Hublot moves into historic machiya in Gion, Kyoto
Swiss watch brand Hublot will be opening up a boutique in an old machiya-style townhouse in Kyoto’s famous Gion district on August 26. The previous tenant was Hermes.
The shop will feature custom Japanese washi paper and wickerwork replicating the company’s logo, while customers will receive Japanese-style folding fans as gifts.
Shinjuku office vacancy rate drops to 1% range
The office vacancy rate across Tokyo’s five central business districts of Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku and Shibuya dropped to 3.22% in July, down 0.04 points from June and down 0.72 points from July 2016. This is close to the record low of of 3.03% reported in April 2008 and down from a high of 9.43% seen in June 2012.
The vacancy rate in existing buildings (excluding new construction) was 2.87% in July, down 0.74 points from last year.
In Shinjuku ward, the vacancy rate was 1.68%, down 0.06 points from the previous month and down 1.30 points from last year. The vacancy rate dropped to the 1% range in May 2017.
265m tall tower for Toranomon Hills district
More details have been released on the Toranomon Hills Station Tower which will be built on the north-west side of Toranomon Hills in central Tokyo. The building height will be 265 meters, which is 18 meters taller than the neighbouring Toranomon Hills tower and 17 meters taller that Tokyo Midtown.
Construction of the 49-storey tower is scheduled to start in 2019 with completion by 2022 2023.
287m tall high-rise planned for Nihonbashi
Details on the Nihonbashi 1 Chome Central District Redevelopment have been announced. The project will include a 287m tall high-rise with office, hotel and serviced apartments, as well as several low-rise retail, office and residential buildings.
The high-rise tower will be taller than Tokyo Midtown (248m), Toranomon Hills (247m) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (242m), but shorter than the 390m tall tower planned for the Tokiwabashi Redevelopment Project located 300 meters to the west of the Nihonbashi site.
Tokyo office rents increase for 40th consecutive month
According to Miki Shoji’s Office Report, the office vacancy rate in Tokyo’s five central business districts of Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku and Shibuya was 3.39% in April 2017, down 0.21 points from the previous month and down 0.84 points from last year. This is the lowest vacancy level seen in 9 years. The vacancy rate in Shinjuku was 2.03% - the lowest of all five wards and down 2.20 points from April 2016.
| Vacancy rates in Tokyo: | |
| Chiyoda | 3.31% (-0.26 points from Apr. 2016) |
| Chuo | 3.09% (-0.98 points) |
| Minato | 4.55% (-0.93 points) |
| Shinjuku | 2.03% (-2.20 points) |
| Shibuya | 2.22% (-0.03 points) |
AVERAGE OFFICE RENT
Office rents increased for the 40th month in a row. The average rent in April 2017 was 18,583 Yen per Tsubo* (5,622 Yen/sqm) in April, up 0.4% from the previous month and up 4.1% from last year. The average rent on brand new construction was 26,785 Yen per Tsubo (8,104 Yen/sqm), down 6.8% from last year.
| Average monthly office rent in Tokyo (Rent per Tsubo): | |
| Chiyoda | 20,373 Yen (+4.6% from Apr. 2016) |
| Chuo | 17,283 Yen (+4.2%) |
| Minato | 19,298 Yen (+4.2%) |
| Shinjuku | 16,297 Yen (+5.3%) |
| Shibuya | 20,507 Yen (+1.7%) |
Source: Miki Shoji, May 2017.