House in Shukugawa / FujiwaraMuro Architects

The phrase “tiny home” or “tiny lot” tends to bring to mind properties with narrow frontages. In the densely developed districts of Osaka, this type of long, narrow property is common, and houses are often built so close together a person can’t even fit between them. However, in Osaka, building coverage area (BCA) and floor-area ratio (FAR) regulations are lenient, allowing for a relatively large percentage of a given property to be built up. By contrast, in the Shukugawa district of Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture (just west of Osaka), BCA is limited to 40 percent and FAR to 100 percent; height is also restricted.