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In Big Cities, Peace and Quiet Is Becoming a Perk Worth Paying For

As the world grows noisier, soundproof apartments, noise-canceling fabrics and “no-talking” hair salons are cropping up for people who like to keep things quiet. 

 

Illustration: Isabella Cotier for Bloomberg
 

If Yu Kusuda hadn’t met his neighbors, he might not know they were there. The 71-year-old singer-songwriter, who also works as a human resources consultant, lives in a 26-square-meter (283-square-foot) apartment in Tokyo, marketed by its developer Livlan as soundproof. For five years, Kusuda has been hosting online seminars at home, blasting movies at full volume, and playing electric guitar. No one complains, and neither does he.

“I have never heard any sound from my neighbors,” Kusuda says.