[Foreclosed] Ruins of Kobe Ijinkan

Auction estimate: 65,000,000 Yen

The ruins of a former ijinkan (western-style foreign residence) in Kobe's Kitano area are up for public auction.

Built in the Taisho period (1912 ~ 1926), the home was originally called the Bajaj Residence. During the pre-war days it was the official residence of the Iranian Consul General.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Modernist House in Kobe demolished

The former Matsuhashi Ryuzo Residence is a 2-storey home in Ashiya City that was built in 1935 for a businessman from Tennoji in Osaka. It was one of the few remaining examples of modernist architecture in the Hanshin area. It was designed by architect, Kikuji Ishimoto, who also designed the Shirokiya Department Store in Nihonbashi.Read more

by Zoe Ward

Steps towards reducing discrimination against foreign tenants

Many foreigners may have experienced some kind of discrimination when trying to rent an apartment in Japan. Landlords not only discriminate against foreign residents, but also the elderly, disabled and even families with small children.

Hyogo Prefecture, has introduced a new relief system for rental housing that targets the elderly and foreigners who are frequently turned down by landlords when trying to rent an apartment.Read more

by Zoe Ward