Inside Japan's WORST TINY APARTMENT

TINY Apartments are everywhere in Japan, but this is probably the TINIEST that I have found yet. With an unbelievable price tag, and an even more shocking size and shape, today we are taking a look inside Tokyo Japan's Unique super-narrow TRIANGLE APARTMENT! This just might be the skinniest free-standing apartment I've ever seen!!
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*Where to Send Stuff* - As of 10.2021
Norm Nakamura - Tokyo Creative Redhorse Corporation Co. Ltd
1-10-5 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
Kokugikan Front Bldg 2F
130-0015
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[@TokyoLens]

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 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r16UdaqenZyXe8U I waited nearly a year to get into this one!! Hope you all enjoyed it!!

[@somethingelsehere8089]

Would I live there - yes, right up until becoming aware that the top floor unit is abandoned. After that, hard no.

[@yippee8570]

Another great video! I wouldn't live in one like this, mainly because of the stairs and the noise. The only things you'd be able to fit up those stairs would be really quite small. What a hassle all the time! And to not have one's own toilet to hand - that's far from ideal. I bet the residents end up peeing in the shower/bath instead, if they need to 'go' in the night.

[@katylibarnes9393]

I just can't see myself fitting into that small space. 😂

[@abdulm2609]

I think i could manage in the most of the others. I think this one is hard sell though. The trip to the bathroom is a sticking point for me. We all need a good throne room 😁

[@typerightseesight]

Awesome!

[@AIopekis]

This place doesn't just look extremely uncomfortable; it also looks like a massive death trap. If there was a fire or EMTs needed to get inside to help someone, it's going to be a mess. I'm surprised it's even legal for it to exist like that.

[@MrWhateverfits]

Japan has different rules than other places.

[@youremotionalsupport194]

Not to mention earthquake. That looks like it'd snap in half quickly in a violent quake

[@SiljCBcnr]

I don't see a problem, it had the standard emergency-exit-rappell-hook installed on the outside of the window there..

[@FakeGuthix01]

Japan's construction fire code is basically on Ancient Rome levels lol

[@bmillea131]

@@SiljCBcnrthat place is collapsing before you can make it to a window lol

[@pinkisflammable]

This is one of the few tiny apartments that gets a “nope” from me. I feel like I’d be perpetually bruised from hitting things.

[@TokyoLens]

hahaha a very fair response~

[@juliawikaryasz9430]

Agreed. I don't think I would fit in the toilet.

[@ayakotami3318]

Thinking the same thing. 😅

[@saoliath5000]

it also just looks generally dirty.

[@juliawikaryasz9430]

@@saoliath5000 Maybe that's why they didn't want him to talk to the tenants?

[@safebox36]

My usual guess when you're told not to approach or talk to the residents is that the landlord may not have a good reputation. Or if they do, there may be something else with the apartments that they're not telling you. So it's usually to save face or to not scare away potential tenants.

[@jbell6852]

Or that the resident might be a hermit and wouldn’t like a guy with a camera around their space. Especially when the camera person isn’t Japanese themselves.

[@skunkwerkz777]

i bet the trashed apartment was a shut in or hikomori whatever. probably very depressed people lock themselves into such tiny places and disappear

[@m1cal03]

​@@skunkwerkz777 We can do that?!?! 😮❤ But how will I pay rent?!?! 🤔

[@zeebest1004]

It’s probably because they, wisely, want nothing to do with Americans…

[@Moonlitwatersofaqua]

Considering what the tv outlet looked like, thats probably true.

[@timmyfung01]

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.

[@GamerGrovyle]

I feel like the architect who designed this was too busy to figure if he could and didn't stop to think if he should.

[@SomebodySomeone-xh9kv]

I feel like this comment will hit over 1k likes

[@SomebodySomeone-xh9kv]

Gonna put down this reply so my reply would be the first reply to one of the most legendary comments on this video

[@cannz9134]

Architecture finds a way. If it was build for condors, nobody would have anything to say about it

[@tapirvorpal4236]

Architects, uh... find a way.

[@DeLewt]

@@SomebodySomeone-xh9kverase your first comment. It will eat the likes from your second comment 😂

[@superturn]

Never gotten claustrophobia from a video before. Thanks, man. Really an experience.

[@estebanquesadas.4983]

It made feel uncomfortable AF too watching this, just the single thought of being there triggers my anxiety to the top .

[@sa-me000]

I can't breathe!!! help😮

[@jamesdeluxa9782]

same. holy fuck

[@ciankai]

Wait until you see the one of those cave divers that go into narrow gaps and crawl through for miles

[@ancheta90]

NGL, I would try to sleep in the closet.

