What It's Like To Live In A Tiny Micro Apartment In Tokyo, Japan | Money Mind | Homes

[@clt2744]

Clean, access to an outside view n natural light, furnished with appliances.....it's way better than lots of other places in other countries

[@Navhkrin]

Its also 550$ tho

[@moxyvenom]

what they said^

[@Svemirsky]

Dude is literaly shitting in his living room.

[@hijazzains]

Yes nice view but lonely and isolating as Japanese are not very sociable

[@romanhemza5608]

Maybe I'm crazy, but I love this apartment a lot. Small, cozy, clean and nice.

[@pe4774]

Well, compared to NYC apartments this size, this atleast has a washing machine, kitchenette and is reasonably priced. Id say it aint that bad to live there!

[@agnithasalim6181]

Agreed

[@RK-cj4oc]

Really low standard. Neither is acceptable

[@amystern123]

In NYC, it’s much more common to use a shared laundromat than in Japan, and there are many in walking distance. In Japan, even the tiniest apartments seem to at least have laundry hookups for you to install a machine.

[@chaosfury2016]

don't forget its own bathroom and shower; San Francisco, Same thing, but have to share shower + bathroom + kitchen + laundry. You only get a room + sink + closet. same price tag.

[@JackVermicelli]

@@chaosfury2016 Where did you see that it has a shower?

[@ekokusumo4583]

In a lot of city living, you have to choose between proximity to workplace so you can walk and save on transport, or get the farther one for cheaper price and allow budget for transport. I prefer the first one, because time is precious and commute especially during rush hour is killing you LOL

[@mseansymonds]

Thanks for sharing this. As a renter in Vancouver, Canada, I could only wish, dream, and pray that our city would allow the approval and development of micro apartments - such as these. We don't have a "housing crisis" here, we have a zoning crisis! Your own space; your own washroom; your own kitchen; bright and airy - with air-conditioning! At 30% of his income, Kazuki is probably saving money, AND he gets to live in one of the greatest cities in the world!

[@CharlotteIssyvoo]

I live in Vancouver too. I don't think the answer is to throw up a bunch of cubicles for people to live in, so much as it is to stop knocking down perfectly livable, older houses and apartment buildings that could be rented out at affordable prices, as they were in Vancouver in the past. You're definitely right though that the stuff that's being built supposedly to address our housing crisis is doing no such thing. It's very cheaply made and poor quality, but horribly overpriced, pushing people of average and below average income out of the city and thus destroying the communities that made Vancouver great in the first place.

[@mseansymonds]

@@CharlotteIssyvoo The point is those so-called "perfectly livable, older houses and apartment buildings" cannot be rented out at affordable prices because the price of the land does not match the ratio of those living on it. I love the Mole Hill, Barclay Heritage Square developments back in the 70's and 80's, but those kind of approaches are not sustainable, while they provide esthetics and diversity to our downtown core, they are only a cosmetic application to a much deeper need. I'm not saying the answer is to throw up a bunch of cubicles, but it's very, very, clear from the momentum of the the Tiny House Movement that there is a very significant number of people who are very comfortable living in smaller spaces. If you want to live around the drive - all the more power to you; you'll just have to pay the significant premium to do so. I'd rather our focus be on the homeless and aging population accommodation crisis that has been a red flag in Vancouver since the mid 70's onwards.

[@CharlotteIssyvoo]

@@mseansymonds Sounds like you do know more about this stuff than I do. I hadn't heard of Mole Hill. I first moved here as a kid in '76 but was moved around a lot. For the vast majority of the years I've lived here, I was very poor and often lived in very small, not very livable spaces in East Van. Or I was homeless and sleeping on the floors of predators' homes. Mount Pleasant when it was a red light district and I was a trafficked kid in the 80s. The Drive in the 90s. Why do you mention the Drive, btw? In the last five years, my fortunes have changed and we were actually able to buy a house in East Van, not terribly far from the Drive. I never imagined this ever being possible, having been a poor renter all my life. I'm horrified by what's happening to Vancouver. For me, I see Expo 86 (which I refused to attend) as one of the turning points. I'm not at all opposed to tiny homes, as long as they really are livable, and people aren't forced into them as a false "solution" to the housing crisis. However, all the ones I've seen are not at all accessible, something I notice as a disabled person. But nor are the expensive homes going up everywhere. If we want to talk about those who most need housing, we cannot leave out the disabled.

