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Event

Four Days at the Global Frontier — U Share Harvard & MIT Boston Tour 2026

U Share ran a special academic tour of Harvard University and MIT — visiting HBS, GSD, HKS and the MIT Media Lab, and opening conversations with students, entrepreneurs, and education leaders from around the world.

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Interview

Meet Our Resident Assistants: Why They Chose to Support the U Share Community

Resident Assistants play a key role in making U Share a welcoming community. We asked three current RAs — Miku, Maie, and Sarah — what inspired them to take on the role.

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Why I Became a U Share Resident Assistant — Nico

'It feels like I've been here longer than I actually have.' New RA Nico on the moment a residence starts to feel like home — and the community-building experience that led to the role.

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Column

What Does Student Life in Tokyo Really Cost per Month? Rent Averages and the All-Inclusive Way to Compare

Japanese students living away from home pay about JPY 55,000/mo in rent on average, with total living costs around JPY 138,000. Here is what rent listings leave out — and how to compare housing all-inclusive.

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Waseda Share House, Dorm or Apartment? 4 Types Compared

Looking for a share house near Waseda — or a dorm, or your own apartment? We compare the four housing types international students actually choose between, on upfront cost, furnishing, language support, community, and ease of signing.

Interview

Turning Differences into Strength: How a U Share Resident and His Multinational Team Won TIBC 2026

Two months after moving into U Share, Yuxuan Liu won first place at the international business competition TIBC 2026, together with two teammates from the United States and Thailand he met for the first time on competition day. He looks back on the international experience and the everyday life at U Share behind that win.

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Dormitory for International Students in Tokyo: 3 Options

A dormitory for international students in Tokyo comes in three forms. Who can apply to each, why a place is not guaranteed, and what students actually pay.

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Didn't Get a Waseda Dorm? Housing Options near Campus

Waseda's own dormitories recruit incoming first-years and cap how long you can stay, and rooms for exchange students are allocated by lottery. If you were not eligible, missed the lottery, or your term is ending, here is what to do next.

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Student Share House Tokyo: Costs and Contracts Explained

How a student share house in Tokyo really works: rent plus kyoekihi, move-in fees, the guarantor company, and what to ask before you sign.

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Apartments near Waseda University: Rents, Stations and Costs

Apartments near Waseda University: real rent medians for four stations, how to pick the one that fits, and what upfront and monthly costs look like.

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Dorm vs Living Alone in Tokyo: Which Is Cheaper?

Rent alone does not answer the question. Add upfront costs, utilities and length of stay, and compare the Waseda market against U Share's actual figures.

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Why I Became a U Share Resident Assistant — Ruby

'If this is the environment I hope to live in, why not be part of creating it?' New RA Ruby on the small actions that shape a community — and what she hopes residents take away from their time here.

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Why I Became a U Share Resident Assistant — Momoka

Two years in an international dormitory taught Momoka how communities are built. Now a new RA at U Share, she shares her plans — from a summer Yukata Festival to a culture of supporting each other's dreams.

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The Unexpected Ways U Share Has Helped Me Grow

First time in a student dormitory after years of living independently — how a private room at WC2 and a community from around the world changed one resident's idea of what makes a place feel like home.

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The Joy and Connection Created Through U Share Events

From potluck gatherings to the Grand Welcome and a rooftop Sunset BBQ — a resident looks back on the events that turned neighbours into friends.

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The Role U Share Has Played in My Tokyo Experience

Moving to Tokyo for a year with no language, no friends, and no home lined up — a current resident writes about searching for belonging, not just four walls, and what three months at U Share have brought.

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Does an English-Speaking Student Residence Actually Improve Your English? — Living International in Tokyo

Simply living somewhere English-friendly will not improve your English on its own. What works is using it as a daily necessity. An honest look at what to check when choosing housing in Tokyo — for students who want their English to grow.

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Differences Between WC1 and WC2 | Which One Should You Choose?

Overview | Comparing WC1 and WC2 at a GlanceDifferences between WC1 and WC2 (Initial fees are separa...

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Universities One Train from Waseda, by Line

You do not have to live next to your campus. From the Waseda area, where the Tozai, Fukutoshin, Yamanote and Toden lines meet, here are the campuses you can reach without changing trains, with walking times quoted from each university's official pages.

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Exchange Semester in Tokyo: How to Find Housing for 4–6 Months

Most Tokyo leases run one to two years — tough when your exchange lasts a semester. What to check for a 4–6 month stay, and how flexible contract lengths work at U Share.

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What Is Residential Education? Where Living and Learning Become One

Residential education is an approach that designs the home itself as a place to learn. From the colleges of Oxbridge to Japan’s old private academies and modern research, here are the roots of U Share’s philosophy.

