NTS Renters: Japanese YouTuber’s DIY Rental, Tokyo 58sqm/624sqft

[@MWSays]

Appreciate showing rental spaces since there’s a lot of us who rent and knowing what others do with those limitations is very insightful. Thanks!

[@dissatisfactionchron]

True that!

[@jkull173]

I 100% agree and would love to see more of this kind of content. I’m sure we’re not alone but whenever I watch NTS (or other design type shows) I say to myself “I wonder what they (that particular designer/architect) would do if the place was a rental, what and how much could they change about the space while still following basic rental terms. IE - no permanent/structural changes that can’t be reversed, handling restrictions with certain appliances or fixtures, etc.

[@danchan5620]

why rent and allow landlords to prosper at your own future? Time for revolution.

[@hugobracamontesbaltazar]

@@danchan5620 please! 🙄

[@mfg4919]

Same same

[@sianthesheep]

It's good to see that you don't always need to be minimalist in small spaces - they've got a great balance of having the things they love out on show without it feeling cluttered. Something I'm trying to aim for in my own tiny space!

[@artemaeus]

Same, I feel like it's those small things you adore that really make the space yours. I'm always trying to find a balance and not over do it, though!

[@janson2911]

It's not really a small space though. A floor area of 58 square meters is considered a luxury home from where I came from, like, we are used to raise a family of 4 in a 36sqm single storey house

[@Furnitecture]

It's really nice to see Hige to Watashi's living space from this outside perspective. Nice one NTS!

[@chromakin]

I love their vlogs!!

[@KasSommers]

That red staircase is fabulous. Gives a great column of colour in an otherwise colourless apartment.

[@kayemai]

Love what they did with the space and in a renter's condition- and I know they don't like the red stairs but I think it's pretty ICONIC and really brings the loft to another level *punintended

[@buddyneher9359]

I really love how creatively they've worked with the constraints - putting green plants on the red stairs is genius!

[@AR-zr1om]

I'm amazed they don't like the stairs, they bring character to the place I love it.

[@joel230182]

maybe the stairs were too "loud" before they added their decorations

[@angeyoung6410]

For me, this loft is not small it has beautiful proportions ! I really like the layout of this functional and cozy place...but not small lol! Many would like to have this kind of living area!😉😊

[@bernadetteapps9303]

I agree, it appears really spacious and it has so much storage. Lovely.

[@garotadagavea]

For Tokyo, this is really a spacious flat. And very well appointed.

[@Jane-td6vp]

I loved this, thank you for showing renters! When you live in a small space that you can't change permanently, you certainly have to get creative. It's lovely to hear the perspective of the people who live in the space, talking about how they use it. 👏

[@raerae734]

I would've loved a flat like this when I was living in Japan, they did very well to find it! It's such a beautiful and liveable space. It's nice to see a focus on what renters can do to use a small space just through the clever use of aesthetics, storage, furniture; and thinking about the visual levels.

[@Eduard27]

By far my favorite home on this channel

[@mich3773c]

ahhh my two favorite channels in 1 place 😍 so excited to see Hige & Watashi featured in NTS. their space really stays true to who they are and their passions.

[@theaprileighth]

i've been following this couple on youtube for years. happy to see them sharing their room on my favourite channel.

[@nmclaren12]

I love the stairs! Funny that it's not intentional - the space is incredible

[@panamaveggie]

Great to see and hear you Watashi & Hige, beautiful place and great home tour

[@daniellekorneliussen4244]

I became so extremely happy when I found that you had done a feature with my #1 favorite KZbinrs: HIGE and ME‼️❤️I have been paying attention to their lifestyle films for a few years and just love all of it. Beautiful Beautiful Beautiful… Arigato‼️🙏🏽

[@snowboarder2017]

I, on the other hand, love the red stairs. Maybe because I don't live in Japan I like how it's an ode on the traditional red bridges and pergolas.

