Definition of a Lucky Man and an Unlucky Man

One day, I was talking to my Japanese colleagues and a few friends from London at a restaurant in Dubai about the life in Japan. They were eager to hear about the differences in life in Dubai and Japan. I thought of engaging them with a classic joke that I have heard from one of Japanese language classmates a few years ago when I was in Japan from one of my Japanese language classmates, Alex-san. 

During a coffee break, Alex-San explained what a lucky man and an unlucky man are: 

A lucky man is one who gets American Salary, French Cook, British House, and a Japanese Wife!. An unlucky man is one who gets American wife, French Salary, British Cook and a Japanese House!

Alex-San was curious to humorously describe the lower salary levels in France, but I was curious at the ‘Japanese wife’ and ‘Japanese house’ part of that joke. Though it is a joke based on the stereotyped observations, there are some truth, especially in the sizes of houses/apartments in Japan.

The salary from one of the American MNCs is considered to be the highest, and represents wealth and high earning potential. A French cook is celebrated for exceptional cuisine and gourmet expertise.Traditional British houses are known for their charm and architecture. Japanese wife is stereotyped as being graceful, caring, and family-oriented.

Contrary to the life of a lucky man, the life of an unlucky man is more miserable. The misery starts with an American wife, stereotyped as being demanding and a French salary generally considered lower compared to American salaries, with high taxes. A British cook adds more misery to his life with bland or uninspired cuisine. On top of the above he is living in a Japanese house, notorious for being small and compact with limited living space!

Jokes apart, in general, Japanese apartments are the smallest compared to the ones that we have lived in Dubai, India and Riyadh. There are apartments in Japan that are extremely small, typically ranging from 6 to 20 square meters. Such tiny apartments are popular among students, single professionals, and people on tight budgets, especially in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, where real estate prices are high. Our apartment in Tokyo was about 88.82 square meters, with three bed rooms, one hall and a kitchen.

Personally, I consider myself was a person having Claustrophobia, fear of closed, tiny spaces. I experience a fear of suffocation or restriction, and desire to escape even at the imagination of a tiny room. Therefore I was conscious not to enter a “Coffin Apartment”, where only a bed and small shelf are provided.

Interestingly, tiny apartments often feature clever, space-saving designs such as lofted sleeping areas, foldable furniture, and built-in storage. They provide minimum amenities such as compact kitchens and bathrooms. Cost-wise, these tiny apartments are are affordable by city standards. In effect, these tiny apartments are still expensive considering their size due to the location.

My Japanese colleague shared his information about Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo, which is an iconic building with ultra-small, modular living spaces, now largely abandoned. The Notorious tiny living apartments in Japan are often referred to as “geki-sema” 激狭 (ultra-small spaces). These are shared houses that are tiny, living spaces with rooms barely larger than a closet. Even, some Japanese people rent booths in internet cafes overnight because they can’t afford apartments.

Often highlighted as Japan’s innovative approach to urban density, these ultra-small living spaces raise questions about the challenges of affordable housing and quality of life in dense urban areas in Japan.