Are there any good books on the Japanese way of making the most
efficient use of interior (small) spaces? When I was in Japan a few
years ago, for instance, visiting a friend teaching English, I just
loved her little "box bathtub." It was tiny, square, but allowed you
to soak up to your neck sitting in it. Great use of space. I'm
wondering if I could order something like that for my own place in the
US.

I'm looking into designing my own small, energy efficient house and
would like to get some ideas from Japanese design. Are there any
resources out there that will help? I think large American homes are
inelegant, wasteful monstrosities.


Thanks very much in advance.

 - Dana