Hello, welcome to this blog! I have been living at Science Tokyo’s dormitory, Nagatsuta House, and studying at Suzukakedai Campus as a doctoral student for two academic years. In my previous blogs, I have shared my experiences with the necessary procedures for settling into Nagatsuta House. In this blog, I will briefly share my daily life experiences here.
DAILY LIFE SECTION: sharing my experience on daily life
1. Kakaku website（価格.com）
Kakaku.com is a very well-known price comparison and shopping information website in Japan, with the main functions of:
- Price Comparison: Users can compare product prices from different retailers on Kakaku to find the best deals.
- Product Reviews: The site features many user reviews and ratings, helping consumers make informed purchasing decisions.
- Store Ratings: Kakaku also provides ratings for online stores, helping users choose reliable merchants.
- Purchase Links: Users can directly access retailer websites through Kakaku’s links to make purchases.
With Kakaku, a credit card, and your phone number, you can buy most types of goods and services online at a low price (even insurance and long-distance bus tickets).
2. Apita Nagatsuta
While Kakaku makes online shopping effortless, you’ll be pleased to know that many daily essentials are just steps away from your dorm. Located just a 5-minute walk from Nagatsuta House, Apita Nagatsuta serves as a one-stop shopping mall for most offline needs. Here, you’ll find Daiso for budget-friendly supplies, a well-stocked supermarket for fresh groceries, quick bites like McDonald’s, a bookstore, an electronics shop selling smartphones & SIM card plans, and even barbershops — all under one roof (details about these are provided in the following sections).
3. Daily supplies
- Daiso – Firstly, I highly recommend the 100-yen shop Daiso. Daiso offers a wide variety of products at affordable prices, including household goods, kitchenware, stationery, cosmetics, snacks, DIY supplies, and more. Most items are priced at 100 yen (plus tax).
- Daiso (Apita Nagatsuta) [ Map ]: nearest Daiso around Nagatsuta House
- Daiso (十日市場) [ Map ]: largest Daiso around Nagatsuta House
- Foods Market, 1st floor, Apita Nagatsuta [ Map ] You can also buy goods for daily use such as shampoo, shower gel, napkins, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair dye, etc. in the supermarket on the 1st floor of Apita Nagatsuta.
4. Daily foods
- Foods market in Apita Nagatsuta: Vegetables, meat, marine products, fruits, bento, snacks, milk, instant foods, rice, noodles, and more. Paying with “Majica” application offers you points that can be used in the future. Introduction of Majica (in Japanese):
- OK Store [ Map ] Vegetables, meat, marine products, fruits, bento, snacks, milk, instant foods, rice, noodles, etc. Paying in cash with the “OK card” offers a 3% discount.
- Big Yosun [ Map ] A variety of vegetables, meat, seafood, and fruits.
- Kaldi [ Map ] A variety of imported foods.
- Gyoumu Super [ Map ] A variety of imported foods.
5. Restaurants I love
- McDonald’s (Apita Nagatsuta) [ Map ] After purchasing an item at McDonald’s, you can complete the KODO questionnaire through the official app to receive a free coupon for either a drink or french fries.
- KFC (Apita Nagatsuta) [ Map ] Scan the QR code in the receipt and answer the questionnaire to receive a coupon for purchasing one side dish or a drink for 50 yen.
- Burger King (Apita Nagatsuta) [ Map ] Scan the QR code in the receipt and answer the questionnaire to receive a coupon for one free medium soft drink.
- Subway (Apita Nagatsuta) [ Map ]
- Kura Sushi [ Map ] “Bikkura Pon!®” is a service introduced at Kura Sushi. It works like a gachapon machine, and you can spin the machine once for every five plates you eat, and if you win, you can get a prize.
- Syabu-yo (Shabu Shabu) [ Map ] Download “Skylark” app to get 3%-10% discounts.
- Anrakutei (BBQ, yakiniku) [ Map ] Bring your student ID card to enjoy the student discount.
- Saizeriya (Japanese style Italian restaurant) [ Map ] The lunch menu is affordable, with a drink bar available for 200 yen (including tax).
- Domino’s Pizza [ Map ] Check the official app to get the best coupons.
- Pizza Hut [ Map ] Check the official app to get the best coupons.
6. Delivery
I recommend the Uber Eats app, which makes it easy to order meals from the restaurants listed above if you have a credit card. It can also be used to buy medicine if you are sick at home. Be sure to order when coupons are available.
7. Drugstore
Nearest drug store: Minamidai Yakkyoku [ Map ]. You can also purchase medicine in the drugstore area on the 1st floor of Apita Nagatsuta. I recommend “Super Multiple Vitamin & Minerals” to supplement your nutrition. It contains twelve types of vitamins and seven types of minerals.
7. Hospital with English services
Science Tokyo Student Healthcare Center (SHC) [ Map ] provides support for students’ health and academic/research activities. Tell the SHC when you’re feeling unwell, and they will recommend a hospital with English diagnosis and treatment services.
9. Taxi
I recommend the GO taxi app. If you’re carrying luggage and need to climb a hill, try to call a taxi. A good option if you have a credit card.
9. Clothing & Shoes
- For clothing, I recommend UNIQLO in Apita Nagatsuta [ Map ].
- For shoes, I recommend ABC Mart in Apita Nagatsuta [ Map ].
11. Pets
Although pets are not allowed in Nagatsuta House, you can visit Super Viva Home [ Map ] to see cute pets for sale.
12. Secondhand store
For buying and selling second-hand goods, go to Hard Off [ Map ], a recycle shop that handles a wide variety of products, including musical instruments, home appliances, and furniture. Hobby Off is a store within Hard Off that specializes in buying and selling toys in general, including figures, plastic models, radio-controlled cars, and trading cards.
For secondhand books, go to Book Off [ Map ], Japan’s largest second-hand sales and purchase shop, where you can buy and sell a variety of items, including books, comics, CDs, DVDs, and games.
I bought an air fryer for 3300 yen at Hard Off (9900 yen on Amazon Japan!!), and many 220 yen/330 yen books from Book Off.
Note: check the official app to get the best coupon.
13. Barber
QB House in Apita Nagatsuta [ Map ] 1400 yen (including tax) to get my hair cut.
14. Gym
Anytime Fitness is a 24/7 fitness gym [ Map ]. If you join during
the limited event period, the next month’s fee is 0 yen and the key fee is also
0 yen!!
Suzukakedai Campus Gym At the Suzukakedai Campus, there is a training room on the first floor of the G3 building and a table tennis court on the first floor of the G4 building.
Living at Nagatsuta House and studying at Science Tokyo’s Suzukakedai Campus has been an enriching and fulfilling experience. Whether you’re exploring the convenience of Daiso, enjoying a meal at one of the many nearby restaurants, or staying active at the campus gym, Nagatsuta House offers everything you need to balance academic life with personal well-being. As you settle into your new life here, take the time to explore, connect, and make the most of your time in Japan!
Note: This blog can be regarded as the supplement to two my previous blogs. Link to my previous blog [ #1 ] [ #2 ]
