Kumamoto Castle, Kumamoto
Photo: Kumamoto Castle, Kumamoto · Mohammed Kertiou / Unsplash

Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City Housing Market Report 2025

Data updated 2026-11-10 · Source: MLIT transaction price survey, 2005 Q3–2026 Q2

Key figures for 2025

Median used condo price
¥18.0M
¥262k/m²
Median house price (land + building)
¥39.5M
Residential land per m² (sales)
¥150k/m²
+59.6% over 5 years
Transactions in 2025
370
#2 of 19 areas in Kumamoto by price per m²

What the data says

Prices are still rising, but more slowly

Growth has cooled to about 1.6% a year, down from 3.4% a year in the previous five years. This looks more like a maturing market than a turning point, and it gives buyers a bit more room to negotiate.

Moving with Kumamoto

Per m², condos here are 6% below the Kumamoto average. That position has barely changed in ten years, so it moves with the wider market.

Station distance barely matters

Condos 11–15 minutes from a station sell for similar or higher prices than those near one, which usually means buyers here drive or value quiet residential streets.

A family market

55% of recent condo sales have three or more bedrooms. Demand comes mainly from owner-occupier families, which tends to make prices steadier but rental yields lower.

What a typical purchase costs

Half of all condo sales last year were between ¥7.0M and ¥29.0M. Listings outside that range are either unusual properties or worth a closer look.

A shrinking population

The population fell 1.1% between 2020 and 2025 (−3.5% for the wider area). More people moved in than out in 2025, a net gain of about 2.3 per 1,000 residents, so demand for homes is being topped up by newcomers. Households still grew 3% as people live in smaller households, which supports demand for smaller homes even as the population shrinks.

Few abandoned homes

15.4% of homes were empty in 2023 (14.9% for the wider area), and 3% were empty without being for rent, for sale or used as second homes. Most empty homes here are rentals between tenants, not abandoned houses, a sign of a healthy market.

Buying vs renting

A median used condo costs about 30.6 years of the area's median rent (¥49k a month), compared with 34 years for the wider area. Prices are high relative to rents, so rental yields are thin and buyers are paying for expected growth. Rents here cover all rented homes, so treat this as a rough guide.

Lower earthquake risk

The government's seismic model gives a 11% chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or stronger in the next 30 years (15% for the wider area). This is low by Japanese standards, although no part of Japan is free of earthquake risk.

Official land prices are rising fast

On the government's fixed benchmark sites, which are valued the same way every year, residential land prices changed +6% in the year to January 2026 and +23% over five years. Because these sites don't change, this is the cleanest measure of land value trends.

Some flood or landslide exposure

Of the official land-price benchmark sites here, which sit in typical neighbourhoods, 68% are inside the worst-case flood zone. Most worst-case flood zones are shallow (under 0.5 m) at the edges, so depth matters as much as the share. Check the hazard map for any specific address before buying.

Living in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City: people, homes and risks

Population 2025
185,413
-1.1% since 2020
Kumamoto: -3.5%
Net moves in 2025
+434
+2.34 per 1,000 residents
Kumamoto: -1.39
Vacant homes (2023)
15.4%
3.0% empty and not for rent or sale
Kumamoto: 14.9%
Median rent (2023)
¥49k
per month, all rented homes
Kumamoto: ¥47k
Strong earthquake risk
11.3%
chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or more within 30 years
Kumamoto: 14.9%
Official land price 2026
¥129k/m²
+5.9% in a year · +22.6% in 5 years
Kumamoto: ¥54k/m²
Flood exposure
68.1%
of 47 benchmark sites in a worst-case flood zone (2.1% 3 m or deeper)
Kumamoto: 51.3%
Landslide exposure
0.0%
of 47 benchmark sites in a landslide warning area
Kumamoto: 0.8%

Check flood, landslide and tsunami zones for a specific address on the government hazard map ↗

Sources: 2025 Census (preliminary), 2025 Internal Migration Report, 2023 Housing and Land Survey (Statistics Bureau of Japan); J-SHIS seismic hazard model (NIED, 2024); Land Price Publication (MLIT). Earthquake probability is measured at the municipal center.

Example sales in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City

Real transactions from the last four quarters, picked near the lower (20th percentile), middle and upper (80th percentile) price points. Locations are shown at district level, as published by MLIT.

