Check It Out

No.174 (10/22/10)

OTK -- American Civilian & Military One-stop Shop

By Guest Writer

PCSing can always be flustering, but relocation to another country can be extremely stressful. “How do we find a car? A house? How does car insurance work?” are questions we have all asked ourselves and our sponsors. Luckily, a new company has arisen in Misawa to make this hectic time a lot easier.

OTK is Misawa's newest real estate and car sales office created especially for American civilians and military personnel. OTK was founded on the promise of creating better quality homes, that aren't of the typical “cookie-cutter” variety. OTK's homes are designed with two important principals in mind: functionality and saving clients money.

OTK's manager, Mitsuhiro Nakasaka or ‘Naka' for short, always puts the customers first. He believes, “if customers aren't happy, our business is bound to fail.” Being married to an American, he saw firsthand the inadequately built houses Americans were forced to pay for and wanted to change that. Mr. Nakasaka teamed up with Mr. Niiyama, owner of Niiyama House Co., Ltd., a local building company, and together they formulated a plan to make housing that Americans will enjoy staying in during their tour. Misawa’s winter months are very harsh and even more draining on a person’s budget with gas prices constantly rising. The adequate insulation of the houses ensures that heat circulates evenly and heaters don’t run all the time. This keeps money in the customer’s pocket, not the gas company's. The houses are also built so they are functional, with one- to two-car garages, “U"-shaped kitchens and dishwashers, fenced in yards for children, and plenty of storage space and room.

Not only does OTK have gorgeous housing, but they also sell cars and insurance. Mr. Naka believes that a good car should come at a good price. He knows most Americans are only here for a short period of time and don't usually want to spend a lot of money on a second hand car, no matter the condition. Their prices are reasonable and financing options are available, especially for younger service members who may be buying their first vehicle. OTK's car lot is unique here in Misawa, while cars are kept on the car lot, a buyer can also make a request for a car. OTK's car lot is located in front of Misawa City Post Office, a buyer looking for a specific car can go there to order or send a request form to Mr. Naka via OTK’s webpage. OTK's cars are bought from Japanese auto auctions. Most of their vehicles come from southern Japanese cities, so mileage is usually low. All vehicles are given a full inspection upon arrival in Misawa by our business partner, Fuji Garage. Fuji Garage has been working on vehicle maintenance and JCI for 45 years and the cars are thoroughly checked to make sure it's in perfect working condition. All our vehicles come with a full two-year JCI and three months warranty on the engines. Along with your new car you may also purchase your car insurance through OTK.

If you have any new members arriving in Misawa, bring them to OTK for their Misawa one-stop shop.

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