Let’s Express Our Gratitude to That Person at the Social Apartment! The 2025 Episode Is Now Available

That person who struck up a conversation with me the first time I went to the lounge; everyone who always makes spending time together so much fun; Ms. 〇〇, who always cleans the kitchen before I even notice; all the housekeepers who keep the place clean day in and day out; the service technicians who fixed the equipment issues; and that friend who was just there for me when I was going through a tough time…

At Social Apartment, we set aside a time once every six months to express the “thank yous” that we often miss out on because we rarely have the chance to put them into words.

We’re collecting stories of gratitude you’d like to share with “that person” connected to Social Apartment, and the first 100 participants will receive
a gift card to give to the person they wish to thank. The campaign is called “100Thanks.”

(▶ Click here for an interview with the 100Thanks organizer )

This time, we’re sharing some of the stories of gratitude submitted in 2025.

📝 World Neighbors Kiyosumi-Shirakawa FROM: Ms. Y

TO: K (Resident)

Thank you so much for always cooking such delicious meals and livening up our events! All of K’s dishes are authentic, and I’m moved every time I eat them—I think he’s a special person who makes everyone feel happy.Not only do I admire your culinary skills—which draw on your experience as an Italian chef—but I’m also grateful for your cheerful and thoughtful personality. I’m truly grateful to see how you always act with everyone’s best interests in mind, no matter the situation. I look forward to continuing to spend fun times together, and I want to cherish every opportunity to enjoy your cooking. Thank you so much!

📝 Social Apartment Hanakoganei FROM: I

TO: Ms. M (resident)—the first friend I made in Japan

I’ve lived in Japan before, but this is the first time I’ve made a friend I can talk to so easily, and I’m truly happy about it. You were the one who reached out to me first, taught me so many things I didn’t know, and I’m always grateful for everything you do. It’s fun when the two of us sit across from each other to study, only to end up watching a drama instead. I look forward to our continued friendship. Thank you, as always.

📝Neighbors Kikuna FROM: Ms. N

TO: The woman three years older than me living across the hall (resident)

When my personal and professional lives were unstable and I was feeling down—when I just wanted someone to listen and help me laugh it off—my friends from school days live far away now, so I couldn’t just call them out of the blue. But since we live in the same building, I thought, “Maybe she’d come over?” and called her on a whim. To my surprise, she rushed right over.She listened to me for ages at the nearest station and helped me laugh it off—and to top it off, the next morning, she’d hung a gift on my door! Thanks to her, I bounced back in no time. I want to express my gratitude to this thoughtful friend 🌸

📝 Neighbors Musashi-Nakahara FROM: Ms. M

TO: Everyone in the Running Club (Residents)

Thank you for giving me—someone who had never run before—the chance to take on a new challenge! There are so many people at Neighbors Musashi-Nakahara who love to exercise, and participating in trail runs and marathons together is practically an event in itself.I was invited to join in and took on my first trail run and full marathon ever! Forty of us ran the full marathon, and almost everyone finished—even though we were all gasping for breath the whole way! I couldn’t move the next day (lol), but when they called out my name and cheered me on at the finish line, I almost cried. It’s also a great memory of us all congratulating each other while saying, “I’m so tired!!”Because everyone is there, exercising together has made me more positive and helped me enjoy my daily life. Let’s keep running side by side from now on! Thank you, everyone ♡

📝 Terminals Takatsuki FROM: T

TO: All Residents

I take this opportunity every year to express my gratitude—everyone at Terminals is truly wonderful, and I’m so glad to be living here with you all. When I come home and stop by the lounge, you say, “Welcome back!” And when I’ve been too busy to visit but finally pop in after a while, you ask, “Long time no see—how have you been?” That kindness always warms my heart and makes me happy.This year, I’m going to focus on work, so I don’t think I’ll have as many chances to hang out as I used to, but I’ll pop into the lounge every now and then, so please keep an eye out for me! Thank you, as always!

