It is common to expect that when you visit another country, one thing that you will find unique to that country is the style of the homes. Everything from the doors to the floors and the roof may differ from what you are used to back home. In Japan, the homes enjoy unique architecture that can run from historic to very modern. While many people might think of tatami floors and sliding doors when imagining a home in Japan, the Japanese enjoy many different types of housing. Some common houses that you are likely to run into include single-family homes, multiple unit housing, boarding homes, and dormitories.

A guide to house styles in Japan.

Single-Family Homes

Many families in Japan live in their own single-family home that may sport a floor plan similar to what you would find in Western culture. You can often find living rooms, kitchens, stairs, and even state-of-the art bathrooms with the most technological of toilet options. Most homes will also feature at least one tatami room, which consists of a floor of bamboo mats. These rooms often house a Buddhist shrine, in many cases. Thus, while many single-family homes have Western features, you may still find areas of the home that feature paper sliding doors, tatami, and shrines.

More traditional homes may feature only tatami and wood floors with many sliding doors as opposed to traditional interior doors, which can act as partitions to create private space around the home. Some even feature these paper doors on the exterior of the home. In these cases, an extended roof actually protects the doors from getting wet or damaged. Traditional roofs use tiles.

Multiple Unit Housing

Due to the limited space in big cities like Tokyo, multiple unit housing is very common to find in the city. These buildings consist of apartments that may be a bit smaller than people from North America are used to. Do not let the term “mansion” fool you. A “mansion” in Japan is often just a small one-bedroom apartment. However, you can find very spacious apartments as well, especially if you opt for more modern accommodations. The cost of rent may depend on its location in the city and how near the apartment is to a subway.

Boarding Homes

Popular among students in Japan are boarding homes. In these homes, students may rent a room and perform certain duties around the home while they attend school.

Outside a funky house and hostel in Japan

Dormitories

Another popular place to live in Japan are dormitories which may be furnished by a company. When a person gets hired as an employee for a large company, that company may own its own dormitory and permit its employees to reside there. The employees may stay there until their time at the company is over.

Japan has a rich history of culture as well as housing. While it may not be uncommon to find some historical aesthetics in the homes of its people, there is also a lot of Western influence in Japanese housing nowadays. Even when a home is considered very modern or westernized, you can still find plenty of things that make it uniquely Japanese. Don’t let any English terms get the better of you; it is better to look at the space you are considering renting or buying so that you truly understand what sort of housing options in Japan are available to you.

Please feel free to contact Ella Gray at ella.l.gray@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.