１． Japanese apartments |
| 1.Types of apartment buildings |
There are 3 types of apartment buildings in Japan:
Type |
Details |
| Apartment (apato) |
This type of building is made of wood, or light steel. It is usually only two stories or less. Walls are thin, and you can usually hear noise from neighbors' homes. |
| Mansion |
This type of building tends to have three or more stories, and be made of a steel framework and reinforced concrete. Rent is typically higher than the 'apato'. |
| Kashiya |
This type of apartment building is also called 'ikkodate', and is a house on a lease or loan. |
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2.About different floor plans |
Some typical Japanese style floor plans are outlined below
1ROOM |
This type of apartment usually has a bedroom/kitchen combination, and a bath/toilet combination room. The average size is 16m2～20m2.
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1K |
Although the size of the apartment is almost identical to a 1ROOM, in a 1K the bedroom and kitchen are separated.
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1DK |
| A 1DK has a bedroom, and a kitchen/dining room combination. The overall size is slightly larger than a 1ROOM or 1K. |
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1LDK |
A 1LDK has a separated bedroom and living room. The common size of an apartment of this type is 40m2～60m2.
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1SLDK |
A 1SLDK is almost identical to a 1LDK room, except that is has a large walk-in size closet. |
In names of the rooms listed above, the number represents the number of rooms in the apartment. .K means kitchen. D is dining room, L is living room, and S is storage. Floor plans are described with different combinations of these. For example, 2SDK is a two room apartment with dining, kitchen, and large closet space. |
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3.Types of flooring |
Japanese apartments may have one of several types of flooring:
type |
explanation |
| Tatami |
If you are familiar with Judo, you may have heard of 'tatami'. It is the traditional type of flooring used in Japan, and is a knitted mat made of a plant called Igusa (rush). Igusa is said to have a gentle calming scent, so tatami rooms are ideal for relaxing in. As an added benifit, tatami is soundproof! |
| Flooring |
'Flooring' is made of wooden
board. Although it tends to look neat, it scratches easily,
and it is not soundproof. |
| Cushioned floor |
Cushioned floor is floorboard covered in a type of plastic. Since it is rather soft, it won't hold up well in a fire. On the plus side, it's waterproof. |
| Carpet |
Carpeting is effectively soundproof
and, of course, very comfortable. On the down side, since
Japan is very humid, carpet owners need to be aware of ticks
and other bugs breeding in their flooring. Carpet is also
very hard to keep clean. These two reasons are why rental
rooms with carpeting are so rarely found in Japan. |
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| 4. Apartment measurements |
There are generally 3 measuring units used to measure apartments in Japan.
unit |
meaning |
m2 |
Square meter |
TSUBO |
1 tsubo=about 3.3m2 or 2 jo |
JYOU |
1 JO=about 1.65m2、0.5 tsubo |
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Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the benifits of tatami flooring!
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In Japan, the most popular types of flooring have always been wood 'flooring' and tatami mat. As Japan is becoming more modernized (and in becoming so, more Westernized) more and more people are begining to choose wood flooring over the traditional tatami. Therefore, the numbers of tatami rooms are dwindling away.
But recently, there has been a lot of talk about the benifits of tatami flooring! For one, since Tatami insulates heat, a tatami floored room is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Moreover, tatami mats are easier to clean and far more sanitary than carpet. They are more effectively sound proof than wooden flooring. A Tatami room is very versatile, and can be used as many rooms in one. For example, you can use the room as both bedroom (when you lay out your futon) and dining and living room (when you fold up your futon and set out a table).
So if you have a small apartment without much space, if you have thin walls, or if you have no air conditioner, tatami may be the best choice for you. To get the full experience of living in a Japanese apartment, leave those wooden floors and carpets behind, and do as the Japanese do. Go tatami! |
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