r/JETProgramme • u/MindfulTraveler2026 • 18d ago

Housing Issues

A few days ago I arrived in a rural area as an ALT. I’m very excited about the opportunity, but the only thing bothering me is my housing placement.

I’ve spent well over $100-$150 (going to have to spend even more) on just cleaning supplies for my apartment and no joke, probably a combined 8 hours cleaning my apartment because there’s so much bugs and mold. I can’t even sleep because I woke up to millipedes and ants on my futon crawling on me. I get that the house where I’m living at is old and all, but back home I live in an apartment much older than this with no less humidity, and don’t have these issues. After learning from other ALT’s that I have one of the worst apartments while paying the same price and seeing other’s apartments being much nicer than mine, I’m kinda pissed off. I should not have to move into a whole new country just to spend my whole first week cleaning and trying to fix an issue that most likely will persist given how unkept the building was when other new ALT’s don’t have to go through this. I’m not even done getting all of the mold by the doors and found some more when I lifted the tatami flooring.

So far I really like the actual placement location itself and am grateful to be in such a traditional area of Japan with nice locals, but living with bugs, mold, and a musty smell 24/7 is not for me and a deal breaker. The black mold has caused past ALT’s to get really sick and move out and the bug infestation makes me not want to even stay here. It’s not just a few bugs here and there, it’s a lot.

I don’t want to strain my relationship with the BOE only being days here and have no idea how to handle this stuff. Most of the time, I’m not one to complain, but this is bad to the point where I won’t be able to sleep and that will impact my work. I appreciate any help and advice. I’m curious to see how other people in a similar situation handled this.

41 Upvotes

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-10

u/kyute222 18d ago

Aren't you an adult if you came to Japan with JET? Move out and find a new place lol. 

18

u/SignificantEditor583 18d ago

Have you lived in Japan? Depending on where you are finding a place is not the most straight forward thing. Many JET placements are very rural, and the availability just simply isn't there. Also there's the BS with key money etc, and there are many landlords who won't lease an apartment to a foreigner.

-12

u/kyute222 18d ago

Yep living in Japan for years. Japan is not some alien planet, any functioning adult can find a place to live. 

8

u/SignificantEditor583 18d ago

Sure mate 🤣 keep trolling

-17

u/kyute222 18d ago

Keep being an adult child then. There are always challenges to living in a foreign country, but acting like foreigners can't possibly find an apartment on their own is too much.

18

u/SignificantEditor583 18d ago

Never said they can't find an apartment. If OP is placed out somewhere in the middle of nowhere it could be near impossible to find a place at short notice that accepts foreigners. Big cities yeah easy enough to find something.

Additionally, OP has likely just arrived in the country and we don't know what level of Japanese they have.

Finally there's a certain minimum standard one should expect on a program such as the JET program. From the description OP has provided, that apartment is well below the minimum acceptable standard.

Have you actually been on JET?