Condo

Lower-priced2025 Q3

¥6.0M

¥150k/m²

  • Kuhonji
  • Shin Suizenji · 19 min walk
  • 2DK · 40 m²
  • Built 1985 (40 yrs)
Typical2026 Q2

¥19.0M

¥238k/m²

  • Kokubu
  • Shin Suizenji · 6 min walk
  • 4LDK · 80 m²
  • Built 1995 (31 yrs) · RC
Higher-priced2026 Q1

¥33.0M

¥508k/m²

  • Kyomachihoncho
  • Kami Kumamoto(JR/KumamotoDentetsu) · 13 min walk
  • 2LDK · 65 m²
  • Built 2014 (12 yrs)

House

Lower-priced2026 Q1

¥17.0M

¥131k/m²

  • Izumi
  • Shin Suizenji · 19 min walk
  • Land 230 m² · floor 130 m²
  • Built 1979 (47 yrs) · Wood
Typical2026 Q2

¥42.0M

¥336k/m²

  • Suizenji
  • Suizenji · 15 min walk
  • Land 200 m² · floor 125 m²
  • Built 2004 (22 yrs) · Wood
Higher-priced2025 Q3

¥110M

¥159k/m²

  • Kokubu
  • Shin Suizenji · 9 min walk
  • Land 1100 m² · floor 690 m²
  • Built 1998 (27 yrs) · RC
Median transaction price by yearA sharp recent rise — The median condo price rose 29% between 2023 and 2025. Prices per m² rose 22% too, so this is a genuine like-for-like increase, not just bigger homes selling. With only 109 condo sales in 2025, a handful of expensive deals can move the median a lot.
¥0¥20.0M¥40.0M¥60.0M2007200920112013201520172019202120232025
Show data table
YearCondoHouse
2007¥8.0M¥33.5M
2008¥12.0M¥33.0M
2009¥14.5M¥30.0M
2010¥9.7M¥28.0M
2011¥9.0M¥31.0M
2012¥8.8M¥28.0M
2013¥9.0M¥32.0M
2014¥12.5M¥31.0M
2015¥11.0M¥30.0M
2016¥15.0M¥33.0M
2017¥12.0M¥31.0M
2018¥15.0M¥30.0M
2019¥16.0M¥32.0M
2020¥16.0M¥31.0M
2021¥16.0M¥35.0M
2022¥18.0M¥41.0M
2023¥14.0M¥36.0M
2024¥14.0M¥39.0M
2025¥18.0M¥39.5M
2026 (partial)¥19.0M¥47.0M
Median price per m² by yearHouses and condos cost about the same per m² — A m² of house floor costs roughly the same as a m² of condo, even though the house includes its land. That usually means land here is expensive, so a house is not a cheap way to get more space.
¥0¥100k¥200k¥300k2007200920112013201520172019202120232025
Show data table
YearCondoHouseLand
2007¥154k/m²¥200k/m²¥100k/m²
2008¥176k/m²¥188k/m²¥100k/m²
2009¥194k/m²¥187k/m²¥84k/m²
2010¥146k/m²¥185k/m²¥82k/m²
2011¥150k/m²¥202k/m²¥84k/m²
2012¥156k/m²¥150k/m²¥83k/m²
2013¥147k/m²¥178k/m²¥83k/m²
2014¥186k/m²¥164k/m²¥91k/m²
2015¥185k/m²¥152k/m²¥99k/m²
2016¥200k/m²¥162k/m²¥91k/m²
2017¥180k/m²¥200k/m²¥90k/m²
2018¥200k/m²¥187k/m²¥98k/m²
2019¥215k/m²¥206k/m²¥96k/m²
2020¥224k/m²¥208k/m²¥94k/m²
2021¥218k/m²¥200k/m²¥100k/m²
2022¥240k/m²¥214k/m²¥120k/m²
2023¥214k/m²¥222k/m²¥120k/m²
2024¥213k/m²¥256k/m²¥120k/m²
2025¥262k/m²¥241k/m²¥150k/m²
2026 (partial)¥279k/m²¥217k/m²¥130k/m²
Price per m² by building age (2021–2025 sales)How condos age here — In recent sales, condos lose about a quarter of their per-m² value by around 17 years old and half by around 30.Houses bottom out at around 34 years — House prices per m² drop about 55% from new by age 34, then flatten, because by then buyers are mostly paying for the land. A house older than that costs little more than its plot, a good option if you plan to renovate or rebuild.
¥0¥200k¥400k¥600k05101520253035404550
Show data table
Building age (years)CondoHouse
0–¥347k/m²
1–¥343k/m²
2–¥332k/m²
3¥450k/m²¥348k/m²
5¥450k/m²–
6¥430k/m²¥342k/m²
7¥440k/m²–
8¥378k/m²¥338k/m²
9¥434k/m²–
13¥338k/m²–
15¥329k/m²–
17¥373k/m²–
18¥330k/m²–
22¥267k/m²–
23¥250k/m²–
24¥264k/m²–
25¥235k/m²–
26¥183k/m²–
27–¥286k/m²
28–¥176k/m²
30¥141k/m²¥219k/m²
31¥147k/m²¥171k/m²
32¥133k/m²–
33¥125k/m²¥170k/m²
34¥147k/m²¥158k/m²
35¥181k/m²¥143k/m²
36¥155k/m²¥153k/m²
37¥144k/m²¥116k/m²
39–¥120k/m²
40–¥127k/m²
41–¥108k/m²
42–¥147k/m²
45–¥210k/m²
47–¥164k/m²
48–¥135k/m²
49–¥158k/m²
50–¥178k/m²
Condo price per m² by construction period
¥0¥200k¥400k¥600k2007200920112013201520172019202120232025

Each line follows buildings from one construction period over time. 1981 is when Japan's current earthquake-resistance standard (shin-taishin) took effect.

