Kurashinity: Tokyo’s Premium Housekeeping Services

Leave the household chores up to the professionals!

Ever since I moved into a bigger apartment and found myself wasting away my precious weekend hours doing multiple loads of laundry and scrubbing the floors clean, I started wondering if it was time to look for a housekeeper. 

But I discovered the process of finding a housekeeper to be a little more nerve-racking than I had anticipated. How would I know if I was selecting a reliable, qualified cleaner? Would they clean in the way that I preferred, or would I have to spend some time training them? How could I feel safe with allowing a stranger into my apartment without my being present? 

Luckily for me, my worries were put aside when I learned about Kurashinity, Tokyo’s premium housekeeping services. I got to experience their professionalism when they visited my home in Omotesando for a mini trial cleaning service, and the outcome was beyond my expectations. 

Read on to find out why you need to try Kurashinity housekeeping services, stat.

What is Kurashinity?

Kurashinity is a Japanese housekeeping agency run by their parent brand, Pasona, a leading human resources enterprise. All of the housekeeping staff are nationally qualified professional housekeepers from the Philippines who undergo more than 400 hours of training over a three-month period prior to working for the company. “Kurashi” is the Japanese word for “living”, and “Nity” (ngiti) means “smile” in Tagalog, so their concept is to support your lifestyle and leave a smile on your face. 

The brand originally started when Pasona aimed to empower Japanese women to work outside of the home by easing their cultural burdens and responsibilities within the home. Since Japanese women were the original target market, Pasona developed a system to train professional Filipino housekeepers on how to clean Japanese-style home features (such as the bathrooms and tatami mats). As the brand grew and evolved, it now services the Tokyo and Kanagawa regions in Japanese and English with about 40 percent of its clientele being foreigners in Japan.   

How does the housekeeping system work?

Kurashinity has three types of courses within their regular plan: Light Course, Standard Course, and Luxury Course. All courses include standard household cleaning services such as servicing the kitchen, bathroom, toilets, dusting, vacuuming, mopping, laundry, ironing, cleaning kitchen appliances, and more. The household cleaning service is offered as a 3.5-hour service or for seven hours. Your housekeeper will visit you one to five times per week, and the system works on a subscription basis where you are charged monthly via credit card. They also have one-time service options for house cleaning for people who are moving into or out of a home. 

Here’s an overview of each course:

1. Light Course (This is the most basic course for clients looking only for house cleaning)

• Laundry and ironing
• Bed making
• Cleaning household items such as kitchen appliances
• Putting items back where they belong and tidying up
• Yardwork (weeding, watering plants, etc.)

2. Standard Course (Most recommended for foreigners in Japan who need help with errands)

• All of the features of the Light Course
• Shopping for groceries
• Shopping for detergents and household goods
• Taking your clothes to the drycleaners
• Prepping food ingredients for you to cook
• Standard table settings for home parties

3. Luxury Course (Best for clients looking for a housekeeper to perform additional tasks that require more skillset)

• All of the features of the Standard Course
• Professional table settings
• Serving houseguests
• Assistance with home parties

Personally, I got to try their “mini” service which is the trial service you receive when you have a consultation. My housekeeper cleaned my bathroom, toilets, sink area, mirrors, and made the bed. During your trial, you also have the option of having your housekeeper to clean the kitchen area, instead. 

How are the housekeepers trained?

The parent brand, Pasona, partners with Magsaysay, a global training and staffing services company for housekeepers in the Philippines, to ensure they are hiring top-notch professionals. A Japanese simulated home has been set up in the Philippines where housekeepers learn about unique Japanese household features such as mizumawari (any water-drainage areas such as the bathroom, bathtub, sink, and kitchen), how to clean tatami mats, how to use standard Japanese cleaning products, trash separation, and how to use Japanese machines such as washing machines and bath dryers. 

The result? Japanese-grade quality services  

Because of the extensive training Kurashinity conducts for its staff, I was keen to hear from users if the services are effective. I spoke with a Kurashinity client, Ochi-san, on her experience using the service.

Kurashinity housekeepers are also excellent with time-management and can complete work that would normally take five to six hours in only 3.5 hours.

