I don't think it gets any crazier than this... *BUT WOULD YOU LIVE HERE?* Let me know what you thought and join the discussion below!! *So Crazy, You Gotta Watch It TWICE!* (gets better... and crazier every time lol) For the FULL PLAYLIST of TINY Apartments - ruclips.net/video/y-1Dwhh7dEc/видео.html I waited nearly a year to get into this one!! Hope you all enjoyed it!!
Another great video! I wouldn't live in one like this, mainly because of the stairs and the noise. The only things you'd be able to fit up those stairs would be really quite small. What a hassle all the time! And to not have one's own toilet to hand - that's far from ideal. I bet the residents end up peeing in the shower/bath instead, if they need to 'go' in the night.
I think i could manage in the most of the others. I think this one is hard sell though. The trip to the bathroom is a sticking point for me. We all need a good throne room 😁
This place doesn't just look extremely uncomfortable; it also looks like a massive death trap. If there was a fire or EMTs needed to get inside to help someone, it's going to be a mess. I'm surprised it's even legal for it to exist like that.
this is not for living, this is for surviving when you are in financial trouble. Japan has many compact and detailed mini apartments, but this is not one of them. it is poorly designed that it only existed because of bad decisions. as a repair tech I can tell you that something like this is not for a long run, imagine when the AC broke down, how would the tech fix it or replace the AC? how would the plumber work given this amount of space? and how the walls have to taken down if plumbers or electrician need to get into the wire or pipes? if a problem occur (which even the best designed house will have), it is all over. You can hire a repairman to fix it, but they will have to charge you longer hours because the limited space and trouble they have to go through, in the end it is just a cheap option that will cost you more in the long run.
My usual guess when you're told not to approach or talk to the residents is that the landlord may not have a good reputation. Or if they do, there may be something else with the apartments that they're not telling you. So it's usually to save face or to not scare away potential tenants.
Or that the resident might be a hermit and wouldn’t like a guy with a camera around their space. Especially when the camera person isn’t Japanese themselves.
3:59 I think the closet space would have been more usable if it were installed on the ground rather than on the ceiling. Because then you could sleep on top of it, roll up your mat and have counter space for your toiletries, kitchen utensils etc. And then you can even open one of the cabinets to use as a desk space to put a chair under as you work!
That unit looks more "renovated" than the 5th floor. The 5th floor has a different layout. The old modular Cube building is a little bigger. But yeah, good idea.
@@Horrordelic I would live there, it would be so easy to keep clean and you would definitely go out every day instead of staying 'couped' up at home 😂
1:24 the fact he waited a year for someone’s rent lease to end just to be able to do a video on this… I have genuine upmost respect for his dedication to his content.
I know this is a “feel-good” channel but this is the first tiny-apartment video that actually made me depressed. I really feel for people being forced to live like this.
Bruh.. i'm pretty sure it was made intentionally for people like me who likes cozy tight spaces... though our house is kinda big, i would love to live in that kind of apartment... there are people who loves tight spaces, specially cavers...
@@nightking4132 yeah, you’re right, this has nothing to do with a housing problem and an overcrowded city, it’s definitely purposefully build for cavers!
Judging by the mess on floor 5, the low rent and the fact that this definitely isn't someone's first choice in apartment, I can imagine the people living there could be a bit troubled. Hope everyone is OK, though. Especially the room 5 one, if it's not just abandoned
Yup. Mental health issues and people on the edge of society came to mind when Norm said he was told not to talk to residents. The top-floor mess confirmed it in my mind.
Yeah... I thought that might be so, too. It's not as if they could say "Please avoid them because floor 5 is a junkie, 3 is an ex-con etc." would probably significantly decrease interest. Or maybe its just that they don't want him knowing that they all have a little waiver in their contracts about concussions and the staircase.
In America we have something called, ‘section 8’ where people need to prove extreme poverty and or craziness. I think the latter is why you were warned not to talk to the other tenants. An I think the place on the 5th floor confirms that.
I hate to say it, but the combination of a cagey “just don’t talk with the residents,” an unoccupied apartment filled with trash, and a door off its hinge means one thing to me: #5's resident was almost certainly an elderly shut-in who sadly won’t be returning.
As a first responder, I can’t help but think of the insane challenges here. Like getting a person who went down for any reason in the bedroom and needs to be carried out to an ambulance. Those stairs are brutal. Fire wouldn’t be able to get into this place with gear on. Similar to issue one, people die. Getting them out will be a real bitch, especially if it was a heart attack in the cramped bathroom or something… you can’t just toss them from the window lol
I think the easiest way would be to wrap them up on a gurney/stretcher, and lower them out of the window via some fire truck's ladders. However, there are tons of power lines (some of which medium voltage) all around the building. Still, i've seen my local fire dept do that for a much more approachable town house. Apparently it was worth getting the firemen's cherry picker out, just to get someone out of the attic of a town/row house.
These sort of places make me appreciate my own home that I find too small sometimes. There's no way I could live in a place that small it would drive me insane.
@@Aly9315 I live in a 900 sq.ft. apartment with my partner and it often feels too big. I think your size is the best for two people as long as you have great communication 😅. If I were living alone I think the perfect size would be 500. Less space = quicker to clean!
As someone who is on the taller side, it really bothers me when I have to duck under low things. Many older homes in the US have basements with low ceilings. If I can't stand up straight in the entire basement, then that's a deal breaker for me.
I love making the most out of limited space. But the architect and designer of this building missed the mark. First, they should have put the stairs on the outside, like a fire escape. Second, they should have offered full-sized amenities like a real bathroom and kitchen at the back wall but with mini-sized appliances and fixtures. Then the tiny wedge at front could become a closet and all the interior space opens up.
Every time I watch these videos I always come out having a bigger appreciation for the house I'm in now. It's one floor, 2 bedroom, pretty small but man, it's like a mansion compared to these apartments😂
I have 32m² here (British suburban council flat) and though it's taken me *years* to learn to be comfortable with what I have, seeing videos like this makes me realise how lucky I am compared to folks in other parts of the World. 😇
As much as I can appreciate the more anarchic, 'free market' flexible approach to planning and building in Japan (the zoning in particular) - the height clearance, the stairs, the width of the apartment - it probably shouldn't be allowed to be built. Like it's Victorian era level skimping.
