Have you ever thought about what it’s like to live in a social environment in Japan but are worried about your own language ability? Or maybe you are just curious about what kind of socialization happens at Social Apartment?

 

Well, look no further as we have been lucky enough to interview Josh, who lives at World Neighbors Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and started off knowing little Japanese when he first moved in! Not only is he willing to share his journey in improving his Japanese abilities, but he also has been kind enough to bring a few photos along of his adventures so far, giving you an exclusive inside look at life at Social Apartment!

---

 

-Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to talk about your experience living at Social Apartment! Would you be willing to please briefly introduce yourself?

 

Josh: Of course! My name is Josh Komala from San Francisco, California and I am Indonesian-American. I moved from America to Japan around a year ago as I wanted to experience life in a different country. I had previously visited Japan in 2019, and it was a lot of fun, so I thought why not try to live here and experience more than I could from just a vacation.

-When you decided to live in Japan, why did you choose to live in a Social Apartment rather than a regular apartment?

 

Josh: I was definitely debating whether to live in a co-living environment or a regular apartment, but at the end of the day, I didn’t know anyone in Tokyo and thought living in a Social Apartment would allow me to make friends and be part of a community. I also liked the fact that you have your own personal room so that you can socialize when you want but at the same time, have that private space for yourself.

 

-I definitely think that’s a common decision that many foreigners have to pick between when they first arrive in Japan. So, how much Japanese did you know before you came to Japan?

 

Josh: Right before coming to Japan, I studied very basic words and greetings so I could get by. Other than that, I couldn’t speak any Japanese and I was a little nervous before moving in. However, on my first night that I moved in, I built up the courage to go to the lounge. When I entered, there were people there hanging out with each other playing board games. Everyone was so kind and warmhearted as they invited me to join them. I was speaking to them mostly in English with bits of the simple Japanese phrases I studied, but no one minded the language barrier as everyone was so friendly. Some of the Japanese residents could speak English, but what motivated me the most to improve my own Japanese-speaking skills was seeing that many of the other foreigners could speak Japanese so well. 

 

-Living in a Japanese speaking environment for sure must exponentially improve one’s Japanese ability. How have you improved your Japanese skills to the point where you were at a conversational level after only 6 months of living in Japan?

 

Josh: Honestly, the best method for me to improve my speaking and listening skills was to just hang out with everyone and everything else would follow from there. What I mean by that is while you are spending time with everyone, you are constantly listening to Japanese and also speaking it, which allows you to actively practice while being able to enjoy everyone’s company.

 

Being able to participate in real face-to-face Japanese conversations allowed me to learn everyday Japanese phrases, which often differ from the stiff grammar you would learn from an ordinary textbook. In order to improve my vocabulary, I also have a dictionary app on my phone which quickly allows me to look up a word if I don’t understand it in a group conversation. This way, I am able to study new words without having to constantly stop the flow of the conversation to ask about the meaning.

-Thank you for being willing to share some of the photos that you and the other residents have taken together! Could you explain the backstory of this photo with you all in the Yukatas?

 

Josh: I would love to! It was hard to choose only a few from the many photos I have, but this photo with everyone is very special to me. The reason being is that I was invited to my first fireworks festival in Japan only a month after I moved into my Social Apartment. This was kind of the turning point in terms of me being able to finally start communicating in Japanese with everyone. 

 

During the whole festival, everyone was so willing to explain what was going on and explain their culture. If I didn’t understand what they were saying the first time around, they were so patient enough to try to use simple Japanese, which allowed me to grasp what they wanted to say. From that day on, I really felt a sense of community and belonging among everyone.

-How do residents living at Social Apartment communicate with each other and set up events?

 

Josh: We have a LINE group chat that the residents are in where people communicate with each other and let people know of events. For example, fairly often when someone comes back from a trip, they`ll post a picture of the omiyage (souvenirs) they brought back and let everyone know they are free to take one. People write in this LINE group in both English and Japanese so it’s been a great way for me to improve my Japanese reading. 

 

Also, we have different group chats for people who are interested in different hobbies such as saunas, video games, and going out and drinking. As you can see here, I discovered my love for saunas when I came to Japan and we often like to rent a car and go on day trips to experience different saunas all around.

 

-This photo looks very colorful! Were you doing yoga on the rooftop all together?

Josh: Close! It’s actually pilates!  There used to be a pilates instructor that lived here and this photo is of the time when she held a free class for us on the rooftop of our building. It was during the winter, but the sun was out and it was more tiring than we thought, so we were all dripping in sweat by the end of it! 

–Thank you so much for taking time out of your day today to share your Social Apartment experiences so far. Do you have any final words for people who are considering living in a Social Apartment or are hesitant to do so due to their language abilities?

 

Josh: I would say, just do it! Life is short, and you won’t get the opportunity to live in this type of environment when you get older. Whether you are a foreigner that can’t speak Japanese yet, or if you are Japanese and aren’t confident in your English abilities, living in a place like this will help you unlock so many new experiences. Together with some of the people who live here, I have been able to participate on road trips to many different places in Japan which would have been harder to plan with friends if I was living alone.

 

Of course, once again, everyone also has their own private room, ensuring a perfect balance between socializing when you want while also prioritizing your personal time when needed. I have not only just improved my Japanese during my stay here but I feel like I’ve personally become a much more confident person that I was when I first moved in. I`ll definitely never forget all the memories that I have experienced so far and am excited for all the new memories to come!