Apartment owners battling with short-term accommodation hosts

High-rise apartment buildings with hotel-like facilities, such as lounges and guest rooms, are growing increasingly popular in urban centres such as Tokyo and Osaka. However, these buildings are also proving popular with hosts providing illegal overnight accommodation through booking sites similar to AirBnb. The increasing number of foreign tourists coming to stay in these residential buildings is creating unintentional problems with building residents.

Facing complaints from residents, condominium management associations are scrambling to introduce building bylaws to ban short-term rentals.

Since new bylaws were introduced in The Tokyo Towers complex in Kachidoki, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, residents have found it easier to book the on-site guest suites. The two-tower complex has approximately 2,800 households. Residents can book the 11 guest suites at low rates for when family members or friends come to visit.Read more


Historic Villa in Kobe searching for new owner

Okamoto Residence 2

The owner of a 93-year old European-style residence in Kobe is looking for a new owner to carry on the home’s legacy. Open days in June and July were arranged for the house by the Heritage House Trust. The conditions of the sale will require the new owner to preserve the structure.

The 2-storey home was built on a hillside position in Higashinada-ku in 1923. It was designed by architect Shichiro Kigo (1884-1955) and built for businessman Jiro Inabata. It was later used as a reception hall for the Miyaji Steamboat Company. In the 1960s, most of the hillside surroundings were subdivided into a housing estate called Okamoto Garden. It was at this time that the current owner’s family purchased the property.Read more


Nagoya City has over 50 public buildings at risk of collapse or damage in strong earthquake

Nagoya Kobayashi-so
The Kobayashi-so Public Housing Complex in Naka-ku falls far below minimum earthquake resistant standards.

On July 4, Nagoya City released details on 50 city-owned buildings across the city that face a high risk of collapse in an earthquake producing a seismic intensity (shindo) level of 6+ or above. All 50 buildings were built before the 1981 change in earthquake-resistant construction methods. 45 of those buildings are public housing complexes which are home to as many as 2,500 households.Read more


Historic Kamakura villa to be donated to city

Murakami Residence Kamakura 3

The owner of the historic Murakami Residence in Kamakura’s Nishimikado neighbourhood is preparing to donate the residence and land to the city. Based on the land size, the property would have a market value of approximately 420 million Yen (approx. 4 million USD).

Although official records have been lost, the traditional Japanese house is estimated to have been built sometime prior to 1939. In 1941 the residence was acquired by Chosuke Murakami. The house was later inherited by Murakami’s wife, who, prior to her passing in 2014, had requested that the house be donated to the city. She also made arrangements to leave 10 million Yen (97,000 USD) in cash to go towards the maintenance of the property. Read more


Chiyoda and Minato introduce development requirements to meet growing population needs

Amidst a surge in population, the local governments in Tokyo’s two central wards of Chiyoda and Minato will soon require developers to include supermarkets, daycare and aged care facilities in large-scale projects.

Starting in July, Chiyoda Ward will request that large-scale developments on land over 500 sqm and with a building floor area over 3,000 sqm to include a supermarket or other store providing daily necessities, as well as facilities supporting child care. Other requests will include emergency refuge facilities and free indoor smoking corners.Read more


Tokyo metro apartment prices increase for 45th consecutive month

According to REINS, 3,069 second-hand apartments were sold across greater Tokyo in June, up 2.3% from the previous month but down 1.4% from last year. The average sale price was 30,160,000 Yen, up 0.8% from the previous month and up 3.5% from last year. The average price per square meter was 477,700 Yen, up 1.7% from the previous month and up 5.4% from last year. This is the 42nd month in a row to see a year-on-year increase in the sale price per square meter. The average building age was 20.67 years.

In the Tokyo metropolitan area 1,583 second-hand apartments were sold, up 5.3% from the previous month and up 0.3% from last year. The average sale price was 37,440,000 Yen, up 1.3% from the previous month and up 5.0% from last year. The average price per square meter was 642,400 Yen, up 2.6% from the previous month and up 7.7% from last year. This is the 45th month in a row to see a year-on-year increase in the sale price per square meter. The average building age was 19.24 years.

Central Tokyo’s 3 wards

In central Tokyo’s 3 wards (Chiyoda, Chuo and Minato), 207 second-hand apartments were sold, up 16.3% from the previous month and up 20.3% from last year. This is a record high number of transactions for the month of June.Read more


For Sale: Modernist heritage-listed house in Meguro

Tsuchiura Residence Kamiosaki 7

UPDATE: Land sold, and house relocated.

The 81-year old house of modernist architect Kameki Tsuchiura (1897-1996) was listed for sale over the weekend. This is a very rare property to see available.

Built in 1935, the house was designed by Tsuchiura as his personal residence. The two-storey, wood-framed residence has two bedrooms and a study on the second floor, a living/dining room with vaulted ceiling and kitchen on the ground floor, and a bathroom in the basement. The house has a registered floor area of 176 sqm (1,894 sq.ft) and is on a 285 sqm block of land. It is a 8 minute walk from Meguro Station on the Yamanote Loop Line and is 600 meters from Ebisu Garden Place.Read more