Went out to meet some people last night, including a guy called Hash who’s lived here for over 4 years. We were talking about life in Japan and he mentioned that while a lot of things are cheaper and better than in the UK the biggest concession you end up having to make is space.

And it applies to a lot of things - whether it’s living space or food. Living space in Tokyo is definitely a luxury, most ‘flats’ are ridiculously small by European standards and you soon realise that the Japanese have developed a way to make everything that you find in a flat fit the lack of space. Storage systems that maximise space, appliances that are smaller and more compact etc…

In my flat the kitchen (if I can call it that) is fitted in about a meter’s square or less of space. The sink and cooking hobs are next to each other leaving me enough space to do just about nothing. No cooking surfaces and so you start develop an ability to juggle while cooking and find space to cut food and do other necessary cooking activities in the most random of places (on the floor for example). It’s frustrating at first, but you start to get used to it. After all you have to. And then your mind starts to think of ways to use the little space you have for a lot of things. I know manage to wash up, dry things, cook, cut and more on the little space I have. I just need to get a fold out table and I’ll be sorted.

My ironing is also done at floor level - I’m starting to get used to kneeling to do things. My floor chairs are well… at floor level, my little eating table also is. It’s a weird one to get used to. Even the toilets are quite low down.

As for things like food. Well as Hash explained to me this meant that for examples things like melons and the kind of big, space hogging fruits and vegetables were pretty much out of the question. And if you do find them they’ll be overly expensive. And even after a few weeks, you can already see that in most supermarkets and shops. You can buy fruit and vegetables but it’s fairly expensive if you go for the more European type diet. Which suits me fine as I’m quite happy munching on pak choi, shitake mushrooms and the likes which are in comparison very cheap out here.

And then there’s heights… A lot of central Tokyo is built upwards. Again due to the maximisation and lack of space. So if you’re looking for something in Tokyo chances are you have to look up and not on ground level. In places like Shinjuku and Shibuya a majority of shops and places to hang out, drink, eat etc… are all located high up. Which takes a little while to get used to, but once you get the hang of it you find yourself looking up before even looking at ground level.

And then you have the heights of door frames. So far I must have managed to bang my head a good twenty or more times. My neighbours must know the word ‘fuck’s sake’ quite well by now. The sink in my bathroom is so low I have to bend over nearly in half to wash my face (and I’m not the most flexible of people )

Still it’s all good and part of the fun. It’s interesting to be living in such a massive metropolis where space is maximised in every way possible. Shops, flats, food, etc… space is definitely a key factor out here. I’m looking forward to getting out of Tokyo and checking out the more traditional Japanese villages and towns and how they compare to Tokyo in terms of use of space.

As an aside, the lack of space also seems to mean that Japanese have become adept at being efficient in terms of energy use and recycling. Recycling is compulsory in Tokyo, and allows the country to avoid being overrun by rubbish. As of energy efficiency, Japan is apparently one of the most efficient first world countries, having developed various ways to ensure that energy isn’t wasted. Which is quite weird when you come from London where recycling is still a fairly alien concept to most people and energy efficiency is also fairly alien, as it is in the States.

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written by Laurent