About
The honest version of the Japan story.
Most coverage of Japanese property is either a tourist's akiya fantasy or a brochure. This is neither. It's what a licensed Tokyo agent actually sees — the opportunity first, the how-to later.
The world reads one headline about Japan: decline. Shrinking population, lost decades, empty houses. All true, and all the wrong thing to look at. The yen sits near a 30-year low, money is among the cheapest in the developed world, and foreigners can buy freehold with no residency, no citizenship, and no foreign-buyer surtax. The gap between the 1990 trauma and the 2026 reality is the whole opportunity — and almost nobody writing in English explains it straight.
Who writes this
Tokyo Property Insider is published under Hinoki Capital and written by a licensed Japanese real estate professional — nationally licensed to handle property transactions, not a content desk paraphrasing the news. That licence is the point: the analysis here comes from someone who actually transacts in this market.
What you'll find
Five tracks: the macro opportunity (why Japan is mispriced), the buying and financing process end to end, ward-by-ward market coverage, the strategy and the numbers behind yield and short-term rental, and the reality of relocating and living here. The voice is plain and the figures are directional and honest. Nothing here is financial, tax, or legal advice — it is the briefing we wish existed before we started.
How to read it
Start with The Market if you want the thesis, or Buying & Finance if you're closer to a decision. The newsletter sends the best of it, free.