Tokyo: Living Small in the Big City

How do you create enough illusion to make people feel like they are living in a house or apartment bigger than what they really are? That's the question in this television show, and some experts on that subject matter demonstrate how they do it in this Japanese metropolis. After all, what better place to try to do the best you can with limited space than Toyko, where there are 35 million people in the Greater Toyko area and 13 million within the small Toyko City?

What you wind up with are some very innovative houses and areas to do other things.

This program shows how many people make the most out of their space and how the Japanese live because of their limited residential space. For instance, it's nearly impossible to host a party in these little houses and apartments, so people meet outside at bars and other places. Tokyo residents can go out to take baths, or readily go get food and drink from the millions of vending machines everywhere. (There are more vending machines here than anywhere in the world.)

Even married couples rent rooms to have sex because things are too congested and not private enough in their small apartments.

In this program, we learn about The Penguin House, all the prefab homes and "capsule hotels," among other things. It was a very interesting show.