Housing

  • Dormitory
  • Furnished Housing
  • Apartment
  • Other Housing Options
  • Guarantor Program



    • To find an apartment and actually moving in to it is a hard work, because you normally have to spend a quite amount of money as an initial cost in Japan.
    You'll even have to find a guarantor to rent an apartment in Japan, too. ( Guarantor Program)

     

    For those reasons, DiRECT advise you to stay at a dormitory or a furnished housing at least for a several months. This will make you get used to your life in Sendai.

    Dormitory

    Approx. 10,000 to 30,000 JPY/month (Utilities are NOT included)

     

    Tohoku University owns 6 to 7 dormitories for international students. Rent, types of rooms, facilities, and other conditions vary among each of them.

    All the students, are eligible to apply for the dorms; however, short-term exchange students from partner institutions around the world have a priority. Due to the increasing number of exchange students, it has been very competitive for regular (degree) students these years.
    It is wise for applicants to have an alternative plan.



    Dormitory Information

    Refer to the following chart for an overview and check each dorms for its details.
    Tohoku University Dorms for International Students [PDF/121KB] (as of June 10, 2014)
    (Also added the foundation year of each dormitory.)



    *Check the Map for locations of the dormitories, furnished housings , and campuses.





    Tohoku University Dormitories

     

    [Location MAP (except for 6. IH Higashi Sendai)]

     

     

    1. University House Sanjo I (UH Sanjo I)
      (ƒ†ƒjƒo[ƒVƒeƒBƒnƒEƒXŽOπ I ) [website by UHS ]

      2.
    2. University House Sanjo II (UH Sanjo II)
      3. (ƒ†ƒjƒo[ƒVƒeƒBƒnƒEƒXŽOπII)

    3. University House Katahira (UH Katahira)
      (ƒ†ƒjƒo[ƒVƒeƒBƒnƒEƒX•Π•½j

    4. International House Sanjo 1 (Int'l House Sanjo 1)
      (“Œ–k‘εŠw‘ΫŒπ—¬‰οŠΩ ŽOπ‘ζˆκ‰οŠΩ)

    5. International House Sanjo 2 (Int'l House Sanjo 2)
      ( “Œ–k‘εŠw‘ΫŒπ—¬‰οŠΩ ŽOπ‘ζ“ρ‰οŠΩ)

    6. International House Higashi Sendai(Int'l House Higashi Sendai)
      ( “Œ–k‘εŠw‘ΫŒπ—¬‰οŠΩ “Œε‘δ‰οŠΩ)



      [NOTE]
    • Single students are not eligible to apply for a Couple or a Family type room.
    • Applying for a Couple/Family type rooms will require you to submit scanned certificate
      of your marriage and birth certificates of your child(ren).


    Dormitory Application

    Application for the dormitories will be done by DiRECT on behalf of you.
    For that, download the form and check the deadline here.

    Those who got the dormitory admission
    The move-in day to the dorms (except for 6) above will be on or after October 1.
    You will need to stay at a temporary accommodation after your arrival in Sendai before the move-in date.
    DiRECT will make a hotel reservation upon your request.
    (See Support Service >Hotel Reservation )

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    Furnished Housing

    Approx. 40,000 to 50,000 JPY/month (Utilities included)


    Furnished housing has personal rooms and furnished common spaces.
    These are either a shared house (usually called "guest house" style) or a dormitory like system.

    DiRECT recommends it for those who:
    (i) prefer private housing
    (ii) cannot wait for the dormitory result to be released around the end of August
    (iii) did not get admitted to the dormitory



    How to Reserve a Room

    DiRECT can help you reserve a room (or you can ask your lab member or a friend in Sendai).

    Let DiRECT know the room information such as:
    • name and contact information of the real estate agency
    • URL or copy of website where you found the room informaion (if not A, B, or C below)
    • approximate date of your move-in
    • how long you'd like to stay there (how many months)


    DiRECT's Recommendation

    Refer to the chart below for overview and check the websites of each housing for details.
    Furnished Housings around Campus [PDF/83KB] (as of May 2014)

    *Check the Map for locations of the furnished housings, and campuses.


    1. Urban Castle Kawauchi
      (UC Kawauchi; ƒA[ƒoƒ“ƒLƒƒƒXƒe[ƒ‹μ“ΰ) [Website]
      Open to international students, foreign reserchers and some students from Tohoku University. You can even make a reservation online from the website!

    2. Sendai Guest House
      (ε‘δƒQƒXƒgƒnƒEƒX) [Website] [Blog]
      Guarantor NOT required in case of international student of Tohoku University.

