Traditional Japanese rooms are characterized by clear lines, uncluttered spaces, and a deliberate absence of adornments, creating a tranquil atmosphere for inhabitants to focus on their spirituality. Key concepts in Japanese interior design include Ma, Wabi-Sabi, and Shakkei, which emphasize simplicity, harmony, and connection with nature. Modern Japanese interior design is characterized by a less-is-more approach, decluttering space, and using muted tones for a calming environment.
Key elements in Japanese interior design include sustainability, neutral colors, harmonic tones, natural/earthy materials, and textures. Japanese living spaces should showcase a deep appreciation and respect for the natural world, resulting in an abundance of modest and honest materials. Japanese interiors range from urban apartments to mountain and seaside escapes, reflecting the country’s sense of home interiors.
Japanese interior design is based on timeless principles emphasizing minimalism, zen, nature, and peace. By embracing minimalism, using natural materials and craftsmanship in furniture, and furnishing with functionality and centeredness, one can create a space that promotes mindfulness and serenity. The concept of Ma, or negative space around, is a beautiful aspect of Japanese interior design.
In Japan, decorations are placed symbolically and with intention, such as using beige, white, and grey colors. Traditional Japanese-style rooms have an alcove (tokonoma) for hanging scrolls and ikebana flowers, along with decor with a philosophical foundation. Japanese interior design is renowned for its minimalism, functionality, and appreciation for nature, with clean lines and minimal studs.
In conclusion, Japanese interior design is characterized by simplicity, harmony, and a deep appreciation for nature. By applying these principles, one can create a Zen-inspired living room that exudes peace and well-being for everyday living.
📹 Inside Japan’sWORST TINY APARTMENT
TINY Apartments are everywhere in Japan, but this is probably the TINIEST that I have found yet. With an unbelievable price tag, …
What is the Japanese philosophy about space?
The Japanese concept of space is rooted in the relationships among people, rather than objects and walls. This approach to space is influenced by two foundational traditions: Shinto, an indigenous spiritual tradition in Japan, and Buddhism, an imported from mainland Asia. Shinto emphasizes harmony in relationships and the connections that tie people together, while Buddhism promotes emptiness and selflessness. These concepts do not involve fixed ideas or actions.
The word for person in Japanese, ningen, reflects differences in understanding interactions and identity. The first part (nin) represents a human being, while the second (gen) stands for space or in-between. The understanding of a person is not distinct and atomistic, but rather based on the connections and relationships formed as people interact with each other. This perspective offers insight into the ways in which different cultures approach space as both a concept and a practice.
How do I make my house look more Japanese?
To create a Japanese-inspired home, incorporate natural textures like bamboo blinds, rice paper screens, and woven baskets to add depth and depth to your space. Other textures include pottery, ikebana, and traditional Japanese artwork. Incorporate indoor plants like bonsai trees, ferns, and peace lilies to bring elements of the outdoors indoors, purifying the air and adding greenery and natural beauty to your space.
How does Japan view foreigners?
Being Black in Japan is often seen as a foreign experience, with white foreigners being seen as familiar, while Black foreigners are perceived as more foreign. This can make it difficult for Black travelers to integrate into Japanese society. South African Black woman Khensi shares her experiences of being a person of color in Japan, highlighting a lack of awareness about Black culture among Japanese people. Some Black individuals report occasional Japanese touches or remarks on their hair or skin, with local curiosity ranging from odd to innocent.
How do you know where spaces are in Japanese?
The All Hiragana version of Japanese employs pauses before and after particles, as they are integral to effective communication. These pauses ensure that all utterances are properly timed, resulting in a more concise and effective communication.
How do Japanese read without spaces?
The Japanese writing system, derived from Chinese, employs the use of kanji, hiragana, and katakana to differentiate between words and morphemes within a text, despite the absence of spaces between words in Chinese writing. Consequently, the Japanese language has not evolved to accommodate this alteration.
How do blind Japanese people read?