[@carolperdue7534]

Just watching this video is making me feel like I can’t breathe. 😥😱

[@afn-bd2ro]

Me too. Very claustrophobic

[@Mellowbeee]

kudos to you for being able to film in different angles on this tiny apartment

[@UrgentCabbage99]

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!

[@Tcgaming67]

That's a genuinely great idea.

[@UrgentCabbage99]

@@Tcgaming67 Thanks! I play a lot of the Sims 4 so I guess that's where it came from

[@TexasCat99]

That unit looks more "renovated" than the 5th floor. The 5th floor has a different layout. The old modular Cube building is a little bigger. But yeah, good idea.

[@kb9847]

I thought of maybe using 1/2 the closet to sleep in and the other half for clothes etc. I like your idea though.

[@yuki-sakurakawa]

Gotta open up your own home and apartment construction company 😊

[@crkvend]

I know this is a “feel-good” channel but this is the first tiny-apartment video that actually made me depressed. I really feel for people being forced to live like this.

[@mrobject9113]

Apartment looks cozy to me, but I like tight places, makes me feel more secure.

[@seekerofthemutablebalance5228]

Better than a cardboard box

[@MrPlannery]

​@@seekerofthemutablebalance5228but not as nice as having a government that regulates minimum sizes for apartments.

[@nightking4132]

Bruh.. i'm pretty sure it was made intentionally for people like me who likes cozy tight spaces... though our house is kinda big, i would love to live in that kind of apartment... there are people who loves tight spaces, specially cavers...

[@crkvend]

@@nightking4132 yeah, you’re right, this has nothing to do with a housing problem and an overcrowded city, it’s definitely purposefully build for cavers!

[@zoltan_nikon]

Really love your content! It is sad to see that other people started doing the same kind of video of this apartment.

[@driftdev1]

Literally got anxious watching this!

[@LooterPenguin]

Judging by the mess on floor 5, the low rent and the fact that this definitely isn't someone's first choice in apartment, I can imagine the people living there could be a bit troubled. Hope everyone is OK, though. Especially the room 5 one, if it's not just abandoned

[@chrisb6149]

Yup. Mental health issues and people on the edge of society came to mind when Norm said he was told not to talk to residents. The top-floor mess confirmed it in my mind.

[@RosinaEmilyW]

Yeah... I thought that might be so, too. It's not as if they could say "Please avoid them because floor 5 is a junkie, 3 is an ex-con etc." would probably significantly decrease interest. Or maybe its just that they don't want him knowing that they all have a little waiver in their contracts about concussions and the staircase.

[@josephbradley1781]

In America we have something called, ‘section 8’ where people need to prove extreme poverty and or craziness. I think the latter is why you were warned not to talk to the other tenants. An I think the place on the 5th floor confirms that.

[@mortenjorck]

I hate to say it, but the combination of a cagey “just don’t talk with the residents,” an unoccupied apartment filled with trash, and a door off its hinge means one thing to me: #5's resident was almost certainly an elderly shut-in who sadly won’t be returning.

[@StarmenRock]

Either that or someone died inside that apartment and they had to pry the door open to get the corpse out. Very common in japan

[@_mids]

prisoners have more space

[@Horrordelic]

still when you can leave whenever you want its not so much an issue.. And the price, that is damn cheap..

[@jonathankinney14]

No tf dey don't

[@_mids]

@@Horrordelic prison is cheaper 🤣

[@misterdrifter4883]

​@@Horrordelic I would live there, it would be so easy to keep clean and you would definitely go out every day instead of staying 'couped' up at home 😂

[@StevenNiflis]

I listen to darkpsy since 2012 and saw you here in the comments lol​@@Horrordelic

[@angryreynholm3115]

This is fascinating!

[@yoshimoo]

1:24 the fact he waited a year for someone’s rent lease to end just to be able to do a video on this… I have genuine upmost respect for his dedication to his content.

[@Danbotology]

Utmost.

[@TrailoFire]

​@@Danbotologyuh oh grammar police 😂

[@stellviahohenheim]

People give respect for the simplest things, it's not like he wanted to rent the place he just wanted the content

[@kelseyg0420]

1:10

[@Caterpillartears]

​@@TrailoFirespelling police actually, grammer is the use of syntax

[@revan4776]

These sort of places make me appreciate my own home that I find too small sometimes. There's no way I could live in a place that small it would drive me insane.

[@Aly9315]

Same here. This tiny little place makes me feel like living in my 667 square foot apartment is being spoiled.

