16 Oct 2015

The best of Japanese culture through a homestay in Tokyo

When French couple Julian and Eve decided to visit Japan, they wanted to see more than the usual tourist trail of neon lit Tokyo skyscrapers and picturesque temples. After saving for the long haul flights and planning the trip at length, they decided they wanted to experience authentic Tokyo living through a homestay. They stayed with two different Homestay hosts, Edi and Yuriko during their trip. But little did they know the friendships they would make and the memories they would have returning home. Read how they got on!

Why did you decide to visit Tokyo?

We decided to visit Tokyo for different reasons. It is the main city in Japan and it's also a very accessible starting point for exploring Japan as most major airlines fly there. It's an interesting place where highly modern technology hangs out with deeply entrenched Japanese traditions. There are indeed many things to see there: temples, parks, eccentric neighbourhoods, amusement parks and famous restaurants. We wanted to see them all!

Were you travelling as part of a group or solo?

I was travelling with my girlfriend, Eve. It was a trip we'd been planning for a long time.

Guests Eve & Julian during their travels in Japan

Why did you choose to stay in a homestay?

We chose to stay in a homestay because we were looking for an authentic experience. It wasn't about money at all for us. We wanted to dive into the Japanese culture and see what living in a Japanese family is really like. We wanted to share our views with the family about their culture and ours. That's not the kind of thing you're going to get in even the best of hotels. We don't like hotels, you don't meet anybody and you're never surprised by the experience. How can you visit a country without having a conversation with its inhabitants?! That's absurd to us!

How did you choose your hosts?

We chose our hosts based on location, reviews from previous guests and also through the descriptions and photos hosts had in their profile. We wanted hosts that we could have a connection with and to stay somewhere we could experience true Japanese culture.

Tell us about your homestay experience.

Our homestay at Edi's was great and a real, genuine experience. We felt completely at home and were overwhelmed by their kindness. Edi is an amazing, funny guy, with a polychrome life experience. An experience which he loves to share with you at any moment. He is actually an Israeli immigrant who fell in love with a Japanese lady 20 years ago. We had really interesting conversations and it helped us to see a different perspective about the life in Japan.

Host Edi with his family

The family welcomed us with open arms and seemed eager to get to know us (their dog included). We'd lots of interesting discussions with the whole family and they'd a great sense of humour too! Edi's wife is also an amazing cook, her Okonomiyaki were our favourite. In addition, the room was really comfortable, clean and spacious. Our fondest memory was the meal we shared with them on our last night. It was so much fun and we tasted some amazing local wine. We miss them already and would welcome them with open arms if they ever come to Paris.

Host Edi's homestay bedroom where Julian & Eve stayed and the living areas in the home

Our homestay experience with Yuriko was fantastic as well. She cooked marvellous food for us on our first night and also offered dinner on our last night for free. Breakfast was delicious too! The room was more than we could have asked for, it was spacious, very clean and well-furnished.

Host Yuriko and her husband in their Tokyo homestay

She asked us numerous questions about our country, our families and our trip in Japan. She shared some family memories with us, how she met her husband, the different guests she had before (she has had more than 200 and has a picture with each of them coupled with information like the country they were from, how long did they stay etc.). We had some good laughs too! The most surprising part about this is: Yuriko doesn't speak much English at all! But she really knows how to communicate! She and her husband are so generous and amazing. We were also given a free ride to the Tokyo station for the day of our departure. We were truly sad to leave them.

What would you say to anyone thinking of trying a homestay and would you use a homestay again?

To anyone thinking about a homestay, I would say go right ahead. It might be kind of scary to trust someone you don't know at first, but it's definitely worth the risk! As a matter of fact, we already did. We booked two other homestays recently. We're really looking forward to these new human experiences!

What is something that surprised you about Japan?

I think the most striking thing about Japan for a foreigner is its convoluted street system. We asked Yuriko as well as other inhabitants, nobody seems to understand it! We will never figure it out I guess.

Shibuya crossing, Tokyo Image courtesy of Candida.Performa.

What is your best memory from the trip?

Our best memory of the trip was the final meal with Yuriko which we shared with her husband, her grand-daughter and a Chinese student she was also hosting. The food was really delicious, and there was plenty of dishes to choose from. We had hours of brilliant conversation. My girlfriend's mother is a stamp collector, so Yuriko showed us her stamp collection and offered my girlfriend very rare Diana Princess stamps for her mother. It was the perfect end to an incredible stay.

What advice would you give to others visiting Tokyo?

My advice would simply be: book a homestay!

Want to experience Japanese culture through a homestay like Julian & Eve? View Edi and Yuriko's host profiles or check out our full Tokyo listing page to start planning your trip.