Inside Japan’s CAPSULE Tower | 140 TINY Tokyo Apartments

SAD UPDATE, the building is now being demolished. I went to take a look one last time in this follow up video: thexvid.com/video/mhe8qg16PPU/video.html

Really enjoying this format Chris! Very fascinating to learn about Japan’s quirky architecture and your video was spot on. I can imagine the residents back in ‘72 felt like they were part of the cutting edge trend living here.

As someone who loves Tiny Houses and wants to live in Japan. I would love to live in one of these. Doubt it would be possible though. Or that it will even exist by the time I can go.

The original train station was noticeably beautiful! It's incredibly sad that the Japanese didn't try to preserve it.. Here in Canada, we have a number of the Historical buildings that were preserved, yet expansions were added on and the old structure incorporated into the modern designs.. It's reassuring that history was preserved and honored!
I wish and hope Japan would go back to its beautiful unique Asian traditional building architecture, and not just build nondescript modern glass monstrosities that are easily forgettable.. Blending-in isn't always desirable.. Japan used to be unique in its architectul style! Why not become unique again?

When I lived in Tokyo in the 80s I had a friend who owned one of these apartments and I got to stay there from time to time. The bathroom was the smallest I'd ever seen but super-efficient. There was a platform bed so you could look out the window in the morning. The only thing I ever worried about was getting out in case of an earthquake. I wasn't sure that the structure would hold together. Thanks for this wonderful memory!

The capsule rooms genuinely look like something out of a sci-fi space movie like “Alien,” especially that modular cabinet area. The retro-futuristic look is really appealing to me, which makes me sad that it’s likely not going to be around much longer.

Even though I'd be a little claustrophobic, "The Stylish Capsule" looked comfortable to be in, it just has the feeling of "home".

Saw the IG post today, about it being taken down - So came back to watch this video again.
RIP.

*Goodbye Nakagin* 👋

Imagine 1972 the fashion the whole 70’s atmosphere and the economy doing better than the crap we have today. A bit of a hippy look and bringing a lovely Japanese lady (or maybe two) and just enjoying the best thing there is in life: youth…
Great video! The Shapiro guy, is he half Japanese? He had the Eurasian look.
Really congrats on this video and thank you. Really great work!
I would have loved to see this building when it opened in the 70’s… those were the days!!!!
Preserve these jewels of the past for future generations, don’t lose your soul to progress!!!!!

OMG!
9M squared....THAT'S 81 square meters. That's hoooooge for a tiny room.

Cant believe Too Much Volcano is such a massive hit that when Chris turned on the radio, TMV was blasting on radio!

Maybe you should go and take one last video or photos before its gone. (April 12th according to Japantimes) I only ever saw it from a distance.(

Japan is not anymore what it used to be and what people might think it still is. High rate of unemployment, still crowded but mostly by old people. Young are going lazy and crazy. People become aggressive to each other. Crime is higher than ever before. Hygiene level is quite low, especially in restaurants. The "good" Japan ended in '90s.

ah yes let's interview this rich white real estate agent about the issue of gentrification in Tokyo

This building has always intrigued me. I find it both sad and frustrating that Japan, like so many other countries around the world, is abandoning it's heritage and distinctive architecture and replacing it with non-descript dull grey prison looking buildings. I have always loved the unique beauty of Asian design. It's a shame to see it being lost to the totalitarian/industrial-inspired buildings of today.

Sad to see so many interesting looking buildings get torn down and replaced with generic towers

I hope that when this building eventually comes down, a capsule or two is saved. Especially that original 70s capsule, it is such a good visual of the time period

