Listing and property description
The first vocabulary to learn is that of listings. It describes the property, its area, and its age. Unlike our guide to decoding a SUUMO listing in detail, this glossary gives the standalone words you will meet everywhere.
Area is measured in tsubo (tsubo, a unit of about 3.3 sqm) or in square meters. The floor plan is coded by the number of rooms plus L (living), D (dining), K (kitchen): a 2LDK has two bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, and a kitchen.
| Term (romaji) | Kanji | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| mansion | mansion (copropriété) | Concrete apartment (condominium) |
| apato | アパート | Light low-rise building (wood/steel) |
| ikkodate | 一戸建て | Detached house |
| tsubo | tsubo | Surface unit (~3.3 sqm) |
| chikunensu | chikunensū | Building age |
| madori | madori (plan) | Floor plan / room layout |
| eki chika | 駅近 | Close to the station |
The term akiya (akiya, vacant house) refers to abandoned properties sometimes sold at a symbolic price, a topic we cover in our guide to buying an akiya in Japan.
Contract and transaction players
This is the most legal family. It gathers the mandatory documents and the professionals involved.
The pivotal document is the jūyō jikō setsumei-sho (jūyō jikō setsumei書, important-matters disclosure), handed over before signing by a licensed takken agent. We devote a dedicated guide to it: understanding the juyo jiko setsumei.
| Term (romaji) | Kanji | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| baibai keiyaku | baibai keiyaku | Sale contract |
| juyo jiko setsumei | jūyō jikō setsumei | Important-matters disclosure |
| takken-shi | takken-shi | Licensed real estate agent |
| shiho shoshi | shihō shoshi | Judicial scrivener (registration) |
| tetsuke | 手付金 | Deposit (earnest money) |
| toki | tōki | Land registration |
| toki-bo | tōki簿 | Land registry |
The shihō shoshi (shihō shoshi, judicial scrivener) secures the transfer of ownership at the registry; discover the role of the shiho shoshi and how to read the toki-bo land registry.
Fees, taxes, and taxation
At immoJapon, total purchase costs stay capped at 6% of the price. This vocabulary lets you check each line of your statement, detailed in our article on property purchase costs in Japan.
| Term (romaji) | Kanji | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| chukai tesuryo | chūkai tesūryō | Agency commission |
| fudosan shutoku zei | fudōsan shutoku-zei | Acquisition tax |
| koteishisan zei | kotei shisan-zei | Annual property tax |
| inshi zei | inshi-zei | Stamp duty |
| toroku menkyo zei | tōroku menkyo-zei | Registration tax |
| joto shotoku zei | jōto shotoku税 | Capital gains tax |
Example: on a property at 30,000,000 yen (~200,000 EUR), the legally capped agency commission is around 3% + 60,000 yen before tax. The jōto shotoku zei (jōto shotoku税, capital gains tax) hits the resale; we explain it in our guide on capital gains on Japanese property.
Financing and lending
Essential reminder: Japanese mortgages are reserved for salaried residents in Japan. Non-residents buy in cash. Our dedicated article details the conditions of a mortgage in Japan for a foreigner.
| Term (romaji) | Kanji | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| jutaku ron | jūtaku loan | Home loan |
| kinri | 金利 | Interest rate |
| teito-ken | 抵当権 | Mortgage lien |
| atamakin | 頭金 | Down payment |
| kariire | 借入 | Borrowing |
| rimawari | 利回り | Rental yield |
The rimawari (利回り, rental yield) is the investor's key word: it expresses the ratio of annual rent to purchase price. A yield shown as "gross" (hyōmen rimawari) ignores costs; the "net" figure includes them.
Architecture and property condition
Finally, this technical vocabulary describes the construction and its condition, decisive for estimating the work ahead.
| Term (romaji) | Kanji | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| chintai | location | Rental |
| mokuzo | mokuzō | Wooden structure |
| tekkin konkurito | 鉄筋コンクリート | Reinforced concrete (RC) |
| taishin | 耐震 | Seismic standard |
| reform | リフォーム | Renovation |
| naiken | naiken | Property viewing |
Common mistake to avoid
Do not confuse chintai (rental) with baibai (sale) in a portal's filters: many buyers waste time on rental listings. The taishin (耐震, seismic) standard evolves: a property built before 1981 falls under an older standard, to cross-check with the property's natural hazards.
Conclusion: a lexicon that saves time and money
These five families cover the essentials of a transaction: describing a property, reading a contract, checking fees, understanding financing, and gauging the state of the building. Thirty words are enough to go from disoriented tourist to a buyer who talks to an agency as an equal.
Keep this glossary open during your search and test it against reality. To turn this vocabulary into method, follow our complete guide to buying in Japan, verify each step with the purchase checklist, and choose the right real estate agency in Japan.
Frequently asked questions
What does 2LDK mean in a Japanese listing?
Two bedrooms (the number 2) plus an L-D-K space: Living, Dining, and Kitchen. It is the standard layout code. A 1K is a studio with a separate kitchen.
How big is a tsubo in square meters?
One tsubo equals about 3.3 sqm. It is the traditional surface unit, still used for land and sometimes for price per tsubo. Living areas are also given in square meters.
What is tetsuke in a Japanese property purchase?
Tetsuke is the deposit paid when signing the sale contract, often 5 to 10% of the price. If the buyer withdraws, they lose it; if the seller withdraws, they refund double.
What is the difference between chintai and baibai?
Chintai means rental and baibai means sale. On a portal, choosing the wrong filter shows properties for rent instead of for sale, a frequent beginner mistake.
What does rimawari mean for an investor?
Rimawari means rental yield, the annual rent relative to the purchase price. Gross yield ignores costs and taxes; net yield deducts them and better reflects reality.
Official sources
Take the next step
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