Kyoto approves minpaku rule requiring host to be within 10 minute radius of property

On February 23, Kyoto City approved a local ordinance that will impose strict rules on hosts of unlicensed short-term ‘minpaku’ accommodation.

For properties located in exclusive residential zones, hosts can only provide accommodation for a maximum of 60 days per year and only during the off-season winter months from January 15 to March 15. Both traditional machiya townhouses and properties where the host also lives on the premises may be exempt if certain requirements are met.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Shikoku Railway Co to develop guesthouses in Kyoto

Shikoku Railway Company (JR Shikoku) is planning to open traditional-style guesthouse accommodation in Kyoto to cater to the growing demand from foreign tourists.

Their first project is a group of three townhouses under construction on a 170 sqm block of land just south of Kyoto Station and 14 minute walk to Tofuku-ji Temple. The total project cost is estimated at 150 million Yen (approx. 1.4 million USD).Read more

by Zoe Ward

Blue Bottle to open cafe in renovated traditional building in Kyoto this month

Blue Bottle Coffee will be opening a cafe in a traditional old building in Kyoto on March 23rd. This will be the company’s 8th store in Japan and their first store outside of Tokyo.

The cafe is located in the Nanzenji district and is 400 meters west of Nanzen-ji Temple.  A 100-year old town house is currently in the final stages of being renovated into a 452 sqm (4,860 sq.ft) cafe with 44 seats, a shop selling original items, and a courtyard space.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Kyoto to demolish 1 billion Yen EXPO 92 relic

The Danish Pavilion built for EXPO 92 in Seville and relocated to Japan in 1993 may be demolished early this year.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Kyoto property prices pushing younger buyers out of town

Recent population data provided by Kyoto City is showing a growing trend of younger residents moving out of the city to surrounding districts. If this trend continues, the city could see a net outflow of residents in the 30-year old age bracket.

The average price of an apartment in the city in 2016 was about 20 ~ 50% higher than the top 10 cities that these younger residents are moving to, leading some to say that Kyoto has become unaffordable for the younger generation. With surging hotel development creating a shortage of residential development sites, the average apartment price in central Kyoto has reached around 1,000,000 Yen/sqm (approx. 835 USD / sq ft), close to double the price in other districts. In 2016, Kyoto City was the second most expensive district in Japan, second to Tokyo, for new apartments with an average price of 52,960,000 Yen.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Supply of new apartments in greater Tokyo to increase in 2018

According to a forecast by the Real Estate Economic Institute, a total of 38,000 brand new apartments are expected to be released for sale across greater Tokyo in 2018, up 4.4% from 2017 and the second year in a row to see an increase. Depending on demand for buyers eager to purchase before the consumption tax rate increase in October 2019, supply could reach as high as 40,000 units.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Kyoto to see 12,000 new hotel rooms by 2020

A survey by the Kyoto Shimbun has estimated that there will be approximately 12,000 new hotel rooms supplied in the city by 2020, a 40% increase from 2015. This is 20% more than the 10,000 rooms required to eliminate the current room shortage.

The city had a total of 33,887 rooms as at the end of 2016, a 4,000 room increase from 2015. By 2020 there will be a total of 42,000 rooms. The data measured by the city does not include small-scale accommodation facilities like guest houses, which means the total could be much higher.Read more

by Zoe Ward