The Hello House East common room
In Japanese the word dozo (also written as どうぞ or douzo) roughly means “here you go”. It is used for giving something to someone, showing them to their seat, informing them to start eating or drinking, etc. In the Hello House common room there is a table (just off the right side of this picture) known as the dozo table. Unwanted items can be put on the dozo table and then they are free for any of the residents. You can tell when people have been cleaning their rooms or are preparing to move out by the amount of stuff on the dozo table.
So far in my few months in Hello House I have collected a nightstand, frisbee, futon mattress, clipboard, picture frame, juggling balls, Japanese phrase book and a computer monitor. I love the dozo table!
(2014 update)
I still have the phrasebook to this day!
Drinking in Japan 