[@dsp4392]

@@Aly9315 I live in a 900 sq.ft. apartment with my partner and it often feels too big. I think your size is the best for two people as long as you have great communication 😅. If I were living alone I think the perfect size would be 500. Less space = quicker to clean!

[@jimmycline4778]

My bed is bigger than the entire room including the kitchen and shower!

[@Josh-yr7gd]

As someone who is on the taller side, it really bothers me when I have to duck under low things. Many older homes in the US have basements with low ceilings. If I can't stand up straight in the entire basement, then that's a deal breaker for me.

[@indiankid8601]

It is smaller than a prison cell in my country 😨.

[@NAKDTV]

Great CONTENT! ❤❤❤

[@MHN-vp5gt]

I extremely love Japan because of its diverse architecture and the way they design buildings minimalistic and design every single corner to be useful.

[@SuperJumpReviews]

Every time I watch these videos I always come out having a bigger appreciation for the house I'm in now. It's one floor, 2 bedroom, pretty small but man, it's like a mansion compared to these apartments😂

[@E3ECO]

No kidding. 1400 sf all to myself and with two bathrooms? I'm a one percenter!

[@user-sw5uc4mq1b]

I live in Tokyo in a 452 square feet apartment with my wife and kids. We are a family of 5. That’s life here!

[@dieseldragon6756]

I have 32m² here (British suburban council flat) and though it's taken me *years* to learn to be comfortable with what I have, seeing videos like this makes me realise how lucky I am compared to folks in other parts of the World. 😇

[@ryanbenkert6274]

It's also priced like a mansion compared to this. I'd live in a porta-a-potty if the rent was less than 300 a month.

[@rafaelmaleakhilumbanbatu9873]

we need sometimes to look down and be grateful of what we have rather than always looking up being envious

[@ericlarochelle650]

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

[@mfbfreak]

I think the easiest way would be to wrap them up on a gurney/stretcher, and lower them out of the window via some fire truck's ladders. However, there are tons of power lines (some of which medium voltage) all around the building. Still, i've seen my local fire dept do that for a much more approachable town house. Apparently it was worth getting the firemen's cherry picker out, just to get someone out of the attic of a town/row house.

[@killerqueeenie]

As a funeral director who does a lot of home removals, this apartment is an absolute NIGHTMARE

[@user-cf1sr3jc6f]

As a human being who is definitely not a sheep I actually rather like the apartment especially the vegetation outside on the deck 😋

[@BierBart12]

If someone's already dead, what's the problem with just dropping them down onto an inflatable fire department pillow?

[@Jakelol1980]

I think you would need one of those stretchers that you hoist up with helicopters where you fixate the patient too?

[@wuraola3751]

Watching this took my breath away. I’m cluster-phobic

[@KoolSom]

Looks satisfying

[@dearthofdoohickeys4703]

Usually with miniature apartments I could imagine myself making it work. But this one just seems like a nightmare 😅.

[@UDD1990]

Looks nice to me. You get a feeling of hiding away in a hard to get to small cave. I'm sure you get used to it.

[@dearthofdoohickeys4703]

@@UDD1990 if you like it then power to you 👍. To me it feels dangerous and exposed, and having to go into that crazy stairwell every time you need the bathroom would be awful. I’d only live there if I literally had no other choice and just needed a place to crash at night.

[@anntares172]

Yeah, the stairs made it impossible for me to imagine.

[@skylarsartnphotography3450]

​@@UDD1990What if a fire? You see yourself getting out in time before the whole place is burned down?

[@dimasakbar7668]

id take this over being homeless, BUT i prefer couchsurfing over this

[@circuitworm1496]

*JAPAN always makes me Amazed* 😮😮

[@Theorblessone0319x.]

Nice video!

[@KekoKasane]

This not only feels dystopian but like a major fire hazard

[@ashchisalleh1454]

Installed fireman iron and surf you life 3 second to ground .easy.

[@ktreznin5538]

????@@ashchisalleh1454

[@MyFiddlePlayer]

Agreed...its a death trap in any number of dangerous situations. Hard to believe that the local building codes allowed this one.

[@c.p.739]

Yes, dystopia indeed. Can you even imagine if a fire did break out.. no thank you!

[@Choom2077]

I wonder how stable it would be through major earthquakes. 😵‍💫

[@DiscordOfDave]

I’m honestly shocked there’s that much living area. The outside just looks so absurdly tiny.

[@myy1008]

much?

[@ZGTWISTZ]

What do you mean he said there’s 8ft at the max, that it’s tiny

[@scottcontois3957]

​@@ZGTWISTZNo.

