Land in Daikanyama sold for 7 billion Yen

On August 26, apparel company Onward Holdings announced the sale of two properties in Tokyo’s Minato and Shibuya wards.

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Tokyo apartment rents drop across all size ranges

According to the latest data on the residential rental market provided by AtHome, the average advertised rent across all four apartment types saw a year-on-year decline in Tokyo’s 23 wards.

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Real estate investment drops 25% in first half of 2021 as supply shrinks

The total volume of commercial real estate investment across greater Tokyo in the first half of 2021 fell 25% from the same time last year as fewer deals were made available.

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Luxury hotelier to pay 1.5 billion Yen for historic site in Kyoto

The operator of a luxury, boutique hotel in Hakone has been selected as the successful bidder for a historically significant site in Kyoto City.

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Looking for land? You might need to knock down a house first

A former Geisha house in Shibuya. Sold last year for the land, with the house demolished shortly after.

If you are looking for land to build a house or other building on in Japan, particularly in a city, you may find lots are small in size while supply is limited. Of Japan’s total land size of 37,800,000 hectares, 66% is forest and 12% is farmland. Land for building purposes comprises 1,960,000 hectares or just 5% of the total - and that includes land that is already built on. The remainder is roads, rivers and waterways, and fields.

In an urban location, most of the land is already occupied, so domestic buyers will also consider lots with existing buildings that they can demolish. This is unavoidable in an area with a short supply of listings. If you limit yourself only to vacant lots, you may find very few options. 

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Game museum and office tower for Yokohama

A real estate developer and video game company have joined forces to develop a high-rise office tower and game museum in Yokohama’s Minato Mirai 21 waterfront district.

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New apartment supply drops 6% in July

The supply of brand new apartments released for sale across Greater Tokyo in July dropped 6.2% from last year, resulting in the first year-on-year decline in eight months. This is due to developers having released most of their projects in the first half of the year to meet high demand from buyers.

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