The student village is Yamasa's newest accommodation facility. Currently there are a total of 50 rooms (30 single, 20 shared) with two large lounge areas, spacious kitchens, coin laundries and an open air terrace. There is 24 hour internet access and there are telephones in every room. There is wheelchair access throughout the complex and 2 staircases and an elevator linking the 3 floors.

The village was custom designed by Yamasa for international students. In particular, it was designed with special attention to the needs of short term students (3 months or less). Usually students staying for only 1 or 2 months experience some extra costs if they stay in the studio apartments because of the need to buy some cooking equipment, cellular telephones etc. In the village this problem is solved by the provision of excellent facilities. Students cooperate to keep the common use areas clean and there is a resident manager to supervise the tidiness and cleanliness of the student village. Although the village was designed for short term students, any student is able to stay here. Also please note that it is easy to include the village as an option between homestays and other housing options.

Location: The distance from the village to the campus is about 12 minutes walk, by bicycle only about 6 minutes. As well as being close to the campus, the village is also close to shops, restaurants and supermarkets. There is a 24 hour convenience store next door, the nearest bus stop is only 80 meters away. Click here for location map (79240 bytes)

Village Surrounds: Outside the building there is a mini basketball court (the hoop is at championship height) and garden. There is a shelter for bicycles located outside the main entrance. Free car parking is available, this is an extra advantage if you decide to rent a car for travel. (In Japan car parking charges are usually fairly expensive).

Description:

Study bedrooms

Click here for photos of an empty Single Room, and an empty Shared Room to view basic setup.

The study/bedrooms are on the 2nd and 3rd floors. All rooms are western style with no tatami matting. The floors are of polished wood. All doors have an individual lock. All rooms have windows for natural lighting, airconditioning/heating, large wardrobes, telephones (ISDN enabled) and they have very high ceilings and doors - the village is one of the few residential buildings in Japan where tall people do not need to be careful whenever entering a room.

Every student is provided with a large wardrobe, bookshelf, a lockable desk with gas lift chair, reading lamp, and a jack for internet access (24 hours). All rooms are provided with a TV antenna plug (private TV's need to be purchased or rented, cable TV is provided in the lounges). Beds are provided but not mattresses or futons (see below). In the shared rooms there are two bunk beds - one elevated, one low (split level bunk style). This means that if you need to rent a "shared" room as a single, the second bed will not be in your way. It also means that if you do share a room, you will have more personal space around your desks.

Toilets/Bathrooms The washroom and shower facilities are located at the end of each corridor. The facilities are segregated with the women using the 3rd floor facilities while the men use those on the 2nd floor. There are 5 toilets (western style) and wash basins on each floor. All of the doors are solid wood and extend from the top of the door frame right to the floor for greater privacy. On each floor there is one toilet designed for wheelchair users.

Shower Rooms There are 6 showers on each floor (including one on each floor for wheelchair use). Each shower room is private, there are no shared showers. Each shower room has a private changing room with solid wooden doors extending from the top of the door frame right to the floor for greater privacy. The outer door has a secure lock (it can only be opened from inside the shower room) so that your valuables can be protected. There is an additional door (not a curtain) separating the shower from the changing room so that your clothing, towel and other personal items remain dry. The showers are not coin-operated, there is NO TIME LIMIT on the length of a shower or any restrictions as to when these facilities can be used.

Kitchen and Lounge areas On the ground floor there are two large fully equipped kitchens. Gas ranges, stoves, oven microwaves, rice cookers, toasters and everything required is supplied by Yamasa. In the two adjoining lounges there is a large amount of dining space, along with a piano, cable television, and internet access for students who don't have their own laptop computers. Outside the lounge there is an extended covered terrace. The terrace is sheltered and students often use the terrace to relax, have a drink etc. In the summer, barbecue facilities are also available.

Coin laundry facilities: On the ground floor there are 2 coin laundries on site (at lower prices than most of the local commercial laundromats); so that students can save more money. There are currently 5 washing machines and 5 dryers in total. These may be used at any time of day or night.

Telephone and Internet: Each room has a telephone (Your room number is your internal telephone line number. You can receive international and domestic calls directly and dial ISDN - most public telephones in Japan cannot dial international calls) Each student receives a personal smart card which they can then use on any of the telephones in the village. The telephones can also be used as an intercom from room to room or to the lounge, kitchen or entrances. Value can be stored on the cards using the recharging machine inside the lounge - you do not need to go to a convenience store.

Each room also has 1 or 2 jacks (10baseT outlets) to connect you directly into the LAN for free 24 hour untimed access to the Internet. The jacks and power access points are located next to the desks. Power supply is 100 Volts AC. To access the LAN you will need a LAN card which you can either bring with you or buy/rent from Yamasa. (For additional connectivity information please read through the "Internet Connectivity" file)

Futons: Futons are not provided, so for bedding please browse through the futons file.

Security: The village is located in a safe area, the grounds are well lit and there is a resident manager to take care of any emergencies. There is no curfew. All students have keys to the main entrance electronic locks. All internal doors are lockable. All desks for students are also lockable. The toilet doors and the doors to the individual changing rooms for each shower room are lockable and can only be open from the inside for further privacy.

Luggage: If you need to send luggage or freight in advance - please send it care of the Yamasa Institute. There is no charge for secure storage and we will ensure that your goods are placed into your study/bedroom the day of your arrival.

Advantages reported by students: