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Anyone who would be excited about multi-family living?
My partner and I are now settling back in Tokyo and are thinking about starting a family, which I used to think meant "go buy a house, live only with your nuclear family and maybe parents, and rarely ever see your friends." However, I was intrigued by the community Radish in Oakland, CA and their post on expanding to include families. The way they describe their community (separate units with privacy, but a shared backyard, common spaces, and a strong community vibe) resonated with me as something I'd love for our family. ちっちゃい辻堂 in Kanagawa is somewhat similar and does have families, so it isn't without precedent in Japan.
Lately, I've been dreaming about buying a plot of land and constructing ~three 2-bed units with a big shared kitchen, backyard, and common spaces (the "Backyard Oasis" model), ideally in Shimokitazawa, Yoyogi-Koen, or Kichijoji, though I recognize those are expensive and would be open to other neighborhoods with good transit access. I started speaking to realtors and architects recently and it does seem possible. As a bonus of the multi-family model, there could be some pretty sweet common spaces, giant kitchen, guest room, perhaps a coworking room or small yoga room, and shared resources, like a car or even childcare.
My hunch is that we'd be able to find 1-2 other families who'd want to do this in Tokyo and who we'd get along with (we'd love to live with other nerds, creatives, entrepreneurs, or anyone else with lots of intellectual curiosity), but where better to ask for crazy ideas than Reddit?
So, my questions are, are there other folks here, especially current or potential parents, who would be excited about this type of setup in Tokyo? Would you prefer to rent or buy, and what would your budget be? What locations would you consider? Any other concerns I'm not thinking about? I'm all ears!
I've actually looked into this myself for a similar setup in the Setagaya area. The zoning laws around "nitto" (multi-generational housing) are more flexible than people think, especially if you keep each unit under 30 tsubo. You can get a decent plot in Sangenjaya or Shimokitazawa for around 80-100 million yen if you're willing to go a few minutes off the main streets, which is steep but doable if three families split it.
One thing that catches people off guard is the building code for shared kitchens and common areas. If the kitchen is technically "common use," it can trigger commercial kitchen regulations depending on how many unrelated adults are using it. I'd ask your architect about classifying the big kitchen as a "family room with cooking facilities" rather than a shared amenity. That saved a friend's project in Koenji a lot of headaches.
Also, think about the childcare angle carefully. Having three families means three different parenting styles, and Tokyo's local ward offices can be pretty rigid about who's allowed to watch whose kids. You'll want to clarify that with your potential co-owners before you sign anything.
honestly the hardest part of this isn't finding the land or the money, it's finding two other families who still want to live together after year three. i've seen three sharehouse projects in tokyo fall apart because one couple had a baby and suddenly the noise tolerance changed, or someone got a remote job and wanted quiet during the day while another family was doing home daycare. the social dynamics are way harder than the construction ones
for neighborhoods, you might want to look at the areas along the toyoko line between nakameguro and jiyugaoka. there's a bunch of older 2-story houses on wider streets that are already zoned for multi-unit but priced way under shimokitazawa because they need full renovation. a friend bought a 50-year-old building near gakugei-daigaku for 60 million, gutted it, and turned it into three units with a shared garden. took two years but the total cost was around 35 million per family which is insane for that location
one practical thing nobody mentions is the trash situation. three families generate a lot of burnable waste and tokyo ward collection schedules are strict. you'll need a designated outdoor bin area that doesn't smell and doesn't attract crows, and someone has to be the person who reminds everyone about non-burnable day. it sounds small but it's the kind of thing that creates resentment in shared housing faster than money disputes
ngl the zoning thing is real but the bigger headache i've seen is the loan situation. most japanese banks won't touch a multi-family purchase unless it's structured as a proper apartment building or a single-family with a registered "grandma unit" exception. you might have better luck with a shinkin bank or a regional credit union, they're more willing to look at unconventional layouts if you show them a solid plan and a clear ownership structure
also consider the 24-hour noise factor with kids. even in detached housing in yoyogi-koen, sound travels way more than people expect. i'd budget for decent soundproofing between units from the start, not just insulation. the difference between a 3-layer drywall setup and standard is maybe 2-3 million yen total but it will save friendships
location-wise have you looked at the areas just west of kichijoji like koganei or even musashisakai? the keio line gets you to shinjuku in 20 mins and land is easily half the price. the trade-off is less nightlife but if you're planning kids anyway that might not matter much
Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.
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