📝 Neighbors Gotanda FROM: K

TO: The housekeepers at Neighbors Gotanda

It’s been about two and a half years since Neighbors Gotanda opened, but it still looks brand-new—it’s a property I’m proud to show off to everyone.

I’ve lived in several places myself, but I’ve never seen a property this clean. I hear from various residents that the housekeepers really clean down to the smallest details. Also, if the burnable trash bins run low, they restock them, or leave a note reminding us how to use them properly—it’s always a big help.

I often notice their attention to detail when I see glass items or special types of trash carefully wrapped one by one, with a note attached, lined up neatly in the trash bins.

Thank you for always keeping things so clean.
We look forward to your continued support.

📝 Neighbors Miyamaedaira FROM: U

TO: A resident who teaches dance

The three of us—including another child who isn’t very good at dancing—spent hours in the multipurpose studio! She taught us. She was very thorough and easy to understand, and we had a great time. We were able to make good use of the common areas, and I feel like we’ve become closer since then. We’ve been making plans to go out, like visiting a long-established local tonkatsu restaurant that appeared in a TV drama. She’s even said she wants to have another lesson!
Even though she’s a professional, she insisted, “We’re neighbors in the same building!” and wouldn’t let me do more than treat her to a small meal. So, when I get an Amazon gift card, I want to buy her some butter—the kind that’s great for baking her favorite sweets—and give it to her as a present.

📝 Neighbors Tachikawa FROM: Ms. S

TO: Ms. M (Resident)

Shortly after I moved into the social apartment, when I hadn’t spoken to anyone yet and was sitting on the sofa feeling a little nervous, Ms. M, who was watching a movie in the living room, asked me, “Want to watch it with me?”
That was the start of it—we got really into talking about movies and our hometowns, and time flew by in a flash. If it weren’t for M, I might have ended up spending all my time alone. Now, it’s become a daily routine for M to greet me with a smile and say, “Welcome back,” whenever I return to the lounge after a tiring day at work.
There was a time when I was feeling the pressure of being entrusted with a major project at work. M quietly brought me some snacks and offered kind words, saying, “Don’t push yourself too hard.” I can’t even begin to describe how much that kindness helped me.
I’ve come to realize that the appeal of a social apartment isn’t just about having a place to live, but about having friends with whom I can connect on a deeper level. I can’t thank Ms. M enough. Thank you so much for always welcoming me with warmth and for always being so cheerful.

📝 Neighbors Kasai FROM: H

TO: Ms. M (Resident)

When I first moved into the social apartment and was still getting used to things, Hitomi invited me to a cherry blossom viewing and would casually say hello during everyday moments, which helped me get used to the community atmosphere right away.
Thanks to that, my anxiety about my new life eased, and I feel I’ve been able to live each day with peace of mind. Later, as we planned camping trips together and helped each other with the preparations, I truly experienced the joy of working together to create something as a team. I’m so happy that through those experiences, I was able to create lasting memories with such dear friends. I hope we can continue to enjoy various activities together and deepen our bonds even further.

📝 Social Apartment Denenchofu FROM: N

TO: Housekeeper

When I first moved to Tokyo from the countryside, I had few friends and felt a little lonely as I began my life here.No matter how sleepy I am in the morning, it makes me so happy when Y-san, our housekeeper, sends me off with a smile and says, “Have a good day!”—it’s what keeps me going every day! It’s not just that she cleans so thoroughly; that simple “Have a good day” really helps me kick off my day!
Thank you for your motherly kindness and for making me feel as safe and at home as I do with my own family♡

We’ve received countless stories like these, but we’ve shared 10 of them here. Each one is a heartwarming story that lets you picture what daily life is really like.

Have you ever taken the time to express your gratitude to the people around you? If there are feelings you’ve been wanting to share, it might be worth taking the plunge and saying them out loud.

Even if it feels a little awkward, no one would ever take a positive sentiment the wrong way. I’d be delighted if these stories served as a catalyst to help spread a wave of gratitude.

*Some typos and omissions in the stories have been corrected.