Ultra-Compact “Near House” is a Small Space Marvel in Japan

This <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/09/01/amazing-mineral-house-is-a-mult-faceted-micro-home-in-japan/">Japanese micro home</a> is called the Near House for a reason - its neighboring buildings are so close that you can touch them. Located in Tokyo, this wood frame two-story house was designed by <a href="http://www14.plala.or.jp/mfas/mfas.htm" target="_blank">Mount Fuji Architects Studio</a> for a unique, tiny L-shaped lot that is <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/08/26/amazing-showa-cho-micro-house-is-only-ten-feet-wide-inside/">very narrow</a> at the street and a bit wider in the back. Tight quarters are not unusual in these parts, so this one-bedroom <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/08/10/extraordinary-japanese-micro-home-built-from-a-grid-of-boxes/" target="_blank">micro home</a> makes the best use of the 66 square-meter lot, and even has room for a private courtyard in the center to help bring in the sun.

The tiny house is located on an unusually sized lot in a dense neighborhood in Tokyo.

At the entrance, the lot is very narrow, but it widens into an L-shape in the back.

A private courtyard sits between two volumes that make up the house.

In the front is the gate house, which serves as the entrance and study for the home. The back volume houses the single bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen and living area.

The only bathroom is located downstairs in the back house, which has a direct view into the courtyard.

The bathroom sits next to the single bedroom on the bottom floor.

The bedroom located in the very back is the most private. Like all the other rooms, it features built-in shelving.

Upstairs is the kitchen and living area, which is brightly-lit from both the courtyard and backside of the house.

The minimalist kitchen blends in with the built-in wood shelves.

The living area features a large picture window that looks out over a neighbor's tile roof and a beautiful tree.

A set of stairs lead up from the bedroom to the kitchen and living area.

The courtyard in between the two volumes provides a private place to sit outside and also helps bring sunlight into the home.

The L-shaped lot features two volumes. The left floorplan is for the downstairs and the right is for the upstairs.