Renting a shop, warehouse or office in Tomakomai | How to think about rent, contract terms, and comparing with buying
When you rent a shop, warehouse or office in Tomakomai, there are things to check before you think about whether the rent is high or low. Can you run that type of business at that location? Do the contract terms fit your business plans? Who carries the costs in winter? This article explains how to look for each type of property and the points to settle before signing a contract.
First, check the zoning
The zoning (yōto chiiki) decides what types of business can operate at a location and how large a building can be.
Shops
| Shop floor area | Zones where it can be built |
|---|---|
| 150 m² or less | Category 1 and 2 medium-to-high-rise residential, Category 1 and 2 residential, quasi-residential, neighborhood commercial, commercial, quasi-industrial, industrial |
| Over 150 m² up to 500 m² | Category 1 and 2 medium-to-high-rise residential, Category 1 and 2 residential, quasi-residential, neighborhood commercial, commercial, quasi-industrial, industrial |
| Over 500 m² up to 3,000 m² | Category 1 and 2 residential, quasi-residential, neighborhood commercial, commercial, quasi-industrial, industrial |
| Over 3,000 m² up to 10,000 m² | Category 2 residential, quasi-residential, neighborhood commercial, commercial, quasi-industrial, industrial |
| Over 10,000 m² | Neighborhood commercial, commercial, quasi-industrial, industrial |
Warehouses
| Type | Zones where it can be built |
|---|---|
| Private warehouse (your own company’s goods) | Category 2 residential, quasi-residential, neighborhood commercial, commercial, quasi-industrial, industrial, exclusive industrial (Category 1 residential: 3,000 m² or less) |
| Commercial warehouse (warehousing business, other people’s goods) | Quasi-industrial, industrial and exclusive industrial only |
To look up the zoning from an address, you can use the Tomakomai City Planning Information Service. Mistakes are easy to make near zone boundaries, so before signing a contract, please check with us or with the city’s Future Creation Strategy Office (+81-144-32-6229).
Finding a shop to rent
Choosing a location
In Tomakomai, demand for shops is moving from the station area to the main roads. In the 2026 official land price publication, Omotemachi 5-chome in front of the station fell to ¥42,600 per m² (−1.8%), while Futabacho 3-chome on National Route 36 rose to ¥27,800 (+1.5%). In this city, having parking decides whether you attract customers.
- Station area and center (Omotemachi, Omachi, Nishikicho, Wakakusacho): customers on foot and evening dining. There is now some room to negotiate the rent
- Along National Routes 36 and 276: businesses that need parking. Roadside retail, restaurants and services
- East (Numanohata, Yanagimachi, Takuyu): an area where the population is growing. Suitable for everyday services
- West (Itoi, Nisshincho, Sumikawacho): mainly local customers. Rents are lower
Equipment to check
- Restaurants: exhaust and air supply ducts, grease trap, gas capacity, water supply and drainage, fire safety equipment
- Retail: back room, delivery route, whether trucks can pull up
- Services: electrical capacity, hot water, ceiling height and partitions that allow private rooms
- All: number of parking spaces (for customers and staff), and where and how large a sign you can put up
Finding a warehouse to rent
Tomakomai is close to Hokkaido’s largest port, the Do-o Expressway and New Chitose Airport, so demand for warehouses is stable. Industrial land prices are also rising: Ipponmatsucho (warehouse) was ¥14,000 (+6.1%), and Motonakanocho 2-chome (office) was ¥16,300 (+3.8%).
Points to check
- Whether a commercial warehouse is allowed: whether your business needs registration under the Warehousing Business Act. If it does, you need a quasi-industrial zone or a more industrial zone
- Ceiling height and floor load: the height of racks, use of forklifts, and the weight of the goods you store
- Entrances and turning space: whether large trucks can enter and turn around on the site
- Electrical capacity: a power contract if you use freezers, refrigeration or processing machines
- Office space: whether the warehouse has an office or you need a separate one
- Snow removal: whether the landlord or the tenant pays for clearing snow on the site. Tomakomai gets little snow, but strong winds can create snowdrifts that block entrances
Option: rent land and build your own
In Tomakomai City’s industrial parks, land rents are around ¥30 to ¥60 per m² per month. For 1,000 m², that is ¥30,000 to ¥60,000 per month. This is cheaper than renting an existing warehouse, and you can decide the specifications freely. For inquiries, contact the Corporate Policy Office, Industry and Economy Department, Tomakomai City (+81-144-32-6438).
| Industrial park | Zoning | Sale price | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomakomai Eastern Area (Tomato) | Exclusive industrial | ¥9,000 to ¥11,500/m² | By consultation |
| Tomakomai Western Industrial Base | Exclusive industrial | ¥9,300/m² | From ¥30/m² per month |
| Irifune and Ipponmatsu Park | Exclusive industrial and others | ¥12,500 to ¥16,900/m² | From ¥40 to ¥55/m² per month |
| Akeno-kita Industrial Park | Quasi-industrial | From ¥10,300/m² | From ¥35/m² per month |
| Utonai Residential, Commercial and Industrial Park | Quasi-industrial | From ¥15,500/m² | From ¥60/m² per month |
Source: Tomakomai City Business Location Guide.
