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

Higashi 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
¥17.5M
¥261k/m²
Median house price (land + building)
¥31.5M
Residential land per m² (sales)
¥79k/m²
+25.4% over 5 years
Transactions in 2025
313
#4 of 19 areas in Kumamoto by price per m²

What the data says

The trend has turned down

After rising earlier, house prices per m² have slipped by about 0.7% a year over the last five years. That often reflects weaker local demand, so check vacancy and population trends before buying.

Outperforming Kumamoto

Per m², houses here are 68% above the Kumamoto average. The premium has grown from 61% ten years ago, so Higashi Ward, Kumamoto City has been outperforming its surroundings.

A family market

68% 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.

Sales are thinning out

Transactions are down about 13% on the previous three years. Fewer sales mean less choice and slower resale, so allow more time to sell later.

What a typical purchase costs

Half of all house sales last year were between ¥20.0M and ¥42.5M. Listings outside that range are either unusual properties or worth a closer look.

A stable population

The population was roughly stable between 2020 and 2025 (−3.5% for the wider area). More people moved out than in during 2025 (about 2.4 per 1,000 residents), which weakens long-term housing demand.

Few abandoned homes

11.3% of homes were empty in 2023 (14.9% for the wider area), and 3.2% 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.

Lower earthquake risk

The government's seismic model gives a 17% 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 +4% in the year to January 2026 and +13% 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, 28% 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 Higashi Ward, Kumamoto City: people, homes and risks

Population 2025
189,030
-0.3% since 2020
Kumamoto: -3.5%
Net moves in 2025
-454
-2.4 per 1,000 residents
Kumamoto: -1.39
Vacant homes (2023)
11.3%
3.2% empty and not for rent or sale
Kumamoto: 14.9%
Median rent (2023)
¥49k
per month, all rented homes
Kumamoto: ¥47k
Strong earthquake risk
16.6%
chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or more within 30 years
Kumamoto: 14.9%
Official land price 2026
¥78k/m²
+3.5% in a year · +12.6% in 5 years
Kumamoto: ¥54k/m²
Flood exposure
27.6%
of 29 benchmark sites in a worst-case flood zone (0.0% 3 m or deeper)
Kumamoto: 51.3%
Landslide exposure
0.0%
of 29 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 Higashi 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

¥10.0M

¥167k/m²

  • Yamanouchi
  • Suizenji
  • 3LDK · 60 m²
  • Built 1991 (34 yrs) · RC
Typical2026 Q1

¥17.0M

¥309k/m²

  • Higashino
  • Shin Suizenji
  • 2LDK · 55 m²
  • Built 2006 (20 yrs)
Higher-priced2025 Q3

¥26.0M

¥371k/m²

  • Nagamineminami
  • Tokaigakuen Mae
  • 2LDK · 70 m²
  • Built 2017 (8 yrs) · RC

House

Lower-priced2025 Q4

¥19.0M

¥158k/m²

  • Enokimachi
  • Shin Suizenji
  • Land 250 m² · floor 120 m²
  • Built 1980 (45 yrs) · Wood
Typical2026 Q2

¥31.0M

¥326k/m²

  • Tsukide
  • Tokaigakuen Mae
  • Land 135 m² · floor 95 m²
  • Built 2025 (1 yrs) · Wood
Higher-priced2025 Q4

