ya it's funny when you watch some videos about "small apartments" in tokyo and only to realize they are still more cheaper and spacious than some NA options in big cities.

Not in Tokyo, but farther out in Tokyo's residential cities (outside the 23 wards like Chiba and Saitama)

It's even cheaper the farther you get from train stations. There's a 30 minute walk "cliff" where residential land prices plummet when you're more than 30 minutes walk away from a train station.