The walking distance from the nearest train station is a major factor when searching for an apartment or house in Japan. The closer to the station, the higher the rent. So, how much does rent change as you look at places that are 5, 10 and 15 minutes away?

The following is a translation of an interview between a writer and real estate agent that appeared on the MyNavi news site on January 3, 2013:

-- Where I live the difference in rent is approximately 10,000 Yen/month between a property 5 minutes from the station and one that is 10 minutes away. Are other areas the same?

Although it will depend on the area, that would be the approximate difference in rent that you will see. For properties over a 10 minute walk, the rent will be even lower. As for one-room studio apartments, there is almost a 30% difference in rent between properties that are 5 minutes and 10 minutes away.

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