Kochi Castle, Kochi
Photo: Kochi Castle, Kochi · kai muro / Unsplash

Shimanto City Housing Market Report 2026

Data updated 2026-11-11 · Source: MLIT transaction price survey, 2005 Q3–2026 Q2 · Transactions in 2025: 42

In short

  1. 1
    Steady, predictable growth

    House prices per m² have climbed about 4.4% a year, roughly in line with the previous five years.

  2. 2
    Outperforming Kochi

    Per m², houses here are 10% below the Kochi average.

  3. 3
    Sales are thinning out

    Transactions are down about 29% on the previous three years.

  4. 4
    What a typical purchase costs

    Half of all house sales last year were between ¥6.4M and ¥16.0M.

The answers, compared

What does a home cost?

¥13.0M

median house · ¥94k/m²

5% below the Kochi median

Are prices rising?

+44.4%

over 5 years

Faster than Kochi (+21.5%)

1 of 3 areas in Kochi, highest first

Can local earners afford it?

4.4× income

median price ÷ average taxable income

Easier than Kochi (4.8×)

3 of 3 areas in Kochi, highest first

Rent or buy?

26years of rent

median price ÷ a year of median rent

Shorter than Kochi (29)

3 of 3 areas in Kochi, highest first

Are people moving in?

-6.7%

population, 2020–25

Shrinking slower than Kochi (-7.0%)

4 of 4 areas in Kochi, highest first

How risky is it?

79%

chance of strong shaking (6-lower+) in 30 years

Higher than Kochi (73%)

1 of 4 areas in Kochi, highest first

Rent in Shimanto City

The average private rental costs ¥42k a month (2023), -2.8% since 2018. Kochi: ¥48k

Floor areaAverage rent / month
under 30 m²
studio / 1K
¥38k
vs 2018 +2.2% · Kochi: ¥37k
30–49 m²
1LDK / 2DK
¥40k
vs 2018 -6.5% · Kochi: ¥48k
50–69 m²
2LDK / 3DK
¥46k
vs 2018 -1.2% · Kochi: ¥53k
70–99 m²
3LDK / family
¥49k
vs 2018 +11.7% · Kochi: ¥57k
Rent per m²
¥943
median, per month · Kochi: ¥1,208

Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Housing and Land Survey 2023. Privately owned rentals (excluding rent-free homes), monthly rent without management fees. These averages include older homes, so they run below asking rents for newly listed units. 3,640 rented homes.

What the data says

Steady, predictable growth

House prices per m² have climbed about 4.4% a year, roughly in line with the previous five years. There is no sign of overheating or a sudden slowdown.

Outperforming Kochi

Per m², houses here are 10% below the Kochi average. The discount has shrunk from 34% ten years ago, so Shimanto City is catching up with its surroundings.

Sales are thinning out

Transactions are down about 29% 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 ¥6.4M and ¥16.0M. Listings outside that range are either unusual properties or worth a closer look.

A shrinking population

The population fell 6.7% between 2020 and 2025 (−7% for the wider area). More people moved out than in during 2025 (about 3.3 per 1,000 residents), which weakens long-term housing demand.

Many abandoned homes

20.6% of homes were empty in 2023 (20.3% for the wider area), and 13.8% were empty without being for rent, for sale or used as second homes. That is a high share of truly abandoned homes (akiya), a sign of weak demand. Cheap houses are easy to find, but resale can be slow.

High earthquake risk

The government's seismic model gives a 79% chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or stronger in the next 30 years (73% for the wider area). Check the building's earthquake standard (post-1981, ideally post-2000 for wooden houses) and consider earthquake insurance.

Local incomes are close to average

Taxpayers here reported an average taxable income of ¥3.0m in 2023 (¥3.2m for the wider area). That is +15% since 2014. Averages are pulled up by a few very high earners, so a typical household earns less than this.

Official land prices are edging up

On the government's fixed benchmark sites, which are valued the same way every year, residential land prices changed +0% in the year to January 2026 and 0% over five years. Because these sites don't change, this is the cleanest measure of land value trends.