[@pattin4015]

Their relatively small space is so functional, personalized and aesthetic! Being a plant lover myself, it's eye-opening to see the possibility of having so many interior plants, despite the limitation of space. This is the only video of Hige and Watashi where I was introduced to their faces, making it a personal video. Very nice!

[@hotelierid9029]

So comfy and it looks much bigger than 58sqm. The red staircase is a beautiful touch for the whole space.

[@oneoldsoul]

I've just followed this couple in youtube recently. So nice to see them being featured here.

[@ririla4907]

I love that they placed plants on the stairs to shift their focus on what they like. That's amazing. It's how you make things work with what you have. And the way he said "Stick to what you like" that spoke volumes to meee

[@elisekhoury7718]

I love the heigh ceiling, the light and use of space! GREAT DESIGN

[@eskanderx1027]

Great stuff. When the TV breaks would recommend using a small portable projector with that white sheet.

[@em38817]

By far my favorite home on this channel, I hope to one day own something similar like this.

[@jacquelinesinek8231]

What a unique, spacious rental flat! I love your style. The red staircase is my favourite feature!

[@siffleanimaux1]

I love the red staircase too! And I love their use of orange in the kitchen as well; makes it feel like the kitchen is in its own space instead of an open space. The two warm colours goes nicely together as well.

[@_MSD75_]

what a gorgeous space. I love a home that is filled with bit & pieces/knickknacks as it makes the home feel lived in and loved and not a sterile showroom

[@kitsburrard5530]

That is definitely not considered a small space in Tokyo. More than double the size of my 1DK in Tokyo. Loved the red spiral staircase and high ceilings. The cluttered look is not my taste, but many of my Japanese friends seem to like clutter. The plants work well with the concrete and are definitely well cared for.

[@MTMF.london]

I don' think it is cluttered. When two people are living in a (relatively) small place, there are going to be things out and about. They've done well with a lot of built-in storage solutions.

[@lyndaster46]

I really appreciate the plants, and they do help with the red staircase. I love the red staircase though!! hehehe. It was super nice to see the rental ideas for tiny spaces. So many of us rent and it was heartening to find out how much a person can do with careful self assessment, inexpensive furniture choices, upcycling and planning.

[@erywindy939]

I followed this couple's channel and really love how they embrace slow living. i think this is the first time i see their face. lol

[@fatimaayesh7]

I do not know their channel, but the energy is comforting! A lot of personality, admirable home.

[@laetitiavisagie2632]

The red stairs add to the uniquenes of your personalities and your living space. I would not like the idea of the red stairs but it works beautifully

[@JaviiOchoa]

I looooove the videos from ヒゲとわたし !!! They're so cool !

[@charlieb7728]

Their KZbin channel is amazing and so calming to watch

[@soniawoolley366]

I follow this couple on tube - I love their channel, so good to see some of the daily living features of their small flat ...

[@aclementine9928]

i like the staircase, its a nice pop of colour that contasts with the more soft tones

[@ShaqeelAlif]

wow , such a surprise to see you hige to watashi here!

[@ItchyKneeSon]

-Microwave can fit under the toaster oven on the counter. -Undesirable red staircase can be painted with Plasti-Dip or an equivalent removable paint. (Often used to coat car parts/wheels for protection and/or aesthetics.) 良い家ですね〜 見せてくれてありがとうございます。

[@jpark2568]

Thank you for sharing their wonderful space👍🏻💕😊

[@Theophilus388]

There is so much comfortable clutter in this apartment space. Makes it fun and fascinating. I can feel my creative enenrgy rise. Btw, love the red spiral staircase.

[@garotadagavea]

Yes. They may not like the red, but I find that gives a lovely pop of color. And, since the stairs themselves are an interesting structure, it looks like a modern and fun sculpture.

[@Theophilus388]

@@garotadagavea exactly!

[@janecunningham8665]

Love the simplicity of this space as well as the focus on books and plants - turning the living room into a library/garden looks so inviting. I would definitely feel at home pulling up a cushion here!

[@MonicaNaomy]

I love their channel!! That's so cool to see the full place! 🌿 it's a really cozy, clean and chill ambient they created 💚

[@SamGiles]

This apartment is absolutely marvellous. The style and energy of the place is profoundly beautiful and inspiring. Thank you for sharing.

[@paulabragazzi]

It makes me happy that they went to Hige and Watashi's house! Your channel is one of my favorites and I appreciate that you have shown your home from another perspective. Thank you!

[@ahumanbeing812]

Renting your apartment means there are limitations when it comes to decorating the space, but it can also be an opportunity to express yourself, experiment different things and make the space truly a reflection of your personality and taste. This Japanese couple did exactly that. The decorations of their apartment combined elements from different styles; they used a diverse range of materials (apple boxes, bean bags, upscaled wood, etc.); they used green plants and wall arts to contrast the gray concrete walls and red staircase that they couldn't re-paint. They overcame the limitations that came with small, rental space with their creativities and turned their apartment into an eclectic space that expressed their personalities and reflected their lifestyle. Thanks for sharing!

[@FatherLego1986]

My partner and I live in a 450 sq feet rental apartment. I thought it would never work when he moved in but it’s almost been a year here together and we love it. It’s our little sanctuary.

[@AngeliqueFelice]

This video makes me miss Muji!! I love their home and furniture section so much!

[@marylbullock]

They are a lovely couple. You can see the harmony in their living space.

[@junehulton9776]

The space provides the walls they need to be happy...the plants changed the environment for it to be theirs ...and it's what works for them .

[@longyccom]

Love to see living rooms that are not centred around TVs, plants and books are great alternatives!

[@IsSheRG710]

Why does this apartment seem so big? Love the contrast with the plants and how they’ve used the dining table as a work place as wel

[@Dorism541]

Fantastic job with such stringent rules.

[@rebeccariordon462]

Would love to see more rental/DIY spaces on this channel

[@SofiiyaJPG]

Big big congratulations to Hige and Watashi for getting featured! Absolutely adore their flat and lifestyle, it just radiates calmness and serenity. The videos they produce on their channel are a visual meditation on life and design, they're basically my antidote to stress and anxiety these days. Each video is like a short film, definitely recommend checking them out!

[@moreolivia]

By Tokyo standards this space is huge! They lucked out when they found it but I am sure it’s expensive! I love the fact that they put their personalities into decorating the apartment. There is a tendency in Japanese spaces to decorate and design the same way, and to buy most of your furniture from the same place. People don’t really like “clutter”, which is basically any kind of art or non functional item! It’s fine if you only go home to sleep, but some of my friends here were struggling during the beginning of the pandemic, as working from home (and not being able to go out and drink!) they were stuck in essentially a joyless box. In any case, thank you NTS for featuring rental spaces!

[@danchan5620]

You mean the landlord luck out. Pathetic to find joy suffering in tiny spaces while your savings are depleted by landlords maximizing their wealth at your expense. You do nothing and be happy to suffer the indignity?

[@moreolivia]

@@danchan5620 you…read a lot into my post about liking this young couple’s apartment. Allow me to give you some background then. I live here. Have been here for 20 years now. I cannot stand the real estate market here in Japan. It has gotten better over the years but is extremely capitalist and biased. I am obviously not Japanese and cannot just walk into any real estate agency and rent an apartment because many agents and property owners still do not like renting to foreigners. To add further insult to injury, if and when you do find a place you like, and the owner agrees to let you live there, if it’s a really nice place you are expected to pay at times up to six or seven months rent in advance. I complain about it all the time to my Japanese friends, because they can raise their voices to change it. My voice has little weight. I love seeing other people’s homes on this channel because it allows me to dream, and fantasize about what I will do when I finally have a home that I own to do as I please to it. So yes, it is seemingly “pathetic” for me to find joy in something I most likely cannot ever own and that this young couple do not own. However it is important to find joy in situations beyond your control.

