17 Stunning Japanese Style Tiny House Inspirations

Want more design inspiration from Japan? 

Discover the world of Japanese-style tine house Inspirations!

Tiny homes have taken the wold in storm. 

And which country to better provide countless inspirations than the originator of micro home floor plan and single-sized appliances?

From stunning exterior features to tranquil and functional interior spaces - what's not to love about a Japanese-inspired tiny home?

They promote tranquility and serenity in small square meters/square feet. 

After all, it's all about a smart floor plan. 

And a new tiny house gives you the freedom to plan everything through from the start.

Let's check out some Japanese style tiny house inspirations to realize your dream tiny living!

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Check out these blog posts on Japandi-Modern Japanese Home Decor Ideas, Japanese Home Decor Ideas, 117 Awesome Japandi Bedroom Style Ideas, Top 13 Japanese Themed Kitchen Design Ideas, and How To Make Your Home Smell Good: 17 Amazing Ways From Japan.

Join us in this bewitching journey as we unveil the magical realm of Japanese tiny houses and ask you to fall under the spell of their spellbinding charm!

Understanding the Japanese Aesthetic

The Influential Wabi-Sabi Philosophy

The quintessentially Japanese ideal of wabi-sabi (わびさび) embraces the art of a simple home with just enough room for your needs.

It finds beauty in imperfection and from being well-used and well-loved. 

When wabi-sabi (わびさび) champions the small house, which it often does, it's because it wants you to be more conscious of your floor space, only taking the resources (and space) you need. And loving pre-owned items. Giving everything a second chance.

It is the philosophy of constant re-birth and improvement.

Minimalism and Its Japanese Origins

Now ubiquitous, the minimalist style draws directly from Japanese culture. 

The style you see everywhere in the world today is, if you want to be accurate, very poor, because it is a prevarication of a Japanese philosophy of life.

As there is not much space in the middle of Tokyo and a plot of land can be quite expensive, Japanese have perfected making a beautiful home in the smallest of spaces.

To Americans, who are used to high ceilings and a large family home, minimalist lives of others can seem like something unachievable.

Tiny house photos such as the one of "house tokyo" dare us to dream of a minimalist two-story house with just enough space.

Features of a Japanese Style Tiny House

Clever Use of Space: The Ma Concept

In Japan, the term "Ma" (ま) is associated with the wise use of space and particularly the space between objects. 

It is not just about the spatial dimension, however, but the temporal one as well. 

Allowances for intermediate spaces in the flow of time are part of life in Japan and are a concept that is also found in Japanese homes. 

These spaces range from the simple gaps between structural objects to the masterly improvised use of the low spaces under furniture. 

The core concept is that by using space wisely, one can use space as a life-sustaining non-instrument and way of life.

A great example is also the traditional tamami room: a place for social gatherings by day, and a bedroom by night. 

A comfortable hime doesn't need to be big.

Adopting Japanese Interior Design Elements

The introduction of Japanese design into your tiny house is not only about the pretty, but it's also (and when you look closer, you see that it's mostly) about harmony and balance. 

In the tiny houses of Japan, the present moment (and every moment) is much, much more appreciated. 

Life is less fragmented. 

More holistic. 

This mindfulness is invited into the home by the very apparent, rather austere, very MODEST use of interior (and exterior) elements.

Natural Elements: The Integration of Nature

Tiny homes draw upon the rich Japanese tradition of architecture that respects the natural world. 

Japanese architects, much more than their North American counterparts, tend to emphasize the visual delight of seamless transitions between outdoors and indoors. 

They often include stunningly large windows and sliding glass doors that serve to both blur and animate lines of demarcation. 

The visual effect makes for a pretty stunning unfurling of sight lines that run from one end of a dwelling to another.

17 Stunning Japanese Style Tiny House Inspirations

Inspiration 1: Minimalist Zen Retreat: Embrace Zen philosophy with a simple, tranquil design.

Imagine a setting where every particular expression fosters reflection and serenity of mind. 

This is what a Zen Retreat bestows. 

Austere rooms.

Multi-purpose spaces that transform many times a day.

Indoor-outdoor connections.

Light and dark in constant harmony - plays of light and shadow.

Simple yet high-quality materials, starting with the wooden structure of the house, rooms, furniture.

Traditional Japanese aesthetics next to modern technology.

Never overloaded.

Enough emptiness, space, to define the few things within.