The Japanese braille system, based on the original braille script, is a unique transcription process that uses an 6-dotted cell to represent kana characters, representing one syllabic sound. The system was developed during the late 19th century for the education of the blind. Vowels are represented by dot 1 for “a”, dot 1 and 2 for “i”, dot 1, 2 and 4 for “e”, and dot 2 and 4 for “o”. Consonants are transcribed by the combination of dots 3, 5, and 6, while other syllabic sounds are written using two cells.
Japanese braille was designed to be read from left to right and includes punctuation symbols like comma and period. Unlike European braille, the Japanese braille system does not have a contracted form and requires word and clause separation by a blank cell, improving readability and comprehensibility.
How do the Japanese view personal space?
In Japanese culture, individuals typically maintain a distance of two and a half to three feet when standing in proximity to one another. This distance is typically greater when encountering individuals with whom one is unfamiliar. In public spaces such as subways and markets, personal space is often constrained, and close contact between individuals is not uncommon. Touching is an infrequent occurrence between men and women, though it is more prevalent in social contexts such as shared alcohol consumption.
What is the Japanese paradox?
The Japanese Paradox, a phenomenon attributed to the traditional Japanese diet of “washoku”, is a phenomenon where all Japanese people, except sumo wrestlers, look thin, slim, and fit. This is due to the traditional Japanese diet, which focuses on plant-based foods. The Japanese people maintain their slim figures by eating a main carbohydrate, steamed rice or noodles, cooked without butter and salt. They also consume a lot of seafood and green vegetables along with the staple rice or noodles, providing a convenient dose of fiber and vegetables with minimal caloric intake.
Although they do eat red meat, poultry, and sometimes fried red meat, they limit their consumption of red meat and processed foods, focusing on whole plant foods and plant proteins. This diet has led to a significant reduction in heart attacks worldwide.
What is the Japanese understanding of space?
The Japanese concept of Ma, which translates to “pause in time” or “emptiness in space,” is a universal principle that applies to all aspects of life. The concept of Ma symbolizes the temporal and spatial parameters necessary for respiration, emotional experience, and interpersonal connection. The symbol, which comprises two characters, represents a portal through which sunlight enters, thereby symbolizing the significance of time and space in the process of growth.
What is the Japanese interior concept?
The Japanese Interior Design Style, rooted in its culture and traditions, is often associated with Scandinavian design due to their similarities. The Japanese design language reflects a deeper philosophical understanding and a sensuous, playful, and thoughtful expression. Wabi-Sabi aims to create Zen through seven design principles, including Kanso, which emphasizes using simplistic elements in spaces that are easy to find, use, maintain, and replace. Zen symbolizes balance, which can be established in irregularity, and Fukinsei represents balanced asymmetry, resembling an oxymoron in harmony.
How do Japanese measure area?
The tsubo, equivalent to a square ken or 36 square shaku, is the base unit of Japanese area, used informally in real estate floorspace. It is twice the size of the Nagoya tatami mat’s jō. The tsubo is still used as the official base unit of area in Taiwan due to historical connections. In agricultural contexts, the tsubo is known as the bu, with larger units used by Japanese farmers for field sizes.
📹 50+ Amazing Japanese Small Space Interior Design Ideas
50+ Amazing Japanese Small Space Interior Design Ideas.
I don’t think it gets any crazier than this… BUT WOULD YOU LIVE HERE? Let me know what you thought and join the discussion below!! So Crazy, You Gotta Watch It TWICE! (gets better… and crazier every time lol) For the FULL PLAYLIST of TINY Apartments – youtube.com/watch?v=y-1Dwhh7dEc&list=PLtflILeTBlX_E6rFrloEFxP9reyc-fgHW&index=1&t=0s I waited nearly a year to get into this one!! Hope you all enjoyed it!!
3:59 I think the closet space would have been more usable if it were installed on the ground rather than on the ceiling. Because then you could sleep on top of it, roll up your mat and have counter space for your toiletries, kitchen utensils etc. And then you can even open one of the cabinets to use as a desk space to put a chair under as you work!
