Articles
Plain-language Q&A articles from Katoh Property Management about renting and buying around Musashikosugi, Kawasaki and Yokohama, brokerage fees, and tower-condo sale prices.
How much have condo, house and land prices risen since before the 2008 financial crisis? (Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki)
Taking 2008, before the global financial crisis, as 100, resale condominium prices in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Yokohama and Kawasaki reached 200–216 in 2025, roughly double. Detached houses, at 111–129, and residential land, at 103–119, rose far more gently. Using public data from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, this article compares how far each fell after the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 shock, and how many years it took to return to the earlier level.
Did resale condo prices fall in Tokyo's 23 wards? A comparison with Yokohama and Kawasaki (Reading the September 2026 data)
In September 2026, the closed price per square meter of resale condominiums in Tokyo's 23 wards was ¥1,303,900, down ¥11,500 (−0.9%) from a year earlier, the second straight year-on-year fall after August's "first fall in 76 months". Using East Japan REINS data for September, this article compares the five districts of the 23 wards (central 3 wards, Joto, Jonan, Josai, Johoku) with Yokohama and Kawasaki by year-on-year changes in price per square meter, average building age and number of transactions. Much of the decline can be explained by older buildings and a shift in which districts sold, and Yokohama and Kawasaki are at roughly the same level as a year earlier.
Can you pay a real estate agent's fee in Japan with stablecoins (USDC, JPYC)? Conversion to yen and what to watch for
Katoh Property Management accepts USDC (Solana, Ethereum, Arbitrum) and JPYC (Ethereum) for the brokerage fee. Only the brokerage fee qualifies; the purchase price and rent do not. This Q&A explains which rate converts the yen fee, who pays network fees, how we verify the sender, and what happens above ¥1 million.
Which ward of Kawasaki has the most tower condominiums? Not Nakahara (Musashikosugi), but Saiwai, west of Kawasaki Station (2026 list by ward)
Musashikosugi in Nakahara Ward is Kawasaki's best-known tower condominium district, but counting buildings of 20 floors or more, the ward with the most is Saiwai Ward, which stretches from the west side of Kawasaki Station to Shin-Kawasaki and Kashimada, with 20 buildings against Nakahara's 16. At 30 floors or more, the order reverses, with 12 in Nakahara and 9 in Saiwai. This article lists the counts and buildings by ward, and the towers now planned, as of October 2026.
How do you rent or buy in Japan without visiting an agency office? Plus when our brokerage fee is half price
Katoh Property Management has no storefront. Consultations and contract paperwork are handled via form, LINE and online meetings, and only viewings take place on site. This article walks through renting, buying and selling step by step, showing what happens online and when you go to the property. It also explains when our brokerage fee is half price and which costs are not discounted.
Why is it so hard to find a home with a large dog in Tokyo? Rentals and condos often stop at "small dogs only"
We helped a friend with a golden retriever look for a home in Setagaya, Tokyo, and could not find one. Only 19.3% of rental listings allow pets (LIFULL HOME'S listings, March 2025), and even pet-friendly homes often limit the size of the animal. This article looks at why finding a home with a large dog is hard, for rentals, condominiums and houses, and how to search.
Have Musashikosugi resale condos overtaken Tokyo's 23 wards? Price per square meter up 1.5 times in four years
According to transaction price data from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the median closed price per square meter of resale condominiums built in 2005 or later around Musashikosugi Station rose from ¥973,000 in 2021 to ¥1,500,000 in 2025, up 54% in four years. Under the same conditions, the Kawasaki Station area rose 25%, Kawasaki City as a whole 29%, the greater Tokyo area (Tokyo and three neighboring prefectures) 34%, and Tokyo's 23 wards 38%; Musashikosugi overtook the 23-ward median in 2024. Using public data, this article looks at the share of sales above ¥100 million, a comparison with building age held constant, and the caveats of the method.
Kawasaki resale condo prices fell 7.3% year on year per square meter. Did they really drop? (Reading the August 2026 data)
According to East Japan REINS data for August 2026, the average closed price per square meter of resale condominiums in Kawasaki was ¥720,200, down ¥56,400 from a year earlier. In the same month, however, the average building age rose by more than three years and crossed the 25-year mark. Using age-band data for the greater Tokyo area, a comparison with two years ago, and comparisons with the greater Tokyo area as a whole, eastern Tokyo and Yokohama, this article explains how to read the figure.
How can you keep real estate brokerage fees low in Japan? The legal maximums for rentals and sales, and how to choose an agency
The quickest way to keep brokerage fees low on a rental or a purchase in Japan is to choose an agency that publishes its fee structure before you start searching. A licensed broker explains, in Q&A form, how the legal maximums work, how much you save on a ¥150,000-a-month rental and a ¥70 million purchase, and what to check when choosing a low-fee agency.
Who is Katoh Property Management? An introduction from Takahiro Katoh
An introduction to Katoh Property Management LLC, a family-run, licensed real estate brokerage based in Musashikosugi that handles rentals and sales across Kawasaki, Yokohama and the greater Tokyo area. Built on the parents' 40-plus years in real estate in Yokohama and Kawasaki, the company charges half the standard brokerage fee for both rentals and sales and handles consultations and paperwork via form, LINE and online meetings, with viewings on site. Takahiro Katoh, managing member and host of the travel YouTube channel "Katoh Travel", introduces the company and himself.