[@karensurgery3845]

a 60sqm space is actually on the small side for a Tokyo mansion apartment. and it is not normaly to pay 7 months rent to get a place. It's pretty standard to pay 2 months plus key money but not 6 or 7 months...

[@moreolivia]

@@karensurgery3845 Depends on the property, the location, the owner and the landlord! Sadly I’ve had to walk away from a few places over the years because the initial deposit was way out of my budget.

[@karensurgery3845]

@@moreolivia Initial deposit being out of budget speaks more to the cost to rent the place then to say standard in Tokyo is 6-7 months of rent which just isn't true. With the mortgage rates in Japan it makes no sense to rent in Tokyo if you're here long term anyway which is sounds like you are since you can get bigger better built spaces for less by purchasing and don't need to deal with key month and other nonsense.

[@klgherkin]

I love their use of a stick for hanging items in the living area 😊

[@cbjones2212]

I have followed Hige and Watashi on YT for such a long time and am so happy to see them featured as your first renters. They are incredibly creative in their daily lives and a joy to watch.

[@Ninitschga]

I live in the countryside in northern Germany in a relatively big house, with some land, dogs & chickens & horses. I find it so peaceful and calming to watch people curate their spaces so carefully and with so much thought. The more space you have, the more more stressful it is to keep everything clean and tidy. 🤪 I know once the kids are out of the house I will move into a smaller space or put a tiny house on my property and rent the house to another family.

[@TuhinasSpices]

😂

[@Turtledove2009]

That sounds lovely.

[@zielonakota]

These all plants! And concrete! This is perfect match for me. And books 😊 And very good idea with kitchen counter. Great space!

[@secretscarlet8249]

The episode title Hige and Me was amusing.

[@tatianamamani2657]

It is a space with a lot of personality, making it truly unique, where they show all the things they love without needing to saturate the space, the use of plants is an excellent option setting the space and making it much more welcoming. On the other hand, the way they approach everyday challenges, such as arranging the microwave high up but making use of benches and apple boxes to organize, along with the recycled wood dining table, highlights the importance of creativity in efficient and economic solutions. This reflects a recursive mindset that distinctively adds value to the space.

[@saekolin]

Super nice to see a rental! And people really living in it! They made this space so personal and relaxing, I love their style!

[@fw2231]

Oo, this new series is exciting! I'm sure it will continue to provide a really interesting contrast to the custom-designed-to-reflect-the-owner's-priorities spaces.

[@kimberlymotquin9179]

Such a beautiful space. I'd love to see them wrap the staircase with crocheted or knitted yarn to change the color without repainting. Definitely going to have to start watching their channel.

[@FAC321]

big fan of these 2 ! their house is great and the KZbin channel is well worth watching

[@WALKVACAY]

I love watching NEVER TOO SMALL and I love this couple's channel too. Glad to see both working together.

[@gutchiespencer1227]

HIGE and ME! Two of my favorite KZbinrs.....What a way to start my day, I'm happy to finally get a glimpse of them and to get a closer look at their living space it's truly a work of art/design..... Beauty and Simplicity ❤️

[@carolhathaway5168]

For Tokyo this place seems massive. It's really lovely...I'm a big fan of Muji too.

[@karensurgery3845]

naw for a mansion apartment in tokyo this is on the small side the high ceilings are pretty nice.

[@kiwigirljacks]

What an awesome apartment! And very cool couple. I love that they aren’t too minimalist, especially with their wardrobe/love of fashion. I too have a large fashion collection, and while I keep the rest of my home fairly minimal, I have my spare room dedicated to fashion. It’s about whatever makes you happy at the end of the day 😊

[@heisstack]

I love that they used a lot of furniture from MUJI, which is a favorite store of mine.

[@LarsLeonhard]

Not exactly a small apartment in Tokyo. Average is 65,9 sqm and so many live in much smaller places. I do like it. I for one really like the red staircase!

