A Family of Five Made a 538-Square-Foot Tokyo Apartment Work Beautifully
When Naoko and her husband, Taro, first bought this 538-square-foot apartment three years ago, they only had one child, Kaya, and it was the perfect size for a family of three. Located in the Ikejiri neighborhood on the eastern edge of Setagaya Ward in Tokyo, Japan, the apartment is conveniently located near (or a close train ride to) tons of things.
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But Naoko writes that you never really know what’s in store for your life or future — and the couple has added two more children to their family (2-year-old Sena, and 1-year-old Mei).
But instead of seeking out a larger apartment when their family grew, they instead worked with what they already had. “Prices for family apartments in Tokyo have skyrocketed, making them out of reach for the average family,” Naoko writes. “If we moved a little further out, we could get more space, but it was clear that family time and conversation would suffer.”
“So we chose the depth of our conversations with our children over the size of our rooms!” Naoko admits, explaining that they’ve filled the house with more people, but also with more things they love — and they manage to all live comfortably.
Naoko shows how their big family lives in their small home on her Instagram and her YouTube channel, like how the family all sleep in the home’s one bedroom, how they opted for a projector instead of a television, how a small closet became a storage room, and how they make every inch work hard.
Resources
- Sofa — Relax Form
- Children’s chairs — Stokke
- Chair — Mid-Century Modern
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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