As an architecture student, I appreciate you making a video about this fascinating building. It was a big culture shock for me when I realized that historic preservation and adaptive reuse are not as commonly practiced in Japan as they are in Europe or even the U.S. It was tragic how they demolished Harajuku station, which survived the Great Kanto Earthquake and WWII bombing only to be torn down for expediency's sake. There is, however, a longstanding ethos in Japan that stresses impermanence and continual renewal, epitomized by the shrine at Ise that's torn down and rebuilt every 20 years, that is very much antithetical to the western impulse to preserve everything in perpetuity. The metabolist movement was very much in line with that ethos and was very influential globally. We tend not to think of houses as being disposable, but then nowadays more and more things are being designed to be replaced periodically, such as cell phones. With the Nakagin Capsule Tower the idea is that the structural core containing the stairwell would serve as a more permanent 'megastructure' while the capsules are replaced more frequently. Maybe if there had been more towers like it built it would've been economically feasible to manufacture capsules from an economy of scale perspective. The modular prefabricated home is still very much alive and Muji even sells their own minimalist versions, just without the fixed megastructure core. The capsules themselves are not what is architecturally significant about the Nakagin Capsule Tower. It's the whole system.

i love the concept, with a few tweaks i could see this idea working in the future again, for example with easier removable/swappable capsules.
it's a great idea for every crowded region worldwide.

I can't explain how incredible these videos are! They're educational, the guests are awesome, the filmaking, editing, and the humor is absolutely incredible. Let's get Chris to 3 million subs!

the inside really does look futuristic, it's like the inside of a spaceship cabin

I feel like these would be amazing dorm rooms. I know I would have given just about anything to have no had roommates and to have had my own private bathroom when I was in college. It will be a shame to see this neat building go.

I've seen this building so often in shots of Tokyo, and it's great to finally see what it's like from the inside. Definitely one of my favourite Abroad in Japan episodes so far, and I hope they're able to preserve some of that history.

The quality of production on this (and basically every other one you put out) is just insane. I honestly feel this is one of the best channels on TheXvid. And I watch more TheXvid than I care to admit.

I'd love to have my own Capsule to live in, it is such a cool idea, they should build a new one with more forward thinking, keeping in mind the miss steps they previously made.

It’s so unfortunate that such an innovative style of building was thrown aside over the years. I’m happy to hear that there is a crowd funding movement to immortalize some of these capsules as potential pieces of history.

I've seen pictures of that building many times and didn't realize that there was only one like it. It is a shame that the idea didn't catch on more. In the last decade shipping containers became pretty popular for a similar style of construction, so you can tell the idea still has some popularity. I think a modular individual unit design like that would work well for cities in the US where low income housing is hard to find. Individual modules should be pretty cheap to mass produce. Just need to set them up in some sort of super structure with the utility hookups and you're good to go. Too bad our building codes are so strict in most places. It would be a lot better to have people watching TV all day in their own low cost capsule apartment than homeless and wandering around the street, like we are increasingly seeing in the US right now.

I think if they refined its design a little, I could see similar apartments taking off in the US. There's a ton of people who like tiny homes, and this gives access to the same idea for inner city living. Removable capsules are a cool idea, but would need better implementation without too much expense.

“jenga with washing machines” thats literally my first thought

As capsules seems to be modular, one could install different things in them, and allow someone to "own" multiple modules. The only flaw of this is really they should have been made it easy to replace them, somewhat more easily.

As a foreign tourist travelling alone, this could be a perfect substitute for a capsule hotel. I'd love to stay in such place. Too bad they won't preserve it, nor recreate it with eliminating the flaws of it's predecessor. It's a shame that new generations won't ever see buildings like this with their own eyes anymore.

That man is a Japanese national treasure caring so much about the future of the building like that. Great video.

As someone raised by hoarders and having her own hoarding issues, the idea of owning one of these as a second residence is appealing: a little getaway from the things that own you. I don't think living there 24/7 for weeks at a time would be nice, but could be a great way for people to reset, sort of like a depravation tank. I imagine it would be very peaceful.

This video really makes me grateful that I was able to visit both the old Sega building and the old Harajuku station. Admittedly, the old Harajuku station was a foot traffic nightmare (every time I went there it was extremely crowded) and the new one does a lot to open it up and make it accessible - but I wish they would have kept the old “house” bit at least at that one entrance! I unfortunately did not get to visit the beautiful Nakagin building (half of my year living there was the very first lockdown, so many of my plans for visiting things were out the window) so I’m really glad this video exists. I hope desperately that I can return to Japan before its demolition but if I can’t, I can always watch this video to appreciate its beauty. :)

Such an interesting concept! I've never heard of it. I would think, that with modern technology, it's possible to rebuild it where the capsules can all be removed and replaced without disturbing any of the others. There could be single capsule units and multi-capsule units for varying household sizes. As couples become empty-nesters they could sell off one of their capsules without having to move. I wish the new property owners would give that a try!