As a first responder, I can’t help but think of the insane challenges here. Like getting a person who went down for any reason in the bedroom and needs to be carried out to an ambulance. Those stairs are brutal. Fire wouldn’t be able to get into this place with gear on. Similar to issue one, people die. Getting them out will be a real bitch, especially if it was a heart attack in the cramped bathroom or something… you can’t just toss them from the window lol
I’m about to go live in Osaka and I managed to get the same rent for a fairly “normal” tiny apartment, incredible how the price goes up with location even with such drawbacks! Honestly it would be a fun challenge to figure out how to stay for a couple months in those miniscule rooms, since it’s essentially going to be a bed and a roof, and then anything else you do outside to not go crazy
The room itself is probably tolerable. Maybe investing in noise cancelling earbuds might alleviate the noise issue at night, if there is any. The toilet space and stairs are probably a deal breaker for me. I can see myself missing a step and the toilet space is a little too cramped. Credit where it’s due, they were able to do a lot with so little space, but I wouldn’t be able to.
Coming from an artistic standpoint, I love it. It’s a creative use of space, functional, and quirky. Coming from a logical standpoint….nope. It reminds me sort of like a treehouse because of the weird spaces, but yet oddly cozy. However, those stairs would be my demise. All it would take is one morning in a rush without my coffee and I’d be done for lol.
Just my two cents on why they detered you from talking to the tenants. But i think in general, Japanese people like to keep their private life a secret. Especially so when things are rough. Even though the house itself is famous, and widely known, people that are better off would not decide to live there (or the 100$ apartments). So the most likely scenario is that those that live in the cheap apartments are down on their luck, and wants to be anonymous.
Love the tiny apartment series! The architect of this apartment definitely has full of playful spirit. I was fascinated by not only the shape of building but also a lot of small details of it such as the center silver poll of the stairs, color choice of the exteriors(stands out so much!), the location choice of the bathroom etc! It’s in Tokyo, I would love to check it out with my own eyes too!😆✨
This is such an interesting one. It’s a shame the top floor looks like that, hope they get it fixed up. Honestly the fact that it is horribly ventilated/noisy is one of the biggest downsides imo. That and the laundry situation. I do wonder about the general safety aspects though. How resistant it is to wind shear, earthquakes, etc. And how the general building maintenance is for the places you don’t see.
those who’ve served in the coast guard/ navy and who worked in ships can agree with me on this that this apartment is just as cramped or even more cramped than living in a ship. I think I like the tiny apartment with multiple floors inhabited by that cute girl. I can’t imagine living normal life in such a cramped space. great find Norm, I wonder if there’s anything smaller than this in Japan. My idea is since the country is a disaster-prone place, I think shipping containers turned into apartments would make good homes.
I’ve always considered myself as someone who doesn’t need a huge space to live unlike most people I know who’d often say they’d live in a mansion if they had the money for it. Just a small house or apartment will do for me as long as it can fit everything I need which isn’t that much. But this? This is just way too small even for my standards. I’ve seen the bathroom and I’ll just constantly bump my elbows on the walls as I wash myself. Even just thinking of climbing up the stairs with groceries already feel uncomfortable. I guess I can’t have appliances or chairs as well cuz of those stairs and it’ll only make the already small space more cramped anyway. I’ve seen the toilet room and I feel it’ll just give me a bad case of claustrophobia. 😂
I think the bigger question about the living space (if you even really want to call it that) would be how would you even get anything up there to begin with? Norm is a pretty slim dude and even he had trouble just climbing the stairs without holding onto the beam in the middle so imagine trying to carry practically anything up them. You’d almost have to somehow rig like a pulley system with the hooks for the wash line on the balcony to get your stuff up there.
this is not for living, this is for surviving when you are in financial trouble. Japan has many compact and detailed mini apartments, but this is not one of them. it is poorly designed that it only existed because of bad decisions. as a repair tech I can tell you that something like this is not for a long run, imagine when the AC broke down, how would the tech fix it or replace the AC? how would the plumber work given this amount of space? and how the walls have to taken down if plumbers or electrician need to get into the wire or pipes? if a problem occur (which even the best designed house will have), it is all over. You can hire a repairman to fix it, but they will have to charge you longer hours because the limited space and trouble they have to go through, in the end it is just a cheap option that will cost you more in the long run.