Show data table
Year1981-20002001-20102011-2020
2007¥154k/m²––
2008¥160k/m²¥325k/m²–
2009¥141k/m²¥312k/m²–
2010¥129k/m²¥313k/m²–
2011¥143k/m²¥278k/m²–
2012¥125k/m²¥288k/m²–
2013¥140k/m²¥250k/m²–
2014¥146k/m²¥314k/m²–
2015¥164k/m²¥275k/m²–
2016¥154k/m²––
2017¥134k/m²–¥422k/m²
2018¥155k/m²¥309k/m²–
2019¥185k/m²–¥538k/m²
2020¥187k/m²¥300k/m²¥394k/m²
2021¥177k/m²¥314k/m²¥432k/m²
2022¥176k/m²–¥427k/m²
2023¥150k/m²–¥450k/m²
2024¥154k/m²––
2025¥163k/m²–¥439k/m²
House price per m² by construction period
¥0¥100k¥200k¥300k¥400k2007200920112013201520172019202120232025

Each line follows buildings from one construction period over time. 1981 is when Japan's current earthquake-resistance standard (shin-taishin) took effect.

Show data table
Year1971-19801981-20002001-20102011-2020
2007–¥164k/m²¥279k/m²–
2008¥131k/m²¥161k/m²¥296k/m²–
2009–¥173k/m²¥273k/m²–
2010¥100k/m²¥143k/m²¥286k/m²–
2011–¥131k/m²–¥294k/m²
2012–¥136k/m²–¥278k/m²
2013¥92k/m²¥118k/m²–¥296k/m²
2014¥100k/m²¥152k/m²–¥292k/m²
2015¥109k/m²¥129k/m²––
2016–¥127k/m²––
2017¥108k/m²¥167k/m²–¥320k/m²
2018¥168k/m²¥157k/m²–¥303k/m²
2019–¥144k/m²–¥295k/m²
2020¥126k/m²¥133k/m²–¥294k/m²
2021¥131k/m²¥154k/m²––
2022–¥160k/m²––
2023¥150k/m²¥162k/m²––
2024–¥163k/m²––
2025–¥164k/m²––

Prices near train stations in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City

Sales from 2023–2025, grouped by nearest station.

StationMedian used condo priceCondo price per m²Median house price (land + building)Walk (min)Sales
Kumamoto (熊本)¥16.0M¥257k/m²¥90.5M19195
Suizenji (水前寺)¥13.5M¥204k/m²¥37.0M15188
Shin Suizenji (新水前寺)¥18.0M¥267k/m²¥45.0M13146
Kami Kumamoto(JR/KumamotoDentetsu) (上熊本(JR・熊本電鉄))¥16.0M¥212k/m²¥30.0M20108
Minami Kumamoto (南熊本)¥12.0M¥215k/m²¥34.5M1369
Tokaigakuen Mae (東海学園前)¥12.0M¥225k/m²¥33.0M1344
Fujisakigumae (藤崎宮前)¥18.0M¥257k/m²–622
Kurokamimachi (黒髪町)––¥39.0M615
Tatsutaguchi (竜田口)–––1413
Heisei (平成)––¥63.0M612

Used condo prices by layout in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City

Sales from 2023–2025.

LayoutMedian used condo priceTypical sizeSales
3LDK¥22.0M70 m²132
1K¥2.3M20 m²56
4LDK¥25.0M85 m²54
2LDK¥19.0M60 m²54
1DK¥4.5M25 m²13
1LDK¥10.0M55 m²13
2DK¥7.5M45 m²12

How much does an apartment cost in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City?

The median used condo (mansion) in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City sold for ¥18.0M in 2025, about ¥262k/m², based on 109 recorded sales.

How much does a house cost in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City?

The median house sale, including the land, was ¥39.5M in 2025 across 144 sales.

Are property prices in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City going up?

Over the five years to 2025, condo prices per m² changed +17.0% and residential land prices changed +59.6%.

About this data

Figures are medians of real transactions reported to Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) through its quarterly price survey. House prices per m² divide the total price (land and building) by the floor area. Medians based on fewer than 20 sales are not shown. The latest quarters are preliminary and are revised as more survey responses arrive.

Information only, not investment advice.