Please feel free to share any advice that you may have whether it be good or bad in the comments below. Let other readers know how PROQUALITE worked or didn't work for you and your hair :)

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The Not Sakura House Sendagaya 4-chome Kinda Slam Book (Why I HATE This Place And I am Moving Out)

This post is not a review of Sakura House. If you are looking for a review I will have a new post in the near future. This post is about what annoyed me here at Sakura House Sendagaya 4-chome.
So of course it's a petty over the top and dramatic rant because I am only focusing on the negative things for this post. I was going to take pictures of the annoyances faces and mention first names but that's a step too far. I'm not even THAT petty and shallow.

Anyway I stayed in the Basement floor of the B-Unit. It is technically an "all girls" (girls only) floor, but transgender men live her too... so theoretically it's still a mixed dorm.

I can imagine that the actual mixed floors in the building were much worse, noisier ( I can hear them at night), and dirtier.

I always considered myself to be patient. If people ask me to wait for them or to be understanding I am very quick to be a "yes man" and simply agree and reassure them that it is not a problem. Well after spending almost a year at Sakura House not to mention dealing with the difficult passive side of Japanese natives I have finally reached my limit with patience and have come to the conclusion that I am far from being consider as "patient" and not easily angered.... at least by the standards here.
I always hate that people will push your buttons provoke you, irritate you and insist that you take the bait they have set before you and then the moment you complain, you are mean, rude, impatient, and hate people blah blah blah.
Well now that this cold opening is out of the way we can get to why I had to leave Sakura House.
To be completely honest my main motivation to leave was simply to have privacy so I can walk around in my panties and cami with a messy bun without a care in the world, while taking random pictures, recording my cats, making blog posts, studying, and of course and MOST importantly to make new videos for YouTube!
So I will list my reasons for why I had to leave this gaijin complex very simply and then elaborate on them below.

As I will always continue to say Sakura House is truly a blessing to foreigners all over the world who would like to visit Japan. They offer affordable housing with very little required from you. You can quickly arrange your housing with them and the houses are in great locations, mostly in or near the downtown areas of major cities such as Tokyo.
I would have been lost and probably unable to stay in Japan if it weren't for this company. However I must admit that there are things that I found unbearable both on the companies behalf and on the behalf of my roommates.

The staff is usually very phony and friendly as all good customer service associates should be HOWEVER most of their office staff is not Japanese but Chinese, and some Europeans (as well as other Asians) that make up the entire team.  I've never had a problem with the Japanese staff which are stereotypically known for providing great service but occasionally the other staff can come off as not so friendly and in this case rude.

As I am typing this my rent is late and I had the absolute worse customer service experience EVER. I kept a calm tone of voice and this chick just went crazy on me. She continued to talk over me and was very disrespectful. I asked for her manager and as expected was given "the run around".
I felt as though I were being treated like a criminal. I will upload a video to YouTube later explaining what happened.

Anyway after temporarily solving my issue, I came to the conclusion that I need to stop delaying making this post and to simply finish it tonight ASAP.

Once again this rude staffer, Hwang is not my only reason for leaving she just pushed me to decide that this gaijin project didn't deserve my yen whether it be on time or late. I've been a tenant for almost a year and I've almost always had nothing but positive encounters with their staff but now I see that they don't play when it comes to getting their money, even if its just a few days late and you TELL them when you will pay and have accepted the fact that you must pay a late fee. I even had to sign a new lease basically saying I can't pay my rent late again even although it was an emergency situation and I was only a week late. I ALWAYS pay my rent to them. I have too much stuff to just get up and run back to America.
I mainly just wanted space and privacy. This was all I needed to quit being lazy and actively look for a new apartment.

99.9% of the people living here being adults ages 20 and over I can't blame Sakura House for their not so good and sloppy tenants but they are by far the most annoying thing in the world to deal with.

Personally I have never really had roommates in America, but I am aware of how bad they can be. I've stayed at 2 hostel rooms and I've been to summer camp about 5 or 6 times. I am well aware that everyone has their own pet peeves and quirks etc.. I am also aware that almost everyone knows about these horrendous bad, creepy, sloppy, stinky and annoying roommate stereotypes, but as always common sense just isn't that common anymore.