[@mseansymonds]

@@CharlotteIssyvoo I like where you are going with the conversation, because it begins to speak to the stories of those who find themselves unable to enter, access, or enjoy the $500,000+ prices that are commonly seen in Vancouver home ownership. I mention the Drive because it is a longstanding community that speaks to and represents those single/multi dwelling homes and low rise apartments you speak of. I also hear your story and acknowledge the difficulties you have overcome and now even celebrate - as part of your process. I myself, am now entering the retirement phase of my life and am navigating the harsh realties of a soon-to-be-senior” attempting to navigate the cost of living in a city like Vancouver. I’ve enjoyed a rich life of living in houses, apartments, SRO’’s, Rv’s - and even enjoyed a stint - as an artist in a Yaletown Warehouse - before it became what we see today! My attraction to “cubicles” is simply a “renting option” I would engage - as a senior, who will soon be living on a very fixed income. It’s suggested 630,000 will be moving into retirement phase in B.C. by 2032. It’s also suggested B.C. residents are more likely to be working in their so-called retirement - compared to their provincial counterparts. It's for this reason, I would enjoy the upside of "downsizing" that could provide a more livable and affordable reality for myself and those who feel inclined to entertain, enjoy and thrive in it.

[@CharlotteIssyvoo]

@@mseansymonds I've lived on the Drive since 1990 when it was still cheap. I locked into an apartment in the early 2000s so had cheap rent. Only moved when I met my husband and his two kids (who lived with him, then us). We rented a house for too much. The business he created has taken off, so we were able to buy our house near the Drive. Given that I'm disabled, if it weren't for him, I'd be homeless, or just dead. We're far enough east (just east of Nanaimo) that there's still a lot of the working class and immigrant (including Italian) feel where we are, which I miss on the Drive. Most of the people here bought their houses decades ago, when such things could still be done, and many now share with the younger generations in their family.

[@asthecrowflies737]

His apartment is nice! The big window lets in much light and offsets the size of the place. Beats the heck out of those internet rooms people in Japan live in. No where to turn around!

[@JudgeyJudgeyable]

It may be small and overpriced, but it's nicer and more dignified than having to share with roommates

[@rinreborn7364]

This

[@livethiswayTV]

Why is it less dignified when sharing with roommates?

[@EvanescenceEverythingOh]

@@livethiswayTV i don't know they are weird !!

[@Cloudbuster1987]

Nicer, indeed, but what does it have to do with dignity?

[@MsZoombye]

I could enjoy this place. I'm a very small woman. And I could afford to live on my own too. I live in a junior 1 bedroom with my husband, but in my building, most tenants live alone.

[@hanibee22]

I get the appeal of micro apartments 😍 it’s cozy, though I wish the bathroom/ toilet were a little bit bigger.

[@melodygarcia9707]

Well, if you are single and minimalist , its ok. Even less space to clean and less things to buy . The sense of security is also there because, you can see every corners of your apartment. In Australia, they also have tiny houses and it looks awesome. "Good things come in small packages” . That means something doesn't need to be big to be nice and beautiful.

[@dhammaboy1203]

I live in a pretty small studio cabin - would be similar floor space to this. But I live in the Australian bush (not a city) & go for a walk each afternoon. I'm totally content living here. Wake up to birdsong & kangaroos outside my windows & I have no close neighbous. I also clean & vacuum my house in 20 mins (including the tiny bth room). Find what works for you! 😊

[@janinesheedy8432]

He certainly seems happy It’s way cheaper than Sydney He has a large fridge and washing machine A bargain for a city as exciting as Tokyo 👍

[@janillegarduque378]

There are cheaper and bigger apartments than that...40k yen even...but yeah location and preference are important too..better to research first before committing to an apartment

[@landove1486]

As Indonesian, I could never imagine living in such small space. The perk of living in developing country, everything is affordable. With IDR 8 Mil a month (roughly SGD 750 ), you can rent luxury apartment in Jakarta. Or full sized landed house with garage.