Me too .. I have a massive house , can’t imagine living this small . But sometimes I’m tempted to take one of my small rooms and lay it out like a tiny apartment… just to see how it would be . I have a tiny 10 x15 room next to a bathroom that would be a perfect Japanese apartment retreat.
@@UDD1990 if you like it then power to you 👍. To me it feels dangerous and exposed, and having to go into that crazy stairwell every time you need the bathroom would be awful. I’d only live there if I literally had no other choice and just needed a place to crash at night.
Serious question: how do you get furniture in there? A chair? On those stairs? A desk to work at? Heck- I feel like it would even be problematic to bring in a lamp! 😅❤
You would have thin cushions and sit on the floor, probably at a low table with folding legs. With either a twin bed, or a futon that you put away. Basically every inexpensive Japanese apartment.
Junji Ito can put this in his manga and it couldn't be more fitting. (cause it's cramped, get it?) Anyway, this is literally one of his visions for horror story.
As a 6'4 guy I have lived in a 5m2 room. It was so small that I would go outside and walk the streets going absolutely nowhere because the tiny space was making me depressed. No wonder the Japanese work such crazy hours, you would rather be at work than in that claustrophobic nightmare.
Of all the tiny/micro apartment videos you've done, this is perhaps the first that would actually trigger claustrophobia for me which is uncommon... and I'm 5'6" albeit stocky.
While filling out his insurance form he was undecided on how to explain why he decided to put his iPhone in a refrigerator while viewing a property and forgot about it.
@@TokyoLens I half freaked out when you did not film getting it back. just kept repeating, don't forget your phone a few times until I realized that I was doing that. I'm paranoid about loosing my phone, or wallet or keys.
Wow! Gotta say the tiny apartments aren't my favorite subject, but I really appreciated how you used the perspective shots to really show how truly minuscule this place is! I wonder if the arched things over the windows once had fabric awnings that eventually got too tattered and weren't replaced.
A fire in this tiny apartment would be catastrophic. Imagine how fast the entire apartment gets burnt down and how slowl can you escape from that apartment with those tiny stairs and no emergency staircase.
If I understand correctly, this is 64 sq ft. Other home designs have made such a space work. This is functional but not fully approaching what might be possible. As mentioned elsewhere putting the hanging closest at floor level opens options. The space could be better used. The stairs concerned me though. Overall, depending on my economic situation, yes, I could live there, but I'd want to consult with the owner about improving its design.
I moved out for college recently and got a dorm with 2 other people and was pretty unhappy with how little room me and my roommates have to share but putting our dorm next to the room shown in this video makes our room look like a 5-star hotel lmao
The toilet space is actually pretty genius design. Since the space is so small, keeping potential unpleasant smells across the stairs and separated by two doors probably does a lot to keep things pleasant.
Our baby's closet is so much bigger than the largest room. Do people actually accept this as a place to live? It's like a doll house for a 5- or 7-year-old.
The orange grills outside the balcony was a great idea its for safety u could hold it while enjoying the view so u dont fall out & u could also hang laundry on hangers there. Everything is well thought of & designed great for single or couples 👍🏻
Really love how you've shown the "living" room from multiple perspective and truly drove the point that the camera lens doesn't do justice to the real dimensions. It really kicked my brain into overdrive trying to imagine how being there would feel.
@bekindtoanimals2189 2000 Sq ft. That's a really decent size. Most houses on average are 1500 to maybe 2000. I think our mobile home is just at around 1000. Maybe a little more. If you were to say 200 than Oh my Force yes, very small
The tiny spaces coupled with being in the most earthquake prone country on earth.... i would not even go in there to see it. Good job for filming this and letting us know.
I think that possibly abandoned apartment answers your question on why you probably shouldn't approach the residents. I suspect a lot of the people that live in these apartments are not in a good place in their lives.
I get, where y'all are coming from, but recent cases showed the adverse effect. In spain, there was a district on a hill, where every house was only a single story high (story = level?). They've been mostly built at around the same time. Seismic activities in the area caused regular damages, so two story high buildings easily collapsed. One guy thought, he wanted to stick out. He built a larger house 3 stories high. The concerns regarding the regular quakes made him build it rather flat for that height, starting from a comparatively lower level. (entry at sub-surface-level) Similar to the building here (seemingly), the enhanced walls made it the only one in the region to survive an unprecedented intensity of said seismic activity. So we can guess all we want: it's appearance will not tell us the actual chances for that. It may be completely misleading to guess, here! The house itself doesn't look old to me, so you can believe that they had a decent permit to build like this.
I don't think this place is somewhere you use for much more than studying or sleeping. On the other hand, if you were a hikikomori (a shut in who spends their lives online) or something, your mental health is already not good and this place has the basics? I feel if I was young and didn't have a family this could be a place I could rent for a lease term.
I started actually feeling claustrophobic just around seeing the shower. This feels like one of those “bizarre artist installations” that couldn’t possibly have been designed by any licensed, recognized architect or civil engineer. There are college dorm closets more luxurious. Seriously, this feels like a sadist’s attempt to see how desperate people will get to accept any sort of shelter no matter how dehumanizing or even physically painful to live in. If I were to guess why they don’t want people approaching the residents is because psychologically the most likely type of personalities who live there willingly are people who are uber-introverts who very much like/need their insulated, single space to feel safe.
It's a tiny space but there is many people just renting a bedroom somewhere. And this room has windows to two sides which is quiet epic. I would totally enjoy living in this for a year. Longer probably not.
My biggest issue with the apartment is that I have to leave the apartment to go to the toilet, as someone who does everything they can to avoid my neighbours having to risk meeting them every time sounds awful, or if they go past as I'm sitting there.
i imagine your neighbors would understand that if youre in the stairwell, theres a good chance you need to use the restroom, and would leave you alone. from what i understand the japanese are already pretty introverted/private with strangers anyways. could be wrong about that though.
While the rooms are small and oddly-shaped, what actually bothered me was the building itself. I’m sure it’s safe, but yikes that thing looks like it would tip over in a storm. It’s so thin!
