What is a Coworking space?
A coworking space is a space that has office equipment and amenities, where people can rent a desk or office and either work independently or in a group.
The Coworking space crowd
Many people who need to move around like to use coworking spaces to get some work done in between appointments. There are also many entrepreneurs and free-lancers that use these spaces too.
And since the pandemic started, more and more of these coworking spaces have started appearing. I guess with more and more companies being okay with their staff working remotely, it makes sense that there is supply, as there is obviously a demand at the moment!
Also, working at home is not always easy or convenient. Shoe-box apartments, paper-thin walls, screaming children….
I mean I personally know people that have had to hide in their bathrooms during zoom conference calls because their kids were being really loud! 😅
What is offered in a coworking space?
In a nutshell, an office space with office equipment. BUT, some places offer more options, and some offer simpler ones. For example, a coworking space in a hotel can have a shower area, but one in the middle of town in a normal building almost certainly won’t.
Work areas
There is usually a main work area, where there can be communal tables, sofas, tables, desks, booths, meeting rooms, or even a terrace.
Facilities and Amenities
This is where things can really start to differ – some also have private phone booths, a kitchen, free stationery, laptop rental, monitor rental, printer, copy machine and lockers as well… in addition to all the basic stuff.
Food/Drinks
Most places offer free drinks but unless they have a cafe attached to the place, they generally do not have many food options.
Special
While not very common, I have come across coworking spaces that have these great facilities:
- Shower area
- Place to take a nap
- Child-friendly workspace
- Food that can be ordered from a nearby/attached cafe
I know right?! Pretty exciting stuff! I mean they’re not common, but it’s always good to know that there are places like this out there.
How much do coworking spaces cost?
The prices can vary quite a bit so instead of listing both places and prices, I am going to put a range here for easy reference instead. Anyway, it’s probably best to just search for one, close to where you will be. Internet searches in English will yield a decent number of places, so you won’t really need to do searches in Japanese.
Basic prices
Hourly: ï¿¥600 – ï¿¥ 1,100 (some can also be rented in 30 min blocks)
Daily: ï¿¥ 1,800 – ï¿¥ 2,500
Monthly: ï¿¥ 8,000 – ï¿¥ 17,300
Membership
I know some places also have memberships and it costs between ï¿¥ 5,000 to ï¿¥ 20,000 to sign up. I guess this makes sense if you plan to be using it regularly. But, the benefits may differ, so you can just check their websites for more detailed information.
Individual and Corporate plans
Some places also have Individual and Corporate plans, and those Corporate plans are suitable if you have a team of between 2 to 24 people. Again, the group sizes they can accommodate will differ from place to place because of the size or layout. So do check for those details on their sites.
Private Offices
Now this may come as a surprise, but there are coworking spaces that also offer Private Offices.
These tend to cost somewhere between ï¿¥ 90,000 to ï¿¥ 195,000. Pricey, yes, but I guess this all boils down to the need for it and the location.
Why should you try out a Coworking space?
So that brings us back to the original question. Why try it out?
Because it is clean, conducive to working, has the facilities and amenities you will need, and it will give you a professional looking place to welcome your business partners as well. And if nothing else, they are really modern and comfortable to work in. 🙂
Star
Related posts:
How to pay for things in Japan when you live here