Thin House, Japan

Lighting equipment, like heaters, is normally the provenance of the occupant. Many homes do not include lights in the living, dining, and bedrooms. Instead, they have receptacles that provide both electrical connection and mechanical support for lighting equipment. There are four common types of ceiling connectors and these will generally also support the weight of the light fitting. Kitchens, bathrooms, corridors and genkan are likely to have built-in ceiling fixtures.
• Security
The "interphone", or intercom, is a common sight in Japanese homes. It provides telephone-like connection between the interior and exterior. The doorbell is frequently part of the interphone, and when it rings, the occupant can pick up a handset to talk with the visitor before opening the door. Models with video cameras are available, but a peephole in the door is sufficient for most homes.
In Japan the usual custom is for visitors to wait at the gate of the house before entering, and thus in houses the interphone speaker is placed at the gate of the house rather than directly before the front door. Nowadays there is very often an electrical lock on the gate which can be controlled from inside by the home owner, and camera equipped interphones are also common. These things are more common in the newer apartments and not so much as with the older ones.