I'm about to go live in Osaka and I managed to get the same rent for a fairly "normal" tiny apartment, incredible how the price goes up with location even with such drawbacks! Honestly it would be a fun challenge to figure out how to stay for a couple months in those miniscule rooms, since it's essentially going to be a bed and a roof, and then anything else you do outside to not go crazy
I lived near Osaka 5 years ago, my 18sq apartment was 36k a month with pretty much everything you'd need to live normally, the bus stop right in front of the building, and this rent was still considered pretty high for the area. So yeah, hearing that this place is 40k and it's cheap is crazy.
What’s better than a camper van video? A tiny apartment video! Honestly, these are some of my favourite videos of yours, Norm! I guess that there is even a toilet is good.
You got me twice - not just by closing the bathroom door (I was once stuck in a small space in a cave for several hours), but those stairs! I have chronic illnesses and you could not catch me living somewhere that paramedics could not easily get in and out of. Able-bodied people likely don’t have that thought, but they still do have medical emergencies. I hope everyone who lives there never does
Just my two cents on why they detered you from talking to the tenants. But i think in general, Japanese people like to keep their private life a secret. Especially so when things are rough. Even though the house itself is famous, and widely known, people that are better off would not decide to live there (or the 100$ apartments). So the most likely scenario is that those that live in the cheap apartments are down on their luck, and wants to be anonymous.
Yeah, i thought so too. The apartment on the fifth floor clearly belonged to a person with some issues. These are not apartments for people with a good salary and a loving family. These are for lonely, poor people .
Absolutely this - I wouldn't want people like old friends or family or just people in general to see how spectacularly bad my life had become . This looks like a novelty to some younger viewers, but this is someone's actual home.
The room itself is probably tolerable. Maybe investing in noise cancelling earbuds might alleviate the noise issue at night, if there is any. The toilet space and stairs are probably a deal breaker for me. I can see myself missing a step and the toilet space is a little too cramped. Credit where it's due, they were able to do a lot with so little space, but I wouldn't be able to.
I always felt like my room is too small and wished I have a bigger space for my closet but seeing all these small apartments just made me realize how lucky I am to even have a room. Lol
Chris: *makes a "tiny apartment" video with mostly decent sized apartments* Norm: "Challenge accepted!" I would go crazy living there, and unless you're taller than me I'd barely fit in the door. But it would be neat to just rent it for a short stay.
The little orange cover on the balcony is likely for a climbing plant. You can see a little hook in the corner where you'd hang a flowerpot for the plant to grow out of, and you can attatch the feelers to the bars with twine to encourage it to grow a little natural roof for the balcony.
I wonder how safe the building is from earthquakes, being so narrow. Maybe if there was a way to store a bicycle, that could work out for someone alone.
It might be good for earthquakes given the wall to space ratio, though the narrowness is a concern. In general weird buildings fare well because they have many walls and few wide rooms that have less support.
@@metalsloth7387 okay but bringing a bike up through that narrow ass space would be a hassle everyday, and using those hoists on the window just doesnt make sense really, too much of a hassle and risk of it falling just for 5ft of extra space
The headspace is what really kills me about it, I would probably hit my head alot, other then that it would be a interesting challenge to live in and decorate! I say that as someone who essentially renovated a shed into a livable space.
Love the tiny apartment series! The architect of this apartment definitely has full of playful spirit. I was fascinated by not only the shape of building but also a lot of small details of it such as the center silver poll of the stairs, color choice of the exteriors(stands out so much!), the location choice of the bathroom etc! It's in Tokyo, I would love to check it out with my own eyes too!😆✨
those who've served in the coast guard/ navy and who worked in ships can agree with me on this that this apartment is just as cramped or even more cramped than living in a ship. I think I like the tiny apartment with multiple floors inhabited by that cute girl. I can't imagine living normal life in such a cramped space. great find Norm, I wonder if there's anything smaller than this in Japan. My idea is since the country is a disaster-prone place, I think shipping containers turned into apartments would make good homes.
@@AnthonyStJames-yn8nr cost a lot and inefficient. There are already videos debunking this. Containers are not made for human living in the first place. So with all the effort and money going into making it livable, might as well go for a real home.
I was in the Marines, deployed on Navy ships twice. Hated living on the ships. Those coffin racks are miserable but we all find a way to make it our own for the time on ship. I would much rather take this apartment over being back in a berthing with 40+ Marines, stacked 3-4 high again.
Coming from an artistic standpoint, I love it. It’s a creative use of space, functional, and quirky. Coming from a logical standpoint….nope. It reminds me sort of like a treehouse because of the weird spaces, but yet oddly cozy. However, those stairs would be my demise. All it would take is one morning in a rush without my coffee and I’d be done for lol.
I don't even see how a place like this is legal. That's why we have building regulations in the u.s. Just him stepping out on the balcony was terrifying. This apt is too dangerous. 😮
@@dawnriddler great that’s your preference! I did have a roommate but I didnt have to take a dump in a hot box triangle toilet that’s placed in a stairwell where my neighbors are walking by hearing me go #2. I had my own bathroom and shower and that’s very important to me. Cooking in this unit would be close to impossible there is no where to prepare food and the stovetop is nearly nonexistent. Also I’m 6’2 so that bathroom would be a nightmare. I can tell you would prefer this place, good for you. Just leave it at that.
It looks like all of the apartments have been renovated (much better looking now) and the windows are all boarded up which is a bit odd... Still much cheaper than renting a caravan in Australia which many are having to do these days (or being nomads in their caravans/campers).
I don't think it gets any crazier than this... *BUT WOULD YOU LIVE HERE?* Let me know what you thought and join the discussion below!!
*So Crazy, You Gotta Watch It TWICE!* (gets better... and crazier every time lol)
For the FULL PLAYLIST of TINY Apartments - ruclips.net/video/y-1Dwhh7dEc/видео.html
I waited nearly a year to get into this one!! Hope you all enjoyed it!!
Would I live there - yes, right up until becoming aware that the top floor unit is abandoned. After that, hard no.
Another great video! I wouldn't live in one like this, mainly because of the stairs and the noise. The only things you'd be able to fit up those stairs would be really quite small. What a hassle all the time! And to not have one's own toilet to hand - that's far from ideal. I bet the residents end up peeing in the shower/bath instead, if they need to 'go' in the night.
I just can't see myself fitting into that small space. 😂
I think i could manage in the most of the others. I think this one is hard sell though. The trip to the bathroom is a sticking point for me. We all need a good throne room 😁
Awesome!