[@ErnestJay88]

gak usah 8 juta/bulan, apartemen sekelas Sudirman Park aja sewa-nya cuma 4-5 jutaan/bulan (sisanya tinggal bayar listrik dan air, karena IPL sudah termasuk biaya sewa)

[@koboihenk]

As a fellow Indonesian,let me remind you that there are tens of millions of Indonesians, who can not afford to have proper meals, 3 times a day, let alone owning/ renting a 3x3 space for his family of 4 or 5 to live.

[@KitKat-cm8rf]

In Philippines too, meanwhile government officials have no idea, if average citizen dont understand, much more the rich who are in power

[@bquietnddrive]

bro has never been to the slums before, a lot of people here live in spaces this small (kos2an, rumah pinggir kali, dll)

[@Trefens]

😅 i agree. For USD750, you can get a whole 5 bedroom mansion in it's own compound on about a quarter of an acre where I live. Keep in mind that apartments are usually cheaper than stand alone homes here, so that means $750 is considered a lot. If you have $10,000, you can buy land and build a small home. Note that there's freehold land, which means zero property taxes.

[@lisapalmer4725]

Please come build these tiny apartments in NYC. We need more housing

[@ae2948]

You know they'd price them at $2,000/mo and call them "affordable." And there are two other problems - the fire code and the units aren't handicapped accessible.

[@amystern123]

@@ae2948 in Japan, the fire codes require rentals to have a window you can climb out of or a balcony, and a ladder you can use to climb down. But I don’t think they require an egress window in the loft. As far as being handicap accessible, even in the US, you’re not required to ensure every apartment is suitable for handicapped people. We also have apartments with multiple floors, and even lofts. There are requirements for buildings, if they’re of a certain size and built after a certain year, which varies by location.

[@turtur1961]

Sure, it looks small and cramped, but it is only 750 sgd. You get to live alone and have your own space with your own toilet, shower, and kitchenette. 750 sgd would get me a room in hdb with live-in landlords, no cooking allowed, shared shower, shared toilet, and no wfh 😂

[@robocop581]

Salaries are generally lower in Japan compared to Singapore

[@rommelflores2618]

@@robocop581 Agree!

[@victorvictor4235]

And the ceiling looks good

[@turtur1961]

@@robocop581 Haha, true, but anything similar in SG would cost at least 1,500 sgd which would have been a waaayyy bigger portion of SG salary tho

[@Raiyne123]

And consider that this example is still overpriced because of location as he works in night life. A young office worker living slightly further out can get a standard sized studio for ~$500-600 - basically, there are options and compromises available. In SG a studio starts at $2K minimum, and obviously JP salaries are not 1/4 of Singapore's.

[@MrsMMurr]

I reckon this is such a smart way to manage his finance, who cares as we only need a place to rest, shower and to cook. 🎉

[@JackVermicelli]

Well he can do two out of three there to some degree, it looks like.

[@huiyingtanyayap]

Cheaper than Singapore . That price can’t even rent a room of HDB. Oh my god Singapore is getting really expensive …

[@ngwei2255]

Yah everything is ex in sg. 1 bowl of mala $20. $6 fish soup only 4 slice of fish no tomatoes, beancurbs etc. $100 go supermarket cant even last 1 week.... faint

[@thinkpadx60]

sg is world class city, so we must pay world class prices

[@gilbertjstar7556]

But the people staying in Singapore ain't world class!!!

[@ellusion1985]

​@@gilbertjstar7556Precisely, Singaporeans are full of complaints, taking peace, stability and no disasterss , etc...for granted...

[@badboi888]

If govt allow us to partition the house into 10 nos. of 9sqm studio microapartment and increase the occupancy limit, I would rent it at $800 sgd too lol.

[@roslolian11]

It's not that bad because you have a second floor with the bed and other furniture. Having your own bathroom I think is already a lot better than other budget apartments.

[@mikehotchkiss8975]

I was a long haul trucker in the past and the small simple space appeals to me. Keeps you organized

[@chillydawgg4354]

I had a small studio apartment for a year & I remember how cheap the utilities were & how it was easy to keep clean, & how I had to get rid of stuff I didn't need. It was 2 blocks from the city center. Definitely some advantages to smaller spaces

[@worldlife9834]

Singapore and Hong Kong shared the same micro prison cells. Completely banning small micro prison cells is a step in the rights direction.

