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The title says "house" for a "family", and the pictured structure is not normally what people think when they hear that, being significantly smaller than even a
by jessriedel 7y ago
The title says "house" for a "family", and the pictured structure is not normally what people think when they hear that, being significantly smaller than even a typical townhouse. In particular, a "house" suggests something larger than a small apartment.
Obviously there's nothing wrong with an apartment or microhouse, but it makes the quoted rent less impressive.
- wenc 7y agoWell I guess that’s true from a North American perspective. I’ve lived in several countries, and from my perspective, in Asia and much of Europe, that structure seems like it would be considered a passable family home in an urban area. Most urban folks have a different relationship with space — smaller spaces are ok if one is close to transit and city amenities.
- jessriedel 7y agoBut the whole point of the headline is to try and convince the reader that Tokyo housing prices are low relative to the reader's expectation. If the small housing price example is congruent with the size of the example house, there's no story.
- creamyhorror 7y agoI'd contend it's fair to adjust for the country's typical expectations. Just like you couldn't simply expect the same size of house in Hong Kong as you might in Europe.
- jessriedel 7y agoWhat do you mean fair? This isn't a contest
- distantaidenn 7y agoNot normal for who? Because in Tokyo, the house in the pic is quite normal. If I look just from my rooftop, I can probably count 20 houses of a similar design. Also, keep in mind the height of the house. People tend to build up here rather than wide -- at least in family areas in central Tokyo. My current house, while slender is almost obscenely tall. It's four floors including the rooftop deck. In comparison, my childhood house back in midwestern America, seems much less spacious.
- jessriedel 7y agoNot normal for the majority of readers of this article.