"Bansuisou" to be designated as a cultural property
Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs has decided to designate a French-styled residence in Ehime Prefecture as an Important Cultural Property. Located on the perimeter of the Matsuyama Castle grounds, "Bansuisou" was built in 1922 as the residence for Count Sadakoto Hisamatsu, a descendant of the Matsuyama Daimyo. Count Hisamatsu had a long history with France, having first gone there to study when he was 16 years old. He then graduated from French military academy, École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr. He was later appointed as the military attache to the French Embassy before returning to Japan in 1906.Read more
Sendai's hillside houses still at risk of landslides
The hillside residential areas in Sendai City suffered from serious landslides during the March 11 Tohoku earthquake and a recent survey by Kyoto University's Disaster Prevention Research Institute has shown that landslides are continuing in these neighborhoods.
While aftershocks and heavy rains were thought to be the main cause, the Institute said that it is unusual for landslides to continue for such a long period of time.Read more
[Foreclosed] 13 Apartments in Gotenyama Trust Court
Court Evaluation: 543,200,000 Yen (7.05 million USD)
*Update: The winning bid was 548,000,888 Yen. Only 1 bid was made on the property and it was by a corporate entity.*
A group of 13 apartments have been foreclosed in Gotenyama Trust Court, near Shinagawa Station. The apartments range in size from 63.24 ~ 317.24 sqm (680 ~ 3413 sqft) and the total floor size is 1,552.83 sqm (16,708 sqft). The Court's evaluation of the value of the apartments is approximately 379,000 Yen/sqm.Read more