Tokyo Land Prices in October, 2010

Based on current market prices, the average price of a 100sqm (1,076sqft) piece of land in Tokyo is as follows:

Minato-ku (201 plots)
100sqm = 123,300,000 JPY (4,076,00 JPY/Tsubo)

Shibuya-ku (294 plots)
100sqm = 95,052,000 JPY (3,142,000 JPY/Tsubo)

Meguro-ku (264 plots)
100sqm = 75,092,000 JPY (2,482,000 JPY/Tsubo)

Setagaya-ku (1,466 plots)
100sqm = 65,523,000 JPY (2,166,000 JPY/Tsubo)

The above data is sourced from the Homes database of land currently for sale. This data is current for October 1, 2010.

1 Tsubo = 3.3 sqm.


Asakusa Tower to go ahead despite opposition from Sensoji Temple

Asakusa Tower

Asakusa's Sensoji Temple lost their court case against the development of high-rise apartment building under construction less than 400 meters away from the temple. The temple argued that the development went against city plans to limit residential buildings to 5 stories. No reason was given for the ruling against their case.Read more


Inside a $16 million Tokyo Penthouse

Hirakawacho Mori Tower Residence Penthouse 14Hirakawacho Mori Tower Residence
23rd floor 5-Bedroom Penthouse
424.98 sqm (4,570 sqft)

1,300,000,000 JPY (~USD 16 million)

Last week I had the chance to view the largest of the four penthouse apartments in Mori's newest building in Hirakawacho. The interior has marble and hardwood flooring and wood panelling. There are four separate entrances to the unit (main, kitchen, maid and emergency use). The formal living room has a gas fireplace and balcony.  The formal dining room overlooks the Imperial Palace and Marunouchi.

Read more


Komazawa 3 Chome House (SOLD)

komazawa-3-house-exterior

*UPDATE: SOLD in October 2010*

Built in 1992, this large 4-bedroom house has a 3-car lock up garage, internal courtyard and a “irori” fireplace in the Japanese tatami room.

The house is in a quiet residential neighborhood directly across the street from Komazawa Ryokusen Park and is a 9 minute walk from Sakura-shinmachi Station. Read more


Japanese Villa in Atami

nishiyama-villa-3

Price: 230,000,000 Yen No longer on the market

This beautiful traditional Japanese house and garden in Atami City was built in the early Showa period and was previously owned by Viscount Torio. The spacious property includes the main house, tea house, guest house, and a large Japanese garden with flowing stream. Water from the natural hot springs can be drawn in the bathroom of the main house.

Atami City is only 39 minutes by Shinkansen from Tokyo Station. The house is a 15 min drive from Atami Station, or a 9 minute walk from Kinomiya Station.Read more


Tokyo Earthquake Damage Risk Ratings

The Bureau of Urban Development in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government conducts an earthquake assessment every 5 years, with the latest carried out in 2008. The investigation covers 5,073 neighborhoods in Tokyo. They provide a rating for the following categories:

  • Vulnerability to Building Collapse (Ground liquefaction, Construction methods, Age of buildings etc)
  • Fire Hazard Rating (Spreading of fires, Fireproof buildings, firebreaks such as parks etc)
  • Overall Hazard RatingRead more

Japanese Land Values Decline at Slower Rate

A recovery in housing demand is slowing the decline in land values in Japan, according to a survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Of the surveyed locations, 45 had no decline in value, with 3 of those sites reporting an increase in value. Compared to results from previous quarters, the total number of locations reporting a decline in values was 70%, down from 82% from the last quarter, and 96% from the quarter before that.

Continue reading the full article at Bloomberg here.