The University of Aizu

Somei House Handbook

AY2017

1

Index

1 Welcome to Somei House ………………………………………………………… 2

2 General information …………………………………………………………………3

3 Rules………………………………………………………………………………....11

4 Fees ……….…………………………………………………………………………15

5 Moving out………………………………………………………………………….. 16

6 Somei House Resident Assistants (SRA)……..…………………………….……18

7 Rules for Garbage Disposal………………………………………………………..19

8 Contact Information ………………………..……………………………………… 21

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1 Welcome to Somei House!

This guidebook, based on the purpose and regulations of Somei House, provides rules and

instructions of move-in /out and of your daily life at Somei House. Please read this guidebook

carefully and follow the rules to enjoy your life in Somei House.

If you need further information, please talk to your Somei House Resident Assistant (SRA) of your

unit. For detailed rules which need to be decided, please discuss with other residents in your unit

and make decisions based upon mutual consent.

Purpose of the establishment of Somei House

The Somei House, established in 2011, has been served the purpose of supporting students from all

over Japan and the world by helping them raise their social awareness and cooperativeness through

communal living, and raising their motivation to study so that they can go through their student life in a

smoother manner.

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2 General Information

Official Name : The Housing Facility to Support Learning for Students at the University of Aizu,

“Somei House”

Address: 90 Kami-iawase, Tsuruga, Ikki-machi, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima, 965-0006

*ZIP code is different from that of the Unviersity

Building structure: Reinforced concrete of 4 stories

Maximum 105 residents (except for Somei House Resident Assistant’s rooms)

3 Rooms for physically-challenged students

Management: Somei House is managed by the University of Aizu. Professors and university staff do

not live in the House. Students who live in Somei House are required to do daily daily

chores such as house cleaning or garbage disposal by themselves.

Map

Somei House

Main Entrance

Student Affairs

office

@ 2nd floor

4

Somei House Facility Map (1F Lounge, entrance)

エントランスホール 郵便受け

Warehouse

Elevator

Vending machine

Telephone

Entrance

(East wing)

Entrance

(West wing)

Mai Box

Intercom

Main Entrance

Entrance Hall Mailbox

5

East Wing

West Wing

TV

Open Living

Elevator

Entrance

Toilet

Toilet

Washing machine

Wash

basin

Shower Emergency

Staris

r Emergency Stairs

Shower

Wash

basin

Washing machine

Toilet

Entrance

TV

Open Living

Elevator

6

Room Layout

＜Single＞ 10 ㎡

＜Twin＞ 10 ㎡ or 12 ㎡

※Single room

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＜Facilities＞

Common area

(1) Doors

Main entrance door Open 24 hours *No curfew for residents

Door to each Unit Self-locking / Unlock with student ID card

Door to emergency stairs Accessible only from inside the Somei House

(2) Entrance Hall

Public phone, vending machine, sofa, intercom, mailbox are equipped. When a parcel is

delivered, you will receive a call from a courier via intercom at the entrance. After you

answer the phone, go to the entrance to receive the parcel.

Make sure to ask senders of a mail or parcel to write your cellular phone number and room

number on the delivery slip. (ZIP code : 965-0006 *different from the university)

(3) Common utilities of each unit

Place Items Note

Entrance

Shoe-racks

Broom closet

Umbrella stand

Open Living

Kitchen unit Pans are equipped. Tableware must be

prepared by students.

Electric cooking

stoves Induction Heating system(IH)

Refrigerator

Microwave

Rice cooker x 2

Electric kettle

Cupboard

Table

Chair

TV

Vacuum cleaner

Clock

Bulletin board

Trash bins

Telephone Internal use only

Curtain

Laundry

Wash basin x 3

Washer-dryer x 2

Laundry baskets x 2

Shower room Shower No bath tab

Toilet Toilet x 3

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Entrance

TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES at the entrance to each unit. Please prepare slippers. Swing

your umbrella to drain off the water before putting it into the umbrella stand.

Open Living Room

This room is not only for cooking, but also for coomunicating with other students or studying

together. You are required to follow rules of each unit to use the room and equioment.

Please keep clean!!

Telephone

The telephone in the open living room is for internal calls within the university buildings.

For outside calls, use your mobile phone or the public phone at the entrance hall.

Shower Room, Wash basin, Toilet, and Laundry

There are shower rooms, wash basin, toilet rooms, and washing machines in each unit.

