Healthful Living Space in Japan

Urban living in Japan has always been cramped - The Edo Tokyo Museum's row house, photo Daderot

On arrival at my apartment assigned to me as part of my JET Program experience years ago, I was pleasantly surprised by the spacious digs. I had bought out the contents of the apartment from the person who had preceded me and had brought only the basics - a work wardrobe and some souvenirs from home. That first apartment was spacious enough for one person - a 1LDK on the second floor of a house. The entrance was set back away from the street so it was quiet and backed onto a hiking path that wound up a mountainside.

In the first few days, I realized that the footprint of my apartment was only fractionally smaller than the family living below me - a couple and their adult daughter. Their apartment also included a workshop space for a home business. I saw firsthand how cramped Japanese homes can be.

Over the years as my lifestyle and needs have changed I’ve experienced living in tiny, cramped apartments and houses large enough for a family. In the last few years, I’ve settled into a 1LDK of about 50 square meters. I’m on my own but on weekends, there are two of us occupying the space and we can retreat to opposite ends of the apartment when we need to rest or work.

So how small is too small? The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT) specifies “criteria for a space in which one can live a healthy and cultured life.” For a single person, the minimum size MLIT indicates is 25 square meters. For a family, the recommended minimum square footage is double.

MLIT also specifies important considerations such as earthquake and fire safety, accessibility and even greenery. As residents, we may assume that city planners and building owners provide safe and appropriate spaces to live in, but the reality is a lot of rental housing is below these standards. In my town, there are hundreds of apartments that are below the minimum size, have no greenery, and may no longer meet safety standards.

My apartment appears to satisfy MLIT’s standards. It’s a generous size, has a veranda with a view of mature trees, and it’s within easy distance of services and shopping. One thing I didn’t realize when I chose the apartment is that there is a culvert that runs under the street in front of my building. The city’s flood hazard map shows minimal threat. However, I think the next time I go apartment hunting, I’ll investigate the environment more thoroughly before committing.