¥45.0M

¥474k/m²

  • Omine
  • Tokaigakuen Mae
  • Land 185 m² · floor 95 m²
  • Built 2024 (1 yrs) · Wood
Median transaction price by year
¥0¥10.0M¥20.0M¥30.0M¥40.0M2007200920112013201520172019202120232025
Show data table
YearCondoHouse
2007¥9.8M¥23.0M
2008¥13.0M¥24.0M
2009¥11.5M¥21.5M
2010¥15.0M¥25.0M
2011¥13.0M¥27.0M
2012¥13.0M¥27.0M
2013¥10.0M¥26.0M
2014¥13.0M¥26.5M
2015–¥27.0M
2016–¥27.0M
2017¥16.5M¥26.0M
2018¥13.0M¥28.0M
2019¥14.0M¥29.5M
2020¥14.5M¥30.0M
2021¥13.5M¥31.0M
2022¥18.0M¥32.0M
2023¥17.0M¥30.0M
2024¥14.5M¥29.0M
2025¥17.5M¥31.5M
2026 (partial)–¥32.5M
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¥144k/m²¥177k/m²¥71k/m²
2008¥200k/m²¥196k/m²¥71k/m²
2009¥157k/m²¥147k/m²¥70k/m²
2010¥186k/m²¥184k/m²¥63k/m²
2011¥157k/m²¥191k/m²¥60k/m²
2012¥186k/m²¥220k/m²¥53k/m²
2013¥143k/m²¥200k/m²¥54k/m²
2014¥186k/m²¥186k/m²¥57k/m²
2015–¥200k/m²¥53k/m²
2016–¥195k/m²¥63k/m²
2017¥213k/m²¥231k/m²¥62k/m²
2018¥185k/m²¥220k/m²¥64k/m²
2019¥213k/m²¥265k/m²¥60k/m²
2020¥206k/m²¥236k/m²¥63k/m²
2021¥185k/m²¥220k/m²¥66k/m²
2022¥235k/m²¥200k/m²¥76k/m²
2023¥218k/m²¥244k/m²¥76k/m²
2024¥206k/m²¥260k/m²¥75k/m²
2025¥261k/m²¥224k/m²¥79k/m²
2026 (partial)–¥236k/m²¥70k/m²
Price per m² by building age (2021–2025 sales)Houses bottom out at around 26 years — House prices per m² drop about 57% from new by age 26, 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¥100k¥200k¥300k¥400k05101520253035404550
Show data table
Building age (years)CondoHouse
0–¥327k/m²
1–¥302k/m²
2–¥368k/m²
26–¥136k/m²
27–¥140k/m²
28–¥161k/m²
29–¥157k/m²
30–¥178k/m²
31–¥138k/m²
32¥109k/m²–
33–¥146k/m²
34–¥130k/m²
35–¥131k/m²
36–¥110k/m²
38–¥204k/m²
39–¥84k/m²
40–¥136k/m²
41–¥121k/m²
45–¥143k/m²
46–¥189k/m²
50–¥154k/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¥137k/m²¥127k/m²¥256k/m²–
2008¥137k/m²¥143k/m²¥256k/m²–
2009¥96k/m²¥127k/m²¥238k/m²–
2010¥105k/m²¥139k/m²¥252k/m²–
2011–¥115k/m²–¥267k/m²
2012–¥136k/m²–¥267k/m²
2013¥139k/m²¥140k/m²–¥260k/m²
2014–¥150k/m²–¥270k/m²
2015¥133k/m²¥141k/m²–¥270k/m²
2016–¥120k/m²–¥282k/m²
2017–¥136k/m²–¥295k/m²
2018–¥130k/m²–¥276k/m²
2019–¥136k/m²–¥292k/m²
2020–¥124k/m²–¥305k/m²
2021¥138k/m²¥150k/m²–¥293k/m²
2022–¥136k/m²––
2023–¥140k/m²–¥279k/m²
2024–¥142k/m²––
2025–¥130k/m²––

Prices near train stations in Higashi 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
Shin Suizenji (新水前寺)¥16.5M¥224k/m²¥31.0M25245
Suizenji (水前寺)¥16.0M¥213k/m²¥30.0M24168
Tokaigakuen Mae (東海学園前)¥15.5M¥238k/m²¥32.5M1698
Musashizuka (武蔵塚)––¥27.5M2743
Hikari no Mori (光の森)––¥29.0M2533
Tatsutaguchi (竜田口)––¥23.5M2119
Minami Kumamoto (南熊本)––¥31.0M–11

Used condo prices by layout in Higashi Ward, Kumamoto City

Sales from 2023–2025.

LayoutMedian used condo priceTypical sizeSales
3LDK¥21.0M70 m²32
4LDK¥17.0M85 m²20
1K¥2.2M25 m²13
2LDK¥12.0M60 m²11

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

The median used condo (mansion) in Higashi Ward, Kumamoto City sold for ¥17.5M in 2025, about ¥261k/m², based on 22 recorded sales.

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

The median house sale, including the land, was ¥31.5M in 2025 across 164 sales.

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

Over the five years to 2025, condo prices per m² changed +26.7% and residential land prices changed +25.4%.

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.