[@ZGTWISTZ]

@@scottcontois3957 yes 8ft is absolutely absurd to be living in my downstairs bathroom is bigger than that

[@Daniel-od7hr]

Yeah I get you. The end of the building at the beginning of the video is narrower than him, but it gets wider.

[@oldskooldoritos]

my normal reaction to tiny japanese apartments is ‘that’s actually not bad’ but this is an absolute nightmare 😅

[@ArariaKAgelessTraveller]

Claustrophobic hell Also very inconvenient for average European or American obviously

[@TorrentTVi]

I dont see any of outdoor ladders. this nightmare build concept shouldnt exist at least because of fire safety \ evacuation reasons

[@dansaber5853]

It's actually too big.

[@muffinconsumer4431]

This is literally fine??? Just put a desk and twin bed in there

[@redacted144]

Junji Ito can put this in his manga and it couldn't be more fitting. (cause it's cramped, get it?) Anyway, this is literally one of his visions for horror story.

[@elishachua6263]

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 video! 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 😅

[@dawnriddler]

I was shocked as well, I expected it to be half as much.

[@YumiSumire]

Same here in Vietnam

[@TheMorbidHobo]

It's probably because it's in tokyo.

[@ply159]

Thats crzy amazing!!

[@morganbanwell4525]

Serious question: how do you get furniture in there? A chair? On those stairs? A desk to work at? Heck- I feel like it would even be problematic to bring in a lamp! 😅❤

[@SterlingsOpinion]

Ikea

[@agnes8610]

Yes, IKEA and if you struggle getting the whole box up there unpack the box and bring the pieces up there one by one and assemble in the apartment. 😅

[@laniedmd1126]

Foldable ones probably

[@ags1370]

You would have thin cushions and sit on the floor, probably at a low table with folding legs. With either a twin bed, or a futon that you put away. Basically every inexpensive Japanese apartment.

[@agemoth]

PIVOT! 😂

[@Pocket_Sora]

My claustrophobia kicked in just watching you go up the steps, no way I could actually go in there myself 😅

[@blackout7615]

You're afraid of Santa Claus?

[@Pocket_Sora]

claustrophobia is a fear of really cramped spaces@@blackout7615

[@charlesstockford6003]

​@@blackout7615me too.

[@charlesstockford6003]

Same here.

[@saturnDean]

Me neither.

[@NathanDieselDesign]

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.

[@Stuck313]

Looks comfy actually.

[@capt_irrelevant]

Of all the tiny/micro apartment videos you've done, this is perhaps the first that would actually trigger claustrophobia for me which is uncommon... and I'm 5'6" albeit stocky.

[@muffinconsumer4431]

Weakness

[@MarieAntoinetteandherlittlesis]

Yeah the claustrophobia is real. When he walked in at first it looks like the walls are closing in. I was like Yikes, no thanks.

[@richowens6125]

@@muffinconsumer4431 - coming from muffin consumer.. are you sure about that bud?

[@moedark4390]

ya, this one crosses the line into ridiculous.

[@Hero4fun77]

@@muffinconsumer4431 everyone has the own weaknesses. Even you, buddy.

[@elflass5544]

Wow! Gotta say the tiny apartments aren't my favorite subject, but I really appreciated how you used the perspective shots to really show how truly minuscule this place is! I wonder if the arched things over the windows once had fabric awnings that eventually got too tattered and weren't replaced.

[@TokyoLens]

this one was just SOOOO much fun to shoot and edit and watch back lol

[@nathanielcargile7135]

This video just makes me want to visit Japan even more. I love the tiny apartment!

[@gamingmirinda9827]

That's a good room. I loved it. I have worst experience. So yes definitely I would stay there.😊

[@deepaklachman9340]

As a 6'4 guy I have lived in a 5m2 room. It was so small that I would go outside and walk the streets going absolutely nowhere because the tiny space was making me depressed. No wonder the Japanese work such crazy hours, you would rather be at work than in that claustrophobic nightmare.

[@yuzuruotonashi659]

Why can't a leave a comment on this video? The "add comment" button is simply no there. I barely managed to figure out how to write this reply

[@jaykay7932]

EXACTLY. Depression willbe the only result from this… meanwhile jeff bezos gets a mega yacht bigger than that whole street to himself just for lolz…

[@PrabeshPlayzSoulTheif]

This is not the only housing that exists in Japan...

[@_Just_Another_Guy]

Average Japanese height is 5'6".

[@drjanines3301]

​@@jaykay7932I agree. As long as bezos is happy on his yachts + rocket ships!

[@nguyenquockhanh3781]

A fire in this tiny apartment would be catastrophic. Imagine how fast the entire apartment gets burnt down and how slowl can you escape from that apartment with those tiny stairs and no emergency staircase.

