Luxury hot spring hotel to open on 13.5ha site in Hakone

Mitsui Fudosan and Mitsui Fudosan Resort Management are opening a luxury hot spring hotel on a 13.5 hectare site in Hakone in 2026. Hotel The Mitsui Hakone will follow the 2020 opening of Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto. This is Mitsui’s upper-end hotel brand. It will operate in a tie-up with Marriott’s The Luxury Collection, to appeal to inbound travelers.Read more


Sapporo’s office vacancy rate is on the rise

The office vacancy rate in Sapporo’s business district has recently hit an eight-year high. According to Miki Shoji, the vacancy rate was 4.08% in September 2024, up 1.22 points from last year. In existing buildings, the vacancy rate was 2.94%, and in brand-new office buildings it was 49.37%.Read more


20% of 'kyu-taishin' wooden buildings collapsed in Noto Earthquake

Almost 20% of wooden buildings built to the old earthquake codes (pre-1981) were destroyed in the 2024 Noto Earthquake that occurred on January 1, according to an interim report published by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) on November 1.Read more


Demolition to start on Shibuya 2 Chome multi-block project site

The Shibuya 2 Chome West District Redevelopment project will kick off in a few months. This project includes National Strategic Housing, giving it a boost to its floor-area ratio. The overall project, covering blocks A, B, and C, covers a total site of 18,800 m2, and includes a small retail space, along with residential and office towers with a GFA of 322,200 m2.Read more


Construction starts on senior-residence rental in Meguro

Last month, Nomura Real Estate Development and Nomura Real Estate Wellness started construction on a senior-housing rental apartment building in Tokyo’s Meguro ward. The 75-unit, 5-story building is due for completion in 2027.Read more


140m tall office tower planned for Kayabacho Station

Heiwa Real Estate, Mitsubishi Estate, and Chuo-Nittochi Group have announced plans for a 140-meter tall, 27-story office tower between Kayabacho and Nihonbashi Stations in Tokyo. The project site covers 6,000 m2 and includes Hie Jinja Shrine.Read more


Hakuba’s hotel shortage may hinder tourism potential

The rise in inbound tourism is outpacing Hakuba’s supply of hotels, leading to a shortage of beds this ski season. Hotels opened up their winter reservations a month earlier this year and were quickly inundated with bookings from international guests. Many of the village’s hotels are now fully booked for this upcoming season.Read more