住宅用語集

Japanese housing terms glossary

Terms that show up in Japanese contracts, permits, and paperwork during a home purchase, build, or renovation, explained in plain English.

Documents use specific kanji terms that everyday conversational Japanese does not cover. Knowing the term helps you follow a meeting or a contract even if you cannot read the document yourself.

Search for the kanji you see on a document, or the English term if that is what a staff member used. Each entry gives the reading so you can also ask about it out loud.

Land and zoning

Building coverage ratio建蔽率 · kenpeiritsu: The maximum percentage of a lot's area that a building's footprint may cover, seen from directly above. The limit is set by zoning district and municipality, so it can differ between two lots in the same city.
Floor area ratio容積率 · yosekiritsu: The maximum total floor area allowed, as a share of the lot size, adding up every floor. Where building coverage limits the footprint, this limits the total floor space, which affects whether a single-story or two-story plan fits.
Zoning district用途地域 · youto chiiki: A designation that sets the broad character of an area, such as residential, commercial, or industrial, and determines what can be built there and how large. Confirming a lot's zoning before you commit to it tells you whether your planned use and building size will actually be allowed.
Building confirmation建築確認 · kenchiku kakunin: Official confirmation, before construction starts, that a building plan meets Japan's building code. Construction cannot legally begin until this confirmation is issued, so it falls between finalizing the design and signing the construction contract.

Money

Bridge loanつなぎ融資 · tsunagi yuushi: A mortgage is normally disbursed as a lump sum at handover, which is too late to pay for the land or the earlier construction-payment stages. A bridge loan is a short-term loan that covers those earlier payments until the mortgage is disbursed.
Loan pre-approval事前審査 · jizen shinsa: A preliminary review by a bank of your income, employment, and other factors, done before you submit a formal mortgage application. It is normal to complete this before signing for land or a construction contract, since a decline here means revisiting your budget.
Deposit手付金 · tetsukekin: Money paid at signing as a show of commitment, credited toward the final price. Within a set window, a buyer can usually cancel by forfeiting the deposit, and a seller can cancel by returning double, without needing another reason.
Fixed asset tax固定資産税 · kotei shisanzei: An annual tax billed by the municipality to whoever owns land or a building as of January 1 each year. The bill starts arriving the year after you take ownership and continues every year you keep the property.

Contracts and handover

Statutory disclosure statement重要事項説明 · juuyou jikou setsumei: A written explanation that a licensed real estate agent is legally required to give you before you sign, covering legal restrictions on the property, utility conditions, and the terms for cancelling the contract. It is meant to be the last check before you commit.
Seller's or builder's liability for defects瑕疵担保責任・契約不適合責任 · kashi tanpo sekinin / keiyaku futekigou sekinin: The legal responsibility of a seller or builder to address problems discovered after handover that do not match what the contract promised. An older civil-code term and its current replacement both describe the same kind of after-handover liability, and you may see either wording in a contract.
Property registration登記 · touki: The official record of who owns a property and what claims, such as a mortgage lender's, are attached to it, kept at the local registry office. At handover, ownership and the lender's claim are usually registered at the same time, normally handled by a judicial scrivener on your behalf.
Handover引渡し · hikiwatashi: The day the finished home, its keys, and the related paperwork are formally transferred from builder to owner. The remaining balance is paid and the mortgage is disbursed around this same date, and responsibility for the home passes to you from that point.

Performance and construction

Long-term quality housing certification長期優良住宅 · chouki yuuryou juutaku: A government certification for homes that meet set standards for durability, maintenance access, and energy efficiency. Certification widens your access to tax benefits, but it must be applied for during design, not after construction starts.
Ground-breaking ceremony地鎮祭 · jichinsai: A traditional ceremony held on the site before construction begins, asking for a safe build. It is optional but common, and often doubles as an introduction between you, the builder, and any neighbors present.
Framing milestone上棟 · joutou: The point where the structural frame, the posts and beams, is fully assembled, named for the ridge beam that goes up last. Many households mark it with a small ceremony, and it is usually the first time the shape of the house is visible.

Have a question about your own paperwork?

These explanations are general background, not a substitute for reading the actual document or asking a licensed professional about your specific situation.

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Contracts and the legally required disclosure statement are prepared in Japanese only.

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