[@jessloydpepito6317]

For me, the ideas in kzbin.infoUgkxAfqpMLyFn37qcqUl0FAzqkkycQeXqrhP Plans were a starting point for building different sheds . Ryan gives ideas that allow an individual to draw nicest conclusions into the design and building of his or her own shed.

[@LoFiHouse]

I really love the living room full of plants and books!!! 04:10 The tiny objects are so cute~😊

[@ChosenByCover]

I've been following their channels for a while now, but this new perspective is exciting to see!

[@karenharvey2549]

Beautiful space. I love the plants, it brings it all to life.

[@indiasimone6645]

Namaste 🙏🏾, lovely home. Thank you for sharing 🌿

[@AuntieWendy]

Love the idea of using apple boxes!

[@khotibinmuryadi1587]

Im kinda suprise since i followed hige’s channel too lol, never too small’s video always inspired me

[@ZCEAV]

I love the stairs and the color ❤

[@keenalou595]

What a lovely rental space! The low bookcases and plants combo looks fantastic 🪴💚

[@TheToby1007]

So great to see Hige + Watashi's speak...ENGLISH fluently, I might add - I adore their KZbin reports on Tokyo and their adventures in Japan - and their cooking always looks great too - well done...👏

[@AlexPresa]

I love the willingness to "bend with" the rooms and compensate, not needing to be so adamant about the must have's. A sweet humility.

[@RhondaH]

It was great to see Hige and Watashi talking about their flat. It's larger than it looks on their videos!

[@yeglin]

aaaaah I've been following them for a while now, such a great fit for this channel and they have such impecable taste ✨

[@broadwaystar2b]

Love this! More rental spaces please!

[@azuresa5356]

My favourite japanese youtubers! they have decorated their house beautifully and it looks very cozy as well. 🥰

[@Joakimcomicscenter]

I loved seeing their space. I+ve watched a couple of their videos on there own channel few months back and the space is just so calm.

[@darrelduke]

this rental space is huge!

[@jirie5246]

Nice! This type of apt is pretty unusual in Japan, as they said.

[@makanimike]

what a coincidence! I only just discovered their channel about 10 days ago and now they're featuring on NTS!

[@francetogo794]

They have a very beautiful and functional living space and lovely plants. Love from usa

[@aggiekk]

Love their plants 🙌🏼🌱🌿🪴also they really made their space so homely, cosy and functional at the same time - which usually is not an easy act usually but here it was a great success 🫶thanks for sharing

[@libbypetersen3523]

Thanks for including a rental! And wow--that is one of the biggest Japanese city apartments I've seen!

[@lovemondaycouplenguyen]

I don't feel this apartment much, probably I have different style. But I love the bedroom section, looks big and bright and comfortable compare to other small sleep section I see feature in this channel. I also like how simple this apartment is, the colors... and that red staircase ❤

[@KT4im5]

Me los encuentro acá chicos, qué gracioso! Gracias hermosos los sigo en su canal desde hace un tiempo. Genios!

[@jkull173]

I can’t be the only one who whenever I watch NTS (or other design type shows) I say to myself “I wonder what they (that particular designer/architect) would do if the place was a rental, what and how much could they change about the space while still following basic rental terms. IE - no permanent/structural changes that can’t be reversed, or at least changed without too much effort, handling restrictions with certain appliances or fixtures, etc. I think there would be a huge attraction to this type of content from those of us who rent but still wish to be able to customize our spaces within reason.

[@susansmith3080]

How exciting!!! One of my favourite you tube channels!! Hello friends!!

[@jennieskinner3886]

This is the best one yet!! I’ll be sure to check out their social media. What a wonderful way to celebrate your space! ✨

[@patrickbyrnes3864]

omg The Shining tote bag 🙌

[@azyzulcarey]

i've been following their vlogs..very nice ambience and greenery space...love it.