Taking the stairs can sometimes feel like a chore. But that’s nothing for this Japanese couple, who navigate their four-story home by ladder.

House T by Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects – also dubbed the “Ninja House” – has no interior walls, hardly any floor space, and only a few wooden ladders to maneuver between its levels.

Take a look below at the radical design.


House T is tucked between two other townhomes in Tokyo. On the outside, it looks like a normal home.

Foto: source Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

It was completed in 2013.


But on the inside, there are gaping holes in the floors and walls.

Foto: source Hiroyasu Sakaguchi

On the first level, there’s an office and living room. Wooden stairs that double as a bookcase lead to the second floor, which requires a bit of a jump.

Foto: source Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

The couple travel between the levels by ladder.

Foto: source Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

The second floor is divided into four different spaces. Plants dangle from the upper levels, and couches, tables, and rugs sit on the home’s slender floor space.

Foto: source Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

“This house has flexibility, so that its residents can change the layout to fit their way of life,” lead designer Hiroyuki Shinozaki tells Business Insider.

Foto: source Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

Although the house is only 750 square feet, its wall-less design opens up and brings new life to the space, Shinozaki says.

Foto: source Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

Ladders lead to the other levels, which feature a kitchen, bedroom, dining area, and second living space.

Foto: source tk

Hanging lights — and natural light from the cavernous design — illuminate the house.

Foto: source Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

At the top, there’s an attic and space for storage. The final ladder leads up to a terrace on the roof.

Foto: source Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

In 2013, the couple who commissioned the home told CNN they call it the Ninja because they need to be extremely nimble to move from one room to another.

Foto: source Hiroyuki Shinozaki Architects

Source: CNN


"We feel we're getting in better shape these days," said resident Hanae Terado. "We never fall."

Foto: source Hiroyasu Sakaguchi

Source: CNN