I’m a truck driver in the United States and I’ve driven a truck with a “Legacy Sleeper” that had 3× the room that that apartment has! With a full bathroom, a full size bed, full size fridge, stove, sink and living room with a fold up dining table. It also has its own “apu” (auxiliary power unit) so u don’t have to idle the trucks engine as much and it runs all things that require electrical power. They are stupid expensive though but if u decide to make truckin ur whole life then it’s worth the investment.
I started actually feeling claustrophobic just around seeing the shower. This feels like one of those “bizarre artist installations” that couldn’t possibly have been designed by any licensed, recognized architect or civil engineer. There are college dorm closets more luxurious. Seriously, this feels like a sadist’s attempt to see how desperate people will get to accept any sort of shelter no matter how dehumanizing or even physically painful to live in. If I were to guess why they don’t want people approaching the residents is because psychologically the most likely type of personalities who live there willingly are people who are uber-introverts who very much like/need their insulated, single space to feel safe.
I used to live in a small apartment for about as much rent (300 €), it was really similar to this in size and layout (the kitchen area was about twice as big) but had two bedrooms and a living room. I had the smaller bedroom, which was pretty much the same as this one, but the other one and the living room were livable sizes. It was also built very awkwardly, like the bathroom was one long tube with the toilet squished behind the door, then a sink, a (European standard) tub and then a tiny window – the room was as wide as the tub, so you had to squeeze past the sink and climb in the tub to reach the window. I was fine living there for a few years, because I got along well with my roommate, so I spent most of the time in the living room. I could not stay in my room for long without feeling claustrophobic if I wasn’t sleeping or on my computer. Cooking was a nightmare, most of the living room was used for kitchen stuff and we still ate takeout all the time. Cleaning was also a nightmare with all those tiny corners. We eventually moved because the walls were moldy and the heating stopped working all the time, and we could afford something a little better. This was in a small city (big enough to have a university), close enough to the centre to walk there in about 30 minutes. I’m really glad I don’t live there anymore. My mental health has improved massively since moving, and my physical health is better, too. it really isn’t okay for people to be forced to live in conditions like this because they can’t afford a real apartment near their place of work, or whatever places they need to go.
I could live in the apartment itself…if it looked like it does in the article, not the reality. The stairs are terrifying though, what would it be like to be going down those when an earthquake hit?! I’d also be interested to learn how earthquake-proof it is, since it’s so narrow and tall. The last apartment looked like it would be kinda nice, once it’s fixed up. That balcony would be amazing!
I wasn’t expecting to feel this way when I clicked on the article, but it really feels like the start of a horror movie. This seems incredibly dystopian. I mean, no doubt people live in far worse conditions, but there’s something about the formality of this tiny space that makes it worse, like you could just go in there and be forgotten forever.
The sleeping space is actually quite reasonable. If you are minimalist, you’ll only need a futon, a zaisu, and a foldable table. That way the bed can be easily folded away during the day, and the table and chair can be put under the cabinet to save space. Except for the tiny kitchen, weird toilet, and street noise, this room is actually quite nice, and it gets good sunshine from both sides.
I had a dream about a residence like this. All the rooms were shoulder-width and they were literally stacked on top of each other, with steep, janky-looking stairs to connect them. And all the appliances and stuff were just single items, nothing was coherent, everything was at a different scale even though it was all smaller stuff.
Thanks for the tour (I think). I am sorry to say that I would end up a mental case living in this place. How on earth did the builders manage to get their equipment up to the flat? AND…..what to do in case of a fire or some other emergency? My immediate thoughts go to abseiling as the best ‘get out of dodge fast’ option.
Honestly, it’s better than my college dorm room was. Obviously we had a shared kitchen area and a few bathrooms down the hall. I honestly could probably make it work. In my dorm room I had a twin size bed, a stand up dresser, mini fridge, and a computer desk on top of which I fit a 40″ smart TV, and the whole room was about 90 ft2 or 8.3 m2, which is still smaller than this place. The ceiling height was definitely higher, though.
