Japan's Micro Homes

Thank God for Amber!  What would I do without her!  I owe you all several 'Friendly Friday' posts.  But for now, Amber is holding down the fort and here is her fascinating post about Japan's Micro Homes...

While surfing the web on a lazy Sunday morning, sipping coffee and trying to be as non-productive as possible, I wandered over the Jen's Cottage of the Month page as I do around the first of every month.  I was delighted to see her current feature on a homeowner in Tokyo!  Please run over and visit her right now and see the darling cottage style 70 meter living space that this clever woman has made her own.  If you didn't already click the link above then by all means click here and go visit.  I'll wait.....


Wasn't it darling???  Doesn't it make you feel a twinge of guilt for ever complaining about your small dwelling space?  I am in awe and inspired by a people that willingly sacrifice personal space and live in closet-like areas just so they can stay in their beloved city.  Amazing.

Then as I did a little more research and began examining photos and articles, I wondered.....where are the laundry baskets?  Where are the phone chargers and stacks of mail and magazines?  Where are the pet beds and children's toys?  Please tell me they bagged them up and shipped them off for these photos to be taken. Otherwise I'll feel so inadequate as a small-home dweller.

We know the Japanese have a love affair with all things tiny.  Two words.  Bonsai tree.  But some of these homes are amazing in their architectural ingenuity.

Some of these homes are so compact they could probably fit in the garage of an American McMansion.

Because so many young couples with children want to stay in central Tokyo close to the best schools and high-powered jobs, they are forced to build on the tiniest plots of land imaginable.  Architects are beginning to specialize in this trend and have named it kyo-sho-jutaku.   This new design style is accounting for a large portion of the $1.2 billion dollar architectural design industry.

Tiny home, tiny car.  Just have my valet park it on the back patio.

There are stand alone homes and also pre-built aluminum cube homes that can be purchased for around $17,000 and assembled in less than a day.  These people mean business!

Where are their phone cords?  Trash cans?  Dirty laundry?  Library books?  School papers?  Sigh.

I'm inspired by the Japanese commitment to lifestyle and their willingness to make the best of a tight squeeze.  I'll never complain about my lack of closet space again.  Well....for a while anyway!

~Amber