[@han-chan872]

The shelves covered by the blanket in his bedroom must be his collection of “research” films that can’t be shown 😂

[@Mockisnh]

My first thought was that’s his wardrobe though? Cause I dint see where his shirts are at lol

[@ErnestJay88]

$570/month is a far cheaper than shoebox apartment in New York, i'm not talking about Lower Manhattan, but somewhere in Bronx or Brooklyn, usually it cost $2000 and you still use communal toilet while that small apartment you have your own private toilet.

[@saynotohookups]

The only thing that I didn't like was having to leave the toilet room door open when you need the toilet.

[@coolTCA]

Where's the galvanized square steel and wood veneer 😂

[@hanasyakira_]

😂 I know where's this coming from 😂

[@tony-ce7qp]

wow this is great and he is a nice person thank you!

[@TheLonelyMoon]

Small but elegant, with great use of space. Many rooms near me don't have individual bathrooms, need to use coin laundry machines, no kitchen/kirchenette, no hanger, just a room enough for a bunk bed with a table underneath. Oftentimes, they don't have a window, too. and they cost 300-400 dollars. I pay around 370 with space much smaller than the video and had to bring my own induction stove

[@InvasionAnimation]

Half the size but not half the price. Thats some bull ull.

[@Geemeel1]

570 dollar.... ??!!! this is crazy, ! it almost inhumane... young people should boycott these money-monsters that rent out these appt. ☠

[@molamolalaaa2968]

And where else would these young people live? On the streets?

[@trishacomer3883]

as for the loft can you swap wall with your storage and see if you might gain a bit more sleep room

[@ClasicCaillouAnimate-w7g]

Singapore should have this!

[@jayspot8894]

I stayed in a unit like this for a week last November. It was fun for a week but not sure I could do 6-months to a year. Even being in a nice area the rent seemed a bit high to me.

[@CharlieC738]

Wow! I will stop complaining that my place is small. My bachelor single flat is 4 times that size, just the room. I have a separate kitchen, toilet and bathroom and a closed balcony!

[@shukriramlee]

The only necessary items in kitchen are stove and fridge. He can exchange the living room area to the upstairs and bed area downstairs so he can stretch his leg while sleeping.

[@GeorgiaAndrea]

Small spaces like this means you have to be a minimalist. I like a house that doesn’t have a lot of items because it looks very neat. And since I am also petite, this small is not a big deal to me.

[@JohnnyIsFree]

I would love that place.

[@flowertowerrr]

little john would be proud

[@lilyhomes4967]

No galvanized steel needed 😂

[@victorjackson150]

What I never understood was that for just 20,000 or 30,000 more, he could rent a house in the same area. He currently pays about 80,000. And with that. He could share the space and reduce his housing cost. Then he could save up for a time he might want to buy a home. I don’t think people in Tokyo think this way. I lived in Meguro area for over 20 years.

[@iwx2672]

0:18 Imagine trying to take a massive after grog bog here

[@Nanijoe10]

Pretty sure I saw a video about New York having a similar closet-like apartments, but the kitchen and bathroom/shower was in a hallway shared with other tenants. The rent was more than double too, so at $570 this seems like a steal sadly.

[@Neelam-w1j]

Your landlord can do replacement of this same property and you don't have to move. Then you get your removal van after it's been rebuilt your micro Apartment into houses

[@ant_life_4ever]

It has a washer and dryer 🎉that’s a game changer

[@patrickbradley8062]

This apartment isn't 9 metres square, as it says in the voiceover - it's 9 square metres, there's quite a big difference between the two.

[@addicted2me]

If I have the space for myself without homeowners,I don’t mind renting or even buying if it’s cheap. Minimal living would be good. Sg is crazyyyy..last reach 35 years is impossible to buy a flat,now I’m 42 still can’t afford to buy from hub Nor resale 😅😂😂 Safe money and stay home better,eventually this house will be mine one day 😮

[@hijazzains]

Median salary in Tokyo is us$2k-3k.....up to $1k usually goes to rent foe thede kind of micro or small apartments. Salary growth in Japan is very small for most workers.

[@Mark_135]

Nice cozy apartment. Better sleep downstairs... where there is more leg room.

