Light-filled sharehouse common room with wooden deck overlooking Kobe city and the Seto Inland Sea

Luce-us Kobe

ルーチェ神戸

ColivingCoworking

Luce-us is a light-filled sharehousein Kobe's Hyogo ward, operated by Machiake. One of the larger share house networks in the Kobe area. The name comes from the Italian word for light, and it accurately describes the house. Every room receives generous natural light, and the upper-floor rooms open onto panoramic views overKobe city and the Seto Inland Sea. The property sits in a quiet residential neighborhood at the foot of the Rokko mountains, balancing urban access with a sense of openness rare in city living.

Shared spaces include a dining kitchen, a main living room for daily use, a second Japanese-style living room with a calm atmosphere, and a wooden deck overlooking the city. There is no dedicated coworking space, but WiFi is included in the common service fee and residents work from their rooms or nearby cafes. The shared dining kitchen lets residents cook their own meals. Dietary options not confirmed for any shared meals. The neighborhood is gaining a quiet creative character, with art galleries and an independent bookstore opening nearby.

Despite its residential setting, the house is practical for daily commuting. A 4-minute walk reaches the Yumeno-cho 3-chome bus stop, with frequent buses to JR Kobe Station, Motomachi, and Sannomiya. Machiake's network across Kobe also means residents can connect with people from other houses through shared events.

Rooms & Pricing

Based on website

5 private rooms (8.7–9.1 sqm) across two floors. AC, wooden desk, chair in each. Bedding rental ¥13,000.

Room Type	Capacity	Size
Room 101 Air conditioning, wooden desk, chair, hanger rack, bed, mattress, lighting, curtains	1 person	9.1 sqm
Room 102 Air conditioning, wooden desk, chair, hanger rack, bed, mattress, lighting, curtains	1 person	8.7 sqm
Rooms 201, 202, 203 (upper floor) Air conditioning, wooden desk, chair, hanger rack, bed, mattress, lighting, curtains. City and sea views.	1 person	9.1 sqm each

Contract Options
Standard move-in	Security deposit ¥20,000–¥40,000 + ¥15,000 admin fee + first two months rent	Security deposit applied to deposit on move-in. Non-refundable if cancelled after payment. Credit card accepted with 4% fee.

What's Included

Based on website

Dining kitchen

Refrigerator, microwave, shared dining area.

WiFi

Included in ¥14,000/month common fee. All rooms covered.

Wooden deck

Deck with city and Seto Inland Sea views.

Japanese-style second living room

Tatami-style room for quiet relaxation.

Main living room

Shared daily-use living space for residents.

Washing machine

Shared laundry facilities in the house.

Air conditioning

Individual AC unit in every room.

Vacuum cleaner

Shared handy vacuum cleaner available for room cleaning.

Desk and chair

Wooden desk, chair, and hanger rack provided in every room.

Utilities, WiFi, and consumables included in ¥14,000/month fee. Bedding rental ¥13,000 one-time.

House Rules

Based on website

All rooms are private with locks. Shared areas are cleaned at least twice a month; residents clean up after themselves in between. Garbage disposal rotates among residents. Overnight guests are permitted with advance notice via group LINE; fee of ¥1,000 per person per night applies. No pets (some Machiake houses allow cats for female residents, but confirm for Luce-us specifically). Minors require parental consent; ID required at move-in.

Community & Events

Based on website

Machiake's houses maintain a 50% Japanese, 50% international resident mix across their network (as of mid-2025), with approximately 65% working professionals and 35% students. Communication in shared areas is in Japanese and English. A House Leader among residents handles garbage schedules and shared supplies. Machiake also organizes events across its Kobe houses, and residents can connect with people from other properties in the network.

Resident Mix

Typical community (Machiake network, June 2025): 50% Japanese, 50% international. 65% working professionals, 35% students. Gender ratio approximately 50/50. Age range late teens to late 50s. English and Japanese spoken in common areas.

Getting There

Nearest Station

Minatogawa Koen Subway Station (bus connection)

Lines

See Google Maps

A 4-minute walk reaches the Yumeno-cho 3-chome bus stop (Municipal Bus lines 11 and 65). Buses run every 5–10 minutes to JR Kobe Station and Minatogawa Koen Subway Station. An 8-minute walk leads to the Yumeno-cho 2-chome stop (Line 7), with 10-minute-frequency buses to Motomachi Station and Sannomiya Station. The nearest convenience store (FamilyMart) is a 4-minute walk. The large supermarket Izumiya is 8 minutes away.

About Kobe

Kobe is a port city in Hyogo Prefecture, wedged between the Rokko mountains and Osaka Bay. It sits on the Hanshin Main Line, putting central Osaka about 30 minutes away and Kyoto under an hour by express. The city is compact and bikeable, with a cosmopolitan character shaped by its long history as a foreign trade port.

For nomads, Kobe offers lower rents than Osaka or Kyoto with easy access to both. Sannomiya is the main hub for transit, cafes, and coworking. The harborfront area and Motomachi are popular for walking and working from independent cafes. English is more widely spoken here than in most Japanese cities outside Tokyo.