Alright good afternoon guys.
Today we're going to be giving you a Japanese apartment tour.
We have been living in this apartment in Tokyo for about a month now.
We have finally settled in and tidied up today.
So it seemed like a good time to finally show you around.
So yeah we're just going to start right now because we're right by the main entrance.
We are.
So basically we've got a door here.
Yes.
To Sam's right.
This is our main entrance right here.
It is.
It opens up into this hallway where you can take off your shoes.
You can hang up your jacket.
It is the rainy season so lots of umbrellas.
The most important thing.
They left us two and we were out stranded one day and we picked up one ourselves.
So we actually have three and we've been using them a lot.
Yeah so that is kind of like the little entrance way.
We've got some cool little curtains as a division from the other room.
But we're going to enter through here actually to take you into the main part of the apartment.
So follow me this way.
And I will say right off the bat this is the largest Japanese apartment we were able to
find online.
Yeah.
A lot of them were just like studios.
So basically one room where you had your bedroom and your kitchen and your living area and
we were like no we're going to be here a while so we need more space.
And we got so lucky.
We were able to find an apartment with 4 different areas.
Yes.
So we're going to start with the first.
Yeah, they are not technically rooms.
We would call them compartments.
Yeah we have like some sliding curtains.
Yeah.
And some sliding doors.
So there is some division.
So we'll show you how that works.
Why don't you slide the curtain for us?
Okay.
So this first room here is our bedroom slash kitchen.
Slash kitchen.
Hahaha.
Weirdest thing ever.
Let's focus on the bedroom section first.
Yes.
Basically we have two single beds right next to each other.
Right here.
Sam has like a tiny little desk.
I'm actually going to sit down and show you guys.
Here are my feet and this is where I've been working.
It is like the perfect height for me.
It is like this little desk thing.
So that has kind of been like a makeshift desk.
Also in this room I really like the windows because they are kind of like that thin paper.
Yep.
So you've got like traditional windows but if I slide those open.
Show us the views.
Then we have like a real glass window.
Look.
Our neighbour is doing laundry.
Someone is doing laundry.
Creeping on their laundry.
And then way off in the distance guys look at the skyline.
You've got some tall big skyscrapers buildings.
And the sun has come out for the first time in a long while.
Amazing!
We haven't seen that in a while.
I kind of forgot what it looked like.
Yeah.
So the weird thing about this room is that it is both the bedroom.
Yes.
And kind of like half kitchen.
A quasi kitchen.
Sam approach.
Okay so I'll show you guys so there is a microwave on top of the fridge and freezer.
The freezer is actually at the bottom so as I pan up there is also a toaster oven and
there is a mosquito repellent device up there.
It even tells you mosquito repeller.
Hot at the top.
So that is also plugged in.
I don't think we've used either of these have we?
No.
So inside we have a fridge.
We just have some cold water bottles and we have some wine which we'll be having later.
We just picked up some blueberries and some other stuff.
Yeah.
And yeah so that is the weird thing about this kitchen.
We don't have like a stovetop where we can cook.
So that is why they've left us a microwave and like this little what is that?
Toaster oven.
That is a toaster oven.
That is what it is.
And the only separation between the bedroom and this makeshift kitchen is again another
curtain.
Which works for us.
Out of sight out of mind.
The whole theme of this apartment is closing curtains and closing doors.
You'll see what we're talking about.
And then the next part of the kitchen is this little sink where we can wash our dishes.
Maybe one of the world's smallest sinks.
Yeah.
Our drying rack but it works.
It works.
And you know what?
Because it is so small.
Lights off.
Because it is so small I'm finding that we're on top of our dishwashing game.
We have to wash our dishes as soon as we finish eating.
So yeah let's open that.
So yeah that was the bedroom slash half kitchen.
Yeah.
Over in this section we've got our kettle for making tea and like noodle cups.
Yep.
So yeah.
Coffee which I've been having in the morning.
This is really good green tea guys.
Matcha green tea.
Oh yeah.
This box is almost empty.
We've got some fruit that we've been storing.
Oh you just picked up peanut butter and honey.
I sure did.
This is your instant Gold coffee blend.
I have a deodorant bar in the back.
You are probably wondering what that is.
It shouldn't be there.
But anyways yeah so the thing with having that small makeshift kitchen is that we do
end up going out for food a lot more.
Yep.
Thankfully we have a supermarket just across the street so we are able to get like readymade
meals and just enjoy them here or go to a restaurant.