“Before using Kurashinity, I had tried at least three housekeepers from other companies. The housekeepers were almost always late, had questionable methods of cleaning my apartment, and would surprise me with things like sharing information about their personal lives which in Japan, is not considered professional. With Kurashinity, I can always expect the same level of quality even if I receive a different housekeeper. 

Kurashinity housekeepers are also excellent with time-management and can complete work that would normally take five to six hours in only 3.5 hours. Between the quality of work, consistency, and trust system through communicating with Kurashinity, you really get the value for the price.”  

How do you get started with a housekeeper?

By this point, I was excited about the services but I still had more questions. Do I leave my key with the housekeeper? Do I need to supply detergents? What if something in my home is damaged?

The first thing that happens when you sign up for Kurashinity is that a representative from their parent company, Pasona, and a housekeeper will come to your home for a consultation and a one-hour cleaning service (¥5,000). The representative will explain to you how their system works, you can inquire about special requests, and you can experience the cleaning service to see if it’s a good fit for you. 

Things you’ll need to prep ahead of time

Pasona has a key center where they manage all of their client’s house keys. Once you provide a spare house key to Pasona, your assigned housekeeper will pick it up from the key center before work and then return it to the key center after work. You are required to be home for the trial service (Kurashinity Mini), but after that, it is not necessary for you to be home when your housekeeper is scheduled to work. 

Between the triangles on my toilet paper to my carefully made bed, I felt like I had hotel-grade services delivered to my apartment and I can’t wait for them to come back.

Housekeepers do have their own cleaning tools that they will bring with them including gloves and rags, but clients are required to supply detergents and larger tools such as a duster and a vacuum. Housekeepers are experienced with working with non-Japanese detergents or natural cleansers if you have any of those on hand, and if you want them to pick up Japanese cleaning supplies then you can opt for the Standard Course and a housekeeper will gather items for you. 

Communication is a breeze

One of the great benefits of working with a housekeeping agency is the communication you have with the company. You can do all of your scheduling, arrangements, and housekeeper feedback via the Pasona representative in English or in Japanese. If on the rare occasion something was to go wrong and an item breaks, your household possessions are protected by insurance.

How do the housekeepers feel about Kurashinity?

Given that Kurashinity provides extensive training and housing for their workers, I was curious to hear from housekeepers about their experience working there.

Here’s what Marifel had to say: 

“Prior to working for Kurashinity, I worked as a housekeeper for a few years in Dubai and Kuwait. The culture and lifestyle are very different and I found that living in Japan has been an easy adjustment. I love working for Kurashinity because they provide very good training, especially time-management and Japanese education lessons that will prepare me for a life beyond my time with the company. Also, because we work standard business hours from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays only, I like feeling like a professional employee. 

When it comes to housekeeping, I want to clean as if this is my own house. I am careful when using each item, including cleaning tools and machines. The most rewarding part of the job is when I receive positive feedback. After my three-year visa has expired, I hope to renew it and come back to Japan for more work.”

The results speak for themselves

By the end of trying out Kurashinity services, the areas worked on were spotless. My drains were as white as when I first moved in, dust was missing from areas I typically forget (like the flaps on toilet paper holders), and my bed magically looked crisp even though I hadn’t pre-ironed the sheets. I was most impressed with how the mirrors in my bath area were rid of stubborn water stains that I couldn’t figure out how to remove on my own.

I was also impressed with the professionalism of the housekeeper; she treated me with the same kindness you receive when you’re a guest at a hotel. Between the triangles on my toilet paper to my carefully made bed, I felt like I had hotel-grade services delivered to my apartment and I can’t wait for them to come back.

Special offer for Savvy readers

Ready to try Kurashinity’s housekeeping service? For our Savvy Tokyo readers who select the Regular Plan, Kurashinity will wave the initial ¥5,000 consultation service fee. Just complete the registration form through the below link and be sure to add the campaign code!

Registration form: Click here.
Campaign code: SAVVY

Comments

Rose D Muhoya says:

September 29, 2024 at 1:31 pm

I really want this job