Cliffhanger

It's undeniable: space in Japan, especially in built-up areas like Tokyo, is at a premium. Common features of houses in many other cities around the world, such as gardens and driveways, are literally thin on the ground. Which is a bit of a problem for anyone in possession of a large, self-propelling lump of metal-on-wheels, because if there's one thing rarer than driveways, it's on-street parking.

Consequently drivers are often forced to find creative solutions if they wish to be able to stable their gasoline steed within reasonable commuting distance of their domicile. A simple solution is to build your home on stilts, freeing up valuable real estate for the convenience of modern man's best friend, the automobile. No matter if the patch of ground you call your own is actually smaller than your treasured BMW: necessity is the mother of all inventions, especially if your plot of land happens to border on the concrete-clad banks of a river.