But yeah not a whole lot of cooking happening over here.
So I'm just going to close the curtain.
Cool.
So we're done with this room.
Yeah and I'm going to close this door so we can make this room look a bit more official.
Why don't you show us what is in over on this side.
Okay so we have kind of like a cupboard would you call it.
Yeah, it is a cupboard.
With lots of dishes.
Teacups.
Saucers.
We have some cutlery in there.
We have a shoe rack.
We do.
Okay so one thing about Japanese houses if that you have to take your outdoor shoes like
right at the door and then you can put on slippers.
Slippers.
But again like the slippers here are tiny.
Like this is not made for big feet.
They don't fit my feet.
So we just go barefoot.
Yep.
But let's talk about this room.
So this is kind of like our living area.
We have a couch, a little table, we also have two little stools if you have people over.
So yeah we can just hangout here.
Watch Netflix.
Sometimes also sit on the carpet too and just sometimes we actually eat here.
Even though it is technically not the dining area.
Not the dining area.
Yeah, we have some cool art.
Yeah, it looks like a Geisha.
It is really cool and up here there is a clock.
It is funny because the more I look around in this apartment there is things that I'm
just noticing.
There is actually quite a bit of different stuff in here.
Oh and aside from the curtain we have kind of like this divider.
Yep.
I think this is technically for you to like get dressed like change behind.
Yeah.
This is pretty old fashioned.
I don't even know the name for it.
We've been using it as a towel rack.
Right.
Towel rack.
Hahaha.
There it goes.
Okay.
So that will bring us to the third room.
Yeah and let's close this one off.
Okay.
Before I show you this room.
We have some sliding doors here.
Yeah there is basically three components to these sliding doors.
Yeah.
So as you can see you can actually block off this place into four different sections.
Like the bedroom is now blocked by the curtain.
Yeah.
The first living room is now blocked by these sliding doors and now we're basically what
would you call this room?
The dining room?
This I would call our dining area.
So we have tatami floors.
We have a table that is low to the ground.
Japanese traditional table.
Three pillows to sit on.
And technically if you wanted to you could convert this room into another bedroom.
Yep.
Just like removing the furniture because they have left us mats.
Yeah.
For two people and you can lay them out here and you can sleep on tatami floors.
Indeed.
Mmmhmm.
And then we have some nice artwork here.
Yes.
And then we have an airconditioner.
We should also mention we have one in our bedroom too.
Yes.
Two airconditioning units.
AC which is very nice in the summer.
Some cool artwork.
Artwork with Sakura.
Yeah.
And this is also where we have our recycling.
Yeah so we need to like separate glass, bottles, trash.
We also have storage.
Yes.
This is where we keep all the extra duvets and pillows.
Are yoga mat.
Our yoga mat.
Yeah they've done an excellent job of sorting this for us.
As you can see we can it says right here bottles and cans only.
Paper, plastic, raw trash.
And bottles only.
Yeah, so just to give people a sense of scale do you want to sit down on that far end just
so you can.
I'll show you guys what it is like to dine here.
Sit down like a lady.
So you'd be sitting like this.
I'd be sitting over here.
Yeah.
And this is where we have our meal.
Noodles.
And we also watch YouTube videos here as well.
We sure do.
So yeah this is kind of nice having one traditional room in the apartment because.
Yeah.
It makes me feel like I'm in Japan.
Yeah.
It is not just a modern place.
The nice thing about these different rooms too is that it doesn't feel like we're on
top of each other.
Yes.
We can have a little bit of space from one another when we need it.
And that brings us you are about to knock your head.
Something that happens very often.
Oh my gosh.
While we're on that theme I've hit my head on here so many times.
Like it is not meant for six foot tall plus men.
Also this has been the bane of my existence.
This light.
This light fixture.
Watch when I go like this I don't know if you can see that.
Boom.
Hit my head.
It is right at eyebrow level.
Is it that eyebrow level.
I basically can't see it most of the time but my head sure has bumped into it a lot.
Yeah.
Okay so this is the forth room in the apartment and it is kind of like an office space.
Yeah.
I really like it.
I've taken over this section, so I've been working here.
Yeah.
A lot.
You have a nice computer desk over here.
We've got some of our electronics.
Charging station for all of the electronics.
This is our mic for speaking videos.
We've got all kinds of electronics.
And then over here.
Nice leather chair.
So basically our closet.
Yes.
And these are this is where we have the mats.
Yep.
Like if you wanted to sleep on the tatami floors and we have mats as well.
