How to Get the Most Out of the "Zillow of Japan" NipponHomes

The ONLY Free Zillow of Japan

If you didn’t know already, NipponHomes is the only free, English-language home search tool in Japan.

Were not like the other guys….

No paywalls. No upfront fees. No “unlock this feature” nonsense.
Every tool on the site is completely free to use.

So here’s how to actually use it properly 👇

1. Use the Zoning Layer (This One Matters the Most)

Most foreign buyers want the option to rent their home on Airbnb someday, even if it’s not the plan right away.

In Japan, that only works if the home is in the correct zoning.

We see this mistake all the time:
People buy through another service, then come to us asking for Airbnb licensing and management… only to find out the house can never be legally rented.

That’s exactly why we built the zoning layer.

• Turn on the zoning layer
• Zoom in on the map
• Click any colored zone
• You’ll see an infographic showing:
  • Whether hotels are allowed
  • Whether minpaku is allowed

Our hotel zoning data is ~99% accurate.
Minpaku zoning is trickier, each municipality sets its own rules, so its hard to get that data, but it’s still the best starting point anywhere online.

And before you buy?
We always call the municipality directly and confirm zoning for you.

2. Use the Draw Tool (Stop Refreshing Listings All Day)

The draw feature is one of the most powerful tools on the site—and most people underuse it.

You can:

• Draw a circle around any area
• Set filters like:
  • Price
  • Age of the home
  • Distance to the nearest station

Then save the search.

Any time a new home pops up that matches your criteria, you’ll get an email alert automatically.

No more obsessively checking listings every day.
Let the deals come to you.

3. Turn On the Seismic Layer (Especially for Older Homes)

Japan is the land of earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis—so ignoring seismic data is a mistake.

Our seismic layer shows:

• Areas with higher earthquake risk
• Zones that may affect:
  • Renovation and design decisions
  • Whether a home was built pre- or post-1981 (when modern seismic standards became national law)
  • Your homeowner’s insurance costs

This layer helps you understand risk, not fear it—and plan smarter whether you’re buying an older akiya or a newer build.

4. Average Price per Square Meter (Used Homes Only)

This is another feature people seriously underestimate.

Right now, NipponHomes only scrapes data for used homes (we’re planning to add land soon).
And as far as we can tell, we’re the only site in Japan that shows average price per square meter specifically for used homes.

When you’re looking at a listing, you want to know one simple thing:
Is this house priced above or below the local average?

Japan doesn’t behave like markets such as the U.S., where prices tend to cluster tightly around median values. In Japan, pricing can vary wildly from one street to the next, even within the same neighborhood.

That’s where the price-per-square-meter layer comes in.

It gives you context.
It helps you sanity-check a listing.
And it lets you spot deals that are genuinely underpriced—not just “cheap because Japan.”

It won’t replace due diligence, but it’s one of the fastest ways to understand whether you’re looking at a fair deal or an outlier.

Bottom Line

NipponHomes isn’t just a listing site.
It’s a decision-making tool.

Use the zoning layer.
Make sure the home can actually be rented before you fall in love with it.

Use the draw feature.
Set your area once and get alerted when new deals hit, no daily refreshing.

Use the seismic data.
Understand risk, insurance costs, and what pre- vs post-1981 really means.

Use the price-per-square-meter data.
Know instantly if a listing is above or below the local average.

And when you’re ready, we’ll help you double-check everything, call the city, and make sure the deal actually works in the real world, not just on paper.

If you want help dialing in a search, just reach out.

Start searching today.
👉 NipponHomes.com, Your English-language gateway to Japan’s real estate market.

Browse opportunities yourself: Check out current listings at Nipponhomes.com

Book consultation | Subscribe to our newsletter

Share this post and get 5 new subscribers to earn your custom Yuki Homes heavyweight tee—designed in Brooklyn, quality you can actually feel.

Also check out Yukihomes.com

‍