Corridors and staircases are considered public space ("Kyo-yu" space in Japanese) in apartment buildings.
Even the corridor space right in front of your door is used by other people in the building - it is not designated as your space only.
In the case of emergencies, such as earthquakes or fires, these public spaces are necessary for escape. So please do not leave bikes or other large objects in these public spaces.
Also, if your room has a balcony, this space is also usually considered public space. Of course, your neighbors generally will not use your balcony, but in the case of a fire the dividers between balconies can be removed allowing people to use the balconies as an emergency exit. For this reason, please do not store large objects on your balcony either.
You may think of the balcony, stairs, and hallways as your own space, but there are situations (especially those stated above) where they become every resident's property. Please keep this in mind and follow these rules. |
