OFF-BASE UTILITIES
- Electricity
- Tohoku Electric Power Company supplies the electricity in this part of Japan. Each month, a representative will come to your home and read the electricity meter and leave a slip in your mail box. By the way, in Japan the meters are outside the house.
- This slip isn't a bill, it is a notice of how much electricity you have used and the charge is calculated. Within 10 days, you will be mailed a bill.
- Water
- Meters aren't read from December through March because of ice and snow. Instead, the bi-monthly water bills are estimated based on the November bill and adjusted when the meter is read again in April.
- Propane
- Many homes use propane for hot water heaters and for cooking.
- Some homes have propane heaters as well.
- It's a good idea to watch how much propane you use since it can get expensive.
- Propane can be purchased from a variety of places but usually your landlord will have a deal set up with a supplier.
- Kerosene
- Most homes use kerosene with newer efficient heaters that vent exhausts outside. It is cheaper than propane. Many think it is safer as well. You should get the kerosene heaters cleaned periodically.
- Space heaters that do not vent to outside should be used sparingly and for limited periods of time due to the dangerous carbon monoxide exhaust.
- Kerosene is available from a variety of companies but, again, your landlord will probably have a deal set up with a supplier.
- Trash
- Your landlord should arrange your trash pickup through a private contractor. The average cost is 2,500 yen per month for twice-a-week pickup. This service may or may not require you to separate types of trash, depending on where you live.
- Paying for Utilities
- You have two options for paying your utility bills. You can take the bill that is delivered to your home to any convenience store (Lawson’s, Circle K, etc) and pay there or you can use GI Bill Pay which is located in the Mokuteki Community Center.
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