    3. Sendai Kitayama Sharehouse
      (ε‘δ–kŽRƒVƒFƒAƒnƒEƒXj] [Website]

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    Apartment

    Approx. 30,000 to 70,000 JPY or more per month (Utilities NOT included)


    Most international regular (degree) students tend to live in an apartment, but it is tough for newly-arrived international students to rent a room as a lessee. It usually requires about 3 to 6 times of the monthly rent as the initial cost including deposit, handling fee, housing insurance premium, and so on. In addition, note that there is nothing in a room when you move in. Rooms are not furnished in Japan. Expect additional costs to buy necessary items.

    DiRECT does not recomend you move in before you check the room with your own eyes.



    [NOTE]
    • Apartment information can be found easily on the internet, but usually not available in English.
    • You may be required to have a guarantor (•ΫΨl) who has a sufficient amount of income in Japan. Using Tohoku University Guarantor Program, the University can be your guarantor.
    • The contract will usually made to stay there for 1 or 2 years, or 6 months at least. In general, it is not so welcome to move-out in less than 6 months.


    How to Reserve a Room

    DiRECT can help you reserve a room (or you ask your lab member or friend in Sendai).
    Let DiRECT know the room information such as:
    • name and contact information (if possibble) of the real estate agency
    • name of the apartment
    • URL or copy of website where you found the room informaion
    • approximate date of your move-in (if earlier than the end of September)
    Or, DiRECT may be able to show you some other options if you let us know how much you can afford for theinitial cost & rent and which part of the city you want to live.


    What you may need to buy before move-in
    • bedclothes (pillow, mattress, comforter, sheets, etc.)
    • furniture (bed, rack, table, etc.)
    • curtains & lightings
    • electric appliances (fridge, washing machine, TV, microwave, etc.)
    • cookwares (pans, knives, silverwares, dishes, glasses, etc.)
    • housewares (trash boxes, bath towels, toilet paper, etc.)


    Popular Area among International Students

    North of Aobayama Campus:
    Kawauchi Kameoka (μ“ΰ‹T‰ͺ), Kawauchi Sanjunin-machi (μ“ΰŽO\l’¬), Hachiman(Eͺ”¦), Tsunogoro (ŠpŒά˜Y), Kunimi (‘Œ©), Sanjo-machi (ŽOπ’¬),

    South of Aobayama Campus:
    Yagiyama (”ͺ–ΨŽR), Mukaiyama (ŒόŽR)


    Useful Website for Serch



    References



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    Other Options

    Public Housing

    Approx. 5,000 to 60,000 JPY//month (Utilities NOT included)

    Miyagi prefecture and Sendai city offer public housings (public apartments) with reasonable rent to those who live with their family members. However, it is always in high demand, and the residence is determined by lottery. Applicants don't get a room unless they get lucky.


    Room-sharing

    It is not really popular in Japan and thus it may be difficult to find a roommate. DiRECT does not have or offer any information on room-sharing. If you have any international students currently studying at Tohoku University, try and ask them for any information.


    Homestay

    This will NOT be an option for those who are looking for a place to live. Few homestay programs are offered in Sendai, but they are short-stay programs focused on cultural exchanges.

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    Guarantor Program

    Tohoku University has a special house renting guarantor system for International students. Tohoku University Housing Rent Joint Guarantor Program (“Œ–k‘εŠw—―ŠwΆZ‘ξ•ΫΨ§“x; hereafter referred as "Guarantor Program") will enable Tohoku University to be a guarantor of the apartment lease contract the International students make. Just know that you'll need to buy the Renter's Insurance of 4,000 yen for one year, and 8,000 yen for two years, depending on the length of the contract.


    [Note]

    - Those who apply will need to take an interview at the Global Learning Center on Kawauchi Campus.

    - The contract document must be made on the designated format of the University.


    Renter's Insurance

    The Comprehensive Renter's Insurance for Foreign Students Studying in Japan (—―ŠwΆ‘‡Z‘ξ•βž; hereafter referred as "Renter's Insurance") is the insurance specially designed for International students who needs to rent a room but doesn't have a guarantor in Japan.



    Brochure

    English / Japanese / Chinese / Korean [PDF / 8p / 880KB]

    Introduction Moive

    English / Japanese / Chinese / Korean *Flash Payler required

    [NOTE] Real estate agencies usually offer their own insurance plan to lessees. Most International students can be waived from it if they have the Renter's Insurance.

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    Locations of Dorms & Furnished Housings



    View University Dormitories 2014 in a larger map


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