Please keep these facilities clean, as they are for common use by all members in each unit.

(4) Equipment of each rooms

Category Item Note

Appliances

Ceiling light

Desk light

Air conditioner

Fan Do NOT switch off until move-out day for the

room getting moldy for humidity.

Furniture

Bed with drawers for storage(single bed)

Bedding must be prepared by students.

Desk

Chair

Closet

Accessories

Curtain

Laundry pole at the balcony

Trash can

You can bring own items if necessary but can NOT bring big furniture.

Internet

Wired internet service is available in all residence rooms. The fee for internet connection is

included in boarding fee. Bring your own LAN cable. Residents are responsible for any fees

charged for the use of fee-based online services.

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Bedding

Please bring your own bedding. Please use a mattress protector or "Futon"(Japanese-style

bedding) on the equipped mattress and cover them by a bed sheet in order to keep yourself

warm and the mattress clean.

In case there are stains on the mattress found at move-out check, cleaning or replacement

of mattress fee might be charged to the resident.

Electric power capacity

Electric power capacity per residence room is approximately 15A. Each resident is

responsible for the payment of electricity used in his/her room. Please save electricity.

Student ID card

Your student ID card is used as a key to enter each unit. Please carry the student ID card

with you whenever you leave your unit. In case you lose your card, you will be charged for

the reissuance fee.

Electric Devices

Allowed to bring in your room

Coffee maker

Compact refrigerator

TV (You have to pay NHK subscription fees.)

You must charge the batteries of your electrical appliances (mobile phone, shaver etc.)

in your own room.

NOT allowed to use in your room

Cooking equipments (Microwave oven, Electric hot plate, Toaster etc.)

Rice cooker, Electric cooking pot, etc.)

Not Allowed to use at Somei House

Gas stove

Kerosene heater

Electric heater

Any other items which may be a cause of a fire.

University cafeteria

Open 11:00 - 20:00（Last order 19:00） Breakfast 8:00 - 9:30

Close : Saturday, Sunday, National holiday

Due to university events etc., opening hours and days may change.

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Damp and Mold Control

Aizu-Wakamatsu is geographocally ‘basin’ city, therefore humidity is relatively high.

Additionally, Somei House is a reinforced concrete building and highly insulated with airtight

windows and doors. Residents should take actions to prevent mold growth.

Not only to activate 24 hours fan in the room (DO NOT TURN IT OFF), but also residents

must do following countermeasures against mold.

◆ Air ventilation

When you wake up in the morning, open the window of you room if not it is heavy

rain/snow, or stormy weather. Please open the window of Living and Washroom daily. Be

careful not to leave windows open when it rains.

◆ Damp control

Use airconditioner (除湿 mode) and items for damp controle. When you dry your clothes

in the room, open the window or use airconditioner in order not to get the room humid.

◆ Room cleaning

In addition to regular cleaning, wipe spilled drink at once.

You might want to check on the internet to find more damp control solutions!

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3 Rules

In your daily life at Somei House, you must follow the rules described below, as well as the

regulations of the University of Aizu and instructions from the Student Affairs Division.

Students who violates those rules might be asked to move-out immediately.

＜YOU MUST＞

Pay boarding fee and other expenses by the due date with designated method.

Report promptly to Student Affairs Division if there are any changes in information on the

documents you submitted for entering Somei house (ex. phone number, guarantors’

address etc.)

Respect cultural backgrounds which vary among individuals from different countries as well

as follow the rules of Somei House as it is the facility in Japan.

Lights of open living room must be turned off after 12:00 a.m. Stay quietly in your room

between 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. and not to disturb other residents.

Use the buildings, facilities, furniture and fixtures with care. Should you harm them, report

it to SRA or the Student Affairs Division immediately.

Keep the House clean all the time. Especially after using common use spaces, be sure to

clean up.

Perform assigned duties of the unit.

Make a report to the relevant sections on troubles, such as a fire, water leakage, malfunction

of equipment, etc., in Somei House right away.

Emergency stairs are emergency use only. To prevent unnecessary accidents and for

security reasons, do not use emergency stairs except in emergencies.

＜YOU MUST NOT＞

Allow non-residents to stay within Somei House from 10PM to 8AM.

Invite opposite-sex person into your room.

Invite opposite-sex person into Somei House for private purposes.