The use of natural light to create a contemplative environment and leave plenty of space to let energy move around.

This refuge thrives on pure simplicity, a condition that draws attention in virtually unmediated fashion to the truly important parts of life.

Inspiration 2: Modern-Rustic Fusion: Blend contemporary elements with traditional Japanese rustic aesthetics.

The Fusion of Modern and Rustic in a Tiny House

How do you make a tiny house into a home? 

Japanese wabi-sabi can help you achieve this:

Stone floors and wooden furniture, natural materials in your living room and bedroom, pottery and ceramics in your kitchen.

Colors in natural tones of browns and beiges, warm wooden bamboo lights, with some plants for lively green.

Inspiration 3: Compact Tea House: Create a tiny version of a traditional Japanese tea house.

A compact chashitsu is a tiny refuge that lets you escape into a pure, make-believe world—the chashitsu is surrounded by a path and a little garden. 

Unlike the rest of a house, this half- and fully open-air space is an "in-between" world, mediating between the artificial and the natural.

This place is a haven reserved for reflection, for welcoming others and, yes, for sipping tea. 

Instead of vastness, it’s about intimacy. Stillness is required.

Bamboo and wooden components are standard, as are wattle and daub walls, sunken hearths, and hanging kettles. 

You may want to green stain main structural components, especially the bamboo, and fit everything together without nails, using traditional Japanese woodworking techniques. 

In traditional Japanese architecture, a tokonoma is an alcove in a domestic interior. 

It allows for the display of a work of art, such as a hanging scroll, a bonsai, or a landscape painting. 

The distance to the room's floor is about twice the height of the baseboard. 

Thus, the word tokonoma may be literally translated as "the place above the main floor," or more freely, "the higher nook where one waits."

The room can be divided in a very comfortable way through the use of sliding doors and fusuma panels.

Not just a residence, this small tea house is a true sanctuary. 

Here, each sip of tea and each passing moment is a celebration, a beautiful exercise in mindfulness—a chance to observe and pay respect to the "way of tea."

Inspiration 4: Natural Wood Accents: Incorporate natural wood throughout for a warm, organic feel.

If your tiny house needs a little warming up, try using natural wood.

Straight from the outdoors and into your home, natural wood makes any small space feel open, fresh, and, well, natural. 

And tiny houses are no exception. 

Wood is a nearly miraculous building material. 

It's strong but flexible and lightweight, and it comes in so many different forms and can be used in so many different ways. 

You can even use multiple types of wood in one space; if you stick to a similar color and finish, you won’t upset the "My Tiny House Is Not Actually a Jumbled Mess" vibe.

Inspiration 5: Garden Integration: Design the house to seamlessly connect with a Japanese-style garden.

Building a garden into your tiny house design isn't simply about incorporating greenery; it's about generating a seamless blend from the indoor space to the outdoor area. 

Imagine when the living area leads straight into a garden filled with tranquility—a garden modeled after a classic Japanese style, with stone walking paths, a koi pond, and tiny bonsai trees. 

Even without going outside, tiny house dwellers have the garden experience because it feels like an extension of the living room. 

For those aiming for tranquility, a Zen garden brings that concept to the entire space. 

Inspiration 6: Shoji Screen Partitions: Use shoji screens for light, airy room dividers.

Shoji screens are a staple in Japanese design. 

They are lauded for their delicate and airy structure, the way light passes through and filters downward. 

Their design seems to defy gravity, allowing the screens to stand on their own. 

The construction of a Shoji screen is straightforward—... a small table saw is used to cut thin pieces of wood, which are then fitted with paper and turn into "doors." Very cool.

At the same time that they allow light to come in, these screens give the indoor space a kind of privacy. 

There are two kinds of shoji screens: sliding and folding. 

The overall purpose is still the same: to open up or to divide areas. 

The differences in the structures between the two are slight. 

A sliding shoji can be thought of as a kind of bin on a rail—except that the “bin” is actually a shoji screen itself.

And that is another interesting thing about them: the shoji screen is both a kind of thing and a kind of structure.

They bring a touch of traditional Japanese style to the interiors. 

With one on either side of a bed, for example, it is an easy way to claim a sleeping area in an open floor plan. 

Inspiration 7: Tatami Mat Flooring: Install traditional tatami mats for authenticity and comfort.