This place doesn't just look extremely uncomfortable; it also looks like a massive death trap. If there was a fire or EMTs needed to get inside to help someone, it's going to be a mess. I'm surprised it's even legal for it to exist like that.
Japan has different rules than other places.
Not to mention earthquake. That looks like it'd snap in half quickly in a violent quake
I don't see a problem, it had the standard emergency-exit-rappell-hook installed on the outside of the window there..
Japan's construction fire code is basically on Ancient Rome levels lol
@@SiljCBcnrthat place is collapsing before you can make it to a window lol
This is one of the few tiny apartments that gets a “nope” from me. I feel like I’d be perpetually bruised from hitting things.
hahaha a very fair response~
Agreed. I don't think I would fit in the toilet.
Thinking the same thing. 😅
it also just looks generally dirty.
@@saoliath5000 Maybe that's why they didn't want him to talk to the tenants?
this is not for living, this is for surviving when you are in financial trouble.
Japan has many compact and detailed mini apartments, but this is not one of them. it is poorly designed that it only existed because of bad decisions.
as a repair tech I can tell you that something like this is not for a long run, imagine when the AC broke down, how would the tech fix it or replace the AC? how would the plumber work given this amount of space? and how the walls have to taken down if plumbers or electrician need to get into the wire or pipes?
if a problem occur (which even the best designed house will have), it is all over. You can hire a repairman to fix it, but they will have to charge you longer hours because the limited space and trouble they have to go through, in the end it is just a cheap option that will cost you more in the long run.
My usual guess when you're told not to approach or talk to the residents is that the landlord may not have a good reputation.
Or if they do, there may be something else with the apartments that they're not telling you.
So it's usually to save face or to not scare away potential tenants.
Or that the resident might be a hermit and wouldn’t like a guy with a camera around their space. Especially when the camera person isn’t Japanese themselves.
i bet the trashed apartment was a shut in or hikomori whatever. probably very depressed people lock themselves into such tiny places and disappear
@@skunkwerkz777
We can do that?!?! 😮❤
But how will I pay rent?!?! 🤔
It’s probably because they, wisely, want nothing to do with Americans…
Considering what the tv outlet looked like, thats probably true.
3:59 I think the closet space would have been more usable if it were installed on the ground rather than on the ceiling. Because then you could sleep on top of it, roll up your mat and have counter space for your toiletries, kitchen utensils etc. And then you can even open one of the cabinets to use as a desk space to put a chair under as you work!
That's a genuinely great idea.
@@Tcgaming67 Thanks! I play a lot of the Sims 4 so I guess that's where it came from
That unit looks more "renovated" than the 5th floor. The 5th floor has a different layout. The old modular Cube building is a little bigger. But yeah, good idea.
I thought of maybe using 1/2 the closet to sleep in and the other half for clothes etc. I like your idea though.
Gotta open up your own home and apartment construction company 😊
I feel like the architect who designed this was too busy to figure if he could and didn't stop to think if he should.
I feel like this comment will hit over 1k likes
Gonna put down this reply so my reply would be the first reply to one of the most legendary comments on this video
Architecture finds a way. If it was build for condors, nobody would have anything to say about it
Architects, uh... find a way.
@@SomebodySomeone-xh9kverase your first comment. It will eat the likes from your second comment 😂
Just watching this video is making me feel like I can’t breathe. 😥😱
Me too. Very claustrophobic
prisoners have more space
still when you can leave whenever you want its not so much an issue.. And the price, that is damn cheap..
No tf dey don't
@@Horrordelic prison is cheaper 🤣
@@Horrordelic I would live there, it would be so easy to keep clean and you would definitely go out every day instead of staying 'couped' up at home 😂
I listen to darkpsy since 2012 and saw you here in the comments lol@@Horrordelic
1:24 the fact he waited a year for someone’s rent lease to end just to be able to do a video on this… I have genuine upmost respect for his dedication to his content.
Utmost.
@@Danbotologyuh oh grammar police 😂
People give respect for the simplest things, it's not like he wanted to rent the place he just wanted the content
1:10
@@TrailoFirespelling police actually, grammer is the use of syntax
I know this is a “feel-good” channel but this is the first tiny-apartment video that actually made me depressed. I really feel for people being forced to live like this.
Apartment looks cozy to me, but I like tight places, makes me feel more secure.
Better than a cardboard box
@@seekerofthemutablebalance5228but not as nice as having a government that regulates minimum sizes for apartments.
Bruh.. i'm pretty sure it was made intentionally for people like me who likes cozy tight spaces... though our house is kinda big, i would love to live in that kind of apartment... there are people who loves tight spaces, specially cavers...
@@nightking4132 yeah, you’re right, this has nothing to do with a housing problem and an overcrowded city, it’s definitely purposefully build for cavers!
kudos to you for being able to film in different angles on this tiny apartment
Really love your content! It is sad to see that other people started doing the same kind of video of this apartment.
Never gotten claustrophobia from a video before. Thanks, man. Really an experience.
It made feel uncomfortable AF too watching this, just the single thought of being there triggers my anxiety to the top .
I can't breathe!!! help😮
same. holy fuck
Wait until you see the one of those cave divers that go into narrow gaps and crawl through for miles
NGL, I would try to sleep in the closet.
Judging by the mess on floor 5, the low rent and the fact that this definitely isn't someone's first choice in apartment, I can imagine the people living there could be a bit troubled.
Hope everyone is OK, though. Especially the room 5 one, if it's not just abandoned
Yup. Mental health issues and people on the edge of society came to mind when Norm said he was told not to talk to residents. The top-floor mess confirmed it in my mind.
Yeah... I thought that might be so, too. It's not as if they could say "Please avoid them because floor 5 is a junkie, 3 is an ex-con etc." would probably significantly decrease interest.
Or maybe its just that they don't want him knowing that they all have a little waiver in their contracts about concussions and the staircase.
In America we have something called, ‘section 8’ where people need to prove extreme poverty and or craziness. I think the latter is why you were warned not to talk to the other tenants. An I think the place on the 5th floor confirms that.
I hate to say it, but the combination of a cagey “just don’t talk with the residents,” an unoccupied apartment filled with trash, and a door off its hinge means one thing to me: #5's resident was almost certainly an elderly shut-in who sadly won’t be returning.
