Kintaikyo Bridge, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi
Photo: Kintaikyo Bridge, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi · Shino Nakamura / Unsplash

Yanai City Housing Market Report 2026

Data updated 2026-11-11 · Source: MLIT transaction price survey, 2005 Q3–2026 Q2 · Transactions in 2025: 60

In short

  1. 1
    Sales are picking up

    There were about 15% more transactions in the last three years than the three before, so the market is liquid and selling later should be easier.

  2. 2
    What a typical purchase costs

    Half of all house sales last year were between ¥2.9M and ¥15.3M.

  3. 3
    A shrinking population

    The population fell 7.4% between 2020 and 2025 (−5.8% for the wider area).

  4. 4
    Many abandoned homes

    26.6% of homes were empty in 2023 (19.4% for the wider area), and 18.9% were empty without being for rent, for sale or used as second homes.

The answers, compared

What does a home cost?

¥7.1M

median house · ¥43k/m²

47% below the Yamaguchi median

6 of 10 areas in Yamaguchi, highest first

Are prices rising?

+21.1%

over 5 years

Faster than Yamaguchi (+6.7%)

2 of 12 areas in Yamaguchi, highest first

Can local earners afford it?

2.2× income

median price ÷ average taxable income

Easier than Yamaguchi (4.4×)

9 of 13 areas in Yamaguchi, highest first

Rent or buy?

13years of rent

median price ÷ a year of median rent

Shorter than Yamaguchi (28)

9 of 12 areas in Yamaguchi, highest first

Are people moving in?

-7.4%

population, 2020–25

Shrinking faster than Yamaguchi (-5.8%)

9 of 13 areas in Yamaguchi, highest first

How risky is it?

30%

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

Higher than Yamaguchi (12%)

3 of 13 areas in Yamaguchi, highest first

Rent in Yanai City

The average private rental costs ¥48k a month (2023), -0.2% since 2018. Yamaguchi: ¥48k

Floor areaAverage rent / month
30–49 m²
1LDK / 2DK
¥48k
vs 2018 +8.9% · Yamaguchi: ¥48k
50–69 m²
2LDK / 3DK
¥46k
vs 2018 -10.4% · Yamaguchi: ¥55k
70–99 m²
3LDK / family
¥50k
vs 2018 -10.1% · Yamaguchi: ¥58k
Rent per m²
¥1,042
median, per month · Yamaguchi: ¥1,193

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. 2,120 rented homes.

What the data says

Sales are picking up

There were about 15% more transactions in the last three years than the three before, so the market is liquid and selling later should be easier.

What a typical purchase costs

Half of all house sales last year were between ¥2.9M and ¥15.3M. Listings outside that range are either unusual properties or worth a closer look.

A shrinking population

The population fell 7.4% between 2020 and 2025 (−5.8% for the wider area). Moves in and out roughly balanced in 2025.

Many abandoned homes

26.6% of homes were empty in 2023 (19.4% for the wider area), and 18.9% 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.

Moderate earthquake risk

The government's seismic model gives a 30% chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or stronger in the next 30 years (12% for the wider area). Post-1981 buildings are designed for this level of shaking, but check ground conditions and insurance.

Local incomes are close to average

Taxpayers here reported an average taxable income of ¥3.2m in 2023 (¥3.4m 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 +1% in the year to January 2026 and +3% 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, 50% are inside the worst-case flood zone, 33% are in a tsunami inundation zone, 17% are in a landslide warning area. 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 Yanai City: people, homes and risks

Population 2025
28,533
-7.4% since 2020
Yamaguchi: -5.8%
Net moves in 2025
-25
-0.88 per 1,000 residents
Yamaguchi: -3.88
Vacant homes (2023)
26.6%
18.9% empty and not for rent or sale
Yamaguchi: 19.4%
Median rent (2023)
¥45k
per month, all rented homes
Yamaguchi: ¥44k
Strong earthquake risk
29.7%
chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or more within 30 years
Yamaguchi: 11.7%
Average income per taxpayer
¥3.2M
taxable income in 2023
Yamaguchi: ¥3.4M
Daytime population
103
people here by day per 100 residents (2020 census)
Foreign residents
0.9%
279 registered residents in 2024
Yamaguchi: 1.6%
Clinics
13.7
per 10,000 residents; 4 hospitals, 18 dental clinics (2020)
Yamaguchi: 10.0
Official land price 2026
¥29k/m²
+1.0% in a year · +2.6% in 5 years
Yamaguchi: ¥33k/m²
Flood exposure
50.0%
of 6 benchmark sites in a worst-case flood zone (0.0% 3 m or deeper)
Yamaguchi: 35.6%
Tsunami exposure
33.3%
of 6 benchmark sites in a tsunami inundation zone
Yamaguchi: 8.2%
Landslide exposure
16.7%
of 6 benchmark sites in a landslide warning area
Yamaguchi: 10.7%

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 Yanai 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 Q3

¥1.0M

¥9k/m²

  • Kojiro
  • Obatake · 21 min walk
  • Land 115 m² · floor 115 m²
  • Built 1976 (49 yrs) · Wood
Typical2025 Q4

¥7.0M

¥52k/m²

  • Shinjo
  • Yanai · 24 min walk
  • Land 430 m² · floor 135 m²
  • Built 1966 (59 yrs) · Wood
Higher-priced2025 Q3

¥20.0M

¥27k/m²

  • Asahigaoka
  • Yanai
  • Land 1100 m² · floor 740 m²
  • Built 1989 (36 yrs) · RC
Median transaction price by yearA jump driven by what sold — The median house price rose 29% between 2023 and 2025. Per m², prices rose only 8%, 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 28 house sales in 2025, a handful of expensive deals can move the median a lot.
¥0¥5.0M¥10.0M¥15.0M200820102012201420162018202020222024
Show data table
YearHouse
2008–
2009–
2010–
2011–
2012¥8.0M
2013¥6.5M
2014–
2015¥9.0M
2016¥8.0M
2017¥5.8M
2018¥6.0M
2019¥12.4M
2020–
2021¥12.0M
2022¥6.5M
2023¥5.5M
2024¥3.8M
2025¥7.1M
Median price per m² by year
¥0¥50k¥100k200820102012201420162018202020222024
Show data table
YearHouseLand
2008–¥24k/m²
2009–¥27k/m²
2010–¥24k/m²
2011–¥37k/m²
2012¥68k/m²¥29k/m²
2013¥60k/m²¥24k/m²
2014–¥22k/m²
2015¥50k/m²¥19k/m²
2016¥58k/m²¥16k/m²
2017¥51k/m²¥27k/m²
2018¥81k/m²¥14k/m²
2019¥73k/m²¥12k/m²
2020–¥19k/m²
2021¥92k/m²¥15k/m²
2022¥44k/m²¥14k/m²
2023¥40k/m²¥14k/m²
2024¥38k/m²¥5k/m²
2025¥43k/m²¥23k/m²

Prices near train stations in Yanai 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)
Yanai (柳井)––¥5.3M16543,238-13% vs 2019
Yanaiminato (柳井港)––¥5.3M1213420-14% vs 2019

How much does a house cost in Yanai City?

The median house sale, including the land, was ¥7.1M in 2025 across 28 sales.

Are property prices in Yanai City going up?

Over the five years to 2025, residential land prices changed +21.1%.

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.