I’d live here, if only for a short period while I was in between other apartments or low on cash. I’d probably even look back with nostalgia at some parts, much later when I was living somewhere else. It’s got a lot of charm and I think that raised closet is actually good because in such a small space it’s nicer to have some built-in storage versus having to fit some form of dresser in. That toilet area would get real suffocating real quick, though.
i adore this and wish i lived there, you talk about it like its barely any space but its almost double the amount of space i currently live in, its an incredibly charming place, i wish more countries did things like this, i wish there was more places like this, the view from there is amazing and i love it. so inspiring. the noisiness is actually a pleasurable thing, as small spaces are a nightmare to live in when they are dead quiet, its kind of ironic, but having a small space to live in when its noisy outside makes it feel less lonely and less small.
So, I have seen small apartments in Japan through other articles, even in other websites… but this one takes the cake. As an architecture student, I love to see how spaces are used in other areas of the world, and I love trying to fit small appliances and making smart furniture to make things work… but this had me feeling very claustrophobic and I can’t think of ways to make it better. Not right now, I mean. Maybe if I spent a week analyzing the floors layout and visited in person. 😬😅 Anyway, thank you for the content! So very interesting!
I’m tiny so I feel like I could have gotten away with this in my early 20’s. I would have loved being able to have a space to myself like this. Edit: the windows being on a main drag would have been so wonderful because I would spend hours just sitting and people perusal while smoking. 😂 it’s not what my life looks like at all anymore, but at one point, I would have loved this.
I’m 48 and disabled, so stairs are my arch-nemesis under even the BEST conditions (which those stairs are decidedly NOT the best conditions), so that would make it ridiculously difficult for me. Other than the stairs, however, I actually feel like I could live quite happily there. I’m good at economizing and optimizing my space.
Another awesome tiny apartment article. Appreciate you taking a tape measure as well to confirm how large the internal space was. Unfortunately I couldn’t live in a space like that and I am pretty sure I had anxiety dreams about being so large in such a confined space as I grew taller during puberty 😂
I love your website! I hope you get more and more subscribers, I just signed up,too. Honestly, we need more websites like this one, informative, calm and professionally prepared. I’m saying “calm” because I’m tired of hiperactive influencers that make my head dizzy only by looking at them. Thanks and keep up the good work 😊
Coming from the Philippines and hearing about the monthly rent there is wild for me. I live with my parents and siblings in this three-floor apartment (we’re occupying the whole 3f building!) and our rent is more or less what has been mentioned in this article! Granted we’ve been here for like 2 decades now, and our landlord didn’t really increase our rent much throught the years, but we live near a busy area with schools, banks, and different hardware shops. So yeah, kinda mind-blown 😅
I love making the most out of limited space. But the architect and designer of this building missed the mark. First, they should have put the stairs on the outside, like a fire escape. Second, they should have offered full-sized amenities like a real bathroom and kitchen at the back wall but with mini-sized appliances and fixtures. Then the tiny wedge at front could become a closet and all the interior space opens up.
To be honest, I really like the Apartment. Would be cool as a small Office, but I can’t imagine living there more than a Year or so. Btw. Norm, if you tiny Architecture in Japan in general, I highly recommend the Pet Architect Books by Atelier Bow-wow. In the Books are impressive and sometime unbelievable small Buildings, like a Bike shop 10 Meters in length but only 0,20 Meters in depths.
I traveled to many countries, and from what you showed, I can say this apartment is way better than some of the mud, sticks, and stone houses I have seen. Although It’s small It does have the most important things like kitchen, bathroom and balcony. Also, it looks like an interesting building and I love the small parking space it’s nice and funny. Cool article. ^_^
I could never live in an apartment that small. I wouldn’t say I have claustrophobia, but I couldn’t handle being in such a confined space. I’d be a nervous wreck not having enough space to move about freely. Especially in the bathroom. The shower room I think might be manageable, but I’d never be comfortable there. The main living area I feel would get crowded too quickly unless I keep as few things as possible. Those stairs, though, are a nightmare. Climbing up those would probably give me a case of claustrophobia.
