If the array of climates, landscapes, world-class culture, food and history aren’t tempting enough, Japan offers second-home buyers strong value compared to other Asian markets.
As of Oct. 25, 1 yen was worth US$0.0067, reaching only a high of US$0.10 in the past three years. This helps money stretch further, even on luxury properties. In its 2023 annual wealth report, London-based real estate consultancy Knight Frank reported buyers with US$1 million to spend can purchase 60 square meters, or 636 square feet, of prime property in Tokyo, almost double of what they can get in New York or Singapore and nearly triple that of Hong Kong.
Right now luxury is on the mind of buyers in Japan as the sector grows in a manner not seen before. Traditionally, Japanese buyers have lived in modest dwellings, said Michael Chen, CEO of Hokkaido-based real estate company H2 Group.
It’s only in the