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Take a look inside the tiny apartment that Ikea Japan is renting out for less than $1 a month

Grace Dean and Cheryl Teh

2021-12-02T13:23:54Z

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — Ikea is renting out a tiny apartment in Tokyo for less than $1 a month. Ikea Japan

Ikea Japan is leasing a tiny home in Shinjuku, Tokyo, for 99 Japanese yen (about $0.86) a month.
The compact apartment is just 107 square feet, but it comes fully kitted with Ikea furniture.
There's just enough space for a kitchenette and a tiny bathroom, too.

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Ikea Japan is leasing a tiny apartment in Shinjuku, Tokyo, for just 99 Japanese yen (about $0.86) per month.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — This apartment is up for grabs for less than $1 a month. Ikea Japan

Source: Insider

The compact apartment is just 107 square feet ...

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — Here's a look at the floor plan, which describes a snug space just big enough to accommodate a single person. Ikea Japan

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... but it comes fully kitted with Ikea furniture.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — Ikea has outfitted the apartment with furniture catered to fit into the space while keeping it cozy. Ikea Japan

The apartment is split-level ...

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — The apartment is loft style, meaning one needs to get real comfy with scaling a stepladder to get to bed. Ikea Japan

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... with space for a snug bedroom upstairs.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — The loft space has enough space for a single bed, along with some room for storage and decor. Ikea Japan

Though small and fairly spartan at first glance, the space, prerenovation, is big enough for an entryway and a bathroom.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — The apartment, in its unfurnished state, does provide a lot of potential for people looking for some inspiration. Ikea Japan

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Downstairs there's also space for a tiny kitchenette and a sofa.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — Because this is a tiny home, the desk that comes with the apartment is outfitted with a clip-on light — no room for standing lamps here! Ikea Japan

There's just enough space for a tiny table, which can be folded out, and a rod for storing clothes, too.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — Surprisingly, Ikea managed to carve out some wardrobe space in the apartment, and room for a swivel chair — though fashionistas who don't want to commit to a capsule closet might be in trouble. Ikea Japan

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This is what the downstairs area looks like from the upper level.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — The apartment does come with a window, though most of the space in the apartment is used by shelving that extends almost all the way to the second level. Ikea Japan

In addition to showcasing Ikea furniture that makes efficient use of the small space, such as this table on wheels ...

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — The furniture makes nifty use of the limited space. Ikea Japan

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... the tiny apartment has a variety of Ikea decorations, too.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — The apartment has bits and bobs, like paintings and sculptures, and even a bedside lamp. Ikea Japan

Ikea Japan told Insider that applications to move in can be made online from until Friday ...

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — You don't have to sacrifice creature comforts, or file-storage space, if you navigate the apartment's constraints cleverly. Ikea Japan

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... but they're only open to Ikea Family members only. This is free to join.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — The apartment is also brightly lit, with strategically located lamps placed on ledges and clipped to furniture so as not to take up any precious floor space. Ikea Japan

Microhomes, also called "kyosho jutaku," are fairly common in land-scarce Japan.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — Despite the cramped space, renting this apartment for $1 is a steal. One-room apartments in central Tokyo generally cost hundreds of dollars per month. Ikea Japan

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The tiny apartment Ikea is offering is located in the busy Shinjuku ward, a major commercial district and a locale considered to be prime real estate in the Japanese capital.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — Shinjuku is a glittering shopping district. Some of the tallest buildings in Tokyo are located in western Shinjuku, while the district's nightlife spots like Golden Gai are filled with bars and clubs frequented by the who's who of Tokyo's entertainment scene. Ikea Japan

A life-sized version of Ikea's popular toy shark, Blahaj, is helming Ikea Japan's promotional real-estate office.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — Blahaj is a wildly popular toy, and he's been brought to life in the form of a life-sized plush character touting the tiny home. Ikea Japan

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Blahaj was seen in a video giving a tour of the apartment and its features, including tables and storage spaces that fit into snug spots.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — Ikea recently announced that it was discontinuing the wildly popular Blahaj in the UK, but it is still in stock in Japan. Ikea Japan

People can walk into Ikea's "Blahaj real-estate offices" in Tokyo to find out more about the space.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — Ikea is advertising the tiny home at its real-estate offices in Tokyo. Ikea Japan

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One such "Blahaj real-estate office" is open for business at the furniture chain's Shibuya branch from Wednesday to Friday.

Ikea Japan tiny apartment — The tiny home will be rented out on a short-term lease until January 15, 2023. Only one apartment is available right now, and it is unclear how many people have applied for it. Ikea Japan

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