My anxiety could never. Also don’t forget that Japan has a lot of earthquakes that can be quite severe as well. I am seriously contemplating if homelessness wouldn’t be better than that place. I guess I’d be outside except for sleeping. Taking a shower in a public swimming place might be better than accidentally locking yourself in that bathroom and dying from panic. I might have to add that I am insanely scared of small spaces, especially closed. Just looking at this makes me feel really bad. I might have to go outside 😅😂😭
I just wonder about the safety of this whole building. What if it catches fire? Going down those stairs without fire already is a hassle. I could never live there. Great article btw! My first thought when seeing the “living space” was “huh it looks spacious” but yeah it was your camera lol. Thanks for showing how tiny it actually is!
It seems like a good student accommodation, mostly spending your time out of the house, staying there just to sleep kind of thing so the only things you would have is your futon, maybe a little TV, your laptop, etc. Some places I’ve seen in other countries are smaller with no kitchen and shared bathrooms so this is actually quite nice. If I lived in Japan I’d love to stay in a place like this
Unpopular opinion: Japan’s “lax” housing regulation is probably one of the reasons they can remain as one of the most “affordable” metropolitan to live in. The housing choices in Japan is super diverse and they can make use of their lands so creatively. With this particular design, i think emergency and furniture is not a problem since the windows are huge.
I was fortunate to live on Yokota Air Force base growing up. 3 large bedrooms, a large dining room, kitchen, and living room area along with 2 bathrooms in a single apartment. But the apartment I stayed in off base wasn’t so bad either. A huge standup shower area that could fit 5 people (Don’t understand why) with a single toilet and 3 decent sized bedrooms.
I think I could live in a flat like this if I really wanted to save money on rent. Too bad about the 5th floor flat, the view from that balcony would be great! Also I just want to mention that I love the switch in perspective and how you edit those articles! It always amazes me how great the cuts are and I can only imagine how many takes you need to make it look close to perfect!
Wait a second, there is no fire exits. If there’s a fire in the ground floor, everyone else is doomed. I don’t think that’s very safe. I would most certainly not risk it, the rent may be cheap (~$400) but it’s not worth the lifestyle. You don’t even have space for a bed, you just sleep in a futon. And you were talking about a sofa? How you even going to get a sofa up there? 😂
Aside from the odd vibes related to the residents and building itself as well as earthquake risk… I would consider it. I’m pretty small and I really like windows. There’s something so fulfilling to me about a smaller space with those big windows on either side. I can picture lining the one side with the small railing area with plants in the summer. Definitely not a place to retire too but living there for a year or two? Not the worst thing. Especially with the price- provided the location was good.
I’m not so much concerned about the space, but rather safety and fire escape. When it comes to the space itself, I would probably get rid of the wardrobe and have the following things: – Office desk (~2m) utilizing two drawer units and a counter top (multi-purpose desk space for office, projects and kitchen prep space + clothes storage in the drawers) – Office chair (Ikea Långfjäll, small, comfortable and not very intrusive on the space) – Computer screen for office work as well as article game- & movie nights (monitor arm which allows, swivel and tilt.) – Foam mattress (stored up against the wall when not sleeping 10-15cm floorspace) – Large Beanbag-like pillow case for bedding storage and relaxation, you can just sit/lay on the floor on the huge pillow while playing article games/watching movies on the monitor. – Large mirror on the diagonal wall (backside of the bathroom) and some mid-sized plats to add some much needed texture and life into the apartment – Extras: foldable table and a space saving “five stool ottoman cube” or equal smart japanese-seating seating + table (if you value and want to have board game nights in this tiny apartment but I would probably just have pillows for floor seating) almost the whole floor area would be free from stuff to move around freely (except the desk). The desk would help to extend the kitchen and become a great multi-use surface. I would try to “remodell” the kitchen to be able to fit both the fridge and a sink stacked (which is possible with such a small fridge)
This apartment is like the stuff of my nightmares when I was younger. Used to have these strange nightmares were I was in a building that just had really strange proportions and generally small. A bit like some of the scenes in the original charlie and the chocolate factory film. I think because of the price and because of the mindset you’d need to live here, that’s why they said don’t speak to the other residents, and I think the inside of that other apartment confirmed my fears of the type of occupants.
as a builder when you are given a tiny & triangular piece of land to work with. How would you create a living space with it? The floor plan i think is genius! (although I’m not a fan of the stairs or the shower area and the entire tiny space as a whole) I really appreciate the washroom pushed off to the other nook. It just needs ventilation. Also I find the Room itself pleasant. it feels like a mini tree house, it’s cute. And it’s clever to use up that little space to accomodate some of the necessities.