One of the trademarks of a traditional Japanese dwelling is the tatami mat, and incorporating it into a tiny house's design is a surefire way to infuse the house with Japanese charm. 

On that note, if you install tatami in your tiny house, expect to remove your shoes before entering and to not wear them in the 'tatami room'—it's considered quite rude and uncouth to do otherwise!

When installing tatami mats, consider their size and layout. 

In the traditional Japanese house, the room itself was often "built to tatami," and thus the mats served as a kind of dimensional lumber for sake of design and arrangement.

Moreover, these mats can perform a dual function, serving both to keep the floor warm in winter and cool in summer.

The colors of tatami are very down-to-earth. 

They go excellently with the wooden tones of the living area and the soft hues of the surrounding space. 

The common living area and the space around it seem to take on a more peaceful appearance when the down-to-earth colors of the tatami mats are in place.

Inspiration 8: Minimal Decor with Artistic Flair: Keep decor minimal, with select artistic pieces for focal points.

Embrace minimalism in your decor and add an appealing twist — few statement focal points. 

Human eyes naturally gravitate toward a few particular objects of the sparsely spaced, unfussy environment. 

You increase the chances of this happening when you place a few strategic pieces with "Aha!" factor. 

You're focusing on the act of curating, not amassing, in this new environment. 

Inspiration 9: Bonsai Display: Dedicate a space for displaying bonsai trees.

The ancient Japanese art of growing miniature trees, known as bonsai, can bring a unique and beautiful art form to any small home. 

Cultivating a space for a bonsai tree in a home provides not only an aesthetic of peace and patience:

It's also an element of nature where the human hand co-creates a stunning piece of plant-art.

Each time you look at a Bonsai tree, you may feel like having visually meditated.

Inspiration 10: Sliding Doors for Space Efficiency: Use sliding doors to save space and add an authentic touch.

Fusuma, or sliding paper doors, are a practical and chic solution to the problem of tiny homes. 

Regular hinged doors need about three feet of clearance to swing from the open to the closed position, and vice versa.

By comparison, doors that open by sliding have no such requirement—those three feet of valuable space can be preserved. 

Unlike hinged doors, sliding doors do not need a radius. 

This alone increases the space of a room by about 5%. 

For a tiny house, every space and fraction of an inch makes a big difference.

Inspiration 11: Onsen-style Bathroom: Create a serene bathroom space inspired by Japanese hot springs.

Your small house is about to become an intimate inn. 

Imagine this:

The onsen bath you've installed there has converted your daily routine into a tranquil retreat. 

Your bathroom is your tiny home's most impressive feature. 

It's a nice blend of the traditional and the modern, a really laid-back space with a clear emphasis on natural components. 

Those components—which range from stones, wood, pebbled surfaces to the extremely popular sliding doors—remind one of the ancient onsen of Shikoku.

Use a stone-peppled floor. wooden walls, maybe a wooden box-shaped bath with high walls - it works wonderfully with tiny floorplans, and brings the Japan onsen feeling into your home.

Inspiration 12: Built-in Storage Solutions: Optimize space with clever, integrated storage.

Optimized storage is what really allows the modern Japanese tiny house to fit an entire home into a small space. 

When everything has its storage space and "its place," opened up and neatened; clean and uncluttered; folded away or stacked up; hidden by a panel or by-way-of-some-snugly-fitted stowage cubbies; you have the look and feel of a tranquil, timeless haven. 

Inspiration 13: Koi Pond View: Orient windows or a terrace to overlook a koi pond.

Enjoy the tranquility and peace one can experience from a koi pond placed in the heart of a tiny house. 

Whether it's a window set to look down upon the pond from indoors, or a terrace built for vantage points of the water—at any angle—you are set up for success in seeing the calming koi within. 

Some might even position 4 shipping containers in a square forming an inner courtyard. This courtyard can codtain a tiny personal secret garden and koi (or other fish) pond.

Inspiration 14: Compact Zen Kitchen: Design a functional, Zen-inspired kitchen area.

The Compact Zen Kitchen brings together pragmatism and the serene tenets of Zen, creating useful spaces that double as spiritual retreats.

This kitchen moves towards ultimate simplicity. 

You should use handleless cabinets that maintain a neat front and hold together a smooth, linear design. 

These kitchens exist in an enviable state of unfussiness, making these statement spaces exactly as cool as they are meant to be.

