Apartment in Japan

"Mansion"

In Japan, Especially in urban areas, people live in apartments. The better apartments or the condos are called "mansions" (it is the different meaning of the original meaning of "mansion")

They are small compared to the western style. 

A "3LDK" mansion is typical - 1 Japanese style room, 2 bedrooms,. a combination living-dining room, a kitchen, a bath, and a small balcony. 

Average size of the total area of the mansion is about 76-85 m2/household. 

The average area for one person is about 25m2 (cf US: 61m2, UK 35m2). 

High rising mansions

Mansion is for rent or purchase.
The purchase price of a mansion depends on the size and location. For example, in Tokyo, the average price is about 40 million yen　(ca. US$ 400,000)

A single person or a couple rent an apartment. The rent also depends on the location or size, but the average rent (one-bedroom + small kitchen + bath) is about 70,000 yen - 80,000 yen (US$ 700-800) per month in Tokyo. If the room is larger or closer to a train station,the rent will go up to 100,000 yen to 150,000 yen.

Small apartment

There are other apartments, which are not considered "mansions"(small apartment ). For example, an entire apartment might equal the space of a standard American living room. And 4 families might live there. 

Traditional Japanese rooms

Traditional Japanese room

Traditional Japanese rooms are very simple without any excess ornamentation.　There is usually only a law table and zabuton cushions on the tatami (in the photo, there are low chair with cushion)

As a decorative feature, there is the alcove in which a simple flower arrangement and hanging scroll is set.

Japanese style houses are open to nature. - instead of curtains completely covering the windows, there are shoji sliding doors.

(shoji is made of thin Japanese washi paper)

Thanks to shoji, the soft sunlight can come through to the room. Light and shadow change the atmosphere of the room.

Seiza 

We can feel the stream of time when we sit in the room.

Cross-legged position

When entering a tatami room, we take off our slippers.　In the room, the formal sitting position is "seiza" like the right photo. This position is very uncomfortable, We feel go to sleep if we sit in that position for a long time! So it is OK to sit in a more comfortable position.

Sometimes, foreigners sit in a cross legged-position even women. (this sitting style for

men in Japan) Women's style is to sit with their legs folded on one side.

Traditional Japanese Houses

Traditional Japanese houses are built to give good air circulation, because summer in Japan is very hot and humid.

The rooms are divided by fusuma(or sliding doors) which are made from "washi" paper.

Japanese washi paper is strong and adjusts to the humidity.

Since the fusuma doors aren't nailed down, they can be removed if more space is needed.

For example, when many guests or family gather together, the doors can be removed.

With the fusuma door, we can use the space freely.

Tatami mats may be well known in foreign countries. Tatami mats are used for flooring.

The size of tatami is fixed: 180 cm long x 90 cm wide.

fusuma(sliding door) and tatami (mat)

With Tatami, the size of room can be measured.

(ex. 6 mat room or 8 mat room etc: the standard size is 6 mat room in Japan)

Tatami is made from rice straw and rush plants.

As well as fusuma doors, Tatami is suitable for Japanese houses - because Tatami absorbs humidity. That's why Tatami is cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Both Tatami and washi suit the humid Japanese climate.

Japanese houses well incorporate many natural things like rice straw, wood, and papers.