I was anxious just looking at those stairs. I remembered seeing something before about how narrow stairs are like insanely dangerous. I think it was about victorian architecture or something. But it had mentioned that the stairs for the help were smaller and steeper and had a way higher chance of falling.
For a temporary stay, like business, it does not seem so bad. The initial decor of the stairwell seems like a cross between the NYC subway tiles and a double decker bus’s stairwell. The outside is kind of like the flatiron building but smaller and like a block of cheese. However, it’s doable. The bathroom pun intended being at the head of the building is one of the more troublesome spots if you really have to go and having to do a stair climb. I think many knees would be clanked. Thanks for sharing 🙂
This is a good transitional apartment. Like you just got your first job out of college. But I’m spoiled, I live in Chicago where you can still find studio apartments for $800. My first apartment back in 2008 was $500/month heat included. It had a closet that you can fit a full-size bed in. The toilet should have been inside and the shower outside by the stairs.
First of all, it’s cute. I’ve lived in two rooms in London, which were smaller. And I’m planning to live in a van for sometime. So it’s a Yes from me, if I didn’t want to spend all of my life in there. Also, that’s easily a perfect second home to find some peace and quiet. Or work from there. And just think how much energy you’d save, from the very little effort it’d take for the air-conditioning to cool/warm you.
Honestly if you live a very minimalist lifestyle. This is perfect. Has everything you need. Can be inconvenient in regards to something like the toilet, outside of that though doesn’t look bad especially for it’s price. Just bring some food, a TV, a computer, and a portable mattress of any kind and you’re good. That living room area is pretty much how much I use of my bedroom area anyway and that’s where I stay most of the time.
Firstly, if I was a kid that moved to Japan out of college and didn’t have much stuff (Like I did when I moved to Los Angeles) I would TOTALLY live here. The cross breeze, the views, the private bathroom, the “kitchen”…good times! And great article! All it needed was Okazaki-san to show us why this space is fantastic. Cheers!
I actually really love it. It’s really cool what they did with the space. You can stand up straight. All you’d need is a bed mat and some sort of stool and table for a computer, and a rice cooker. It’s extremely nifty, and is a great idea for people who might not be able to afford larger homes or any home who are homeless. Claustrophobia would only be an issue if you couldn’t stand up straight for me.
New Yorkers: It’s a Mansion In all seriousness tho, there is extremely high demand for places like this in the USA. Even the cheapest apartments are around $1,000 a month so for only $254 a month that would actually have more renters than full size apartments here. I personally would absolutely love one. Think I’m kidding? The average age people are moving out of their parents house in the USA is now 30. It’s unaffordable everywhere.
Even my junk room is larger than that whole apartment (where I store stuff I don’t use every day). I get the feeling I wouldn’t even get my tv and monitor in there. I’m rocking 4 different screens here right in front of me currently ranging from about 12 inches to 55 inches each. My computer desk alone would take up half of the apartment. My cat tree is 120cm(4 feet) x 90cm (3 feet) x 180 cm(6 feet) high I’m also reasonably tall so I’d be banging into things all the time. Imagine sitting in that tiny hot toilet for 5 minutes taking a dump in summer. You’d then finally get out, open the tiny door, bang your head and let the smell waft through the tiny apartment and want to open the window to escape the smell.
I’ve done a lot of reading recently about America’s housing crisis and the root cause is that we have not been building enough housing of all types to suit a wide range of incomes. I admire the fact that this tiny parcel of land was turned into something useful and although many commentators say that they could not live in it, I’m sure that the vast majority of America’s homeless – and there were 653,000 of them counted one winter night in 2023 – would be thrilled to have a permanent minimal shelter like this and many would be able to afford the rent of the equivalent of US$276/month. I’d have to rearrange things and bring the “kitchen” inside but I think I could enjoy living there.