[@trappenweisseguy27]

I’m really surprised that Tokyo authorities would allow apartments in this building.

[@YudA295]

At first i said "yeah i could live here", then i read your comment...

[@martinm6368]

It looks like you can jump onto the neighbors house.

[@BlueV205]

When I looked at the apartment, my reaction is also "Does Japan not have a fire safety check?"

[@ChamplooMusashi]

Honestly there's hardly anything to catch on fire

[@shdwctchr]

Thank you for taking the time and efforts to share this video. No, I would not live in that tiny apt. How do people get furniture up there? Good content! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Bekindloveis]

The orange grills outside the balcony was a great idea its for safety u could hold it while enjoying the view so u dont fall out & u could also hang laundry on hangers there. Everything is well thought of & designed great for single or couples 👍🏻

[@jameslewis2635]

While filling out his insurance form he was undecided on how to explain why he decided to put his iPhone in a refrigerator while viewing a property and forgot about it.

[@TokyoLens]

LMFAO on my way back to pick it up now lol

[@grannath]

Came here for this answer. Thank you for sharing this crucial information. 😂

[@neilmacdonald4697]

From 2:30 to the end of the video I was thinking "I hope Norm remembers to take his phone out of the fridge." @@TokyoLens

[@Chris-ut6eq]

@@TokyoLens I half freaked out when you did not film getting it back. just kept repeating, don't forget your phone a few times until I realized that I was doing that. I'm paranoid about loosing my phone, or wallet or keys.

[@solanumtuberosa]

The iphone will be fine. The titanium in it is freeze proof 😂

[@lindac1142]

What’s better than a camper van video? A tiny apartment video! Honestly, these are some of my favourite videos of yours, Norm! I guess that there is even a toilet is good.

[@TokyoLens]

hahaha thats 2 in a row then!

[@kistole28]

I'd rather take the camper.

[@DTailorUK]

It is impressive. Someone really wanted this.

[@patpung1081]

Awesome I have always wanted to live inside a wall

[@brodriguez11000]

Found one of the Littles (cartoon TV show).

[@user-ow8ce1zf9u]

I moved out for college recently and got a dorm with 2 other people and was pretty unhappy with how little room me and my roommates have to share but putting our dorm next to the room shown in this video makes our room look like a 5-star hotel lmao

[@oliveboy4492]

Lol

[@dsp4392]

Really love how you've shown the "living" room from multiple perspective and truly drove the point that the camera lens doesn't do justice to the real dimensions. It really kicked my brain into overdrive trying to imagine how being there would feel.

[@bekindtoanimals2189]

My first house was only 2,000 square feet (186 square metres) , and that was TINY. There, if you drop a Kleenex, you'd have wall to wall carpet.

[@chelsearoses22]

​@bekindtoanimals2189 2000 Sq ft. That's a really decent size. Most houses on average are 1500 to maybe 2000. I think our mobile home is just at around 1000. Maybe a little more. If you were to say 200 than Oh my Force yes, very small

[@VanquishedAgain]

​@bekindtoanimals2189 2000 SF is not tiny...

[@bekindtoanimals2189]

@@chelsearoses22 200?! 😱

[@chelsearoses22]

@@bekindtoanimals2189 I mean tiny,, 200 would be tiny compared to 2000

[@peachces]

Reminds me of the tiny room in Perfect Blue. 😭 This place is so depressing..

[@gailpool4042]

This place is terrifying. What a nightmare!

[@skiittz2916]

This makes me feel sad for the tenants......even if you aren't claustrophobic, this is extreme, and has to have profound impacts on mental health.

[@thejinn99]

I don't think this place is somewhere you use for much more than studying or sleeping. On the other hand, if you were a hikikomori (a shut in who spends their lives online) or something, your mental health is already not good and this place has the basics? I feel if I was young and didn't have a family this could be a place I could rent for a lease term.

[@oscarinacan]

It has a balcony. You can leave whenever you want. And is only$270 a month.

[@E3ECO]

Better than being homeless.

[@yolkthosenuts]

As long as its safe its better than homelessness

[@TentaclePentacle]

​@@E3ECOno I prefer sleeping on the streets than in that apartment.

[@solutionpane]

That’s scary, especially for a seismically active region like Japan.

[@MarceloRomero360]

First thing I thought.

[@UDD1990]

How is this any more scary than any other building? I think they build all buildings more sturdy for this purpose.

[@eternalrose98]

It’s so narrow that it can’t possibly be that stable at five stories high

[@yolandaponkers1581]

Ooh I didn’t even think about that aspect! So true. Also, imagine having a fire or a medical emergency living in there. How could anyone get to you?