Significant flood risk

Of the official land-price benchmark sites here, which sit in typical neighbourhoods, 80% are inside the worst-case flood zone (80% with expected depths of 3 m or more), 40% are in a tsunami inundation 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 Shimanto City: people, homes and risks

Population 2025
30,502
-6.7% since 2020
Kochi: -7.0%
Net moves in 2025
-102
-3.34 per 1,000 residents
Kochi: -4.53
Vacant homes (2023)
20.6%
13.8% empty and not for rent or sale
Kochi: 20.3%
Median rent (2023)
¥41k
per month, all rented homes
Kochi: ¥43k
Strong earthquake risk
79.4%
chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or more within 30 years
Kochi: 73.4%
Average income per taxpayer
¥3.0M
taxable income in 2023
Kochi: ¥3.2M
Daytime population
103
people here by day per 100 residents (2020 census)
Foreign residents
0.5%
154 registered residents in 2024
Kochi: 1.0%
Clinics
9.2
per 10,000 residents; 8 hospitals, 19 dental clinics (2020)
Kochi: 8.4
Official land price 2026
¥36k/m²
+0.3% in a year · -0.4% in 5 years
Kochi: ¥41k/m²
Flood exposure
80.0%
of 5 benchmark sites in a worst-case flood zone (80.0% 3 m or deeper)
Kochi: 60.7%
Tsunami exposure
40.0%
of 5 benchmark sites in a tsunami inundation zone
Kochi: 52.1%
Landslide exposure
0.0%
of 5 benchmark sites in a landslide warning area
Kochi: 6.4%

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); recorded crime: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (Tokyo only); incomes: Ministry of Internal Affairs taxation survey via the Statistics Bureau's municipal indicators; foreign residents: Basic Resident Register; medical facilities and station passengers: MLIT National Land Numerical Information. Earthquake probability is measured at the municipal center.

Example sales in Shimanto 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.

House

Lower-priced2025 Q4

¥6.0M

¥100k/m²

  • Nakamurahigashimachi
  • Nakamura
  • Land 80 m² · floor 60 m²
  • Built 2005 (20 yrs) · Wood
Typical2026 Q1

¥12.0M

¥30k/m²

  • Nakamurahigashimachi
  • Nakamura · 16 min walk
  • Land 360 m² · floor 400 m²
  • Built 1971 (55 yrs) · Steel
Higher-priced2026 Q1

¥18.0M

¥157k/m²

  • Gudotaguro
  • Gudo · 19 min walk
  • Land 210 m² · floor 115 m²
  • Built 2001 (25 yrs) · Wood
Median transaction price by yearA jump driven by what sold — The median house price rose 128% between 2023 and 2025. Per m², prices rose only 86%, so most of the jump comes from larger or higher-end properties changing hands, not from the same homes getting that much more expensive. With only 21 house sales in 2025, a handful of expensive deals can move the median a lot.
¥0¥5.0M¥10.0M¥15.0M2007200920112013201520172019202120232025
Show data table
YearHouse
2007–
2008¥12.5M
2009¥12.5M
2010¥12.0M
2011–
2012–
2013¥8.7M
2014–
2015¥11.0M
2016¥11.0M
2017¥9.4M
2018–
2019¥7.0M
2020¥11.0M
2021¥8.0M
2022¥4.0M
2023¥5.7M
2024¥8.2M
2025¥13.0M
Median price per m² by year
¥0¥50k¥100k¥150k2007200920112013201520172019202120232025
Show data table
YearHouseLand
2007–¥40k/m²
2008¥59k/m²¥26k/m²
2009¥81k/m²¥17k/m²
2010¥64k/m²–
2011–¥21k/m²
2012–¥27k/m²
2013¥68k/m²¥30k/m²
2014–¥30k/m²
2015¥94k/m²¥29k/m²
2016¥87k/m²¥24k/m²
2017¥115k/m²¥20k/m²
2018–¥27k/m²
2019¥41k/m²¥25k/m²
2020¥95k/m²¥27k/m²
2021¥70k/m²¥33k/m²
2022¥37k/m²¥34k/m²
2023¥51k/m²¥24k/m²
2024¥75k/m²¥29k/m²
2025¥94k/m²¥39k/m²

Prices near train stations in Shimanto City

Sales from 2023–2025, grouped by nearest station.

StationMedian used condo priceCondo price per m²Median house price (land + building)Walk (min)SalesDaily passengers (2023)
Nakamura (中村)––¥9.9M1436728-14% vs 2019
Gudo (具同)––¥7.5M172363-20% vs 2019

How much does a house cost in Shimanto City?

The median house sale, including the land, was ¥13.0M in 2025 across 21 sales.

Are property prices in Shimanto City going up?

Over the five years to 2025, residential land prices changed +44.4%.

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.