Living guide
- 戸谷浩隆
- Apr 8, 2021
- 7 min read
Updated: Sep 28
Well Yokodai is more than just a place to live.
It is a communal living space, run by and for housemates. You are not required to abide by any strict rules; rather, you are encouraged to contribute in whatever way you think is best for you. The house offers many things to make your stay comfortable and exciting, including gift-economy donated food and goods (there is usually leftover food on the kitchen table). For instance, one housemate might cook extra soup and leave leftovers for other housemates to enjoy. There are more donated goods in the pantry, such as teas, flour and baking goods. Other goods can be bought from the small house shop, for instance rice, beer, stationary or toiletries. The small house shop is self-service; money goes into a jar with a housemate's name written on it.
There are also activities on weekends: parties and workshops. These activities bring housemates together and let the house share in a communal spirit. Participating is a great way to enrich your experiences in Japan.
Value, Rule, Price and Living guide
We value: ・Diversity (respect each other for who they are) ・Freedom (free of obligation or constraint) ・Trust (no hostility or confrontation) However, we are not bound by these words either, and together we will try to explore the original way of being for people (homo sapiens) and value it. We feel that is the principle of permaculture that we value.
Our Simple Rule: We maintain a chemical-free farm as a general rule. Well Yokodai is a smoking-free buidling. Use of fire is strictly prohibited in bedrooms except for insence. Please refrain from everyday cooking in the bedroom (except for water kettle). We ask everyone (including man) to sit on toilet when urinating to keep it clean. Please separate recyclable from non-recyclable trash and put it in the space under the exterior staircase. Please ask the owner when using shared equipments/supplies. Rent is due at the end of the month. We ask that you submit the move out notice, 40 days prior to the move-out day that the tenant posts on the Facebook page. The tenancy agreement is renewed twice a year, the end of March and September. Guidance
We have these basic rules that have existed since the opening of the share house, but by not trying to solve problems with "everyone's rules" we keep the rules simple.
Please check more detail and price (english automatic translation).
Please check here (orginal Japanese Docs).
※please also check next version's draft from here (review and comment if you find problem).
Application form
Emergency contact form
Well Room Exit/Movement Checklist
Guest invitation guide
Paid equipment / operating cost usage form
Please write in the dryer notes or contact us on Facebook.
Facebook group
Facebook group for residents and resident OBs
Facebook group of towns hosted at Well Yokodai (transition town yokodai)
Well Yokodai official SNS page
Official Instagram page
Official Facebook Page
Instructions for living tools and equipment(β)
Please check here (english automatic translation)
Please check here (orginal Japanese Docs)
Can I do remote work in the lounge?
Remote work in the lounge can make it difficult for others to play music or have conversations freely. This is even more the case with remote meetings.
For this reason, remote work is only allowed with prior consultation, and only if there are special circumstances. Relaxation time in the lounge always takes priority. Remote work may be done in between, when no one else is around or when it does not conflict with other activities.
Although it is a paid option, some residents—such as those sharing one room with another person—do remote work in the lounge with care and consideration for others.
Use of TV and Media in the Lounge
Please record the content and your room number in the notebook before watching TV.
The lounge media is intended to nurture connections within the house. Therefore, highly addictive or gossip-oriented media (commercial TV channels, manga, newspapers, news programs, gossip magazines, video games, or one-sided opinions) should be used in moderation.
TV may only be used in the lounge when you first ask those present in the lounge and kitchen, and no one objects. It should be for multi-household use, not just for one family. Please also consult parents before and after using shared media when children are present. Some sharehouses do not place a TV in the lounge at all. Depending on the situation, usage time or content may be restricted.
Fees: Terrestrial TV / Anime / TV Games etc. – 200 yen per hour (when used in common areas; HDMI-connected viewing also included).