Either that or someone died inside that apartment and they had to pry the door open to get the corpse out. Very common in japan
Literally got anxious watching this!
Watching this took my breath away. I’m cluster-phobic
As a first responder, I can’t help but think of the insane challenges here. Like getting a person who went down for any reason in the bedroom and needs to be carried out to an ambulance. Those stairs are brutal. Fire wouldn’t be able to get into this place with gear on. Similar to issue one, people die. Getting them out will be a real bitch, especially if it was a heart attack in the cramped bathroom or something… you can’t just toss them from the window lol
I think the easiest way would be to wrap them up on a gurney/stretcher, and lower them out of the window via some fire truck's ladders. However, there are tons of power lines (some of which medium voltage) all around the building.
Still, i've seen my local fire dept do that for a much more approachable town house. Apparently it was worth getting the firemen's cherry picker out, just to get someone out of the attic of a town/row house.
As a funeral director who does a lot of home removals, this apartment is an absolute NIGHTMARE
As a human being who is definitely not a sheep I actually rather like the apartment especially the vegetation outside on the deck 😋
If someone's already dead, what's the problem with just dropping them down onto an inflatable fire department pillow?
I think you would need one of those stretchers that you hoist up with helicopters where you fixate the patient too?
These sort of places make me appreciate my own home that I find too small sometimes. There's no way I could live in a place that small it would drive me insane.
Same here. This tiny little place makes me feel like living in my 667 square foot apartment is being spoiled.
@@Aly9315 I live in a 900 sq.ft. apartment with my partner and it often feels too big. I think your size is the best for two people as long as you have great communication 😅. If I were living alone I think the perfect size would be 500. Less space = quicker to clean!
My bed is bigger than the entire room including the kitchen and shower!
As someone who is on the taller side, it really bothers me when I have to duck under low things. Many older homes in the US have basements with low ceilings. If I can't stand up straight in the entire basement, then that's a deal breaker for me.
It is smaller than a prison cell in my country 😨.
I love making the most out of limited space. But the architect and designer of this building missed the mark. First, they should have put the stairs on the outside, like a fire escape. Second, they should have offered full-sized amenities like a real bathroom and kitchen at the back wall but with mini-sized appliances and fixtures. Then the tiny wedge at front could become a closet and all the interior space opens up.
I extremely love Japan because of its diverse architecture and the way they design buildings minimalistic and design every single corner to be useful.
Every time I watch these videos I always come out having a bigger appreciation for the house I'm in now. It's one floor, 2 bedroom, pretty small but man, it's like a mansion compared to these apartments😂
No kidding. 1400 sf all to myself and with two bathrooms? I'm a one percenter!
I live in Tokyo in a 452 square feet apartment with my wife and kids. We are a family of 5. That’s life here!
I have 32m² here (British suburban council flat) and though it's taken me *years* to learn to be comfortable with what I have, seeing videos like this makes me realise how lucky I am compared to folks in other parts of the World. 😇
It's also priced like a mansion compared to this. I'd live in a porta-a-potty if the rent was less than 300 a month.
we need sometimes to look down and be grateful of what we have rather than always looking up being envious
As much as I can appreciate the more anarchic, 'free market' flexible approach to planning and building in Japan (the zoning in particular) - the height clearance, the stairs, the width of the apartment - it probably shouldn't be allowed to be built. Like it's Victorian era level skimping.
I live on 100 acres, so stuff like this is utterly alien to me
Me too .. I have a massive house , can’t imagine living this small . But sometimes I’m tempted to take one of my small rooms and lay it out like a tiny apartment… just to see how it would be . I have a tiny 10 x15 room next to a bathroom that would be a perfect Japanese apartment retreat.
Usually with miniature apartments I could imagine myself making it work. But this one just seems like a nightmare 😅.
Looks nice to me. You get a feeling of hiding away in a hard to get to small cave. I'm sure you get used to it.
@@UDD1990 if you like it then power to you 👍. To me it feels dangerous and exposed, and having to go into that crazy stairwell every time you need the bathroom would be awful. I’d only live there if I literally had no other choice and just needed a place to crash at night.
Yeah, the stairs made it impossible for me to imagine.
@@UDD1990What if a fire? You see yourself getting out in time before the whole place is burned down?
id take this over being homeless, BUT i prefer couchsurfing over this
I’m honestly shocked there’s that much living area. The outside just looks so absurdly tiny.
much?
What do you mean he said there’s 8ft at the max, that it’s tiny
@@ZGTWISTZNo.
@@scottcontois3957 yes 8ft is absolutely absurd to be living in my downstairs bathroom is bigger than that
Yeah I get you. The end of the building at the beginning of the video is narrower than him, but it gets wider.
This is fascinating!
It is impressive. Someone really wanted this.
Serious question: how do you get furniture in there? A chair? On those stairs? A desk to work at? Heck- I feel like it would even be problematic to bring in a lamp! 😅❤
Ikea
Yes, IKEA and if you struggle getting the whole box up there unpack the box and bring the pieces up there one by one and assemble in the apartment. 😅
Foldable ones probably
You would have thin cushions and sit on the floor, probably at a low table with folding legs. With either a twin bed, or a futon that you put away. Basically every inexpensive Japanese apartment.
PIVOT! 😂
Awesome I have always wanted to live inside a wall
Found one of the Littles (cartoon TV show).
Looks comfy actually.
my normal reaction to tiny japanese apartments is ‘that’s actually not bad’ but this is an absolute nightmare 😅
Claustrophobic hell
Also very inconvenient for average European or American obviously
I dont see any of outdoor ladders. this nightmare build concept shouldnt exist at least because of fire safety \ evacuation reasons
It's actually too big.
This is literally fine??? Just put a desk and twin bed in there
Junji Ito can put this in his manga and it couldn't be more fitting. (cause it's cramped, get it?)
Anyway, this is literally one of his visions for horror story.
As a 6'4 guy I have lived in a 5m2 room. It was so small that I would go outside and walk the streets going absolutely nowhere because the tiny space was making me depressed.
No wonder the Japanese work such crazy hours, you would rather be at work than in that claustrophobic nightmare.