Just in the back.
Guys I just banged my head on the light after talking about it.
Oh my gosh.
Hahaha.
And I don't know if you noticed this Audrey.
When you turn around we have artwork.
Yeah, there are all kinds of things going on up here.
And a random sock.
Let's move that out of the way.
That looks like something from where I'm from.
Like a bear.
Yeah.
Some nice wood carvings.
Yeah.
Some more plants.
Another clock.
And look there is even more blankets and pillows.
Yeah.
So this place can definitely fit more people.
Let's finish looking at the closets.
Sure.
So it is a very spacious closet.
One of the biggest closets we've had in Japan so far.
Mmmhmm.
And again another curtain to kind of like yep.
Create some division and hide the mess.
Hide the mess.
Basically and then over on this side.
Yep.
This again it reminds me of those things like I don't know the name but you like change
behind them.
Yeah.
Kind of like creates a division in the bedroom.
Yep.
But here it is just kind of blocking the view.
I'm not entirely sure why.
And yeah we've got like a little couple more chairs.
Wooden chair?
That is my daypack.
That is my main computer pack.
Tripod.
And we have a dining table that we've just kind of put away because it was taking up
too much space.
It was.
But we could set that up.
We have two chairs.
And we have some street side views here guys.
Look at that.
Oh my gosh I still can't get over the fact that it is sunny.
I haven't seen the sun in so long.
Hahaha.
So yeah again we have more sliding doors here so again if you wanted to create some division.
Yeah.
Some space you totally could.
So when I'm being really annoying you basically you would put me in here right?
And then you would well this is my space.
This is your space.
This is my office.
This is where you'd go.
Um yeah so this is kind of cool and I like that you're able to create a lot of division
within the apartment.
Yep.
And now we should show you the bathrooms.
So we're just going to exit through the hallway.
Yeah.
Where we first entered.
I you guys remember this is where we started it all off.
Come on in.
So this door would lead to the living area.
Yeah.
Which we already showed you.
And then here we've got the door to the bathroom.
Yep.
So it is not the most modern bathroom.
It is a bit of a dated bathroom but you can see what an older Japanese bathroom looks
like.
Yeah, I'll come show you the shower first.
So shower first.
The shower is a little weird I've gotta admit.
I think whoops I turned off the wrong thing.
So if you look down here.
Not long here I mean.
If I press this this is kind of what turns on all of the different things.
There is a light.
There is sorry.
This is on off for hot and cold water.
This here is the fan.
It makes a bit of a noise.
And this is the light that turns on the there is a little light in the shower.
Yeah.
And they left us some body soap and they left us some shampoo and conditioner and it is
a little shower head.
This is a super tiny shower.
It is really weird in the sense that like the door is really rigid and it is hard to
kind of move it.
It is like it is just a weird shower guys to be perfectly honest.
But it works.
It works.
So then the next part of the bathroom we have the toilet and the sink.
Yeah.
Check out this guys.
This is a feature of Japanese bathrooms.
When you flush the toilet.
Look.
The water starts running through so you can actually wash your hands.
Isn't that crazy?
Yeah.
That was like the one in Osaka.
The Osaka one.
Yeah.
As well.
And we do also have a sink here so you can choose where you want to wash your hands.
It is probably easier to do it here.
Yep.
Also one thing I noticed about this bathroom is that it is not one of the modern toilets
where it washes your bum and it plays music if you're feeling self conscious or anything
like that.
Like it is a normal western toilet.
Yep.
Um so yeah and then here we just have some storage space for the hairdryer.
Towels.
Yeah.
Makeup and blah blah blah.
Yeah.
So basically we are back where we began.
So that concludes our Japanese apartment tour.
We hope you guys enjoyed having a look around.
Now you know what to expect if you get really lucky with a large apartment.
Yes.
We are in a residential area kind of like in the outskirts of Shinjuku.
Yes.
It is not as touristy here.
No.
It definitely feels more local.
It does.
Rents are cheaper.
So yeah.
We're what?
A fifteen or twenty minute walk from the metro?
Yeah, I would say maybe 15 minutes from the closest station on foot.
Right.
Which isn't bad.
Unless it is raining.
ShinOkubo.
Okubo.
That is how they say it when they announce it.
Okubo.
But yeah that is our apartment.
We've really enjoyed being here.
And yeah we're going to be showing you some of our other accommodations as we continue
to travel through Japan so stay tuned for those.
Ciao for now.
Bye.