taking what step is expensive, complicated and daunting? the staying at home with the folks? or the getting married and moving in with the husband?

Sounds great if you always wanted to live in a Malibu Barbie Dreamhouse.

Yeah, something about this just seems kinda... off. Like some version of a 1950's finishing school. Learn how to cook and look pretty for your new husband! Seriously is this actually a thing in Japan?

@Lady J--LOL!

Too bad my mom didn't know about this when my grandfather kicked her out for rejecting all her arranged marriage prospects. Of course good old mom went and got an apartment on her own anyway--and this was in the 1950s.

I would LOVE to live in a female only apartment building. All my male neighbors are total jerks. I could also use the cooking classes! :)

I agree with LauraBellk... sounds a little outdated... so Stepford Wife-ish

Having lived in Japan as an American expat, I've met a lot of women who have worked hard through school, only to give up their whole life (and job) and dedicate it to their husband and/or children. One woman told me her life was like the wheels of a car - it keeps going forward, but it's not going anywhere. No passion any never really developing a sense of independence. So I think Lacine is a GREAT idea. The women can continue working and separate themselves from their dependence from their family. The Japanese LOVE to take classes or any kind of group activity, whether it's learning english or a table tennis league. So the fact that the place offers classes is great too!

Okay people, remember this is another country with different societal norms. Japan tends to be very patriarchal, and yes, moving out on your own IS scary when you're female, especially if you are small (I'm 5'2 and under 120 lbs, making me a serial killer's prime target according to statistics). I would have moved out a lot sooner if I had the option of an apartment with women-only, because I would feel a lot safer. And the cooking classes thing sounds fun.

I can understand the initial feeling of this concept being outdated, but I consider this idea to be a step IN JAPAN to help woman consider living out of the strict formal social codes of JAPAN.
Many of us take classes (dance,cooking,art,cosmetology) that don't come with amenities in our buildings, and the classes don't seem like they would be regulatory, so I don't understand the tone that some comments are taking.
This isn't a girl dorm, it's just an opportunity that some of the Japanese are taking to encourage their female population to become independent.

@jme718 The crime rate in Japan is a fraction of what it is here in the US. So fear of being raped or murdered should be far lower (I looked it up and it's pretty depressing from the US perspective, our murder rate is 6 times higher and rape is 15 times higher).

I think it's the social norms far more than fear that keeps japanese women from living on their own. It's just not the normal thing to do there.

I lived in Japan over a decade ago, and, at the time, knew several young unmarried women who had their own apartments. I also knew women who chose to live at home until they married. The latter seemed a common choice, but not the only choice.

I don't understand the comments about how a female-only apartment building or living with one's family is a protection against rape. Most rapists don't break into one's home. As well, the "low" rate of sex crimes in Japan seems suspicious to me as I was several times the victim of aggressive groping and molestation by strangers while in Japan. I expect that Japanese women choose to live with family for reasons that relate to the high cost of living and traditional expectations rather than due to a fear of rape, as living alone is not likely to change one's risk in any dramatic fashion.

As far as classes, young Japanese women seem to take classes in many traditional arts such as flower arranging, the tea ceremony, and even wearing kimono. I had the impression that such skills made a woman more eligible for marriage, at least in the rural prefecture where I lived.

I disagree with a lot of the comments - I grew up in a house with three older brothers and ONE BATHROOM. Then I lived in a co-ed dorm, then shared an apartment with two guys. I realize it's not quite the same, but if women choose to live in a building without men, I can't say that I blame them! Yay for doing laundry in your robe!

Sounds like the plot of a new sitcom.

I know a Japanese Canadian woman who def could have used some help transitioning out of the nest and into the world on her own. She's not old school japanese, she is a spoiled rotten princess who throws a fit if she doesnt get her way. Maybe something like this would help her( or any spoiled infant in adults shoes) so learn to stand on her own and make her own decisions. Not to come off as too opinionated...this is an isolated situation.

Wow. It sounds like some people need to understand about cultural sensitivity. Americans have our own values. I think this is a great idea to help Japanese women in the transition phase of development!

What's wrong with the female-only apartment? When I was in London, I was staying at a BB for female students only. It's just a choice.

I am from Tokyo, and many of my friends left home before or after college. The ones who stayed with parents were those who were unable to afford to live on their own, or just felt like it. No one forced them to do so. Please don't judge by the bogus stereotype images.

