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Moving to Tokyo for Studies, Best Social Dorms for Exchange Students?
I'll be moving to Tokyo next year to work on my master's thesis with a research institute affiliated with the University of Tokyo. (Still not entirely sure if I'll be officially a UTo… Hello everyone!
I'll be moving to Tokyo next year to work on my master's thesis with a research institute affiliated with the University of Tokyo. (Still not entirely sure if I'll be officially a UTokyo student or just a visiting researcher, figuring that out!)
I'm looking for accommodation from February to June 2025. Ideally, I'd like to stay in a student dorm with lots of other exchange students. During my Erasmus, I found that exchange students are usually the most eager to hang out and build connections from the start, and I'd love to have that kind of vibe again in Tokyo.
Does anyone have recommendations for dorms that are social and international-friendly?
Thanks a ton in advance for your help!
If you're not locked into UTokyo housing yet, look into the Tokyo International Exchange Center (TIEC) in Shinjuku. It's run by the JASSO organization and is basically designed for exactly your situation - international students and researchers from all over. The common kitchen and lounge on each floor actually get used, and they run cultural events pretty regularly. It's about 25 minutes by train to Hongo campus, but you're right next to Shin-Okubo station which puts you in the middle of everything. The catch is you need to apply through your host institution, so check with your research institute if they can nominate you.
I'd actually suggest looking into the Oka House in Bunkyo, which is a private dorm that's been around forever and has a strong international crowd. It's not officially UTokyo housing but it's a 10-minute walk from the Hongo campus and most residents are exchange students or researchers doing short-term stays. The building itself is older and rooms are small even by Tokyo standards, but the rooftop terrace turns into a social hub on warm evenings and people are pretty open about knocking on doors to grab dinner. Rent runs around 80,000 yen a month including utilities, which is reasonable for that location.
The best social option that nobody's mentioned yet is the Shimokitazawa area if you can find housing there through the university system. There's a UTokyo-affiliated dorm called Mitaka International Lodge that's further west but Shinjuku station is only 15 minutes away and the social scene is actually better than Komaba because the smaller size means you get to know everyone quickly. The common rooms there have a real hangout culture with people cooking together and doing movie nights.
If you end up as a visiting researcher rather than a student, check if your institute has arrangements with the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center near Yoyogi. It's not technically a dorm but they have short-term researcher housing that puts you right next to the park and you'll be surrounded by other international academics who are also trying to figure out Tokyo for the first time. The rooms are basic hotel-style but the cafeteria becomes a meeting spot in the evenings.
For February start dates specifically, start emailing housing offices in early December. Japanese academic housing operates on a different timeline than what you might expect from Europe and the good spots get claimed by November for the spring intake.
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Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.