Why can't a leave a comment on this video? The "add comment" button is simply no there. I barely managed to figure out how to write this reply
EXACTLY. Depression willbe the only result from this… meanwhile jeff bezos gets a mega yacht bigger than that whole street to himself just for lolz…
This is not the only housing that exists in Japan...
Average Japanese height is 5'6".
@@jaykay7932I agree. As long as bezos is happy on his yachts + rocket ships!
I've lived in a smaller place than this in the past, you can make it work with the right size stuff and good planning
Yeah with nothing more than a suitcase!! lol…..
I dont have a phobia while staying in a compact placd. But this right here is on whole another level
My claustrophobia kicked in just watching you go up the steps, no way I could actually go in there myself 😅
You're afraid of Santa Claus?
claustrophobia is a fear of really cramped spaces@@blackout7615
@@blackout7615me too.
Same here.
Me neither.
Of all the tiny/micro apartment videos you've done, this is perhaps the first that would actually trigger claustrophobia for me which is uncommon... and I'm 5'6" albeit stocky.
Weakness
Yeah the claustrophobia is real. When he walked in at first it looks like the walls are closing in. I was like Yikes, no thanks.
@@muffinconsumer4431 - coming from muffin consumer.. are you sure about that bud?
ya, this one crosses the line into ridiculous.
@@muffinconsumer4431 everyone has the own weaknesses. Even you, buddy.
*JAPAN always makes me Amazed* 😮😮
This place is terrifying. What a nightmare!
While filling out his insurance form he was undecided on how to explain why he decided to put his iPhone in a refrigerator while viewing a property and forgot about it.
LMFAO
on my way back to pick it up now lol
Came here for this answer. Thank you for sharing this crucial information. 😂
From 2:30 to the end of the video I was thinking "I hope Norm remembers to take his phone out of the fridge." @@TokyoLens
@@TokyoLens I half freaked out when you did not film getting it back. just kept repeating, don't forget your phone a few times until I realized that I was doing that. I'm paranoid about loosing my phone, or wallet or keys.
The iphone will be fine. The titanium in it is freeze proof 😂
Hey just letting you know, you left your phone in the fridge
Legends say it is still inside the fridge to this very day
As a 6'4" man...this apartment would be the bane of me.
Very dystopian feel to the place. I can see Winston Smith living here with a telescreen watching his every move.
Wow! Gotta say the tiny apartments aren't my favorite subject, but I really appreciated how you used the perspective shots to really show how truly minuscule this place is! I wonder if the arched things over the windows once had fabric awnings that eventually got too tattered and weren't replaced.
this one was just SOOOO much fun to shoot
and edit
and watch back
lol
This not only feels dystopian but like a major fire hazard
Installed fireman iron and surf you life 3 second to ground .easy.
????@@ashchisalleh1454
Agreed...its a death trap in any number of dangerous situations. Hard to believe that the local building codes allowed this one.
Yes, dystopia indeed. Can you even imagine if a fire did break out.. no thank you!
I wonder how stable it would be through major earthquakes. 😵💫
A fire in this tiny apartment would be catastrophic. Imagine how fast the entire apartment gets burnt down and how slowl can you escape from that apartment with those tiny stairs and no emergency staircase.
I’m really surprised that Tokyo authorities would allow apartments in this building.
At first i said "yeah i could live here", then i read your comment...
It looks like you can jump onto the neighbors house.
When I looked at the apartment, my reaction is also "Does Japan not have a fire safety check?"
Honestly there's hardly anything to catch on fire
Reminds me of the tiny room in Perfect Blue. 😭 This place is so depressing..
If I understand correctly, this is 64 sq ft. Other home designs have made such a space work. This is functional but not fully approaching what might be possible. As mentioned elsewhere putting the hanging closest at floor level opens options. The space could be better used. The stairs concerned me though. Overall, depending on my economic situation, yes, I could live there, but I'd want to consult with the owner about improving its design.
I moved out for college recently and got a dorm with 2 other people and was pretty unhappy with how little room me and my roommates have to share but putting our dorm next to the room shown in this video makes our room look like a 5-star hotel lmao
Lol
The toilet space is actually pretty genius design. Since the space is so small, keeping potential unpleasant smells across the stairs and separated by two doors probably does a lot to keep things pleasant.
but it gets super hot
Super congested and no ventilation? Imagine the door getting locked. 😂😅
Our baby's closet is so much bigger than the largest room. Do people actually accept this as a place to live? It's like a doll house for a 5- or 7-year-old.
@@flowergirlabc123 My walk in closet is twice the size of this apartment.
just put a tiny ventilation window on top of the toilet and a door with ventilation grille and it would be fine
Great CONTENT! ❤❤❤
The orange grills outside the balcony was a great idea its for safety u could hold it while enjoying the view so u dont fall out & u could also hang laundry on hangers there. Everything is well thought of & designed great for single or couples 👍🏻
Really love how you've shown the "living" room from multiple perspective and truly drove the point that the camera lens doesn't do justice to the real dimensions. It really kicked my brain into overdrive trying to imagine how being there would feel.
My first house was only 2,000 square feet (186 square metres) , and that was TINY.
There, if you drop a Kleenex, you'd have wall to wall carpet.
@bekindtoanimals2189 2000 Sq ft. That's a really decent size. Most houses on average are 1500 to maybe 2000. I think our mobile home is just at around 1000. Maybe a little more. If you were to say 200 than Oh my Force yes, very small
@bekindtoanimals2189 2000 SF is not tiny...
@@chelsearoses22 200?! 😱
@@bekindtoanimals2189 I mean tiny,, 200 would be tiny compared to 2000
The tiny spaces coupled with being in the most earthquake prone country on earth.... i would not even go in there to see it. Good job for filming this and letting us know.
I WOULD TOTALLY LIVE HERE! The only thing i would be worried about is whether the train tracks would fall on top of me.
I think that possibly abandoned apartment answers your question on why you probably shouldn't approach the residents. I suspect a lot of the people that live in these apartments are not in a good place in their lives.
Not helped by the whole "living in a jail cell" issue.
This is like paying to live in a place worse than a prison cell.
That’s scary, especially for a seismically active region like Japan.
First thing I thought.
How is this any more scary than any other building? I think they build all buildings more sturdy for this purpose.