Finding an office to rent
Office properties in Tomakomai are mainly buildings near the station, and warehouses or shops with offices along the main roads. For a small office, you can also use a shop property as an office (you need to check the zoning). Points to check are electrical capacity, communication lines (whether fiber optic can be brought in), the number of parking spaces, and, for buildings, how the elevator and air conditioning are managed.
Contract terms to settle before signing
| Item | Typical level in Tomakomai / what to check |
|---|---|
| Security deposit (hoshōkin) | 3 to 6 months’ rent |
| Non-refundable part (shōkyaku) | 20 to 30% of the deposit, or 1 to 2 months’ rent, is not returned |
| Rent revision | Whether the contract states the conditions and timing of rent revisions |
| Restoration | Whether you must return the space as a bare shell (skeleton), or may return it as it is |
| Type of contract | Fixed-term lease (ends when the term expires) or ordinary lease (renewable) |
| Early termination | Notice period (3 to 6 months is common) and penalty |
| Snow removal | Who pays for clearing snow on the site and parking lot |
| Change of use | Whether you need the landlord’s consent to change the type of business |
Rent or buy?
In Tomakomai, commercial land and buildings cost less than in Sapporo or Chitose. Here is a rough guide for deciding.
- Renting is better when: your business has just started and its shape is not fixed, you may move or expand within 3 to 5 years, or you want to keep the initial investment low
- Buying is better when: you expect to stay in the same place for 10 years or more, you want equipment built to your own specifications, you want to own it as an asset, or the rent is close to the loan repayment
A certain number of people search for “Tomakomai warehouse for sale” or “Tomakomai shop for sale”. Warehouses are valued by the value of the land and by whether they have a roof and trucks can enter; the age of the building does not matter much. Even old warehouses can sell.
We have unlisted information
Commercial properties in Tomakomai are often rented or sold without ever appearing on property portal sites. Banana House has its head office in Honkocho, Tomakomai, and handles shops, warehouses, offices and land for business. If you tell us your type of business, the area you need, your budget, the number of parking spaces and your preferred timing, we will search for you, including information that has not yet been published.
Related articles: Finding or selling a shop property in Tomakomai / Renting, buying or selling a warehouse in Tomakomai / Real estate information for Tomakomai City
This page was machine-translated. The Japanese original prevails.
Frequently asked questions
What is the non-refundable part (shōkyaku) of a security deposit?
It is the part that is not returned when the contract ends. For commercial rentals in Tomakomai, the security deposit is usually 3 to 6 months' rent, and 1 to 2 months' rent or 20 to 30% of it is non-refundable. Always check whether the contract states the non-refundable percentage.
Can I rent a space with the previous tenant's fittings (inuki)?
It depends on the property. The procedure changes depending on whether the equipment left by the previous tenant (fixtures, zōsaku) belongs to the landlord or to the previous tenant. If the previous tenant owns it, you need a separate contract to transfer the fixtures, and there is a cost. Also check whether you will be asked to return the space as a bare shell when you move out.
Which is better, renting or buying?
It depends on your business plans. Industrial land in Tomakomai is cheap (industrial park rent is ¥30 to ¥60/m² per month, and the sale price is ¥9,000 to ¥16,900/m²). If you expect to use it for 10 years or more, buying can cost less in total. If it is short-term, or your business is not yet fixed, renting gives you more flexibility.
I cannot find the property I want.
Many commercial properties in Tomakomai are not publicly listed. If you tell us your type of business, the area you need, your budget, the number of parking spaces and your preferred timing, we will search for you, including information that has not yet been published. In some cases, you can secure a property before it becomes vacant.
Business land, warehouses and shops
We sometimes have information on industrial land and income properties before it is published. Tell us what you are looking for.
Banana House Inc., 1-1-1 Honkocho, Tomakomai. We never use pushy sales. Please write in English or Japanese.
Sources and data
- Data retrieved: 2026-10-05. All prices are official public data and do not include our own estimates.
Yuki Nakazawa (President, Banana House Inc.) reviewed the Japanese original of this article. As a licensed real estate broker, we follow the Japanese rules for real estate advertising.