[@jaredreynold6336]

I get, where y'all are coming from, but recent cases showed the adverse effect. In spain, there was a district on a hill, where every house was only a single story high (story = level?). They've been mostly built at around the same time. Seismic activities in the area caused regular damages, so two story high buildings easily collapsed. One guy thought, he wanted to stick out. He built a larger house 3 stories high. The concerns regarding the regular quakes made him build it rather flat for that height, starting from a comparatively lower level. (entry at sub-surface-level) Similar to the building here (seemingly), the enhanced walls made it the only one in the region to survive an unprecedented intensity of said seismic activity. So we can guess all we want: it's appearance will not tell us the actual chances for that. It may be completely misleading to guess, here! The house itself doesn't look old to me, so you can believe that they had a decent permit to build like this.

[@larryfisher7056]

Very dystopian feel to the place. I can see Winston Smith living here with a telescreen watching his every move.

[@christianblocker1782]

I've lived in a smaller place than this in the past, you can make it work with the right size stuff and good planning

[@shannonmarie294]

Yeah with nothing more than a suitcase!! lol…..

[@sanyuktaagarwal5160]

I love how even in such small apartments, they have a ton of sunlight coming in, big windows and it all helps to make the place livable.

[@Crackpot_Astronaut]

You must be high.

[@opalwisdom9780]

“Livable”

[@ladylover1134]

@@opalwisdom9780people make do, I guess. you’d be surprised on how people can make a home out of literally nothing.

[@KDB349]

What are you a plant? Photosynthesis! Lmao 😂😂.

[@richarddill692]

​@@ladylover1134 He was quoting it back because it was misspelled. It's actually spelled liveable.

[@goteer10]

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

[@aliceblack9712]

I lived near Osaka 5 years ago, my 18sq apartment was 36k a month with pretty much everything you'd need to live normally, the bus stop right in front of the building, and this rent was still considered pretty high for the area. So yeah, hearing that this place is 40k and it's cheap is crazy.

[@alexandernoethiger5338]

osaka is still an awesome city though. I loved it when I visited

[@jdm1671]

@@alexandernoethiger5338what is there to do there bc im going soon

[@benbrown8258]

If I understand correctly, this is 64 sq ft. Other home designs have made such a space work. This is functional but not fully approaching what might be possible. As mentioned elsewhere putting the hanging closest at floor level opens options. The space could be better used. The stairs concerned me though. Overall, depending on my economic situation, yes, I could live there, but I'd want to consult with the owner about improving its design.

[@InfernosReaper]

I could make it work, but I would probably want to shop around a bit first before making that decision. I'd definitely have to invest in an electric wench rig to get my stuff up there safely. Using my knowledge from RV and tiny home videos, I could probably make some revisions to the interior layout that will improve some things a fair bit(particularly the kitchen).

[@clinton4161]

I think that possibly abandoned apartment answers your question on why you probably shouldn't approach the residents. I suspect a lot of the people that live in these apartments are not in a good place in their lives.

[@shaventalz3092]

Not helped by the whole "living in a jail cell" issue.

[@jdos5643]

This is like paying to live in a place worse than a prison cell.

[@SextonKing]

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.

[@endofsociety]

@SextonKing Bingo! 🎯

[@mirajahmed707]

I dont have a phobia while staying in a compact placd. But this right here is on whole another level

[@moscatelbotelho]

I don't know why I love this building so much! lol, out of curiosity, how many apartments are there in this building?

[@AnzuMiruku]

While the rooms are small and oddly-shaped, what actually bothered me was the building itself. I’m sure it’s safe, but yikes that thing looks like it would tip over in a storm. It’s so thin!

[@pure666evil]

Yea haha

[@ottarpl]

Think about how often earthquakes happen there. How to get out of such a cage when the ground is shaking under your feet.

[@wallybonejengles5595]

It is triangular so its probably significantly stronger than it looks from the skinny side.

[@obits3]

The toilet space is actually pretty genius design. Since the space is so small, keeping potential unpleasant smells across the stairs and separated by two doors probably does a lot to keep things pleasant.

[@fishyboo-nw2vo]

but it gets super hot

[@-Aashish-]

Super congested and no ventilation? Imagine the door getting locked. 😂😅

[@flowergirlabc123]

Our baby's closet is so much bigger than the largest room. Do people actually accept this as a place to live? It's like a doll house for a 5- or 7-year-old.

[@heru-deshet359]

@@flowergirlabc123 My walk in closet is twice the size of this apartment.

