Living Tokyo

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2015年

All Blog Entries
  • 08/23/2015
  • 02/22/2021

Tokyo: Prices reach 23-year high for newly-built apartments, luxury types take the lead

Hanabi (fireworks) is not the only thing going ???boom??? in Tokyo these days. Tokyo???s real estate market is also enjoying a boom of its own. According to a recent report published by the Real Estate Economic Institute, the average price of new apartments released for sale in 23-Ward Tokyo reached JPY79.84m, an increase of 27.9% year-on-year (YoY). The average price per square meter was JPY1,199,000, representing a YoY growth of 34.6%. An increase in the supply of higher-end condos and the rising construction costs are cited as key reasons for this price growth. More interestingly, sales of luxury, high-end properties costing over JPY100m now represent over one fifth of the entire 23-ward market. While there were 2,020 units on the market in July for 23-ward Tokyo, of which 83.3% were sold (1,684 units), out of this, 417 units (22% of the total) ?had cost over JPY100 million. One key example of this rapid growth is the Brillia Towers Meguro development in the Meguro station area. A total of 603 units were sold in July, of which the average price tag was a whopping JPY111.47m. Apparently, there were an average of 3.4 offers for every unit released for sale, and as […]

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  • 08/11/2015
  • 02/25/2021

Tokyo 23-Ward secondhand houses exceed JPY100m average

According to the second-hand home sales report published by Tokyo Kantei, the average price of a second-hand detached house within Tokyo???s 23 wards was JPY100.04 million for the month of July, representing a 15.8% YoY (year-on-year) increase. Top sellers were Minato, Meguro and Shibuya wards. The criteria of properties under this survey are wooden, detached houses that are over 100sqm but under 300sqm in size, and are within 30 mins walking access of train routes or 20 mins access of bus routes. To give an idea about the property, in Tokyo???s 23 wards, the average land area for a detached, second-hand house hovers around 145.3sqm with a constructed house size of 138.8sqm (July data, but not so different from previous months). The average age of the building was 22.5 years in July. In comparison, in July, for the same type of property, in the Tokyo Metropolitan area (Tokyo-To), excluding the 23 wards, the average price reached JPY63.36 million (an increase of 9.9% YoY), while the average price for greater Tokyo (aka the suburbs) was only JPY35.71 million (representing a 3.1% YoY growth. Click here for the whole press release: http://www.kantei.ne.jp/release/PDFs/kodatecyuko201507.pdf (Japanese only).

All Blog Entries
  • 08/08/2015
  • 02/25/2021

Pocket-sized personal transporters could soon be seen on the streets of Tokyo

Technology | Fri Aug 7, 2015 2:06pm EDT Reuters: A Japanese engineer has developed a portable transporter small enough to be carried in a backpack that he says is the world’s first ‘car in a bag’. Twenty-six-year-old Kuniako Saito and his team at Cocoa Motors recently unveiled the lithium battery-powered “WalkCar” transporter, which is the size of a laptop and resembles a skateboard more than a car. The slender WalkCar is made from aluminum and weighs between two and three kilograms (4.4 to 6.6 pounds), depending on whether it is an indoor or outdoor version. Saito expects to see many other uses for his transporter, as he says it has enough power to help people push wheelchairs with ease. The lightweight aluminum board is stronger than it looks, and can take loads of up to 120kg (265 pounds). It reaches top speeds of 10 kilometers per hour (6.2 miles per hour), for distances of up to 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) after three hours of charging. Its developer says it’s also extremely simple to ride. Once the rider stands on it the WalkCar starts automatically, while simply stepping off stops the vehicle. To change direction, the user just shifts their weight. […]

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  • 07/31/2015
  • 02/25/2021

Tourism boom drives Japan to convert offices into hotels

By Junko Fujita BUSINESS JUL. 31, 2015 – 07:30AM JST TOKYO (Reuters) ? Record tourists to Japan are stretching the ability of hotels to accommodate them in a sector constrained by high costs, forcing developers to think out of the box for means to quickly increase lodging options without breaking the bank. Japan is on target this year to beat the record 13.4 million visitors in 2014, helped by a weak yen and easier visa requirements for some Asian countries. The government is aiming to attract 20 million visitors by 2020, when Tokyo hosts the Olympics, to revitalize the world???s third-biggest economy. The rising influx of tourists is already squeezing existing accommodation supply in Tokyo, which has about 100,000 hotel rooms. Just 7,600 rooms are scheduled to be added in the next three years, according to STR Global, a research firm for the hotel industry. The slow pace of growth is due to rising land prices and construction costs. One quick solution: convert old office buildings into hotels with tiny but stylish rooms that can rent for under US$30 a night, less than half the rate for a cheap business hotel. ???Converting an office building into a hotel is an […]

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  • 07/16/2015
  • 02/25/2021

Japan’s First Robot Manned Hotel

At Japan’s Weird Hotel, receptionists, porters, concierge are all robots to save labor costs By YURI KAGEYAMA, AP Business Writer Check out the Photo Gallery: http://www.wral.com/business/image/14774321/?ref_id=14774320 SASEBO, JAPAN ? From the receptionist that does the check-in and check-out to the porter that’s an automated trolley taking luggage up to the room, this hotel in southwestern Japan, aptly called Weird Hotel, is “manned” almost totally by robots to save labor costs. Hideo Sawada, who runs the hotel as part of an amusement park, insists using robots is not a gimmick, but a serious effort to utilize technology and achieve efficiency. The receptionist robot that speaks in English is a vicious-looking dinosaur, and the one that speaks Japanese is a female humanoid with blinking lashes. “If you want to check in, push one,” the dinosaur says. The visitor still has to punch a button on the desk, and type in information on a touch panel screen. Henn na Hotel, as it is called in Japanese, was shown to reporters Wednesday, complete with robot demonstrations, ahead of its opening to the public Friday. Another feature of the hotel is the use of facial recognition technology, instead of the standard electronic keys, by registering […]

