There are three JET apartments in Kurosaki, which is one of two city centres in Kitakyushu, and one that is only slightly smaller than Kokura (see Kitakyushu map for location). The layout of the buildings and the surrounding areas well make Kurosaki a more than enjoyable place to live. There's a lively and thriving area in downtown Kurosaki (15min walk) surrounding the train station which, although smaller than that of Kokura, has kept every year's Kurosaki residents, well, not exactly 'in trouble', but not far from it! For all those exercise fans out there, there is a fantastic track and swimming pool, as well as tennis courts and a golf-driving practice range all within a 15 minute walk. All are outside and laden with trees and flowers and nature stuff...

Local facilities:
Two supermarkets (3min).
Seven-Eleven convenience store (2min).
Liquor stores (2min to 10min).
Kurosaki train station (15min).
Bus stop (30sec!).
Bars, bakeries & restaurants (5min to 15min).

Kitakyushu International Village (15min).
Hair salon (english spoken, 3min).
Dry cleaning and laundry (3min to 5min).
Yakitori shops (1min to 3min).
Two video & CD rental stores (3min).
Three ATM cash machines (15min).

Apartment details:
Your apartment should look like the 3D model above, although one of the apartments is located at ground level, and has a small garden hedged garden leading off from the balcony. They all have a western toilet, japanese-style bathroom (i.e. you wash outside the bath, then soak inside it) with shower fixture. Gas supplies heat for the hot water in the whole house. A small wash-room area next to the bathroom has a washbasin, and space for the washing machine. Note that washing technology in Japan is decades behind everyone else, and so no household tumble-dryers are ever found - after spin-drying, clothes can be hung on lines on the balcony. The kitchen/dining room always has a ring gas burner provided by the BOE, and fridge-freezer. But not a whole lot else. Check to see what else is included. Tatami room #1 faces the front of the building, while the second tatami room can be opened up to the kitchen and dining room by the removal of its sliding screen doors (as shown above), or  opening its sliding glass doors leading to the balcony. The tatami rooms and the genkan (entrance) both have considerable storage space, so clutter needn't be a problem. All together these apartments are a very spacious size for one person to live in. Have fun....