[@mathdantastav2496]

just put a tiny ventilation window on top of the toilet and a door with ventilation grille and it would be fine

[@paddydemps2291]

I think I would absolutely love living there. Especially that top apartment with the little balcony.

[@Bekindloveis]

A giant toberone haha 😂 well said even the yellow colour perhaps the designer architect was inspired by Toberone lol 😄👍🏻

[@C3beruz]

My biggest issue with the apartment is that I have to leave the apartment to go to the toilet, as someone who does everything they can to avoid my neighbours having to risk meeting them every time sounds awful, or if they go past as I'm sitting there.

[@Shrouded_reaper]

Empty bottle has entered the chat 😂😂💀

[@arcanealchemist3190]

i imagine your neighbors would understand that if youre in the stairwell, theres a good chance you need to use the restroom, and would leave you alone. from what i understand the japanese are already pretty introverted/private with strangers anyways. could be wrong about that though.

[@HakureiReimuOfficial]

It seems like the residents there probably aren't too into interacting with anyone anyway

[@modernhiendai]

Just pee in bathroom.

[@Michael-sb8jf]

im sort of a home nudist it would be frustrating to have to get dressed to use the toilet

[@sammyp9514]

The fact all the other units are rented out is mindblowing! Thank you for the video

[@TokyoLens]

Thanks for the amazingly kind comment

[@dawnriddler]

How come? It's great for students, way better than a dorm.

[@sammyp9514]

@@dawnriddler I don’t think so at all. My dorm had its own bathroom and way more space

[@dawnriddler]

@@sammyp9514 in most dorms you need to share a room with other people, and i'd rather live in a shoe box than with other people.

[@sammyp9514]

@@dawnriddler great that’s your preference! I did have a roommate but I didnt have to take a dump in a hot box triangle toilet that’s placed in a stairwell where my neighbors are walking by hearing me go #2. I had my own bathroom and shower and that’s very important to me. Cooking in this unit would be close to impossible there is no where to prepare food and the stovetop is nearly nonexistent. Also I’m 6’2 so that bathroom would be a nightmare. I can tell you would prefer this place, good for you. Just leave it at that.

[@Liz-gu5fj]

1,000,000 subscriber !! 🎉

[@beusda]

Looks cozy, if i were a tiny Japanese person ^^ Love the balcony and view.

[@kamizumoku]

Looks cozy? It looks like shit, you have to be a halfling or a fairy to be able to live comfortably in this multiroom closet

[@with_me_JAPAN]

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!😆✨

[@TokyoLens]

Hey!! Great to have you here again!! "Playful Spirit" lol thats very optimistic!! haha You're from Osaka right? many crazy apartments in Osaka?

[@tuddrussell]

"Playful" "You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means." < Princess Bride

[@GottaBeFrank]

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.

[@gearoidoconnell5729]

Less it has a toilet and not go to McDonald for the toilet.😂.

[@ModernGentleman]

Bro seriously my heart is racing and my skin is crawling just watching this i could never go in there 😅

[@napalmholocaust9093]

That much surface yet little mass makes it a big radiator/absorber plate. Thermal stability would prove energy intensive. Seems tippy too. But what do I know..

[@azeemtravadi6128]

The little orange cover on the balcony is likely for a climbing plant. You can see a little hook in the corner where you'd hang a flowerpot for the plant to grow out of, and you can attatch the feelers to the bars with twine to encourage it to grow a little natural roof for the balcony.

[@ochalambana1983]

Oh it's for plants? I thought those were for extra clothing space if you need to hang more laundry to dry.

[@ivechang6720]

Bitter melon. 😋

[@wade.wilson]

I think it's a cover in case anything drops down from above, e.g., the air conditioning unit.

[@RM19061]

I though for pullups

[@jimmycline4778]

Most Americans can’t even fit in the stairway!

[@ollegrahn1937]

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.

[@Eisenwulf666]

Yeah, i thought so too. The apartment on the fifth floor clearly belonged to a person with some issues. These are not apartments for people with a good salary and a loving family. These are for lonely, poor people .

[@JessicaMiller-pc4dj]

Absolutely this - I wouldn't want people like old friends or family or just people in general to see how spectacularly bad my life had become . This looks like a novelty to some younger viewers, but this is someone's actual home.

[@mathias2277]

that makes sense, it's probably considered very shameful to live like this, and they automatically think they're gonna be mocked for it

[@kymberly_03]

it's still a yes for me.... ❤😍 affordable too

[@Superdude255]

I live on 100 acres, so stuff like this is utterly alien to me

[@XenusMama]

Me too .. I have a massive house , can’t imagine living this small . But sometimes I’m tempted to take one of my small rooms and lay it out like a tiny apartment… just to see how it would be . I have a tiny 10 x15 room next to a bathroom that would be a perfect Japanese apartment retreat.