I just like to think that we wouldn’t have these in-depth looks at these places without Chris. Thanks for showing some of these hidden gems. (Not so hidden in this case but you get what I mean)

This building when and why it was built was brilliant and ahead of it’s time I think,a historical site as well land mark that should be allowed to stay and preserved, with today’s building improvements and current technologies available this type of building and as housing units could be the answer…great video and topic, thanks for sharing take care everyone….

Fascinating! While the building might be gone in the next years, at least you fulfilled your dream and captured it on video forever. 😊

I can definitely see these capsules finding homes at Architecture and Design schools, maybe in the homes few eccentric millionaires. I'd love for one of these to end up the Japanese country side.

The design is actually pretty interesting.
It would be sad to see this type of building go.
Due to the focus of small spaces in Japan, especially Tokyo, there could be a future for modular buildings like this.
If you had a better mounting system that allowed capsules to be individually installed and removed, and updated materials, the applications could be pretty flexible.
Also if they had multiple locations across the country, you could literally move the entire capsule between cities.
It sounds a bit crazy taking a mini building wherever you go, but maybe some people would like that over packing everything up.

Whenever the tower does come down. I hope they manage to keep the original capsule intake. It'd be cool to have in a museum.

That was really cool to see. I don't know if I could live in a tiny space like that without loosing my mind.
But what I really like to know is how much it would cost to live there. Like do you have rent or do you buy a capsule?

Fantastic video! Loved the intact module. The interior was so nostalgic for me. It makes me sad that no one saw Kurokawa's vision through and updated or replaced the modules over time. Wonder how it would look if that had happened, especially merging capsules for families. I'm glad to hear some of the capsules will be preserved. Hope I can visit one when that happens. Had a good chuckle about the reel to reel - - I took my parents' reel to reel to college with me oh so long ago.

It does look very rundown. Could they have worked in a REQUIRED cleaning period into the deeds for every individual buyer? That seems like a major oversight. There could be any number of reasons a capsule needs to be removed. Having their hands so firmly tied has lead to ruin. Capsule owners won’t have anything left to own.

It's too bad classic architecture is such a rare thing and tends to focus on those stupid mega sky scrapers rather than normal towers like this.
With a new capsules tower I would have them big enough for a small kitchen and have proper air circulation.

I'm so glad you were able to capture the inside on video! I've always loved this building. Ironically this is a great representation of the dystopian cyberpunk future. A failed system that has become dilapidated and rundown.
How do I get my hands on a capsule?

Bloody hell, that stereo system is older than I am!

This building is immortalized in Transport Tycoon.

Chris stressing about how tiny the rooms are but they're about the size of my own bedroom i've lived in for the past few months lmao

The owner is very kind

Looks like space and interior of Ibis hotel..lmao..

So much housing and it’s never affordable 😔

Not sure if the building or capsules need to be saved. I quite like the future rendition of the skyline where there were multiple of these buildings. As such, as long as the idea is there it shall persist. Amazing artistry or architecture this is not. Cool, yes, heritage? not so much.

washer machine building!

I remember this one from Transport Tycoon. There was a tall building modeled after this one in it that grew in successful cities. Thanks for showing off the original. :)

me to my boyfriend: 9:18

the roundness of the entrance and especially the way you have to step over a thing to get into the bathroom feels very nautical

Such an interesting watch. I loved the lego replica haha.

A cruise cabin without fresh air.

I wonder why they didnt just turn it into a hotel. Someones apartment you cant really disrupt to move a cube, but a hotel room you could. Im sure there are a lot of tourists who would love to stay in a cube.

is trypophobia nightmare

The third capsule looks like it would be a fun place to stay for a few days, if it wasn't for the damp and general dilapidation of the inter-capsule space. Unfortunately the building is suffering the fate of almost all the 60s/70s concrete blocks that didn't allocate any money for continuing maintenance; streaks of discolouration everywhere, leaks, concrete cracking and crumbling off the rebar, etc. Given all of that, plus the fact that the exterior is extremely ugly (the video's description of it as a stack of washing machines is accurate ), I think the best solution is to dismantle it before it falls down. Keep some of the capsules certainly - there are all sorts of interesting things you could do with them - but the building itself is clearly doomed.