I think my floor was the calmest in the entire building because it was technically female only (I will explain this later in another post).


The House Is Disgusting 

Unless you move in or wake up on a Wednesday afternoon, the house is infested with germs, bacteria, long hairs everywhere, dishes filled in the sinks and on table tops, dirty surfaces and even chairs. Everyone points fingers and plays the "it wasn't me game" this forces everyone to decide "do we clean up behind them and they never learn their lesson or just wait until every dish and clean table space is covered in filth?"
Actually I question how clean the supplies is that they use since I swear nobody has replaced our house mop or toilet brushes since I arrived here almost a year ago!


The Tenants Are Even More Disgusting

There's no way to say this without seeming racist or referencing stereotypes but honestly I'm not in the mood for politically correct bullshit at the moment. Asians are stereotypically clean and germaphobes, (according to American culture at least) that is how they are portrayed. Even when I watch tv like NHK or read cultural books and articles on Asia it's commonly something clean, health related etc.. While I will say overall Japanese people fit this mold that cannot be said about the rest of Asia. Now keep in mind yes this is a small group of people. Not all of China or Malaysia blah blah blah I know I know but most of Sakura House's tenants are Asian because well this is Asia and Japan is very close to China. I will also add that the European men here are stereotypically ridiculously loud and rude at night. The Harajuku police have been called countless times because they are drunk and partying at 2-3AM! This is part of why most places don't rent to "foreigners.

The things that I find most bothersome are

1.) Look At Meh Big Toe!

There is a Chinese-Canadian girl clipping her nasty fucking toenails at the kitchen table at almost 3AM! She's putting the clippings on the chair beside her, massaging her nasty stank foot, and she has her toe up to her nose (seriously) and is catfishing guys on Steam.

2.) People put their nasty feet on everything but the floor.

Girls put their feet on the fridge, couch, kitchen chairs, coffee table  etc.. And when they aren't putting their feet on something or somewhere they don't belong, they are rubbing them and then touching everything afterwards. It's so gross! This is not your home and you were just walking on the floor. Wear house shoes or footies the floor is for feet people sheesh!

3.) Nobody washes their hands!

I have no idea how e-coli, food poisoning and death-by-bacteria lol is not more common in Asia. People seldom wash their hands. Not when they touch their feet, pick their noses, scratch, or even go to the bathroom!
The soap here isn't good to begin with, handsanitizer is also not common or even available at most public places. I was OCD and a bit of a germaphobe before I came here and thought because of the fairytales I read about and even the Asian news stations and programs that I watched that it would be so clean here. I will say that this is not just an Asian issue. White Europeans here seem to also not be on board to hand washing as about 70% of them in our house don't. My white American friend and I both joked about this. Since I am the only black girl on my floor the only statistic I have for you is that I am the mean stereotypical "black bitch" of Sakura House since I hardly speak to anyone. I've had 3 REAL friends since I moved here, my Chinese mom, Danish little sister, and my American son.

Japan is physically clean in appearance but when you think about the fact that the most basic step to being clean, cleansing one's hands is not common practice it makes me wonder if the lack of hand washing is the reason why people need so many wet napkins, towels, and boiling hot steam baths every evening to rid themselves of their filthy hands.

4.) People are so Inconsiderate, rude and dumb.

This bright ass light is coming from my roommates who isn't even at her desk but left this on for when she comes back it's 2AM!

The girls here aren't only dirty but they don't think about or care about anyone but themselves. If you have roommates and decide to be selfish you are asking for problems. When I first moved in here I had 2 Chinese roommates 1 from China 1 ethnically Chinesse but Malaysian (kinda like me being African-American but they don't use the hyphen thingy to my knowledge, that's off subject so anyway). The girl would stay up until 3-4AM leaving the main room light on. Even with my curtains (which do a pretty good job blocking out the light) it was still bothersome and made sleeping difficult most of the time. Also the annoying mouse clicks and typing on a keyboard when everyone is sleep after midnight is simply disrespectful. I am a student so I understand that you may have work to do but she was mostly just on Facebook and listening to random Asian covers of American songs which were mostly good (I must admit she had great taste in music too) but still you can easily go sit in the living room on the couch go to the kitchen table or even to McDonalds to use your laptop, phone etc.. and you can use as much light as you want!

