With the amount of packaging on everything you buy, what to do with the garbage is one of the first questions many new residents ask. Answering it provides an insightful dive into Japanese culture on many levels, from the quality of presentation to the philosophy of thrift (mottanai) , and your building, community and bureaucracy mindset.
Living in Tokyo
Reading Japanese real estate listings.
Reading Japanese real estate listings provides a quick dive into the Japanese way of life and how homes are laid out, starting with slipping your shoes off in the genkan (玄関) and storing them in the kutsu-bako (shoebox). Like many countries, the home is a sanctuary to the world, with the focus on providing privacy, peace and quiet. Room sizes are often written in “jo,” which is the size of 1 standard tatami mat = 1.6 m2.
L: Living room 8 jo/13 m2
D: Dining room 5 jo/8 m2
K: Kitchen 4jo/6.5 m2
DK: Dining-Kitchen 1 room 5-9 jo/8-14.5 m2
LDK: Living-Dining-Kitchen 1 room 9 jo/14.5 m2
洋室 (Yoshitsu): Western style = wooden or carpeted floor
和室 (Washitsu): Japanese style = tatami floor
ロフト Loft
ベランダ/バルコニー Balcony/verandah
For example, a 2LDK unit will have 2 bedrooms and a living-dining-kitchen room. The style of the room, Yoshitsu or Washitsu, indicates whether the room/apartment has a tatami or a wooden floor.
Traditional Japanese-style rooms have an oshiire (押し入れ), a deep closet with sliding doors for storing futons and bedding. These are easy to convert into Western-style closets and provide excellent storage.
Most apartments will have a narrow balcony, used mainly for drying laundry rather than an extra living space.