“Terrestrial programs” also includes streamed distribution (e.g., Netflix). HDMI cable use should be treated as an event. HDMI connections (including the lounge Mac) are also subject. Personal PCs or smartphones without earphones are also subject. Always announce your intention in the lounge/kitchen beforehand, and use only if no one objects (remote workers are excluded from the consent rule). The purpose is to prevent one-household viewing for private interests and to avoid stimulating or advertising-heavy programs, since TV has a large influence on the atmosphere. Filtering for porn or phishing sites is introduced as far as possible, and the rating is set at 15+ or lower. Earphones should be used at a volume audible to yourself but not disturbing to others.
Guidelines on Media, Games, and Community Use
Each person should consider the impact of games, anime, violence, highly addictive media, and gossip on children — and, through that, also reflect on their impact on adults. Games and anime are also created with the makers’ hopes for positive use. It is wasteful to think “because they are children, it is allowed” or “because they are children, they must be protected.” If we think instead, “if children are allowed, perhaps adults may also be,” there is much to learn.
As stated in the house rules, closed activities only among close friends are not allowed. This is to prevent division and carelessness that could undermine the community. Please also keep this in mind in casual conversations. Events such as lectures, where passersby cannot easily join in, should be held in private rooms or the garden. Music, movie viewing, candle nights, etc., are welcome.
When using earphones or headphones, keep them at a level where you can still hear people’s voices. Do not use the TV only for yourself. Always announce beforehand in the lounge/kitchen and use it only if there is no objection (except remote workers). Please stop if requested during an online meeting. Because of its influence, viewing of games, anime, or violent movies should be consulted with parents when children are in the common space. Online meetings are the same (especially those with tension). In all cases, reflect on whether the use truly supports physical and mental well-being, and if there are people with differing views, talk together before using.
Gomi Guide: Well Yokodai’s guide to proper garbage disposal
Dealing with garbage is our collective responsibility, and it is important to dispose of things properly. Garbage must be separated according to type of material and put out for collection only on the day designated for that category. Lately, there have been a lot of instances of improperly mixed garbage. At worst, this could result in our garbage not being picked up, causing the outside garbage collection area would become a mess, which would engender criticism from our neighbors and risk the continuance of our share house.
Below is a list of the different types of garbage. Please use your own bags and separate your garbage by type (see the guide below), and then place outside in the collection area under the stairs. In the collection area, put metal/glass/PET on the left, burnable items in the middle, and recyclable plastics on the right.
Garbage Categories:
Burnable Trash (A) Small paper items, tissue paper, very dirty plastics (food containers, etc.)
Burnable Trash (B) Perishable items, like food waste
Recyclable Plastics Plastic trays from meat, fish, etc.; shampoo and detergent bottles, plastic bags, etc. Trays, bottles, etc. should be given a quick rinse – no dirty items, please. Not all plastics are recyclable. Things like clear files, plastic basins and toys, etc., should go into burnable trash.
Cans, Glass, and PET bottles This includes things like metal bins from senbei and cookies, but not aerosol spray cans. Everything needs to be rinsed clean. Only PET-type plastic bottles may go here – all other plastic bottles must go with general, recyclable plastics. Please put the following types of garbage by the back door of the kitchen.
Small metal items. This includes things like screws, the cutters from plastic wrap, etc.
Light bulbs
Batteries
Broken items (glass, pottery)
Lighters
Things to pay particular attention to:
A. Don’t mix cans, glass and PET bottles with other types of trash. B. Please rinse plastic trays (from meat, fish, etc.) and put with recyclable plastics. Lately, these have mostly been going into the burnable trash by mistake. C. Aerosol spray cans and lighters may not in any case be put with any other type of trash.
The trash from under the stairs is put out on the collection day for each type of trash. Azusa, Asako, and Lisa voluntarily put the trash out, and if it has not been properly separated, they have to open up the bags and retrieve the wayward items and deal with re-sorting.
You may put your used (and rinsed) PET bottles in the cans in the kitchen, but please DO NOT put them in the bin behind the vending machine in the front yard.
There are 3 sizes of trash bags for use in the kitchen: 30 liters, 45 liters and 70 liters, and the cans are marked according to which size is correct for that particular can. When cans are full, please take out the full bag and replace it with a new bag, which you can find to the left of the big sink. If we all do our part and keep things clean and properly sorted from the beginning, the burden for everyone will be much lighter.