 Everybody has an outlet with 2 charge ports and a desk area with 2 sockets to charge their devices. The kitchen has 3 and the living room has an extension cord which belonged on the wall where it was hooked (it was moved to the ironing board as it kept falling) but these 2 girls got the dumb idea to drag it on the floor across the room to charge their phones and computers SMH then they have the audacity to not even put it back where it belongs but instead stash it on the filthy floor. The ironing board is dirty enough now once it is placed back where it belongs it will be adding more filth. Thanks!
The European girls on my floor were often the loudest and had occasionally had men over to help them move stuff around as well as to party which would be fine if this where not a GIRLS ONLY floor and this was your private apartment. A warning at the very least would be nice so that we could all be presentable.

One of my current roommates stay up until about 3AM and then has her alarm set for about 7 or 8 AM to the highest volume and it wakes up everyone in the room EVERY morning (except for me usually because I am such a heavy sleeper).  Set the volume low and at the very least please at least turn off your alarm quickly. It takes here several minutes to actually turn it off and its very annoying and rude (when I am awake).


5.) I've had people move around my groceries to fit their own even after we got assigned shelves

There are 3 fridges and about 20ish women living on my floor at any given time. It is understandable that the fridges get full and we run out of space. However its still annoying when people move your belonging to make space for their own and of course this isn't to say without dropping your food on the floor with or without your knowledge, damaging your goods or misplacing to were you can't find them or aren't even sure if it's your food or drink! This is a petty complaint but it gets bothersome really fast.


6.) Nobody ever takes out the garbage!

Whenever the dumpster duty girls don't take out their trash a random housemate will bag it up and tie it the place  it by the ironing board and front door

Every week 2 girls are selected for dumpster duty. They are expected to collect the garbage from the bins that are full and placed them in the designated location. You would think having a dumpster partner would make tis easy right? You can just rotate days or something. Well no. Instead neither girl will take out the trash. The living room and kitchen gets filled with overflowing trash cans "new bags" that just got started lined up with more garbage and then when someone has finally had enough they will place the bags outside and as soon as it rains the girls on garbage duty will get the "bright" idea to drag wet and stinky trash throughout the kitchen and living room.
 Setting the trash outside may seem smart. Sure, we don't have to smell rotten sushi and naoto  BUT the heat and rain will enhance the funk once you get ready to take it out thus making the house stink even more. Plus you also risk forgetting that there is garbage outside in the first place.
I stopped talking to my former friend/roommate and we are always dumpster buddies I assume because she has top bunk and Sakura House wants to make it easy for themselves to schedule dumpster duty. Well since we don't talk I think she sometimes believes that I am a lazy hoe and don't take out the trash when it say turn and I do its just that I take out the trash when she isn't here to see me do it and it gets full so fast that by the time she notices it and seems like it was never done in the first place. I can't win. Sometimes I just tell her "I got it" so that she knows I will take out the garbage because it is my turn and I want to be fair.

7.) Obnoxious Phone Calls

Commonly (expectantly and understandably) girls will talk daily to their, friends, boyfriend etc. loud on their phones or even worse video chat on apps such as LINE and Skype. Its very annoying when you are trying to work or watch TV when theres 3 people talking in 7 different languages loudly over one another while you are trying to focus on whatever it is that you were doing. They seem to not have a care in the world or even notice that they are being rude and drowning out your program or breaking your concentration.
Video chats are even more annoying because most of the time its done in the kitchen and you have to walk through there constantly so you will be seen without a bra and makeup countless times without any warning or permission which I hate. This could easily be solved by lowering your voice and going to your own room to talk or even outside. Most of the girls who do this have single non-shared rooms! I can't understand why anyone would want to be in the living room or kitchen here if they didn't have to be. I only talk on the phone in the living room so I don't disrupt my roommates because I imagine me speaking loudly in English is like hearing tourists speak loudly in Chinese here.

8.) Why you do that?

