While the Japanese have been stereotyped as an overworked, falling-asleep-on-their-feet kind of people, what they’ve actually built is a way to coexist with each other while maintaining the efficiency of Japan’s modern cities.

Downsizing dwellings has been the name of the game and it is now becoming increasingly common in places like Tokyo for adults (and sometimes even small families) to live in residential units that measure just 9.46 square meters or even less. The miniaturized dwellings may not be for the claustrophobic, but they are cheaper to rent and they provide the essentials of what you need: a place to sleep, and a place for all your stuff.