Couchsurfing in Japan

Last week, I decided to go to Japan and the first time in my life, I'll try living with the local. It's kinda like homestay actually.

Why?

At first, I already booked my hotel near Tokyo. But when I found that someone got interested in Hosting me. I was interested too!!!! New experience!!!!

I found them from Couchsurfing

What is Couchsurfing?

It's a website to connect travelers and hosts around the world. Where we can crash to their houses for free and sometimes with a small fee. (Depends on the host)

I was actually just trying. Not really looking for hosts...

But then, Seirei Tobimatsu-san contacted me that she's interested in hosting me. 

You can find them Here .

So I go to Japan and decided to bring them some Indonesian Roasted Coffee beans and some brown palm sugars.

Because they said that they don't need anything other than those two. They're currently decluttering their house. so they don't need anything that is unnecessary. 

Arrived at Japan at 11 PM. And go asap to find the available trains to their house. Because I thought I will be staying in Tokyo, so I bought tickets to Haneda Airport. If I knew that I will be staying at Chiba, I'll buy tickets for Narita Airports instead. 

From Haneda to Chiba took almost 2 hours.... maybe 90 minutes. I was blind with Japan Train Map. But I gather my courage just to go there at night!!!

I arrived at Matsudo station safely! But I have to find a train to Tokiwadaira Station. So I can walk to their house easily, rather than from Matsudo station. I ask the local how to get the train. I ask with English and some body language, and he answers with Japanese. Thank God I understand a little bit! 

It's already 1 PM at Tokiwadaira Station, and I still have to find their house. With Google map I trust!

I already mark their house, so I don't need to have an internet connection to get there. Only the GPS and a star mark on the map!

It's dark, quiet, unfamiliar and I can smell jasmine flower in front of some houses.... So... Yeah it's creepy... 

But Thank God, I found their house. Thanks to the 2-seater Audi Car they've parked in their garage. Otherwise, I almost got into the wrong house with the same facade design. 

I arrived at their house safely, and she's still awake waiting for us... I feel bad... But there's nothing I can do.....

This is used to be the room that they will assign me for. But I think because her son came home. So I was assigned to another room........... it's near an altar of their deceased mother.... and near a creepy doll inside a glass box... *I'm always afraid of human-like dolls*... I forgot to take a picture.... because I was too busy.... 

My Room

We can't complain of course.... We were glad that we get a big room, a pillow, and a mattress.... even though it's a little bit creepy. The room itself using a Japanese traditional door, so it can't be lock....

But they do have spacious living room, bathroom, kitchen and 24-hour wifi....

Toilet

Bathroom

Bathroom

Living Room + Dining Room

Seirei / Judy-san was raised in Singapore and she's also an English teacher in the elderly community. That's why her English is so good! And her husband is a Japanese.

Judy-san speaks softly, and elegantly. He's really nice and kind. He cooks breakfast for me every morning.

Fish Cake with radish and pancake. And banana for the fruit.

Salmon with asparagus on top of red rice

Gyoza

Yakisoba

Curry Rice

They live a really healthy lifestyle.. They never used vegetable or palm oil. And only use organic ingredients.

And because they're decluttering their house, they decided to give me their mother's kimonos.

Wardrobe ful of kimonos

***

Pros:

• You get to learn their lifestyle, their habits, their interests, and their characters
• You get to taste a Japanese homemade food
• Try to live as a Japanese
• Walk in the neighborhood
• Share knowledge and passion
• Cheaper than a hotel

Cons:

• It's a little bit far from the train station. It doesn't feel far in the morning. But it does in the evening after you exhaust your legs from walking all day
• Because some cultures differences, sometimes you'll feel like you did something wrong even though you don't know what it is.
• It feels bad to make them awake at night until you came home. So you can't go until late, and if you are. Rent some hotel rooms in town so you don't have to come home

Tips (If you want to try couchsurfing or any homestay):

• If you want to save both money and time, prepare to sleep on the couch of someone's apartment in the middle of the city.
• If you only want to save money, you can go to rural area, but not too far from the town, or you'll be spending more on train rides
• If you want to save time. Go find a hotel in the city.
• Do mind your manners when you're staying in someone else's house.
• If you're an antisocial or an introvert. just stay at the hotel

***

The next time I go to Japan, I'll just stay at the hotel. But I do love to stay at the local's house in other countries, and taste what it feels like to be the local.

Bonus Pictures

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