The space uses natural, mostly unfussy materials—sycamore, at times, with a stone finish; ash left very natural; countertops, some in simple stainless steel, some expressed through the natural grain of the countertop. 

In some kitchens, the design plays up nature’s unfussiness; in others, the look of the design plays with available light.

Read more about how to style your kitchen here: Top 13 Japanese Themed Kitchen Design Ideas

Inspiration 15: Roof-Top Garden Terrace: Utilize roof space for a green, relaxing terrace.

From the living room to the eaves, chances for a top-to-bottom refuge engulf the tiny house. 

Use that opportunity to give your little home the big utilities of life.

Not adding any space to your land usage but adding living space, rooftop gardens are instant rooms with bonus views. 

Inspiration 16: Engawa-Inspired Porch: Include an engawa, or edge-running porch, for indoor-outdoor living.

The engawa, a classic Japanese veranda, is an elegant mediator between the interior and the world of nature outside. 

In a little house, an engawa-styled porch will elegantly expand your space. 

When designing your engawa, think of sliding doors that can give way to the outside entirely, and thus remove the intermediate between the inside and the outside.

Provide it with low seating or a futon for relaxing.

Inspiration 17: Fusuma-Inspired Wall Art: Use fusuma (sliding panels) as decorative elements or for subtle wall art.

A small house in Japan can be divided into several sections. 

They can be divided by what are called fusuma -- traditional sliding panels that are also practical. 

You can purchase these panels and use them as movable pieces of wall art. 

You can even build coffee tables with them. 

You can even make doors out of them ... top doors, bottom doors, side doors ... any kind of door you can think of, the fusuma will look good as those kinds of doors. 

And then you can also turn these panels into ... shall we call them ... dividers. 

Dividers that are, unlike doors, open when you want them to be open and ... well ... when you want them to divide, they can slide closed and be a private, intimate space.

Technology Advancements in Tiny Living Spaces

An upswing in demand for small homes is pushing some positive, tech-savvy changes.

They’re smart (in both the Einstein and the iPhone sense); 

• Smart Home Systems: Devices like Amazon Echo or Google Home can control lighting, temperature, and security systems with voice commands, enhancing convenience and safety
• Energy-Efficient Appliances: Compact, energy-efficient appliances such as combination washer-dryers, induction cooktops, and mini-split HVAC systems ensure that your tiny home stays functional without consuming too much power
• Solar Power Systems: Installing solar panels can help you harness renewable energy, making your tiny house more sustainable and reducing utility costs [1].
• Multi-functional Furniture: Innovative furniture that serves multiple purposes, like sofa beds and expandable dining tables, can save space and increase the versatility of your living area
• Portable Projectors and Smart TVs: For entertainment, a portable projector or a smart TV can provide a cinema-like experience without taking up much space. Streaming devices like Roku or Chromecast can add even more functionality
• Advanced Insulation Materials: Modern insulation materials, such as spray foam or insulated panels, help maintain a comfortable indoor temperature year-round, enhancing comfort and reducing energy consumption

Sustainability Practices in Japanese Style Tiny Houses

The Japanese have a high regard for nature, and in their well-known work ethic, they apply the same demanding standards to their responsibilities to the Earth and the environment.

Consequently, it's not surprising that Japanese-style tiny homes also embrace the combination of traditional with current, green-friendly techniques.

Renewable local materials like bamboo and cedar are used in construction, lessening the environmental impact and boosting the local economy.

Most small houses in Japan also embrace the concept of passive solar design. 

It allows the sun to serve as a natural space heater in the winter—what I like to call a "solar pays-you-back scheme"—while in the summer, the house prevents the sun from infiltrating the interior to any great extent, like a "natural air conditioner." 

And, of course, all of this happens without using any electricity, gas, or oil from the CO2-emissions-belching utilities.

In addition, the very diminutiveness of the tiny houses means that they require less energy to heat and cool, which makes for a smaller carbon footprint.

How You Decorate With Japanese Style Tiny House Inspirations

Creating the perfect Japanese-inspired tiny house is a matter of identifying with certain parts of the design.

Is it the austere aesthetic, the bond with the natural world, or the superior use of tight spaces that you appreciate?

Once you've figured out what you need, look into a few contractors who are known for building in the Japanese style. 

Also start pinning your favorite designs on your Pinterest boards, and start sourcing your favorite style and design items from places such as Amazon.

With a bit of work, your Japanese Style Tiny House Inspirations will come to life!