Watch: Vlogger tours ‘Japan’s worst tiny apartment’
By Ryan General
October 18, 2023
Popular travel vlogger Norm Nakamura unveils what he dubs “Japan’s worst tiny apartment” in his latest YouTube video.
The skinny apartment: Nakamura, who has reviewed a number of tiny apartments on his YouTube channel Tokyo Lens, takes viewers inside a jaw-droppingly small, triangle-shaped micro-apartment in Tokyo in his viral 10-minute clip.
Situated in the Nima area of Tokyo, the five-story structure resembles a slender triangle. Nakamura describes the property as “the skinniest free-standing apartment” he has ever seen.
Maximizing limited space: Despite the limitations imposed by its narrowness, units in the apartment building boast some intriguing features. Measuring just 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) wide, a unit includes a compact kitchen, a surprisingly usable shower area and a bath. He also notes that while each floor or unit does have its own toilet space, residents must first go out of their units to access their bathroom.
Space limitations and a few odd room layouts notwithstanding, those looking for an affordable space can find the apartment a worthwhile choice as it only costs 40,000 yen ($267) per month to rent.
Noisiest too: Among the few drawbacks Nakamura cited is the noise level that permeates from the traffic outside.
“It’s actually taken me a really long time to shoot this because this is one of the main streets of this area, and it is just filled with bikes and trucks and garbage trucks and stuff going through it all hours. This is probably, so far, the single noisiest apartment that I’ve had the opportunity to experience in Japan.”
Netizens react: Since the video was uploaded on Oct. 8, it has amassed over 5.4 million times. Among the thousands of comments are users who found the apartment not ideal for normal living situations.
“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,” one commenter wrote.
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Some, however, said they would be willing to give the space a try.
“I’d live here, if only for a short period while I was in between other apartments or low on cash,” commented a user. “I’d probably even look back with nostalgia at some parts, much later when I was living somewhere else. It’s got a lot of charm and I think that raised closet is actually good because in such a small space it’s nicer to have some built-in storage versus having to fit some form of dresser in. That toilet area would get real suffocating real quick, though.”