I checked out the website. It's actually more like a room share program in the metro Tokyo area. It's normally very expensive to rent even the tiniest apartment there. By sharing a space, young women can have an opportunity to live in a nice, convenient place such as this with other women who share similar hobbies or interests. Nothing creepy, out-dated or sitcom-like.

Well, I am glad to know that many of you understand that this is about another independent country, and they don't have to live like Americans there.

sounds like a good opportunity for young woman :)

oh, and i would do anything for beauty classes, i am not able to decently do my makeup or my hair, even if i try to... there are no beauty classes where i live... :(

Women's Only institutions are not a necessity, but sometimes it's a nice option. Like the -women only- cuchette cars on the trains in Italy. (Can I get an Amen?)

Maybe I'm some sort of weirdo, but this sounds really nice - even for an American. I'm a few weeks away from moving halfway across the country from my Midwestern mid-sized city to LA, and I'm terrified at the prospect of finding a place AND friends - this sounds like a nice stepping stone from college or the 'rents house.

I totally agree cupcaketara!

Love the idea and concept. The design of the space leave more to be desired.
Great space for meeting women, gaining confidence and independence for women who would not have had other opportunities. The home/salon needs to be more cutting edge to match the vision for the space.

I'd also like to point out that men in Japan are also likely to live at home until married. It's not just women. In Japan, you don't entertain people where you live--you go out to restaurants, karaoke, etc. And don't forget the love hotels. It's also very common to rent out spaces in restaurants to host a party. So if you don't entertain at your home, there's not that extra incentive to move out of your parents' house. I dated many guys who still lived at home. The ones who didn't lived far away from their family due to job or school.

Women-only ANYTHINGS are acceptable, in my view, only if there is a corresponding men-only option. In the same vein, I'm in favor of Black Studies only if there is a White Studies as well. Ditto for Women's Studies, Black History Month, etc., etc., etc.

Not to step on your toes Pippigirl, but have you ever considered that all of history is about white people? How would you separate that out for "white studies"? Open your mind!

i'm looking askance at noadi's statistics. perhaps rape is significantly more underreported in japan than it is here...

I think it's a fabulous idea. Its not very far from a college aged student moving away form home into their schools residence. Its a safer, more controlled environment that both allows freedom but helps keep you safe & eases the transition. It's much easier to adapt to living away form hoe for the first time if you are in a situation that you feel secure in.

The classes also sound wonderful. Cooking classes for young women who have just left home for the first time? IT'S SEXISM! lol, but seriously. I took cooking classes and cosmetology classes in high school 5 years ago, purely for fun. I wanted to be able to feed myself when my parents were gone and save money on my bi-weekly manicure. Obviously the classes of an all female apartment building would be geared towards females. The all-girls floor in my college dorm didn't have a public mens bathroom. Is it sexism or just common sense? It's a concept at this stage. They're going to start with obvious classes that girls like, and then branch out into newer things after they test the waters.

Bottom line is how awesome would it be to live in an apartment building that caters to women in your age group and situation, that offers classes that actually sound interesting. No kids, no couples fighting constantly, no old people complaining about everything. Sounds awesome.

Except for all the PMSing that is sure to be around.

@pippigirl The "xxx-only" options are usually there to support those groups that are not privileged.

Like in this case, if it's easier for men than women to acquire their independence (for whatever reason) then they don't need the extra help ;)

It's basically a luxe version of what many people already do. I'm not a fan of the whole beauty-cooking-finishing-school feel, but this is what sells the concept to wealthier families, I suppose.

A little history: even in the U.S., it was a very commonplace practice for singles and young married couples to live with parents or share housing until they could afford a house. Of course, we've gone back to this trend due to economic reasons, but the idea that Americans left the nest regardless of marriage status at a certain age is a relatively recent phenomenon.

The Japanese I know, including many of my students, tell me that they dislike "standing apart" from a group in any way. The collective is very important, as is family lineage. We have similar practices but don't prioritize or label them.

This does not mean that Japanese women cannot be on their own. Many do exactly what we do: share living spaces and expenses with others.

I'm guessing class is paramount here as well, since this is likely to be more expensive than a typical shared arrangement. It hints at class propriety, which is hardly unique to the Japanese!

@Pippigirl,

The best comeback I ever heard to the question: Why don't we have men's studies? is the response: we already do. It's called literature, history, etc.... That's certainly true for "white studies."

Actually, we do have gender studies now, where masculinity and men are fundamental to understanding gender, and we also recognize whiteness as a worthy category of study in critical race studies. Nice thread hijack, though.

If it's helping women become more independent, then it's great. What might seem outdated here, is forward thinking in a lot of other places.