Why Do Poor People Live in Villas but Rich People Live in Apartments in Japan?

Whenever Japan, this magical country, is mentioned,

the first thing that comes to everyone's mind is

the diverse "2D culture".

 In our childhood, we always watched "Crayon Shin-chan", "Doraemon,"

"Chibi Maruko-chan" and "Cardcaptor Sakura".

We yearned to live in the character's villa from the anime.

▲Nobita's (Doraemon) House

Rows of single building with two or more stories,

Externally appearing clean and neat,

Internally with wooden floors and warm-toned decor,

Make people feel cozy and comfortable.

▲蜡笔小新家

Crayon Shin-chan's House

In China, those who can afford detached villa are typically rich kids,

while the average middle-class population tends to reside in apartment buildings.

Therefore, Japanese anime often conveys a sense of "salaryman" who still shines brightly.

Why can the average working class in Japan afford to live in villas?

In fact, there is a distinction between these single-family houses and luxury villas.

The houses of Kudou Shinichi and Hanami Kazuhiko are the true luxury villas.

▲工藤新一家

▲花轮同学家

And what we see as the single-family houses of Crayon Shin-chan and Doraemon

are called "single-family house" in Japan.

▲一戸建て（いっこだて）

"Single-family house" can be understood as one house for one family.

In the 1960s,

during Japan's rapid economic growth,

single-family houses became the initial ideal model for Japanese private residences.

Japan's homeownership rate has remained at around 60% for the past decade,

and "single-family house" represents the primary form of individually-owned residential housing.

You shouldn't underestimate it.

The interior design of "single-family house" is very clever,

and it is fully functional with all the necessary amenities.

Architects have also put a lot of thought into it.

Today, I'm here to take you on a deeper dive into

Japan's "single-family house".

Can a "single-family house" be completed in just 7 days?

Japanese’s preference for wooden structure "single-family house",

in addition to traditional customs and natural factors,

 also stems from the fact that "single-family house" features

long lifespan, friendly environment, cost-effective, and its resilience.

Wooden structures are lighter and more resilient than reinforced concrete structures.

When earthquakes and typhoons strike,

small wooden houses may sway with the wind, but they can stand still firmly.

▲ Comparison of Seismic Resistance between Wooden and Concrete Structures

However, the primary reason Japanese prefer "single-family house" is that they have a shorter construction period.

Constructing the foundation for a 3-storey, 200-square-meter

"single-family house" in just 7 days is

almost like a miraculous feat!

Let's take a look at the steps in building a wooden structure "single-family house".

▼

STEP 1: Lay the Foundation

Use reinforced concrete for the base

For laying pipelines and as the fundamental framework of the house

▲ Install the Formwork

▲ Pour the Concrete

▲ Pour the Concrete for the Foundation"

STEP 2: Assemble the Wooden Components

After laying the foundation,

workers begin assembling the house frame

using wooden structural components.

The wood is prefabricated into long, slotted and perforated standard pieces based on the design drawings.

▲ Standard Wooden Components

They use the traditional Chinese mortise and tenon technique,

avoiding the use of nails and glue for fixation.

Instead, it relies on the interlocking of wooden parts.

Just like building with wooden blocks in childhood,

and the structure is extremely sturdy.

Each piece of wood is numbered

and lifted into place in sequence using a crane.

On average, it takes about 5 minutes to install one component.

Installation of right-angle metal components is done

to prevent lateral shear forces that could cause the house to sway from side to side.

During the construction of the house,

evenly distributed and dense columns are used for support,

ensuring uniform and stable load distribution.

STEP 3: Install the Wall and Floor

The factory has pre-cut the wooden

panels into suitable dimensions,

so workers only need to assemble

and secure them on-site using a pneumatic nail gun.

They also lay the second-storey flooring.

The exterior walls of the house are installed similar to the flooring.

They are matched to their designated positions according to their numbers

and then secured in place using an air gun.

STEP 4: Roofing

Top Beam

Roofing

Reinforce critical support points

A waterproof layer is applied to the roof

to prevent any leakage issues.

Completion Effect

Once the house structure is built,

doors and windows are installed, and the interior is decorated.

After these final touches, the "single-family house" is complete.

▲ Ground Floor: Living Room and Dining Area

▲ Second Floor: Bedroom

▲ Third Floor: Attic"

What does the interior of a "single-family house" look like?

The "single-family house" is typically 2-3 stories high

and have a moderate size, generally ranging from around 100 to 200 M2.

Despite the small size, "single-family house"

 possesses a full range of amenities.

They have good ventilation and natural light.

The first floor typically includes a courtyard, garage, living room, kitchen, master bedroom, and bathroom.

The second floor consists of smaller bedrooms and a balcony.