The original Pet-peeve of mines is people leaving the microwave open instead of closing it once they are done warming up their food. Anything can get into the microwave if you leave it open like roaches, ant, debris, dirt etc.. Why would you do that?
People have a tendency to touch and unplug stuff that isn't theres. I was playing on my PlayStation in the living room as usual when my roommate that I can barely stand began rummage throw my CD's without asking for my permission. I've had my laptop unplugged before so someone could straighten their hair and she didn't even think to plug my shit back up once she was done! RUDE!
 Girls also leave toiletries and clothing on the sink and it sucks if you need the space they're occupying OR if you accidentally knock over the cup crowding the sink on the floor into the nearby trash or into the actual sink and get it dirty or wet. Now I feel obligated to "do the right thing" and clean it and put it back. Just why?
 However this quickly expanded into me questioning everything....

9.) Questionable Hygiene

Most people here don't wear deodorant and smell like tankage when they come home. They smell SOOO bad that even after they have showered the ENTIRE shower room wreaks of must that is soon strong not even air-freshner OR anti-bacterial spray gets rid of the funk. It lasts for days sometimes. It is so unbearable and cultural most of the people here don't wear deodorant so they are immune to their own funk.

I understand that it's convenient for you but why do these people was around barefoot when they get out the shower and track their nasty gaijin-paw prints everywhere?! Now the hallway floor is wet and soon become sticky because there is also hair, lint, and dirt on the floors so you're also tracking this into your bed. I just don't understand.


10.) You're Hot & Then You're Cold

The MOST annoying thing that has been consistently an issue here is that no-one can decide on what to do about the temperature.  The oldest resident on my floor is Malaysian yet she likes the cold even more than I do! She ALWAYS has the air on extremely low and cold temperature. She spent the entire year being sick. She is ALWAYS hacking, coughing, sneezing, and spitting up her lungs in the common sink like a chain smoker. I don't understand why she doesn't think that she is sick and simply stop blasting the AC.
The girls battle over the kitchen and living room's temp all the time. Some girls are used to hot whether and prefer to leave the AC off others turn off the AC and open the sliding doors, sometimes they stupidly open the doors and blast the AC which is pointless because now the air will escape out the doors. I can go on with the combinations of ignorance over the air.

I got really sick with strep throat back in April and because I didn't have health insurance and I don't speak Japanese fluently I was too chicken to go to the hospital so I self medicated at home. I was furious because I couldn't tell if I got sick from my nasty roommates germs spreading everywhere or from the AC being blasted over night and the doors being open in 50-60 degree weather. This ruined my Spring break. First world problem here but I've never been sick and treated myself naturally technically. I could only drink hot tea, hot water and eat a little ramen for about 2 weeks. I even lost weight but I felt horrible. It was so bad that I thought about going back to Chicago to get medical attention but I was too broke.

I always say I'd rather be cold than hot because I can always dress warmly I can wear layers and turn on the heat etc.. You can only remove so much clothing and even at homey can't remove your skin! Think about it...
There's a reason why Hell is supposed to be a punishment!



The Verdict

In conclusion the guests here and my roommates were overall EXTREMELY friendly. They were helpful to one another and greeted each other daily BUT roommates already suck and adding, cultural differences and language barriers just amplifies the bad parts of having a roommate ten fold.

It was an interesting experience and provided a new perspective on travel for me  but I have come to the conclusion that once I get my own apartment I most certainly will NOT ever have a roommate unless it is my boyfriend or husband. I can't deal with anyone else.

I learned to keep my mouth shut and make sacrifices to keep the peace. I finally passed the test. I learned to not be argumentative. I've spent almost an entire year without going off on anyone or complaining to any of my roommates. I tried to be an actual adult and solve issues with wise words and compromising.

This was a complaint post. Some of these things are universal I'm sure but others I have never dealt with in America.

The location and low cost is what makes people stay here. Sendagaya is a beautiful peaceful expensive residential neighborhood in Tokyo. Sakura House handles most of the expenses which also saves you money.
I have too many pet peeves and I am irritable and allergic to sever stupidity. This place just isn't for me.

I'm sure I missed some points here. If you happen to be staying at Sakura House or heck maybe your one of the annoying people I mentioned in my post feel free to bitch in the comments or add some other things you found to be annoying.

You can read my positive but neutral Sakura House Review (coming soon) to see all of the pro's and con's to living at Sakura House Sendagaya 4-chome. It's a mostly positive post. Use the search bar to find it.


Stay Tuned!

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