So you’re starting your study abroad life in Japan, and it’s time to find an apartment! When living overseas, your number one concern is, of course, money. It’s only natural to want to keep your monthly rent as low as possible.
That’s why the first idea many international students have is to “live with a friend and split the rent!”—in other words, room sharing. At first glance, it seems like a brilliant idea. The rent is cheaper, and you won’t be lonely. A perfect solution, right?
However, from our experience helping hundreds of students find their homes, we at willow want to sound a note of caution.
The truth is, we have seen far too many students who have lost money, time, and even their precious friendships because of a room share they started just to save on rent.
In this article, we’ll be honest about why room sharing often fails for international students, and why we strongly recommend choosing to live alone from the very beginning.
Reason 1: The “Lifestyle Habit” Wall is Higher Than You Think
Even if you think, “We’re close friends, it’ll be fine,” living together brings a whole new set of challenges. These differences can become a huge source of stress, especially for students from different cultures.
- Cleaning Frequency: Your idea of “clean enough” and your friend’s might be completely different.
- Noise Issues: How often friends come over, the volume of music, late-night phone calls.
- Sleep Schedules: You’re an early bird, but your friend is a night owl. A mismatch in daily rhythms can leave you feeling unrested.
At first, you might tolerate these small things, but as they happen every day, frustration builds and can start to crack your friendship.
Reason 2: The Inevitable “Money Rules” Conflict
Splitting rent and utilities seems simple, but daily life involves a constant stream of small, shared expenses.
- Who buys shared supplies like toilet paper and detergent? How do you split the cost?
- Your friend takes long showers… is a 50/50 split on the utility bill really fair?
- One person is a little late with their share of the rent…
This small sense of “unfairness” builds up, and money issues become the number one reason friendships fall apart.
Reason 3: The Unique “Contract Traps” in Japan
This is the biggest risk for international students. Japanese rental contracts have very strict rules regarding room sharing.
- Many Properties Forbid Room Sharing: To avoid trouble, many landlords simply refuse to rent to friends living together.
- If One Person Leaves, Both Might Have to Move Out: If your friend returns to their home country or moves out after an argument, it could be a breach of contract. This might force you to move out as well, forcing you to pay expensive initial fees all over again for a new apartment.
- Joint Liability: If your friend damages the room or fails to pay rent, you could be held responsible for the entire cost.
The benefit of cheaper rent is far too small when compared to these massive risks.
Conclusion: Willow Proposes a “Smarter Way to Live Alone”
We hear you thinking, “But living alone is too expensive…” And it’s true, paying the full rent by yourself is a significant expense.
However, when you consider the extra initial fees and mental stress of having to find a new apartment after a falling out, you’ll see how much smarter it is to start your life peacefully in an affordable apartment that fits your budget.
Our mission at willow is to support you by providing a stable foundation for your life in Japan: your home.
That’s why we don’t recommend risky room shares just to chase lower rent. Instead, we pour all our energy into finding affordable, good-quality, single-person apartments that international students can comfortably afford.
Tell us your budget. We will find a property that allows you to start your life in Japan with peace of mind—no risky bets required.
Success in your studies abroad begins with having a place you can truly call your own. Let’s get you off to the best possible start, together with willow!
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