[@ariesaraya1822]

This is why building codes and restrictions are important. Alot of ppl sh*t on north america for them. But without them you truly get some unliveable situations. The developers always say that it will being the cost of rent and mortgage down but that's not true. Once it gets normalized the prices adjust higher and set as that. Same thing happened with laneway houses in canada. Now there are million dollar laneway houses that look like doll houses.

[@malindy978]

Please compare with HK…

[@danramsay5844]

So where's the shower ??

[@bear02128]

I believe in simple living and tiny homes. But this is out of order. Sounds like a nightmare.

[@AmyC28713]

Want to say its about the same size as an American Jail cell - and with those frosted windows.......it feels about the same.

[@bear02128]

@@AmyC28713 jails are 7x10. It's a minimum occupancy. I believe this room is small it would not pass inspection under any code.

[@YuiAdventure]

I made a video. We used to live in a similar studio apt for ¥90,000 and now we moved to a bit bigger apt 2DK for ¥99,000.

[@liar-liar]

Someone said it is enough space to make babies 😂😂

[@ivantan8461]

singapore is becoming more and more expensive during these 2 years...there is sudden upsurge in prices (food/accomodation etc....un forunately it is so ....

[@c_cma1971]

Hello from Bucharest, Romania - a huge underrated city in Europe:) Known also as "Little Paris"!

[@noobmaster006]

In Pakistan, average rent is 80% of the salary

[@joemichael5150]

Seriously? Islamabad?

[@willyhadinata9587]

its enough when all item fit good,, nc place

[@vigerminaberrios4116]

I wish I had that apartment when I lived in New York I paid $550.00 for a room without a place to cook, no bathroom no nothing it was just an empty space with no kitchen.

[@carolbrewster1907]

I cold live there but in city in would like gold in clean tiny space 😊

[@thebendra]

“Not everything fits perfectly” while bro himself is not fitting perfectly in his bed😂😂

[@nicholasbolas]

When population actually does go down drastically... You wonder if rent will eventually go down and people start moving into bigger homes.

[@hitthedeck4115]

This is already happening in rural areas where you can buy a house for cheap. But there's a reason why they are so cheap, that there's not much going on in those rural areas anymore.

[@RK-cj4oc]

​@@hitthedeck4115Yeah. And because there " is things going on" in cities he has to live in some small cramped appartment. Great. What a shitty deal.

[@hitthedeck4115]

@@RK-cj4oc That's market forces speaking for you, and big developers and investors gobbling up land and housing in big cities.

[@kageyamareijikun]

@@RK-cj4oc the jobs are all in Tokyo. No, I'm not exaggerating.

[@phillydisco-h1r]

Seems like a race to the bottom with these apartments. I though Japan had a problem with too many abandoned homes...

[@bquietnddrive]

only in rural areas, not in big cities and especially not in tokyo.

[@DoriaMonroeCountry]

I always wanted to go to Tokyo with Dawnee' . ❤❤ 😂🎉🎉🎉

[@trivatha]

Meanwhile in the countryside, there are million abandoned houses.

[@Sean-ll5cm]

and no jobs

[@trivatha]

@Sean-ll5cm move universities, industrial parks to small towns instead concentrated in big cities.

[@albathoughtsofficial]

If you value your time and your privacy, this might be a good living solution for you. Long commutes are a killer. And some people are just not cut out for communal living. On the other hand, there is something sad about people, especially young people, living in isolation in small boxes or tubes, staring at their screens...I wonder how long the average renter lives in such a place...

[@boscoitalics]

I would love that~ as long as i could have a pet

[@joltjolt5060]

Lofts are unusable by older people, people with sleep disorders, weak bladders, etc. its a bunk bed. They can take that square footage and use it better. 75 sq feet is about 7.5x10 feet. You can make a regular height room, sqeeze a toilet/shower making it 7.5 x 7 foot room, which can fit a 30 inch kitchennette amd bed, easily. No loft required, better use of space.

[@babatu6717]

For the last 7 years - 55 sq.m for 200 $/m, 230 000 town on the sea with own intl airport, central location area 300 m to the beaches and big gardens, all world brands available, all world destinations available, democratic country. I don't feel a need to be in Tokyo.

[@hospitalcakewalk]

Its worth at least 1k considering how big it is and that it has on sight laundry..