Bring in animals, plants, insects and any other creatures to Somei House.

Smoke in communal spaces and within your room.

Force anyone to drink alcoholic beverages or drink them if you do not reach 20 years old.

Bring or use illegal drugs.

Use flammable items such as incense, kerosene heaters, portable gas stoves, etc.

Cause nuisances, such as making noises, etc.

Do any activities which may interfere with communal life or operation of Somei House.

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＜Stay out overnight＞

You must submit a form (“Application for Staying out overnight”) to the Student Affairs

Division if you will be away from Somei House for three nights or more. There is no

deduction of boarding and other fees while you are out of the House.

In addition above, please report to SRA when you are away even if it is less than 3 days.

Before going out, please check;

Turn off alarm of clocks in your room

Switch off all electricic devices in your room

Lock the door and the window

＜In case of emergency＞

In emergency situations, keep and act calm. To prepare for an earthquake or a fire, check

the evacuation routes in advance. Residents are required to participate in fire drills

conducted on campus.

【Fire】

There are fire alarm systems in Somei House. When the system detects a fire, an

automatical annoucement will be broadcasted.

Inform other students and call fire station(119) even if it is a small fire.

Try to extinguish fire as soon as possible. Each unit has a fire extinguisher in hallway.

Evacuate quickly. If a fire blazes up or a curtain catches a fire, for example, evacuate

to outside of the building immediately.

【Earthquake】

Keep calm and do not rush to the exits or stairways all at once.

Seek shelter under a desk or a table and protect your head with clothes or a bag. Protect

yourself from falling objects, such as glass, fluorescent light, etc.

Keep away from windows and shelves.

If you have a chance, open doors to ensure evacuation routes to outside of the building.

【Accidents】

Call either Student Affairs Division (ext.6102) or Security guards room (ext.2131) or Police

(110). In case calling for police, use public phone at 1st floor or your own mobile phone.

【Other cases】

Call Student Affairs Division (ext.6102) or central monitoring room (ext.9000, *weekend

and night time)

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＜Sharing duty of daily chores＞

At Somei House, all residents are required to take turns to share chores. Examples of possible

duties are listed here. Please follow the instructions given by SRA.

f you do not keep your duty, it will cause trouble with others. DO NOT SKIP YOUR DUTY.

[Examples of duties]

Cleaning of communal areas (Living room, Kitchen, Toilets, Shower, Washing basin, Stair

cases), Garbage disposal, Lights off, Check consumbles etc.

＜Other important rules＞

When you damage fixtures/equipment in your room or in common use space, get lost your student

ID card, you must report it to the Student Affairs Division immediately. You might be charged the

cost for restoring your room to the original condition. For preventing the damage to be worsen,

any damage need to be reported promptly.

SRA will have an individual meeting with residents on a periodic basis to support daily life in Somei

House as well as student life in the University.

All residents are required to attend meetings in Somei House, regular cleanings, and disaster

drills.

Visitors are allowed to enter Somei House between 8 AM and 10PM. It is strictly prohibited to

allow guests to stay after 10PM or invite opposite-sex person into the individual room.

Residents are requested to answer questionnaires such as plans for stay in the house during long

vacations, where to live after moving out of the house, level of satisfaction with the house and

national population census etc.

University staff or person who designated by the university may enter residents' rooms for the

maintenance, inspection or repair of facilities. In order to maintain security and healthy living

environment in Somei House, residents may be requested to open the door of the room on regular

patrol by university staff.

Do not disturb other residents with noises. .

Fireworks, firecrackers, barbecues, incense smoke, using other flammables, gas, coals and

candles are strictly prohibited in Somei House as well as on the campus. Use of cooking electrical

appliances, such as an oven, a grill, a microwave, a toaster, a rice cooker, and a crock-pot, etc.

is not allowed in individual rooms nor communal spaces (except open living). In addition, oil

heaters and/or electric heaters cannot be used in Somei House. Please check how to use a fire

extinguisher installed in each unit so that you can use it properly in case of a fire.

Do not commit any acts causing harm to yourself or other people. If malicious behaviour by a

residents is identified, the student might be asked to leave from Somei House immediately.

Student Couseling Room and Nurse’s Office will support your campus life. Student Counseling

Room need a reservation.

