Japan’s quirky, quake-resistant dome homes prove popular

Nestled near a volcano in southern Japan, 450 quake-resistant dome houses put up by a health resort and decorated with flowers and dinosaurs are drawing visitors from across Asia.

A dozen polystyrene foam pieces, each so light that two adults can pick them up, are glued together to make the houses.

Despite the light materials, the domes withstood last year’s deadly earthquakes in Kumamoto prefecture, where Aso is located, said Masaya Konishi, manager of the Aso Farm Land resort.

“These dome rooms were completely unharmed,” Konishi said. “Not a single pane of glass broke.”

The dome houses can withstand wind and earthquakes because they have no beams that can be broken, Konishi said.