[@theofficialzombiewhisperer2]

Imagine living in a 16 ft travel trailer with a Sh!t, shower, and shine bathroom

[@Milk-coffee-303]

良いね😊

[@MrMastrokunal]

My God, he's in his prime years, (31 years), no family, no partner, is this how people will live in the coming years.

[@rafaelodossantos4210]

Partners give headaches!

[@molamolalaaa2968]

People have been living like this for decades

[@Darkbee-mw3qk]

with this economy,,😂u are joking!! better single

[@Sean-ll5cm]

kids are annoying, so are spouses

[@DeBuDDi]

wow small room

[@crazyrr144]

if i had a ton of money, id still live somewhere like that. maybe slightly larger.

[@rosedewittbukater4203]

Life in large Asian cities must be inhumane, degrading and terrible. How did someone like that endure the lockdown time?

[@CryptJeeper]

The wires and the bars on the thick windows are so people cant break the window... Or jump out.

[@Claudia-xp6ux]

Wow sg with 84000 yen we can't even rent a room :') . Kudos to japan

[@Cloudbuster1987]

I wonder how thin are the walls.

[@bacchusinstituteofscience8650]

"its a mystery of why bithrates a declining in japan", and at the same time "look at this guy living in a space less than a care parking space" ... hmm, i wonder why people might opt not to have kids, it truly is a mystery ...

[@HasaniTempest]

At least there’s a little cooking area

[@YOURRACHINAPRIL]

🤩

[@wing.yeelau2450]

That’s great but I don’t even money to buy

[@AnthonyTumiwa]

only toilet, no shower? so how to take a shower?

[@RonLarhz]

the new hdb rental for single scheme is worse than this. 🙄

[@hawaiipreppersnetwork808]

They are conditioned to live in matchboxes. Look at most of the cities they're packed like sardines and if there's a fire entire blocks would go up in flames.

[@ixiahj]

Interesting but not worth the rent. I've seen mobile campers with more space.

[@autumngarden4284]

Poll: Shared bathroom with bigger room vs Solo bathroom in a tiny room? Seriously wondering which is better?

[@molamolalaaa2968]

Solo bathroom, always

[@pocalypto]

If it's something you can only do with a foreigner you shouldn't be doing it, you so wealthy and there's so many poor people on this planet I worry, DO NOT GET INVOLVED WITH THEM

[@SamsonOhsem]

Is this the future house for human?

[@Sean-ll5cm]

No, think smaller

[@Neelam-w1j]

Buy the micro Apartment yourself

[@asahel980]

so if you want a standing position you have to get down literally.

[@chuv223]

9sqm including loft area too?

[@amoswang1473]

Compare to HK ??

[@ShadowRap-y5l]

The toilet so small 😂😂

[@ianbonsts]

Wow, too small. I rather go back to the province where there is a lot of space.

[@Neelam-w1j]

Or you can move people in on working wage healthy and well 18 years old,early late 20 into micro apartments

[@jayencinas]

you live in small space but you have many things that not really useable im ok with that place but i want minimalist no more decoration😂 it feels more small

[@kaniman68]

kazuki hirata but her family call him little John

[@SoloPerICommenti]

not really that expensive, actually

[@JackVermicelli]

0:45 "Smaller than the average car parking lot"? Hell, that's about the size of a *single* parking *spot* in a lot. Who slept through the editing on this?

[@CryptJeeper]

I think that's what they meant

[@CryptJeeper]

The thing that gets me about it is the fact the window has that film over it so you can't see out clearly. It's like being in jail lmao

[@shanecle]

People simply do not realise how bad society has become. Men in the 50s were able to buy a house, support a family, buy a car, have children ... all without even graduating high school .... lol

[@Sean-ll5cm]

The population crash is coming... Maybe it'll hit the ol' reset. Less people = cheaper houses = easier to start a family. Never ending cycle.

[@shanecle]

@ Perhaps. But it might be too late by then. The “not having any children” movement has become part of the culture of society …

[@Sean-ll5cm]

@@shanecle Well shall persist either way. We are the ape version of cockroaches and rats.

[@chillydawgg4354]

Because every country besides the US was bombed to crap & America had all the manufacturing

[@lavantz345]

Theres prison cells bigger than this apartment