SA is a good opportunity for foreigners to experience japanese culture from inside, try go off your limits to communicate with other tenants in Japanese as mmuch as you can, even it is not perfect, you'll make mistakes, but you efforts will be rewarded by the community. SA community is large, you will be able to make various friends, sharing activities inside and ouside the building (games, outdoor activities, restaurant, party, etc). Compare to other sharehouse, here rules a fair and sustainable (ie. no fridge war).
Social apartment is a great way to make new friends. The facilities and appliances are also top notch. Not all SAs are the same though, so make sure you do research on the area!