Muji's Keeping Housing Simple
Muji, formally known as Mujirushi Ryouhin, which translates as “no-logo goods” in English, is a chain of retail stores in Japan which sells everything from stationery to furniture, with a focus on sleek design and minimal fuss. Now it turns to providing a roof over your head using minimalistic design.
The Muji Hut is initially being made available in conjunction with Japanese company WOULD, which has repurposed a section of land on the site of the old Nagao Elementary School in Chiba Prefecture, which closed down in 2011. The school’s main building has been remodeled to become a multipurpose complex called the Shirahama School House, complete with guestrooms, shower rooms, a shared kitchen, and even a café.
The land around the Shirahama school building has been sectioned off for the Muji Hut project, so that each tiny home will come complete with a vegetable garden.
Residents will be able to use all the facilities at the main school building, which is a perfect fit for this particular Muji Hut design, as it doesn’t come with any plumbing or water main connection.
The Muji Hut itself is a compact 9 square meters (97 square feet) in size, and can be used as a holiday home or an everyday villa, provided you have facilities nearby. In Japan, public baths, laundromats, and 24-hour convenience stores with public toilets can be found even in remote parts of the country, so living full-time in a small hut like this without a kitchen or bathroom is something that isn’t out of reach.