I visited the infamous Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo, Japan.

The Nakagin Capsule Tower is a residential and office building designed by Kisho Kurosawa and built in 1972. It is an example of the architectural movement of post-war Japanese Metabolism.

It is a very controversial building. It is located close to the high-end shopping district of Ginza in Tokyo, Japan, and has been threatened with demolition and redevelopment multiple times.

The view of the Nakagin Capsule Tower. Each capsule (the box) is an individual unit. It is a very unique architectural style that resembles a stack of blocks resting on each other.

It is a private building and was only accessed through permission of an owner. It is remarkable how people still live there. There is no air conditioning, no heat, and many units do not even have adequate plumbing.

The view of one unit from the front door. What you see is the size of the entire unit, with a bathroom off to the right. Each capsule consists of a small open space with a circular window.

The first thing I noticed when I entered was how small the living space was, and how much the design and motif reminded me of neo-futurism or dystopian science fiction.

The only appliances in the unit, situated near the large circular window.

The decor was kept from the 1970s with an antique music player, a phone, and television. There were drawers to keep belongings.

The view of the bathroom. Inside is a sink, toilet, and bathtub.

The entire bathroom was the size of a small shower. The designer of the Nakagin supposedly took inspiration from nautical themes. That explains why the door looks like it is from a submarine.

It was incredible to see that people still occupied this building. It is a piece of Japanese architectural history, and unfortunately, a rare surviving example of the Japanese Metabolism movement.