Meaning of Japanese Apartment Layout Abbreviation

Have you ever been confused with the description of Japanese Apartment Layouts such as 1DK and 2LDK?

Japan has unique descriptions of room layout different from other countries. Please check it carefully before looking for your house.

Meaning of R, L, D and K

R（Room）

This term refers to a private room, and is generally omitted in all but 1R room layouts.

L（Living）

This space is expected to be a relaxing space with a sofa, low table, and TV.

D（Dining）

Dining is a space to have a meal with a table and chairs .

K（Kitchen）

This space is for cooking.

The following picture is an example of a 1LDK apartment.

Here is an example of a 3DK apartment.

There are 3 bedrooms and no living room.

S is for Service Room, RF is for Loft

S（Service Room）

A service room is a room that is not considered a living room by law due to restrictions on lighting and ventilation. It is mainly used for storage.

RF（Roof Floor）

A loft is a storage space in a shed. Like a service room, it is a space that is not legally considered a living room. Generally, you go up and down with an unfixed ladder. A lofted room is often designed with a high ceiling.

What are the differences between 1R and 1K？

The facilities are almost the same. The way to distinguish 1K from 1R is whether it has the door between bedroom and kitchen.

What are the differences between DK and LDK？

The answer is the size of the area. When indicating DK or LDK in real estate information, the approximate size of the area is defined.

If the number of rooms is one…

・DK：4.5-tatami mat size（6.12ｍ2）〜

・LDK：8-tatami mat size（12.96ｍ2）〜

If the number of rooms is two…

・DK：6-tatami mat size（9.72ｍ2）〜

・LDK：10-tatami mat size（16.20ｍ2）〜

Thank you for reading the entire article. We hope you can find a great room which suits your needs. 

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