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Atsugi - on or off base living??
- Thread starter 60flyer
- Start date
Seems most of the officers live on base. I don't know why. I guess most have families so it's easier. 
helo_wifey
Well-Known Member
Are you single? Do you have pets? Kids?
We lived on base for a few reasons:
1. We had just gotten married a month before we went to Japan and I knew nothing about the Navy, Japan or anything else...it was the easiest option.
2. We had cats...we knew people that lived off base with cats, but we didn't want to have to worry about ours destroying tatami rooms and paper doors. We also wanted the built in network of having people who would be willing to watch them if we went away traveling. And, we completed the quarantine in our on base housing...something we couldn't do if living out in town. They would of had to been quarantined in the Zama kennel.
3. Convenience. I liked being able to walk to the commissary, the NEX and the post office. I also liked that when I got home from work later at night I could walk out my door, and go running/biking around base at 2300-0000 safely (no cars, people, etc to worry about).
We didn't like how small it was though, everyone knew your business and you lived close to those who you sometimes wanted to get away from.
We've been talking about it recently and if we were to go back (we want to), we would probably live on base again. Only now our reasons have changed slightly since we're expecting our first kid.
There were probably half and half single guys in our squadron that lived on base/out in town. We had 2 that shared a place in Atsugi area and also had a place up in Tokyo, which if I were single I think would be the perfect set up if you can swing it.
I don't know how much you're going to be gone, but the amount my husband was gone the only thing I could see with living out in town is that most of the time (3/4 of our 2.8 years out there he was gone) you're not using what you're paying for. At least if you live at the Q you've got maid service, and all that jazz and you don't have to go far when you come back into town (or when you're drinking at the O-club...since it's right there).
Hope that helps, we've been back almost a year now and are already talking how we can go back. If you need any info on things to see, we got off the beaten track a lot, so feel free to ask.
We lived on base for a few reasons:
1. We had just gotten married a month before we went to Japan and I knew nothing about the Navy, Japan or anything else...it was the easiest option.
2. We had cats...we knew people that lived off base with cats, but we didn't want to have to worry about ours destroying tatami rooms and paper doors. We also wanted the built in network of having people who would be willing to watch them if we went away traveling. And, we completed the quarantine in our on base housing...something we couldn't do if living out in town. They would of had to been quarantined in the Zama kennel.
3. Convenience. I liked being able to walk to the commissary, the NEX and the post office. I also liked that when I got home from work later at night I could walk out my door, and go running/biking around base at 2300-0000 safely (no cars, people, etc to worry about).
We didn't like how small it was though, everyone knew your business and you lived close to those who you sometimes wanted to get away from.
We've been talking about it recently and if we were to go back (we want to), we would probably live on base again. Only now our reasons have changed slightly since we're expecting our first kid.
There were probably half and half single guys in our squadron that lived on base/out in town. We had 2 that shared a place in Atsugi area and also had a place up in Tokyo, which if I were single I think would be the perfect set up if you can swing it.
I don't know how much you're going to be gone, but the amount my husband was gone the only thing I could see with living out in town is that most of the time (3/4 of our 2.8 years out there he was gone) you're not using what you're paying for. At least if you live at the Q you've got maid service, and all that jazz and you don't have to go far when you come back into town (or when you're drinking at the O-club...since it's right there).
Hope that helps, we've been back almost a year now and are already talking how we can go back. If you need any info on things to see, we got off the beaten track a lot, so feel free to ask.
I have a couple of friends that lived near Tokyo and made the commute to Atsugi everyday. They said they loved where they lived, but the commute was exhausting. (Especially on the way home after a long day.)
We've done both. Each have their pluses and minuses. We lived in both Zama City (4mo) and Ayase City (18mo), as well as on base on Atsugi. Our house in Ayase was much larger (HUGE by Japanese standards) than our on base house. However, creature comforts won out. I wanted heat and A/C, rather than kerosene and a small wall A/C in every room that never really worked too well. I detested having to go to the laundry mat. We had a Japanese washer and dryer, but it took over an hour to dry two flight suits alone! I wanted an oven (we only had a small built in broiler). I loved being able to walk to the train, walk to the Japanese markets and fruit/veggie stands, buying baked sweet potatoes off the back of a truck with a burning fire.
We had several single friends who lived down in Yamato. More of a night life than the Atsugi area, and not as far as Yokohama or Tokyo.
We had several single friends who lived down in Yamato. More of a night life than the Atsugi area, and not as far as Yokohama or Tokyo.
What about money? Seems like they give you way too much for electric and you could bank the leftover. Any other money thoughts?
Did you have any issues renewing leases or anything like that?
This is my shore duty, but I will be gone a fair amount on overnight/week trips. No husband, no pets, no kids.
Did you have any issues renewing leases or anything like that?
This is my shore duty, but I will be gone a fair amount on overnight/week trips. No husband, no pets, no kids.
helo_wifey
Well-Known Member
Those we knew/know who live out in town have leases for the full time, and I don't think they had to renew anything. I know they're making a little bit of money on the utilities end, but it's also pretty expensive to run the A/C and heat (like Fred mentioned, it's different than you'd be used to). Friends of ours only heat/cool one room at a time since doing the whole house was expensive.
As far as living out in town you'll have to come up with quite a bit of cash (key deposit, gift money, regular deposit) but I know that the Navy covers some of that, not sure how much or which portion.
A lot of people we knew saved a lot of money over there for when they came back to the US...we ended up spending it on traveling.
Also, it's been said that those who live on base don't experience the culture fully. I do agree to a point, you're not living with the Japanese/etc but it's all about how motivated you are to get off base.
You could always get an apartment (some singles in the squadron got huge houses which seemed silly to me because of the upkeep) that would be easy to leave when you're away (not having to worry about closing shutters, etc) and not too huge of a commitment when you're around. There are great places in Yamato, Ayase (with-in 5-15min of base) and Ebina.
As far as living out in town you'll have to come up with quite a bit of cash (key deposit, gift money, regular deposit) but I know that the Navy covers some of that, not sure how much or which portion.
A lot of people we knew saved a lot of money over there for when they came back to the US...we ended up spending it on traveling.
Also, it's been said that those who live on base don't experience the culture fully. I do agree to a point, you're not living with the Japanese/etc but it's all about how motivated you are to get off base.
You could always get an apartment (some singles in the squadron got huge houses which seemed silly to me because of the upkeep) that would be easy to leave when you're away (not having to worry about closing shutters, etc) and not too huge of a commitment when you're around. There are great places in Yamato, Ayase (with-in 5-15min of base) and Ebina.