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ROOCAS ONE`s Blog
ROOCAS ONE`s Blog
2019.02.21
Japaneses apartments come in all different shapes and sizes, but when you're renting on a budget its more than likely you’ll end up in one of japan's smaller more traditional style apartments as opposed to a super modern mansion apartment. In order to make the most of the space you have in your brand new small apartment, you might want to consider investing in these dynamic items of furniture designed especially for the Japanese lifestyle.
Futon are traditional Japanese beds that are placed upon the floor. There's no mattress but there is a thick mat that consists of the bottom half of the futon which you sleep on top of. Then of course a duvet and pillows like any other kind of bed would have. When the futon isn't in use it gets folded away and put in the closet or out of sight, which is excellent for making use of the space you have! Western style beds take up so much space too so it's a great alternative. If you think sleeping on the floor sounds uncomfortable, then that isn't the case at all! The bottom part of the futon is pretty thick and is actually supposed to be good for your back!
Low tables or Chabudai are another great item to invest in as an alternative to great big chunky tables. They're simply just tables low to the ground and you can get them in a variety of sizes ranging from small 1-2 people tables to family sized ones. Again when you're not using them you can simply just move them out of the way and save space. In Japan since there isn't any central heating people tend to use kotatsu in the winter, which are just chabudai with heated blankets. A great way to save space and money on heating!
To go with your floor table or chabudai you're going to want something to sit on and that's where zabuton come in. They're essentially just floor cushions to sit on whether you're making use of a chabudai or not. They can be packed up and stuffed away quickly and easily when you don't have guests. You can also get Zabuton that aren't just a cushion but have back support too, so basically just chairs without legs! But these tend to fold away for easy storage too.
When entering any Japanese home or apartment, there is a small step called a genkan. This is where you're supposed to take off your shoes before entering a house or apartment in Japan. Now many houses and apartments already have a box or cupboard for you to put your shoes in built in, but some apartments don't. If your apartment is the latter, then you might want to consider buying shelves or a cupboard to put in your genkan to store your shoes when you're not wearing them and to stop them from taking up too much space.
Wondering how much an apartment in Tokyo will cost to rent? Check out our article here!
