[Pinkshadie]

Originally Posted by Nippom

I hope you won't mind, but I just told Versa about your post.
Maybe you two can work something out together.
Here's her post, and she says she speaks perfect Nihongo;
Traveling to Japan

Thank you! However, the break in my work campaign is October 15th - November 29th so I won't be able to go in July like they plan on going.

Originally Posted by godwine

If you have 3 people going (I am assuming, you your best friend + someone you may get to know around this forum), you sould consider renting out a small apartment.. there are short term rents available, other users on the site can probably tell you more or just do a search

I don't know how much hostels cost, but i myself don't like that level of sharing spaces with strangers. How much does Hostels normally cost anyways? If you are willing to live further away (Not really even that far) from major cities, you maybe able to lodge in some really cheap and clean business hotel for about 40 per person per night...

Yeah, I'm not overly fond of sharing that much personal space either, but I understand that since my budget isn't that large, I'll need to accept whatever way I can. I'll be subletting my apartment (Which I live with my best friend that I plan on going with), so won't have to worry about any bills back home, thankfully.

Originally Posted by MMM

I will take this opportunity to give on caveat on this idea. One thing I noticed with people moving into weekly mansions. hostels, business hotels, etc. for more than a few days at a time is that the amount of space given is too small to be comfortable. I thought my 6-jo one-room mansion was small, but it was paradise compared to the closet sized space given at some "short-term" rentals. I stayed the night at one friends weekly mansion for a weekend. It was supposedly designed for two people, but was smaller than my tiny solo apartment. By the end of the weekend we were on each other's nerves, just from forcibly invading each other's personal space. It was a unique situation, as neither of us knew we had "personal space" that could be invaded to such a level of annoyance.

I can't imagine wanting to share that level of cramped space with a stranger, much less a good friend. Proceed with caution.

I currently live with my best friend, and our apartment (In San Francisco, living style which is similar to Tokyo for price->what you get), so I'm sure it'd be okay. Can foreigners rent out a short term DK, though? Not sure of the regulations, etc.

Originally Posted by godwine

I never tried those short term rental places, so I assumed that it will be better than a hostel, but from the sound of it, its definitely not...

Don't know, still like the idea of business hotels....

EDIT: I stayed at Yokohama Super Hotel with a friend of mine back in 2007. We paid about 9000 yen for a night there, so it average out to be 4500 yen... the place was really really clean, we have a queensize bed plus a bunk above it, its not the biggest room, but definitely one of the cleanest business hotel i've stayed at... have a look: https://hotel.reservation.jp/superho...rvationtop.asp

That looks like a good option. If I go with something like that I won't be able to stay for a month but it seems that maybe a month is too long anyways. I make a decent amount of money for someone who's 21, but still, lol.

Originally Posted by MMM

I stayed at one place in Tokyo, I want to say Ueno, and it was a really spacious place calling itself a business hotel. The room had two queen size beds and plenty of space. I think it was as nice as it was because it was about a 20 minute walk from the station on the other side of the park. During the same trip we stayed in another business hotel that said they could put up to three in a room... that was assuming everyone intended to float about the bed and two cots that took up all floor space in the room. Thankfully that was just for one night.

The bottom line is, know what you are getting into. A month is a LONG time.

Agreed. I just thought a month since I plan on subletting my apartment in the city during the time. Wonder if there's anyone in Japan who would be interested in swapping apartments during that time. I know that is a popular idea in the US, not sure how much it is there.

But hey, if you're reading this - 1 bedroom in Nob Hill in San Francisco overlooking the city.

Thanks for all the help guys. I'll just stick to doing research and look into a few ideas mentioned as possibilities.