Tokyo is made up of millions of households and it is here, away from the crowded streets and blinking neon signs, that the average citizen can relax. Although most Tokyoites aspire to own their own home, most live in multiunit dwellings. And with such a large demand for living space, the average size of those apartments continues to get smaller. As Japan: Profile of a Nation states,

There has been a progressive shrinking of the living space available to the middleclass household, from an average total floor space of... 1,776 sq ft at the turn of the century to... 1,076 sq ft [from]... 1926-79, and by 1988 average total floor space had shrunk to... 958 sq ft.

Inside the Home

Although Tokyo living quarters are small by Western standards, many who live in such areas use the space wisely and efficiently. The living room of the apartment might...