Houses in Japan
Do Japanese live in tiny houses?
Well, this may be the answer, so check it out.
1. Average size of houses and price.
The average size of floor are of Japanese house is approximately 95 square meters (1022 square feet). Compared to United States, dwelling floor space per capita is half, 60 square meters US and 33.2 square meters Japan. When compared to Germany, the average in Germany is 38 square meters. So, not too small.
Price of houses in Japan may be a whole different situation, though.
To buy a house in Tokyo, would need to spend 12 times of annual income, and to buy a condominium, would need to spend 9 times.
Buying a home which compared to other nations, United States is 4 times of annual income, France is 8 times, and Sweden is 1.5 times. This, of course, depends on your annual income and which part of the city you are about to purchase.
2. Home ownership rate in Japan.
Surprisingly, it's over 81%.
This is because many Japanese have a strong desire to buy their own home.
How do people manage to buy such a expensive houses?
Saving money for a down payment and borrow the rest from banks. Interest rate for a housing loan has been lowered in recent years. It is said that is one product of "Abenomics".
3. Commuting to work.
As the high ratio of home ownership shown, people are buying houses that they can afford. It's outside urban area.
So, people working in metropolitan areas often commute for a long time, a coworker I used to know wake up in 5 o' clock in the morning and leave his house at 6 to arrive office at 9.
Commuting train is nightmare in Japan.
Anybody who is coming to Japan, just be aware of crowds if you are taking trains in the morning.
Did you know that there are hired professionals to push commuters into crowded trains in Japan? Such "Professional Pushmen" work during the morning and evening rush hours, being paid around ¥1,000 per an hour.
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