Japanese apartments are small. Tokyo apartments are smaller. I knew this, even before I lived in Japan but, knowing and understanding are two different things.
Not including school dorms, I have lived in three places and three different apartments in Japan. First in Kagoshima, then Fukuoka, and now Shinjuku. Each city has been progressively larger and more urban. Strangely enough, the actual size of my apartments hasn’t changed. We always choose apartments around 55 squared meters. This is a decent size for two people, but a little getting cramped for a family of four.
The apartments in Kagoshima was old and run down. Now reflecting back on that time, that apartment was in a dark and slightly scary neighborhood. But it was very cheap and my wife and I didn’t have much money.
After four years, we moved to Fukuoka for my wife's work. We were very lucky because my wife's company handled the rental process for us. They found us a nice apartment in a very good neighborhood. Now, I think it was probably too nice! Without support from my wife's company, it would have been out of our price range and, it gave me unrealistic expectations for my standard of living.
My wife's company no longer helps with the rental process so now, in Tokyo, finding an apartment is both exciting and challenging. The apartment we chose is about the same size as previous apartments. However, it is 50% more expensive, much older, located in a slightly sketchy neighborhood, and has a very strange floor plan. Unfortunately, my standard of living has dropped a little compared to Fukuoka. We had to balance our options and make a few compromises. That is the cost of living in Tokyo; the 'Tokyo Tax'.
I am already used to it and find my new home very comfortable. However, there is one aspect of my new apartment that is a slight challenge for me. The problem is a lack of privacy. This place is essentially one large room with some paper walls to divide the space.
This is hard for me sometimes. I wake up very early in the morning, before everyone else. I tip-toe around trying to be as quiet as possible. Every noise I make make me worried that someone woke up. I can't watch YouTube videos or listen to music because it is too loud. If someone wakes up, my personal time is over...
I have even tested to see how far the sound travels. I played a YouTube video on my computer. I set the volume to the lowest possible while still being able to hear it. I went next door to the bedroom, closed the door, and listened. As expected, I could hear it. The sound was a bit muffled, but it was very audible.
As I write about this, I am realizing that I don't mind. The quiet is peaceful and helps me concentrate. I don't waste as much time on YouTube either! Now the only problem is that I can't turn on the lights because of the GLASS WINDOW between the office and the bedroom. Hopefully the curtains come soon.