[@Stormcrow89]

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.

[@digby_dooright]

I don't even see how a place like this is legal. That's why we have building regulations in the u.s. Just him stepping out on the balcony was terrifying. This apt is too dangerous. 😮

[@undergroundxp]

typical '"MUH ART" standpoint. this apartment is human torture and should NOT be legal. god bless japan!

[@stevenboelke6661]

I'd probably buy a rope escape ladder and use that for coming and going out the window.

[@7iTCH7]

Nothing functional about it.

[@ApparentlyGoogledislikesmyname]

Neah, you can't fall down the stairs, there's no room! You'll bonk into the opposite wall and get stuck at a weird angle.

[@guhrizzlybaire]

Wow I actually felt kind of ill watching this. It feels like a nightmare house to me 😂

[@MrVictoria69]

Totally agree. Anxiety just watching it right now.

[@jcmottern]

Me too 😬

[@BunsaucesReturn]

Totally

[@cf3714]

For 260 a month I'd make this work. Wouldn't want guests in it, and i'd probably going somewhere else on my free time, but it would be workable.

[@danielbrowniel]

Imagine being an ambulance crew and coming here, I'd be like, "I quit"

[@valbankz292]

Not bad if ur struggling & on the brink of being homeless I would stay if I had to, id have to do some serious organizing. TY for sharing ❤

[@Timbyte]

this is cozy and efficient. i love it!

[@sweetneverbitter6109]

I would love to see one of the “furnished” apts 😮

[@Ryhooon]

Hey just letting you know, you left your phone in the fridge

[@SMashborn]

Legends say it is still inside the fridge to this very day

[@Melanie-de5iq]

YOUR ABOUT TO HIT 1 MILLION SUBS

[@forestrot666]

Its like crazy decker bus with 5 layers and rooms. Good lordt.

[@Yeen_Beans]

The headspace is what really kills me about it, I would probably hit my head alot, other then that it would be a interesting challenge to live in and decorate! I say that as someone who essentially renovated a shed into a livable space.

[@szczepan4737]

Shed sounds like a palace compared to this hole in the wall.

[@HighMojo]

You need a helmet to live in that space.

[@BeardedNerdSE]

Chris: *makes a "tiny apartment" video with mostly decent sized apartments* Norm: "Challenge accepted!" I would go crazy living there, and unless you're taller than me I'd barely fit in the door. But it would be neat to just rent it for a short stay.

[@joanmacdonald2950]

On a positive note..lots of natural light!

[@skoll047]

The space itself is perfect for me as I love tight spaces. But the height is a problem in case of emergency. Not to mention I'm scared that it will topple over in case of an earthquake.

[@AnthonyStJames-yn8nr]

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.

[@Slla-th5vt]

Shipping containers actually made lousy living accomodation. There is no insulation so it will be hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

[@AnthonyStJames-yn8nr]

@@Slla-th5vt it will be fitted with insulation of course

[@AbrahamNVX]

there are tinier apartments in Japan.

[@Slla-th5vt]

@@AnthonyStJames-yn8nr cost a lot and inefficient. There are already videos debunking this. Containers are not made for human living in the first place. So with all the effort and money going into making it livable, might as well go for a real home.

[@bridgesbane7032]

I was in the Marines, deployed on Navy ships twice. Hated living on the ships. Those coffin racks are miserable but we all find a way to make it our own for the time on ship. I would much rather take this apartment over being back in a berthing with 40+ Marines, stacked 3-4 high again.

[@jesiwashere]

I always felt like my room is too small and wished I have a bigger space for my closet but seeing all these small apartments just made me realize how lucky I am to even have a room. Lol

[@drivernephi2399]

Retard

[@Srinathji_Das]

I like it! Very unique and good use of space for affordable living in such an expensive place. And its yellow. 😃

[@user-oe9gs5yg3z]

This is crazy

[@vanalif1941]

a nightmare for claustrophobic 😅

[@TokyoLens]

pure nightmare juice haha

[@ayshiaarmani]

This makes me grateful for my 1 bedroom apartment although I feel like I need more space! But it’s literally a mansion compared to this 🥺

[@Goorood]

God bless America, app is considered small for 1 bedroom when under 1000 sq feet 🤭

[@emilyfoster6487]

Same, my place is only about 350sqft but it's heaven compared to this.

[@matejblaha4659]

I'm cycling to work and normally take my bike up to my living room, that could be a bit of a problem here🤔

[@rePenia]

My anxiety just skyrocketed