It’s so narrow that it can’t possibly be that stable at five stories high
Ooh I didn’t even think about that aspect! So true. Also, imagine having a fire or a medical emergency living in there. How could anyone get to you?
I get, where y'all are coming from, but recent cases showed the adverse effect.
In spain, there was a district on a hill, where every house was only a single story high (story = level?). They've been mostly built at around the same time. Seismic activities in the area caused regular damages, so two story high buildings easily collapsed. One guy thought, he wanted to stick out. He built a larger house 3 stories high. The concerns regarding the regular quakes made him build it rather flat for that height, starting from a comparatively lower level. (entry at sub-surface-level)
Similar to the building here (seemingly), the enhanced walls made it the only one in the region to survive an unprecedented intensity of said seismic activity.
So we can guess all we want: it's appearance will not tell us the actual chances for that.
It may be completely misleading to guess, here!
The house itself doesn't look old to me, so you can believe that they had a decent permit to build like this.
Never felt claustrophobia until I saw this video
This makes me feel sad for the tenants......even if you aren't claustrophobic, this is extreme, and has to have profound impacts on mental health.
I don't think this place is somewhere you use for much more than studying or sleeping. On the other hand, if you were a hikikomori (a shut in who spends their lives online) or something, your mental health is already not good and this place has the basics? I feel if I was young and didn't have a family this could be a place I could rent for a lease term.
It has a balcony. You can leave whenever you want. And is only$270 a month.
Better than being homeless.
As long as its safe its better than homelessness
@@E3ECOno I prefer sleeping on the streets than in that apartment.
Looks satisfying
I started actually feeling claustrophobic just around seeing the shower. This feels like one of those “bizarre artist installations” that couldn’t possibly have been designed by any licensed, recognized architect or civil engineer. There are college dorm closets more luxurious. Seriously, this feels like a sadist’s attempt to see how desperate people will get to accept any sort of shelter no matter how dehumanizing or even physically painful to live in. If I were to guess why they don’t want people approaching the residents is because psychologically the most likely type of personalities who live there willingly are people who are uber-introverts who very much like/need their insulated, single space to feel safe.
@SextonKing Bingo! 🎯
I love how even in such small apartments, they have a ton of sunlight coming in, big windows and it all helps to make the place livable.
You must be high.
“Livable”
@@opalwisdom9780people make do, I guess. you’d be surprised on how people can make a home out of literally nothing.
What are you a plant? Photosynthesis! Lmao 😂😂.
@@ladylover1134 He was quoting it back because it was misspelled. It's actually spelled liveable.
It's a tiny space but there is many people just renting a bedroom somewhere. And this room has windows to two sides which is quiet epic. I would totally enjoy living in this for a year. Longer probably not.
Nice video!
My biggest issue with the apartment is that I have to leave the apartment to go to the toilet, as someone who does everything they can to avoid my neighbours having to risk meeting them every time sounds awful, or if they go past as I'm sitting there.
Empty bottle has entered the chat 😂😂💀
i imagine your neighbors would understand that if youre in the stairwell, theres a good chance you need to use the restroom, and would leave you alone. from what i understand the japanese are already pretty introverted/private with strangers anyways. could be wrong about that though.
It seems like the residents there probably aren't too into interacting with anyone anyway
Just pee in bathroom.
im sort of a home nudist
it would be frustrating to have to get dressed to use the toilet
While the rooms are small and oddly-shaped, what actually bothered me was the building itself. I’m sure it’s safe, but yikes that thing looks like it would tip over in a storm. It’s so thin!
Yea haha
Think about how often earthquakes happen there. How to get out of such a cage when the ground is shaking under your feet.
It is triangular so its probably significantly stronger than it looks from the skinny side.
I don't know why I love this building so much! lol, out of curiosity, how many apartments are there in this building?
Bro seriously my heart is racing and my skin is crawling just watching this i could never go in there 😅
I'm about to go live in Osaka and I managed to get the same rent for a fairly "normal" tiny apartment, incredible how the price goes up with location even with such drawbacks!
Honestly it would be a fun challenge to figure out how to stay for a couple months in those miniscule rooms, since it's essentially going to be a bed and a roof, and then anything else you do outside to not go crazy
I lived near Osaka 5 years ago, my 18sq apartment was 36k a month with pretty much everything you'd need to live normally, the bus stop right in front of the building, and this rent was still considered pretty high for the area. So yeah, hearing that this place is 40k and it's cheap is crazy.
osaka is still an awesome city though. I loved it when I visited
@@alexandernoethiger5338what is there to do there bc im going soon
What’s better than a camper van video? A tiny apartment video! Honestly, these are some of my favourite videos of yours, Norm!
I guess that there is even a toilet is good.
hahaha thats 2 in a row then!
I'd rather take the camper.
You got me twice - not just by closing the bathroom door (I was once stuck in a small space in a cave for several hours), but those stairs! I have chronic illnesses and you could not catch me living somewhere that paramedics could not easily get in and out of. Able-bodied people likely don’t have that thought, but they still do have medical emergencies. I hope everyone who lives there never does
I'd like to see how others have set it up. But it seems it's a fire risk.
Just my two cents on why they detered you from talking to the tenants.
But i think in general, Japanese people like to keep their private life a secret.
Especially so when things are rough.
Even though the house itself is famous, and widely known, people that are better off would not decide to live there (or the 100$ apartments).
So the most likely scenario is that those that live in the cheap apartments are down on their luck, and wants to be anonymous.
Yeah, i thought so too. The apartment on the fifth floor clearly belonged to a person with some issues. These are not apartments for people with a good salary and a loving family. These are for lonely, poor people .
Absolutely this - I wouldn't want people like old friends or family or just people in general to see how spectacularly bad my life had become . This looks like a novelty to some younger viewers, but this is someone's actual home.
that makes sense, it's probably considered very shameful to live like this, and they automatically think they're gonna be mocked for it
The room itself is probably tolerable. Maybe investing in noise cancelling earbuds might alleviate the noise issue at night, if there is any. The toilet space and stairs are probably a deal breaker for me. I can see myself missing a step and the toilet space is a little too cramped. Credit where it's due, they were able to do a lot with so little space, but I wouldn't be able to.
Less it has a toilet and not go to McDonald for the toilet.😂.
