A market open to foreigners, with two rules to know
A non-resident can buy a house, an apartment or land in Japan without a visa or residency, even on a tourist status: only a nationality declaration applies since 2026. Two rules shape every project: buying grants no right of residence (there is no property "golden visa"), and Japanese bank credit is reserved for salaried residents of Japan; without residency, the purchase is made in cash. The full process, from documents to the shihō shoshi, is in our free buying guide (35 sheets).
Property prices in Japan in 2026: two very different markets
Japan is two realities. On one side the big cities: in Tokyo, the average new apartment now exceeds 91 million yen (+10.7% in a year), carried by the weak yen and international demand; see our guide to buying an apartment in Japan. On the other, a huge stock of affordable houses: around 9 million akiya (vacant houses), whose liveable ones usually sell for $16,000 to $160,000. In between, the character properties, Kyoto machiya and countryside kominka, combine heritage with guesthouse potential. Our 2026 price data goes city by city. To start from the budget rather than the type: houses under $50,000 and under $100,000, updated continuously. To start from the use: a house for Airbnb.
Fees, taxes and taxation: simple and predictable
Total purchase fees stay at or below 6% of the price: agency commission (about 3% + 60,000 yen), acquisition tax (3% of the assessed value), registration and the shihō shoshi's fees. Then an annual property tax of about 1.4% of the assessed value, often far below the price paid. Rent earned in Japan is declared in Japan, including for a non-resident; tax treaties avoid double taxation. Details: purchase fees · depreciation · tax representative.
Returns: tourism changes the game
With a record 42.7 million visitors in 2025, short-stay rental carries the returns: a well-placed, licensed house (180-night minpaku or a year-round 旅館業 licence) can aim for a double-digit net yield outside the big cities, where zoning allows it. That is the heart of our method: every listing in the catalogue gets a score and a cautious yield estimate (works provisioned, explicit running costs), recomputed every night. Test your assumptions with the profitability simulator.
Where to buy?
Kyoto for heritage and short stays (demanding regulation but record demand), Osaka for the price/yield balance and the 365-day Tokku regime, Shizuoka (Atami) for onsen homes, the countryside for low-priced kominka. Our prefecture pages give the local context: Kyoto · Osaka · Shizuoka · Tokyo · Nagano · all listings.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner buy property in Japan?
Yes, with exactly the same rights as a Japanese citizen: full ownership of the building and the land, no prior authorisation, and you can buy without a residence visa.
Does Japanese property gain value?
The big cities (Tokyo, Osaka, central Kyoto) have risen for ten years; old rural buildings depreciate on the books but can generate high rental returns. In Japan you buy first for the return or the use, not for speculation.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
The market (listings, agencies, contracts) is in Japanese. That is immoJapon's role: listings translated and analysed in English, free glossary and guide, and AI now helps a lot with agency exchanges.
What minimum budget should I plan for?
Liveable houses exist from $16,000 to $32,000, but a solid project (property + fees at 6% or less + refurbishment) is more often built between $50,000 and $200,000 all in, depending on the region and the state of the building.