First-of-its-kind tax would bring in nearly one billion yen, but government says it’s not about the money.
Housing
Dilapidated outbuilding at the SoraHouse contains some surprise items that could tell a story or two.
The announcement suggests you can print your own futuristic home sphere for the price of a car!
A breakdown of search result data by one Japanese apartment hunting company reveals a big surprise.
Expert dishes on important factors that are leading young people to shun living in certain areas of the capital in favor of other suburban centers.
Not having enough money to pay rent each month isn’t their biggest problem is securing permanent housing, though.
While they might look appealing to visitors, according to residents, these suburbs can be hell to live in.
Real estate company creates a “Let’s Enjoy Bikini Size!“ video that shows off more than just their rooms.
If you love anime and you’re looking for affordable housing in Tokyo, your search may be over.
Chinese officials are set to discuss ways to stimulate the country’s sputtering housing market during its Central Economic WorkingConference later this month, according to Chinese state media.
Seeing as how the entire English-language RocketNews24 team is composed of people who at some point moved to Japan, we’re pretty big proponents of living here. One unpleasant part of the package, though, it that since you can’t claim the whole country as your residence, living in Japan means finding an apartment in Japan, which is generally agreed upon as one of the least enjoyable parts of the expat experience.
Why? For the following four reasons.
As you may have heard, the population of Japan is getting older and smaller. While other (smarter) people have debated the problems and complexities of this issue, we do know one thing: It’s left a lot of prefectures without many young people. Some places are celebrating when the community has even a single wedding, but Tsuwano in Shimane Prefecture thinks they’ve hit upon an idea for injecting some new, young blood into their town. They’re giving houses away for (kind of) free! Of course, there are a few stipulations…
If you’re looking for a pricey vacation home for the end of summer, we’ve checked out what $5 million can get you in real estate around the world. Our friends at Point2Homes helped us find everything from a tiny apartment in Monte Carlo to a 16,000-square-foot mansion in Qatar. Needless to say, $5 million should get you pretty far no matter what city you live in.
There was a point in time when you could turn on the TV at any time of day and find at least three home remodeling shows playing. I personally had no idea why they were so freaking popular…but I think I’m finally starting to get it after seeing these photos.
One ambitious Japanese man, named Makoto, bought an old, junked-out house with rotten floorboards, clogged pipes, and filled with trash for 1,950,000 yen–about US$19,500–and over the course of six months turned into one of the most beautiful homes I’ve ever seen. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Japanese Internet users were amazed by the transformation–and you will be too!
Some Japanese apartments are incredibly sparse. In the most extreme cases, your lease gets you four walls, a kitchen sink, bathroom, and that’s it. Oh, you want lighting fixtures, a stove, and air conditioning? Sorry, you’ll have to purchase all that on your own.
As a result, savvy apartment hunters are always on the lookout for properties that include some of these amenities. And while it’s incredibly convenient to find a place that already comes with ceiling lamps, it still can’t match the thrill some animal lovers in Japan experience when they find a new pad that comes with a cat.
Housing in Tokyo is notoriously cramped, but this is ridiculous! With a total of 7.2 ㎡ (77.8 square feet) per floor (that’s smaller than the inside of Japan’s famously crowded train carriages), this towering five-story house packs a lot of rooms into a petite frame. So if you’ve ever fancied living in a tiny triangle, now’s your chance because this baby is on sale now!


















Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Japanese vending machine find introduces us to a new drink you can’t get anywhere else
Japanese temple burns to the ground, fire burning inside for 1,200 years unharmed
Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
The story of our reporter P.K. Sanjun’s heart attack
Super! Eel Bread takes Japanese sushi into uncharted territory
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Hundreds of rose bushes in bloom at Tokyo’s off-the-beaten-path, next-to-the-tracks flower street
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it
Studio Ghibli’s president is leaving the company. Will it change how they make anime?
161-year-old Kyoto confectionary maker releases new edible Pokémon lineup
Let’s hike a Japanese mountain (that isn’t Mt. Fuji) – Mt. Tsukuba[Photos]
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
The story of our reporter P.K. Sanjun’s heart attack
Super! Eel Bread takes Japanese sushi into uncharted territory
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
7-Eleven Japan releases their second lineup of upsized foods from a muffin to bukkake soba
McDonald’s Japan adds curry French fry flavor, regional-taste burgers to its menu with Gotochi Mac
Pokémon Company to require Japanese government ID cards for some online Pokémon card purchases
Suspected yakuza member arrested for having frequent flyer mile account
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it
Studio Ghibli adds mini pillows and massive mats to its anime merchandise store in Japan
7-Eleven Japan adds macaroni cheese sandwiches to its convenience store food range
Let’s hike a Japanese mountain (that isn’t Mt. Fuji) – Mt. Tsukuba[Photos]