Have you ever asked what an apartment in Japan is like? Are they really as small as they show on TV? Or is it just another stereotype created by Westerners? Have you ever wondered about their size or characteristics?
In this article, we will try to understand what Japanese apartments, called apaato [アパート], are really like and their main characteristics and curiosities. I hope you enjoy this little reflection.
Are apartments in Japan really small?
Before we start, I want to make it clear that there are countless types of apartments in Japan, from small to gigantic ones that occupy an entire floor of a building. It all depends on purchasing power and location.
The Tokyo regions have a gigantic population of almost 30 million inhabitants, which makes the existence of tiny apartments logical. In small towns and other provinces, apartments can vary in size and even exceed Western standards.
There are many variables regarding this subject; by reading the article, you will understand why many prefer small apartments instead of large or gigantic houses.
The fact is that in Japan, there is no shortage of space; 80% of the country is made up of forests and mountains, and only 8% of the Japanese population lives in rural areas. This shows that the Japanese intentionally squeeze themselves.
If you want to know more about the size of Japanese houses, read our article that answers the question: Are Japanese houses really small?
Characteristics of Japanese apartments
The first thing we notice when entering an apartment in Japan is the genkan. In this place, you must take off your shoes before entering; the apartment owners also usually keep all their shoes and sneakers in a small closet next to the genkan.
Bathrooms usually have the toilet separate from the bath, and most of them have a bathtub (ofuro). Only extremely small apartments tend to combine the toilet with the bathtub.
One thing that scares foreigners is the size of the kitchen (an average of 4m²). It is common not to have a table in the kitchen; that small space is used only for cooking. Stoves usually have only 2 burners.
Is having a small kitchen in Japan bad? Sometimes it is cheaper and more advantageous to eat out; some people don’t even use the kitchen. Japan is full of restaurants, and traditionally, the Japanese gather outside for snacks instead of hosting people at home.
Japanese apartments are usually measured in tatami. A Japanese room or bedroom usually has between 6 to 8 tatamis (an average of 10m). Although it is now common to use beds, it is traditional in an apartment to use a futon.
Guests are usually hosted in the living room, which often has a sliding door to separate and turn into a guest room. Of course, this won’t happen with people who have an apartment with only one room.
Something to highlight is the technology present in apartments; most of them have heating in all faucets. It is common to find apartments with air conditioning units or other technologies to protect against heat and cold.
Many apartments often have built-in closets in the walls and sliding doors. Sliding doors usually allow for separating the rooms of the house or even hiding secret closets.
The size of the Japanese apartment
Have you ever stopped to think about why Japanese people like small apartments? Most Japanese work and do not have lunch at home; a large part of their lives is spent outside.
Everything in Japan is designed to make life easier; there is no need for a Japanese person to know how to cook or even do laundry. This is because there are coin laundries, convenience stores, and cheap restaurants.
There are gigantic apartments, but many Japanese prefer the small ones precisely for the convenience. It is not part of Japanese culture to pay maids to clean the house; having a large apartment will only make life harder for a housewife who most of the time works secularly.
The price of apartment rentals in Japan will depend on location and size. There are many apartments in Tokyo with around 23m² or even 19m² in the range of 100,000 yen.
If you search, you can easily find apartments over 60m² for prices starting at 150,000 yen and that can easily reach up to 300,000 yen. There are apartments in Tokyo with more than 200m², but their price exceeds one million yen per month.
Outside of Tokyo, you can easily find apartments over 60m² for less than 100,000 yen. If you are a single person, you can find small apartments for up to 25,000 yen. This is another factor in the existence of small apartments; a large part of the Japanese population is not married.
Sometimes, renting an apartment in Japan can be cheaper and larger than in Brazil. In a survey, I found apartments in the range of 1500 reais with 50m², while in Japan you can find apartments of this size for the same price range or cheaper. This does not take into account that the Japanese salary is usually 7 times higher than ours. That’s why sometimes it is more advantageous to rent apartments in Japan than to buy them.
What do you think of Japanese apartments? Have you had the chance to live in one? Tell us about your experience!
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