I can't breathe just by looking at it.😢
Who came from the shorts video 😂
I would love to see one of the “furnished” apts 😮
I always felt like my room is too small and wished I have a bigger space for my closet but seeing all these small apartments just made me realize how lucky I am to even have a room. Lol
Retard
The streets look chaotic…everything is everywhere 😭it looks like a crazy maze. It’s really sad…
My anxiety just skyrocketed
Chris: *makes a "tiny apartment" video with mostly decent sized apartments*
Norm: "Challenge accepted!"
I would go crazy living there, and unless you're taller than me I'd barely fit in the door. But it would be neat to just rent it for a short stay.
The little orange cover on the balcony is likely for a climbing plant. You can see a little hook in the corner where you'd hang a flowerpot for the plant to grow out of, and you can attatch the feelers to the bars with twine to encourage it to grow a little natural roof for the balcony.
Oh it's for plants? I thought those were for extra clothing space if you need to hang more laundry to dry.
Bitter melon. 😋
I think it's a cover in case anything drops down from above, e.g., the air conditioning unit.
I though for pullups
Most Americans can’t even fit in the stairway!
Thats crzy amazing!!
On a positive note..lots of natural light!
I wonder how safe the building is from earthquakes, being so narrow. Maybe if there was a way to store a bicycle, that could work out for someone alone.
it is still standing ^^
Well triangles are the strongest shape lol
It might be good for earthquakes given the wall to space ratio, though the narrowness is a concern. In general weird buildings fare well because they have many walls and few wide rooms that have less support.
Well , I think you could use those hooks outside the window to set up some sort of hoist for a bike ...🤔. Lol.
@@metalsloth7387 okay but bringing a bike up through that narrow ass space would be a hassle everyday, and using those hoists on the window just doesnt make sense really, too much of a hassle and risk of it falling just for 5ft of extra space
The headspace is what really kills me about it, I would probably hit my head alot, other then that it would be a interesting challenge to live in and decorate! I say that as someone who essentially renovated a shed into a livable space.
Shed sounds like a palace compared to this hole in the wall.
You need a helmet to live in that space.
That's a good room. I loved it. I have worst experience. So yes definitely I would stay there.😊
My claustrophobia would go beyond infinity ☠️
Love the tiny apartment series! The architect of this apartment definitely has full of playful spirit. I was fascinated by not only the shape of building but also a lot of small details of it such as the center silver poll of the stairs, color choice of the exteriors(stands out so much!), the location choice of the bathroom etc! It's in Tokyo, I would love to check it out with my own eyes too!😆✨
Hey!! Great to have you here again!!
"Playful Spirit" lol thats very optimistic!! haha
You're from Osaka right? many crazy apartments in Osaka?
"Playful" "You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means." < Princess Bride
those who've served in the coast guard/ navy and who worked in ships can agree with me on this that this apartment is just as cramped or even more cramped than living in a ship. I think I like the tiny apartment with multiple floors inhabited by that cute girl. I can't imagine living normal life in such a cramped space. great find Norm, I wonder if there's anything smaller than this in Japan. My idea is since the country is a disaster-prone place, I think shipping containers turned into apartments would make good homes.
Shipping containers actually made lousy living accomodation. There is no insulation so it will be hot in the summer and cold in the winter.
@@Slla-th5vt it will be fitted with insulation of course
there are tinier apartments in Japan.
@@AnthonyStJames-yn8nr cost a lot and inefficient. There are already videos debunking this. Containers are not made for human living in the first place. So with all the effort and money going into making it livable, might as well go for a real home.
I was in the Marines, deployed on Navy ships twice. Hated living on the ships. Those coffin racks are miserable but we all find a way to make it our own for the time on ship. I would much rather take this apartment over being back in a berthing with 40+ Marines, stacked 3-4 high again.
I want to live there, it looks so nice. Best for me as a short and thin person
This video just makes me want to visit Japan even more. I love the tiny apartment!
Coming from an artistic standpoint, I love it. It’s a creative use of space, functional, and quirky. Coming from a logical standpoint….nope. It reminds me sort of like a treehouse because of the weird spaces, but yet oddly cozy. However, those stairs would be my demise. All it would take is one morning in a rush without my coffee and I’d be done for lol.
I don't even see how a place like this is legal. That's why we have building regulations in the u.s. Just him stepping out on the balcony was terrifying. This apt is too dangerous. 😮
typical '"MUH ART" standpoint. this apartment is human torture and should NOT be legal. god bless japan!
I'd probably buy a rope escape ladder and use that for coming and going out the window.
Nothing functional about it.
Neah, you can't fall down the stairs, there's no room! You'll bonk into the opposite wall and get stuck at a weird angle.
The fact all the other units are rented out is mindblowing! Thank you for the video
Thanks for the amazingly kind comment
How come? It's great for students, way better than a dorm.
@@dawnriddler I don’t think so at all. My dorm had its own bathroom and way more space
@@sammyp9514 in most dorms you need to share a room with other people, and i'd rather live in a shoe box than with other people.
@@dawnriddler great that’s your preference! I did have a roommate but I didnt have to take a dump in a hot box triangle toilet that’s placed in a stairwell where my neighbors are walking by hearing me go #2. I had my own bathroom and shower and that’s very important to me. Cooking in this unit would be close to impossible there is no where to prepare food and the stovetop is nearly nonexistent. Also I’m 6’2 so that bathroom would be a nightmare. I can tell you would prefer this place, good for you. Just leave it at that.
I live in a house with a 5.5ft wide living room. At first it felt so difficult but now I'm fine with it
It looks like all of the apartments have been renovated (much better looking now) and the windows are all boarded up which is a bit odd... Still much cheaper than renting a caravan in Australia which many are having to do these days (or being nomads in their caravans/campers).
Wow I actually felt kind of ill watching this. It feels like a nightmare house to me 😂
Totally agree. Anxiety just watching it right now.
Me too 😬
Totally
For 260 a month I'd make this work. Wouldn't want guests in it, and i'd probably going somewhere else on my free time, but it would be workable.
Imagine being an ambulance crew and coming here,
I'd be like, "I quit"
a nightmare for claustrophobic 😅
pure nightmare juice haha
terraria npcs would be going crazy with the detail level you pulled out with this one 🔥🔥
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