]During  recent Japan Study Tour I had the opportunity to visit a pavilion featuring a Toyota show home.

For those of you that don’t know, Toyota also build modular homes and have done for many years.

I had heard tales that they utilised automotive methods and in some case components, so my imagination had run away with me a little.

I think I was expecting electric windows, a sliding sun roof and maybe central locking? I was happily incorrect and in fact their stylish homes would be a great addition to any suburban street

These homes are built as pre assembled kits and modularised, and the automotive link comes from the manufacturing methods and the structure is of earthquake resistant welded steel frame. Typically Japanese houses, similar to here in NZ are of a time frame, so this is a different paradigm and a higher price tag too.

In the show home, parts of the floor and wall were revealed so the metal exoskeleton and fine workmanship of the welder could be see by all.

I must admit, I’m interested in how these might be something that I’d buy, but I suspect shipping it over from Japan, might be prohibitive…they’re pretty cool in my books…