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How to Choose Student Housing in Tokyo Without Regrets: 5 Things to Check

Unpredictable upfront costs, guarantors, language, isolation — the pitfalls international students hit when finding housing in Tokyo, the five things worth checking before you sign, and how U Share answers each.

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First Time Living in Japan: A Complete Prep Guide, From Before You Fly to Day One

Visa, money, housing, packing, and the errands after you land — a preparation checklist for students living in Japan for the first time, with housing covered in context, in chronological order.

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Renting in Tokyo from Abroad: Guarantors, Upfront Costs, and How It Works at U Share

Joint guarantors, shikikin and reikin, and signing a contract before you land — why renting in Tokyo is hard for international students, and how each step actually works at U Share.

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Moving to Tokyo This Autumn: The 90-Day Guide from COE to Move-In

From the day your Certificate of Eligibility arrives to your first night in Tokyo: visa basics, a realistic budget, how to secure a room from abroad without a guarantor in Japan, and what to pack — a 90-day roadmap for autumn-intake students.

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Your Complete Guide to Moving into U Share — From Entry to Day One

When you can move in, the three steps from entry to contract, how to book a viewing, estimated costs, and what to do if you cannot find a guarantor — a practical guide for prospective residents.

Interview

More Than a Dorm: How U Share Became My International Home (WC1 RA Interview)

Jiye, an RA at WC1, shares what life at U Share has really been like — from why she chose to live here, to the friendships built over monthly parties and abura soba, and how an international community became home.

Interview

Studying Abroad Without a Passport: My Reason for Choosing U Share (Alumni Interview)

An interview with a former resident who lived at U Share across two stays, separated by military service. On everyday life with Swiss, Malaysian, and Singaporean friends, learning to accept differences — and going on to travel more than 30 countries.

Event

Webinar Report — The Real “U Share Life” You Won’t See on the Website

For our second webinar we welcomed M, a former RA now working at a major HR company. From culture clashes that become learning to how the RA experience pays off at work — an honest look at real life at U Share.

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For Those Who Feel Anxious About Finding a Home in Japan — What I Learned About “A Place Where You Can Feel Safe” Through Life Abroad

"Today's story is based on the real-life experience of Tomomi, an employee at U Share."Doesn’t findi...

Column

How Much Does U Share Really Cost?

An Honest Comparison: Living Alone vs. U Share Student"The rent seems okay... but how much will I ac...

Campaign

[First 30 Residents Only] Spring 2026 Special Campaign: 50% OFF Move-in Fee!

Celebrate your new beginning with U Share in Spring 2026.For those starting their university journey...

Column

Why International Students Choose U Share When Studying in Japan

Introduction: When Study Abroad Doesn’t Go as Planned, It’s Not About Ability or EffortStudying in J...

Event

"The Hardest Time": How Grit Took Yusaku from Low Wages to Harvard & The World Bank

Last month, U Share Nishiwaseda—the international student dorm in the heart of Tokyo—welcomed a spec...

Interview

"The Perfect Balance of Independence and Community": Why Diego Chose U Share

In our latest resident spotlight, we introduce Diego Rejman, an active member of our U Share communi...

Interview

It’s More Than Just a Place to Live": Eva’s Story of Connection in Tokyo

Introducing one of our residents, Eva Denis who is currently an exchange student at Shibaura Institu...

Resident’s Voice

From Rikkyo Student to Intern: Integrating Life, Study, and Work at U Share

Introducing one of our residents, Morgan Taylor who is currently an exchange student at Rikkyo Unive...

Interview

Why I Chose U Share Over the University Dorm: Shanae’s Story

Shanae SungShe was born in Singapore and raised in Australia. Studied abroad at Waseda University fo...

Interview

Small Enough to Know Everyone, International Enough to Explore: Karina’s Choice

Karina ChevhuzBorn and raised in Ukraine. Speaks Ukrainian, Russian, English, and a little bit of Ge...

Event

"How Do You Differentiate Yourself?": Essential Questions for Your Future Career

Career advice I learned throughout my lifeWhat is Share Your Story x Professionals (SYSP)?SYSP is a...

Interview

From U Share to Investment Banking: How Networking Shaped My Career Path

Geo HanBorn in the year 1998. Currently studying Waseda University, School of Political Science and...

Interview

“Studying Abroad Without Leaving Japan: A Waseda Engineering Student’s Journey to an Exchange Program in the Netherlands Through U Share”

R.N.Originally from Okayama Prefecture. Currently studying at the School of Creative Science and Eng...

Interview

Constructing My Future: How Living at U Share Shaped My Career Path

Jae Woo LewBorn in the year 2001. Currently studying Waseda University, School of Political Science...

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Journal: Student Housing and Dorm Life in Tokyo | U Share