The dorms are located less than 500 meters away from Hiroshima University. The campus is very wide so depending on my class location, my arrival time differences. My farthest class was in the Integrated Arts and Sciences building and takes about a 20-minute walk. While I prefer waking, most of my friends use bicycles so their travel time is much shorter.

Living at Ikenoue is also the cheapest opinion around Saijo. The high expenses for housing, transportation, and food in Japan concerned my family, but the dorms and the university’s cafeterias make studying at Hiroshima University financially accommodating and enjoyable.

One of my favorite characteristics of my dorm room is its location within the building. From my dorm room, I see the mountains surrounding campus. I hear birds singing and the sun never leaves my window view. Watching the sunset from my balcony is always a blessing and helps me relax. Ikenoue made living in Saijo easier because it immediately gave me a place to live and a place to call home. 

The dorm also provides daily necessities such as laundry machines, study rooms, and a community-style bathroom with three shower stalls and one bath. Thanks to these facilities, I could immediately focus on scheduling my classes and preparing for school life in Japan.

I met a freshmen student while cooking in the dorm kitchen. Having many things in common, we became friends and even exchanged omiyage (gifts). While I could not become friends with everyone living on the same floor, just knowing two or three people well definitely made my experience aboard memorable.

Another good characteristic about the dorms, particularly for HUSA students, is the fact that students from the same program live close to me. Transitioning from one’s home country to Japan can be intimidating so having friends living in the same dorm lessened my worries. Going to another floor to cook dinner together, meeting up before going out to an event, or walking home together made living at the dorm a wonderful experience.