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I also find this strange. Not only are prefab homes done everywhere else in the world, but prefab homes and single family homes in general are not that common i

I also find this strange. Not only are prefab homes done everywhere else in the world, but prefab homes and single family homes in general are not that common in Japan. If you were going to take any lessons from Japan regarding housing, wouldn't it be more along the lines of how to build high density housing cost effectively in coordination with world class public transportation infrastructure?

imwillofficial 6y ago
From a US perspective, this article was quite eye opening. I was actually walking around a prefab home lot this afternoon. They firmly occupy the poorest rung of the housing market. In Japan the cultural and build quality issues seem to have been surmounted. Very interesting.
- Spooky23 6y ago
  Not always. It’s the only way to build a nice “normal” house.
- sjg007 6y ago
  I'd buy one here. It'll take a big name developer to do it well first.
SV_BubbleTime 6y ago
Adding, I’d be a lot more impressed with the idea we should “learn lessons” from Japanese Prefab if they had even a remotely volatile climate like most of the USA does. What is the average temp swing per year in Japan? Like a 40 degree (F) swing over the year? Lol, ok, show me those amazing looking modern prefabs for places there you get 60 degree (F) swing in day and let’s see how they’re doing. Or that cool aluminum place with 2ft of snow on it. Etc. Not that we can’t learn lessons, but I think structures just need a lot less engineering in Asia compared to other places.
- Izikiel43 6y ago
  Well, it depends where in Japan you go to, like the US. Hokkaido in the north gets lots of snow, the south like Osaka and beyond gets hot in the summer.
  - emodendroket 6y ago
    I only spent a year in Hokkaido but it was a pretty hot summer when I was there... basically the weather over the course of a year wasn't that different than what I was used to in Massachusetts.
- Jtsummers 6y ago
  > I think structures just need a lot less engineering in Asia compared to other places. That's an odd assertion. Why do you think that Asia, a massive continent with literally billions of people and wildly varying climates and terrains across it, needs less engineering of structures than other places?
- Daho0n 6y ago
  I find this quite funny as from my place in the world (Scandinavia) I see US housing as exactly how you describe houses in Asia. Around here a house that isn't built with double brick walls are hard to find on the market and it is mostly sheds and garages that are built in the US wood framing/panel style. Edit to add that I'm not saying wood is bad. I love wood houses.
  - zdragnar 6y ago
    That is more an issue of cost than anything... If your choices are between building a wood framed house that you can afford and will last a hundred years or much more, versus not being able to afford to build at all... Well, you go for stick and frame. Because they are so popular, they are even less expensive- construction crews experienced in building double brick walls are scarce to non existent around here. On a final note, tornados. We get quite a few of them around here... The odds of actually being hit by one are low, and yet it does happen, and I doubt brick walls would hold up much better facing the full fury of those.

imwillofficial 6y ago

From a US perspective, this article was quite eye opening. I was actually walking around a prefab home lot this afternoon. They firmly occupy the poorest rung of the housing market. In Japan the cultural and build quality issues seem to have been surmounted. Very interesting.

Spooky23 6y ago
Not always. It’s the only way to build a nice “normal” house.
sjg007 6y ago
I'd buy one here. It'll take a big name developer to do it well first.

SV_BubbleTime 6y ago

Adding, I’d be a lot more impressed with the idea we should “learn lessons” from Japanese Prefab if they had even a remotely volatile climate like most of the USA does. What is the average temp swing per year in Japan? Like a 40 degree (F) swing over the year? Lol, ok, show me those amazing looking modern prefabs for places there you get 60 degree (F) swing in day and let’s see how they’re doing. Or that cool aluminum place with 2ft of snow on it. Etc. Not that we can’t learn lessons, but I think structures just need a lot less engineering in Asia compared to other places.

Izikiel43 6y ago
Well, it depends where in Japan you go to, like the US. Hokkaido in the north gets lots of snow, the south like Osaka and beyond gets hot in the summer.
- emodendroket 6y ago
  I only spent a year in Hokkaido but it was a pretty hot summer when I was there... basically the weather over the course of a year wasn't that different than what I was used to in Massachusetts.
Jtsummers 6y ago
> I think structures just need a lot less engineering in Asia compared to other places. That's an odd assertion. Why do you think that Asia, a massive continent with literally billions of people and wildly varying climates and terrains across it, needs less engineering of structures than other places?
Daho0n 6y ago
I find this quite funny as from my place in the world (Scandinavia) I see US housing as exactly how you describe houses in Asia. Around here a house that isn't built with double brick walls are hard to find on the market and it is mostly sheds and garages that are built in the US wood framing/panel style. Edit to add that I'm not saying wood is bad. I love wood houses.
- zdragnar 6y ago
  That is more an issue of cost than anything... If your choices are between building a wood framed house that you can afford and will last a hundred years or much more, versus not being able to afford to build at all... Well, you go for stick and frame. Because they are so popular, they are even less expensive- construction crews experienced in building double brick walls are scarce to non existent around here. On a final note, tornados. We get quite a few of them around here... The odds of actually being hit by one are low, and yet it does happen, and I doubt brick walls would hold up much better facing the full fury of those.