Art museum to open on 43-acre estate in Kamakura
A prominent jewelry company has been selected to open a jewelry-themed art museum on a 43-acre estate in Kamakura. The city-owned land was originally owned by the Nomura Research Institute (NRI) and was donated to Kamakura City in 2002.
Sales in luxury Kamakura condo to start in August
Sales in a high-end condominium in the heart of historic Kamakura City are scheduled to start in late August. The Parkhouse Kamakura is a 5-story luxury condo currently under construction alongside Wakamiya-Oji Avenue which leads up to the Hachimangu Shrine. It is the first condo to have been built within a 5-minute walk of Kamakura Station in the past ten years. This is also the first condominium developed by Mitsubishi to feature their full, underfloor central-air system.
Jiro Osaragi’s former residence in Kamakura on the market
On October 9, the Kanagawa Shimbun newspaper reported that the former residence of author Jiro Osaragi (1897-1973) in Kamakura is for sale. The 100-year old traditional thatched roof house is designated by the city as an important scenic structure. The owners are hoping to find a buyer that will continue to preserve the culturally significant and historic home.
Renovating a historic home in Kamakura may soon become easier
Kamakura City is considering introducing an ordinance that would allow owners of historic buildings to bypass some of the regulations under the Building Standards Act that normally apply for renovations, extensions and changing the use of a property.
When making structural additions or alterations to older buildings, it can be very difficult to make the building comply with the Building Standards Act while still retaining the original features. In many cases property owners simply give up and either rebuild or leave the property to deteriorate. As a result, the neighbourhood begins to lose its character over time as the older properties are demolished.Read more
Buying real estate in Kamakura - a quick overview of building restrictions
Located between the mountains and sea, Kamakura is an ancient city located 50 km south of Tokyo. The city came to prominence in the 12th century when it was home to the Kamakura Shogunate. Unlike some of the more urban cities in Japan, Kamakura has retained much of its traditional character. The city is characterised by its traditional streetscapes, numerous temples and shrines, and lush mountainside. In fact, 40% of the city is forest and greenery.
Nowadays, much of this character is preserved through numerous strict building and zoning codes enforced by the city, along with efforts by local residents.Read more
Historic Kamakura villa to be donated to city
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