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  • 07/14/2015
  • 02/25/2021

Vintage Apartments in the Azabus

The Azabus (Moto Azabu, Minami Azabu and Nishi Azabu mainly) are highly sought-after residential areas with one of the highest price tags in Tokyo. It is a well-known embassy and affluent area, and is popular with locals and foreign residents alike. The branded residences as well as newly-built apartments tend to run over JPY10,000 per square meter in rent. One option that is worth considering is looking for vintage-grade residences that would offer the convenience and luxury of residing in a popular location. Vintage-grade apartments tend to offer spacious layouts for the given rent, and are likely to be renovated inside to provide a comfortable lifestyle. Because of the location, the building, while on the older side, are also well-maintained and kept tidy to fit in with the surroundings. In this article, we highlight a number of vintage-grade apartment buildings primarily in Motoazabu and Minami-Azabu. Custom Motoazabu Located in the heart of the exclusive Motoazabu neighbourhood, Custom Motoazabu is a vintage apartment residence with a small number of units, which affords it a private and exclusive atmosphere in a sought-after location. Each apartment occupies an entire floor, which enables residents a very private living arrangement in this five-storey building. Moto-Azabu, […]

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  • 06/29/2015
  • 02/25/2021

Cool off with Summer Festivals

By Richenda Elledge Despite the sweltering heat, summer is an exciting season in Japan. From catching gigantic beetles and tuning in to the cicadas’ last song, ?to relaxing on the beach digging into a kakigori (shaved ice flavored with syrup), it wouldn’t be a Japanese summer without watching a display of fireworks and attending a Tanabata Matsuri (Star Festival). What better way to cool off from a summer’s day of sticky, muggy heat than to attend these events in the cool evening. The listing is given in chronological order. Tanabata Hiratsuka Festival, Jul 3-5 In its 65th year, Hiratsuka???s Tanabata is the biggest in the Kanto region. The colourful festivities will be centered around the shopping street on the north side of Hiratsuka station. The official event will continue until 9pm on Friday and Saturday and until 8pm on Sunday. http://www.tanabata-hiratsuka.com/ Mitama Matsuri at Yasukuni Shrine, Jul 13-16 The hottest months of summer are traditionally when Japanese commune with and honour the spirits of the dead. One such festival based around this idea is the Mitama Matsuri at the politically complex Yasukuni Shrine. Along the sando ? the promenade leading to the main shrine ? 30,000 lanterns are strung from […]

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  • 04/29/2015
  • 02/25/2021

Quirky Pics Around Town

A Collection of Quirky Photos Around Tokyo (as only in Tokyo) Number 1: Members of the human statue street performer group named “Tokyo Hack” get shoppers’ attention as they march in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district Sunday, April 12, 2015. The main street in Ginza shuts the traffic and opens for shoppers during the day on Sundays. They have also been spotted on the subway. ?(Source: AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi) Number 2: Residents in Tokyo have recently reported several sightings of possibly the most patient pet-walker in the world: an elderly man who takes his enormous African spurred tortoise (or sulcata) out for walks around town. Photos of the pair have been making the rounds of social media networks. (Source: Straits Times, Rocket News 24, Bored Panda)

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  • 04/27/2015
  • 02/27/2021

All About Ramen

Ramen noodles, one of the main favorites in the Japanese diet, have become one of Japan???s most well known foods abroad. And while it is often thought of as a quick, go-to fast food meal, it can, as highlighted in the world-famous Itami Juzo film, Tampopo, also be savoured slowly by connoisseurs. The key feature about ramen is that it keeps renewing itself and is a cuisine that is often updated, reinvented and modernised. From the traditional chashu (roast pork loin) pork bone soup ramen, we now can find curry ramen, spicy garlic ramen, tomato and basil chicken ramen, and even lemon soup ramen. Ramen are, generally, wheat-based noodles that are served in a meat, fish, soy, or miso-based broth with sliced meats and vegetables. Regional ramen dishes vary in their presentation, preparation, flavor, and ingredients. But in a nutshell, main differences are often the type of soup stock and shape of the noodles. For instance, Sapporo ramen is associated with a rich miso ramen, while Kitakata (northern Honshu) is known for its thick, flat curly noodles. Yokohama ramen called Ie-Kei consists of straight, thick noodles in a soy and pork bone broth similar to tonkotsu (pork bone) soup, while […]

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  • 04/23/2015
  • 02/25/2021

The Fruits of Chiba

By Richenda Elledge Chiba Prefecture is adjacent to Tokyo and runs southeast of the Kanto Plain. It is often thought of as a suburb of the sprawling metropolitan of Tokyo, where many commuters take arduous return trips to and fro work on a daily basis. Besides suburban life, the prefecture has much to offer for Tokyoites, interested in going beyond the confines of Tokyo City. One area of interest would be to sample the agricultural output. The prefecture boasts Japan’s overall second-highest agricultural output for vegetables. Some of the major produce that this prefecture produces are peanuts, carrots, daikon, tomatoes and a variety of fruits. In this article, we explore a variety of fruit-picking and farm excursions. Fruit and vegetable harvests: Strawberry Picking Kawatsura Farm is usually open for strawberry picking between middle of December until early May.The farm has been growing strawberries since 1964. Located in Sammu city, (eastern part of Chiba), visitors will find strawberries grown in a beautiful environment. It takes about 1 hour from Tokyo station by express train to get there. The farm encourages visitors to try their out their strawberries without milk and sugar, and essentially enjoy the natural goodness from the fruit. http://www.kawatsura15.com/e/index.html […]