Maybe this video will help it.

Whats up with that face in the window @3:51

I can’t believe I lived my life without this channel until about a week ago. I’ve binged watched the content ever since, and I’m absolutely OBSESSED!
I think this might be the very best travel channel that has ever existed- it has such a great balance of history, culture, travel tips, human interest, and comedy. I’ve never felt compelled to donate via Patreon to any channel until this one, but now I’m a member. Please always keep the amazing content coming, I will watch every single video you ever make!

I mean, once you go inside the building it becomes quite obvious why it has to be torn down. But from outside it looks interesting, in its own depressive way like all modern architecture.

Why is it, whenever I watch Chris channel, my vocabulary always get added with new words I've never heard before

Too much volcano now is on top of the chart!

That is one ugly ass building!!

This has piqued my interest 🤔🤔🤔

These remind me of the container rooms we have in the Netherlands.
(Don't know if those are anywhere else)
Those are a bit bigger with a kitchen area and bathroom

Honestly those capsules were way bigger than I thought they would be. I though it was a 3 square meter room.

Interesting though it is, that is one ugly building. It looks like some kind of horrible skin disease.

The fact that you can’t open the windows would be a dealbreaker for me. The air would get too stale.

They were really thinking there would've been generations of yuppies just sleeping and washing in those capsules, the rest being just living between office and restaurants / clubs.

whaaaattttr, the changed Harajuku Station 😳😳😳😳😳 my god, I totally didn't expect THIS when I started watching the video 🥺🥺

Awersome video

The bathtub is so small! How does someone fit in there and take a bath?

As an Architectural Designer, I just wanted to say thank you for this amazing walk through of such an important Japanese building, and especially for sharing some of the history behind the Metabolist movement. It’s cool that you mentioned earlier precedents of the movement and brought knowledge of such an influential building to your wider audience. If any one is interested in other metabolist works please look in to other designs of the architects discussed in the video!

Thanks for the great content.

That odea to make a capsule village somewhere will be so cool. That would be a nice continuation, the capsules' afterlife.

I wonder which capsule would have best suited Joe Thomas

You could always move them to a different city or town, at least some of them

“Jenga with washing machines” is brilliant! What a great turn of phrase Chris has.
Just one of the many great reasons to watch this channel.

Reminds me of ready player one

Just old plastic disgusting small rooms, windows dont fuckin open, holy Christ is this an apartment or a torture?
Just watching this I get anxious.

they should renobate it and turn it into a hotel for tourists

thats the ugliest building ever

This Alex guy is actually pretty cool, Id like to see more of these japanese peculiar architectures with the two of you

This isn't actual living,, ITS DORMITORY!

asbestos was all I needed to hear

more countries should have their own Little Boy and Fat Man, the glow up afterwards is worth it imo

I think that they should build a similar building but include a mechanical system that moves the capsules .

I'd like to imagine a future where there's lots of capsule towers and when you move you can take your capsule with you and slot it into a different tower

You know, it'd be it sort of cool if the building it was replaced with was a hotel that maintained the same sort of look on the outside. Hotel rooms generally don't need to be that big, and you could maintain the outside look while having the actual room be two capsules worth of space. It could even have a few special rooms that are modeled on the capsules, size and all, to preserve the heritage even more.

I'm glad that Natsuki made it to the airwaves with his breakout hit, "Too Much Volcano". Priceless...

Very interesting. I would love to see this before they take it apart. Love the design. Could rebuild a new one but have three or four capsules together. There could be one for the living room, one for kitchen, one for bedroom, one for bathroom.

As someone whose dream of inheriting my grandparent’s house, which is stuffed full of asbestos, was crushed, I can say with confidence that anything even remotely near an asbestos-containing material layer should not be used as housing or living space. It’s a one-way trip to awful acute oesophagus inflammation and lung cancer.

i always get so excited when you upload xD