Tokyo's Tiny Homes
Here's an interesting BW article on so-called micro homes, which are being built on miniscule plots (as small as a large parking space) in downtown Tokyo and other central-city neighborhoods. The micro homes cater to the growing number of adults in their 30s and 40s who want to avoid long commutes and stay close to the cultural amentities in the central city. The article describes the invention of architects in creating amenable homes in almost no space.

The back-to-the-city movement seems to be a growing phenomenon worldwide. In the US, it's associated with gentrification and has political implications, since up-and-coming young professionals often displace the longtime (and often darker-skinned) inner-city residents. Examples include Brooklyn, Seattle's Central District, and the Western Addition in San Francisco.

In Japan, of course, such ethnic tensions are not a factor. Although the market for micro homes is small, it does demonstrate the desirability of Japan's downtowns for residential housing, at least for a certain segment of the population.