When you need emergency care due to sudden illness or injury, ask your SRA and/orNurse office

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to help and receive treatment at a hospital, if necessary. Carry your health insurance card with

you all the time to prepare for an emergency. Nurse office can provide external medication, but

not internal medicine.

The university does not take any responsibility for items stolen or lost in Somei House. Please

make sure to lock the door when you leave your room to protect your valuables. You need to

report to Student Affairs Division if any incidents happens.

Please write your name on your textbooks and other personal belongings to prevent them from

being stolen or lost.

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4 Fees

＜How to pay＞

Boarding fee, Common-Use Fee

Automatic withdrawal from your Japan Post Bank account on the last day of each month.

(if the day is Saturday, Sunday or National Holiday, the payment day will be the next

working day)

・Make sure if sufficient amount of money is left in your account one working day before

the payment day

・As a proof of withdrawal, boarding fee etc.(“ｷｼｭｸﾘｮｳﾎｶ”) will be printed on the

bankbook.

・The payment by automatic withdrawal can be made only for one month. If automatic

withdrawal is unsuccessful, student must pay via transfer to the university’s bank

account.

Electricity and Water fees

Automatic withdrawal of the fee of previous months’ from your Japan Post Bank account

on the last day of each month, combined with the boarding fee and common-use fee.

Payment method is the same as boarding fees.

＜How to check monthly fees＞

A bill will be posted to your mailbox in the middle of each month.

・Boarding fee : 17,000JPY/month（twin room shared by 2 persons : 8,500 JPY）

・Common Use Fee : 2,000JPY/month

・Electricity and Water fees : Charged actual cost

※If serious damage caused by a resident is identified, repair costs might be charged to

the resident.

How to calculate electricity and water fees

Electricity

Each room Charged to residents.

Communal spaces (Unit) Divided by the number of residents in

the unit.

Communal spaces (Whole building) Divided by all residents.

Water Communal spaces (Unit)

Divided by the number of residents in

the unit.

Communal spaces (Whole building) Divided by all residents.

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5 Moving out

Students are allowed to live in Somei House for up to one year. Procedures to move-out are

indicated below.

1. Submit “Moving out” form

“Moving out form” is required to be submitted to Student Affairs Divition 15 days before

moving- out date at the latest.

2. Fix a room inspection day

Student Affairs Division will notice you a room inspection day. It is not allowed to move out

without the inspection. The schedule will be determined on a first-come-first-served basis,

so your request date of the room inspection might not be accepted.

3. Prepare for moving out

Please check you complete below by moving out day.

＜Each room / Communal spaces＞

Do not leave personnal belongings

*The university might dispose left items and charge the disposal fee to the student.

* Give disused items to friends, sell recycle shops, or dispose according to the rules.

Do not take items originally equipped to Somei-House (incl. guidebook, trash box etc.)

Clean up your room for next resident. Do NOT leave any garbage in the room.

Empty your mail box

*The University is not responsible for any missing letters/parcels in the mail box.

＜Others＞

Submit a "notification of change of address" to the post office.

*Any postal item delivered to Somei House will be transferred to the new address(within

Japan only) up to one year.

Make a notification of the change at the city office about the content of your alien

registration within 14 days from the change.

1. Submit a “Moving out” form

2. Fix a room inspection day

3. Prepare for moving out

4. Room Inspection

5. Settlement of expenses

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Change address of any subscriptions such as newspaper.

Change your address registered with online stores for delivery. Packages delivered

after you have moved out will be sent back to the sender.

4. Room Inspection

University staff of Student Affairs Division inspects your room. You might be charged for

expenses such as repair work described below as a results of the final room inspection.

＜Examples you might be charged for repair costs＞

Stains, discoloration, burns, mold, scratches, holes, punctures by nails and/or pins on

the wall, deformation of the wall, peeling wallpaper and floor etc..

Yellowing and/or smell in your room caused by burning aromatic oil etc.

Damage by water leakage from an air conditioner and/or a ceiling leak, etc. without

reporting to the Student Affairs Division

Cracks in a window

Other damage caused by your negligence, inappropriate use, irresponsibility.

5. Settlement of expenses

Based on the room inspection results, expenses for the items listed below will be deducted

from your deposit.

All residents

Utility fee for the move-out month

Room cleaning fee

Cleaning fee of room curtain

Applicable

students only

Additional cleaning charges

Repair cost for facilities and fixtures, etc.

