On July 20, ULI Japan’s Young Leaders Group and KUROFUNE Inc. hosted a property tour event for real estate professionals and architects. Co-founders and co-CEOs Takafumi Inoue and Masamichi Ueta introduced U Share, a brand transforming student housing in Japan.

Inspired by Western residential education models, U Share targets university students with its “Living together, growing together” philosophy. Unlike traditional Japanese housing, U Share encourages social interaction but also respects the need for personal space. Most rooms house only two people, and public areas offer both social and private zones to suit a variety of uses for comfort and social interaction.

Both Harvard alumni, Inoue brings expertise in urban planning and finance, while Ueta specializes in real estate and architecture. After presenting their ideas and philosophy behind the project, attendees toured the property, experiencing the U Share model firsthand. The building features modern, cozy quarters and includes a café as a part of its social areas.

The event wrapped up with a rooftop networking session, offering a platform for discussing U Share’s potential, its challenges, and just generally shaking hands with a few new faces. The model faces the hurdle of a traditionally conservative real estate segment while showing incredible promise formed by the fusion of Eastern and Western student housing models.