What a $200 Tokyo MICRO APARTMENT is Like 🇯🇵 Japan Room Tour

@Abroad in Japan

Abroad in Japanyoutubethe post

A tour of three Tokyo micro apartments, ranging from a stylish 34m² unit to a tiny 11m² space, revealing the realities and costs of compact living in the city.

3 places

1
Tokyo Micro Apartment 1 (West Side)
apartment
Tokyo, Japan’s busy capital, mixes the ultramodern and the traditional, from neon-lit skyscrapers to historic temples. The opulent Meiji Shinto Shrine is known for its towering gate and surrounding woods. The Imperial Palace sits amid large public gardens. The city's many museums offer exhibits ranging from classical art (in the Tokyo National Museum) to a reconstructed kabuki theater (in the Edo-Tokyo Museum).
Tokyo, Japan
- 34m² one-bedroom apartment — This 34m² apartment is about the average size for a one-bedroom in Tokyo, feeling spacious and modern with good lighting. The creator notes it's easy to heat and economical.
- Modern Japanese kitchen — A standard Japanese kitchen but of nicer quality, featuring an artificial marble countertop and an extendable counter space over the sink. It's described as 'glamorous' compared to the creator's first apartment.
- Spacious separated bath — A pretty spacious bath for an apartment of this size, with a separate toilet and sink area. It includes a bath cover for heat retention and a reheating function, which is common in Japan.
- Large walk-in closet — A surprisingly hefty walk-in closet for an apartment of this size, described as 'pretty rare' to find at this scale.
- Mount Fuji view from balcony — Located on one of the top floors and southwest-facing, this apartment offers a nice balcony with potential views of Mount Fuji on a clear day.
- Rent: ¥184,000/month · ¥184,000/month — This modern, well-located 34m² apartment costs ¥184,000 per month (approximately $1,200 USD), reflecting its newness and central Tokyo location.
2
Tokyo Micro Apartment 2 (Nakameguro)
Restaurant · Meguro City
4.3Closed · opens 5 PM
Charming, antique-filled tavern with a cozy ambiance serving innovative dishes with a global twist.
Nakameguro Kunsei Apartment Restaurant, 1 Chome-1-52 Nakameguro, Meguro City, Tokyo 153-0061, Japan
- 21m² combined living/dining/bedroom — This 21m² apartment is significantly smaller than the first, with the main room serving as a combined living, dining, and bedroom. The creator describes it as 'cramped' and like 'Tetris in apartment form'.
- Cramped 90s kitchen — A grim kitchen from the 1990s with blue cabinetry, only one ragged stove, and no preparation space. A small fridge can fit in a designated spot.
- Movable breakfast bar — A surprisingly usable breakfast bar that can be moved, allowing for some flexibility in the small living space.
- Standard unit bath — A standard unit bath, which is an all-in-one plastic or resin piece, separate from the toilet. The creator notes it smells bad due to pipes evaporating.
- Car park views — The apartment offers views of a car park, allowing you to 'see all your favorites, your Mazdas, your Toyotas, your Nissans'.
- Rent: ¥120,000/month · ¥120,000/month — Despite its small size (21m²) and 90s build, this apartment in the heart of trendy Nakameguro costs ¥120,000 per month (approximately $850 USD), reflecting its prime location.
3
Tokyo Micro Apartment 3 (Yoyogi Park Area)
Holiday apartment rental · Shibuya
4.9
Tokyo Family Stays G.K, 5 Chome-56-3 Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-0053, Japan
- 11m² tatami room — This extremely tiny 11m² apartment, equivalent to 4.5 tatami mats, serves as the entire living space. The creator describes it as a 'claustrophobic nightmare' and 'not an apartment, this is a biscuit tin'.
- No air conditioning — The apartment has no air conditioning and no way to install it, making it uncomfortably hot, especially with the pungent smell of tatami mats.
- Minimal kitchen with no stove — A kitchen with no counter space and no stove (you have to buy your own and hook up the gas). There's no space for a fridge or washing machine.
- External squat toilet — The toilet is located outside the apartment, about 3 meters from the front door, and is a squat toilet. The creator finds it 'the final insult' given the lack of other facilities.
- No shower or bath — This apartment has no shower or bath. The listing suggests using a nearby Sento (public bath) at a cost of ¥300-¥500 per visit.
- Rent: ¥33,000/month · ¥33,000/month — This 11m² apartment, despite its extreme lack of amenities, costs ¥33,000 per month (approximately $200 USD) due to its excellent location near Hatagaya, Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Yoyogi Park.