Any unpaid expense

Other expenses for which the residents is responsible

※If the deposit surpasses the deduction, the univeristy refund the remaining amount to

your bank account. If the deposit can not cover the deduction, you need to pay the amount.

Please do not close Japan Post bank accout used for the payment of Somei House until

all payment/refund been settled.

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6 Somei House Resident Assistant

Somei House Resident Assistant (SRA) live in each unit. SRA is a role model for other residents.

They support other residents by offering guidance and advice in various aspects of their daily

life, so as to ensure their safe and comfortable life in Somei House. SRA also support residents

in their studies through cooperation with the Student Affairs Division.

<Responsibilities as SRA>

1. To live as a model for Somei House residents.

2. To observe rules in Somei House and admonish the residents who have broken the rules.

3. To lead residents to care each other and control their selfish behaviors so that all residents can

cooperate and live together in Somei House.

4. To create an environment for residents to live comfortably and study in Somei House by

cooperating with other residents.

5. To lead residents to understand and respect cultural differences among themselves.

6. To treat every resident fairly and help residents nurture a sense of togetherness.

<Duties of SRA>

1. To patrol within Somei House

2. To give a guidance and advice to residents of Somei House of its rules (garbage disposal,

cleaning, utility cost saving) , patroling within within the House.

3. To warn and advice to residents who have caused troubles, such as noise, drinking alcohol,

smoking, discrimination, bullying, etc.

3. To regularly report to the Student Affairs Division on their activities.

4. "To give advice to residents who have problems of their life in Somei House or campus life.

5. To organise unit meetings.

6. To attend SRA meetings.

7. To assist residents on move-in/out and orientation meetings.

8. To plan and organise events in Somei House.

9. To handle emergency situations.

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7 Rules of Garbage Disposal

Garbage segragation is required dispose. You must bring garbage to the garbage station in front of

Somei House by 8:30 a.m. on the designated collection days (Dispose in the morning of collection

day). Residents are responsible for preparing garbage boxes at the main entrance of Somei House

between the night before and the morning of the collection day. Do NOT dispose garbage at the

garbage station during the night.

The way of garbage segragation is described below. For detail information, see the "Garbage and

Recyclable Output Calendar & City Garbage Collection Schedule" available on the Aizu-wakamatsu

city website.

Category How to dipose Image

Burnable (half) transparent

garbage bag

Non-

Burnable

(half) transparent

garbage bag

Cans

Container

*Separate Steel/

Alminuum

Bottles

Container

*Separate

according to

colors

Paper

Bundle with a

string according

to types

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Plastic

bottles

Container

*Remove caps

and labels

*Wash inside

*Crush

Plastics (half) transparent

garbage bag

Large

Items

Contact to Aizu-

Wakamatsu City

office

How to dispose garbages (Link to Aizu-Wakamatsu city website)

http://www.city.aizuwakamatsu.fukushima.jp/docs/2009092400017/

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8 Contact information

[Emergency contacts]

Hours Department Phone

Weekday（8:30am-17:15pm） Student Affairs Division 0242-37-2515（ext.6102）

Weekday (night time)

Weekend, National holidays Security Guard Room 0242-37-2700（ext.2131）

Police station 110

Fire station, call an ambulance 119

[Other contacts]

Organization Address Phone

Aizu-Wakamatsu police staiton Yamami-machi 248 0242-22-5454

Aizu-Wakamatsu CityHall Higashi Sakae-machi 3-46 0242-39-1111

Aizu Wakamatsu International

Association Saka-machi 2-14 0242-27-3703

Aizu-Wakamatsu post office Chuo 1-2-17 0242-22-0180

Aizu Chuo Hospital Tsuruga-machi 1-1 0242-25-1515

Iizuka Family Clinic Ikkimachi Tsuruga Shimo-Iawase

59 0242-22-6311

Ebitani OrthopedicClinic Byakko-machi 66-8 0242-24-6511

Onda Dental Clinic Ikki-machi Tsuruga Kami-Iawase

134-2 0242-22-6311

Igarashi Otolaryngology Clinic Byakko-machi 171-2 0242-39-2010

※Above hospital/clinics are located nearby the university and no special partnership exist.

[Extension phone number（Open Living）]

Floor Number

East Wing

1 7011

2 7012

3 7013

4 7014

West Wing

1 7021

2 7022

3 7023

4 7024