Shiraoi: real estate guide

Many people who look for land in Shiraoi are attracted by the low prices. In fact, land here costs less than a quarter of Tomakomai and less than one-twelfth of Chitose. You can buy 200 tsubo (about 660 m²) of land for ¥3 million to ¥4 million. However, land is cheap for a reason, and there are things you should check so you do not run into trouble after you buy. This article explains the price per tsubo by district, how to evaluate land with hot spring rights, and the reality of “zero-yen properties”.

Land prices per tsubo in Shiraoi (2026)

In the 2026 official land price publication (chika kōji), the average of the 10 residential survey points in Shiraoi Town was ¥4,675 per m². Per tsubo (3.3 m²), this is about ¥15,000.

The commercial survey point in Omachi 2-chome (shops, neighborhood commercial zone) was ¥14,700, down 4.5%.

Source: our estimates based on the official land price publication of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (2026). The comparison with neighboring cities is as follows.

Features of each district

Omachi, Suehirocho and Takasagocho (town center)

This is the built-up area around Shiraoi Station, with the town office, hospital, supermarkets and schools. Water supply and sewerage are in place, so if you plan to build a house, this district takes the least effort. Prices are ¥20,000 to ¥27,000 per tsubo. Upopoy and Lake Poroto are also nearby.

Kojohama and Takeura (hot springs and the sea)

Prices are ¥6,000 to ¥14,000 per tsubo. This is the area where some land comes with hot spring rights or rights to draw hot spring water. It is also a seafood-producing area, and we receive inquiries for vacation homes, second homes and private lodging (minpaku). Noboribetsu is about 20 min by car.

Kitayoshihara and Hagino (east)

Prices are ¥16,000 to ¥17,000 per tsubo. There are JR stations, so commuting toward Tomakomai is easy. Some large plots are still available.

Shadai (toward Tomakomai)

At about ¥8,000 per tsubo, this is the cheapest level in the town. It is a ranch area, and we receive inquiries about large plots of land.

When you buy land with hot spring rights

Many people search for “Shiraoi land hot spring”, and in Kojohama and Takeura there is land that actually comes with hot spring rights. You should check the following three points.

1. The type of right

Your position is completely different depending on whether you co-own the hot spring source or have a water supply contract with the owner of the source. With co-ownership, your share is registered. A water supply contract, however, is a contract between the parties, so it is not always transferred automatically when the land is sold. Check the contract, and confirm with the seller and the hot spring association whether the contract can be transferred to your name.

2. Maintenance costs

Repair costs for the supply pipe, electricity for the pump, and association fees. Confirm in writing how much these cost per year. The supply pipe can be several kilometers long, and the cost of replacing it is not small.

3. Water volume and temperature

Check the actual records. There are cases where buyers were told “you can draw hot spring water to this land”, but in reality the volume was not enough and they could not use it.

You cannot find these points in the land register. You need to obtain documents from the seller and the hot spring association. We will investigate and explain them to you.

The reality of “zero-yen properties” and “extremely cheap land”

In Shiraoi, we do receive inquiries about land offered free of charge or at prices far below the market. In most cases, the low price is due to one of the following reasons.

• A building is still on the land: the buyer is expected to pay for demolition (¥1.5 million to ¥2.5 million for a 30-tsubo wooden house)
• No road access: you cannot build a house unless the land touches a road under the Building Standards Act for at least 2 m
• No water supply or sewerage: connection costs from several hundred thousand yen to over ¥1 million
• Boundaries are not fixed: a survey costs ¥300,000 to ¥800,000
• Sloped land or soft ground: land grading or ground improvement is needed
• Many heirs: sorting out the ownership takes time and money

Even if the land costs zero yen, you still take on the registration costs for the transfer of ownership, the real estate acquisition tax, the annual property tax (kotei shisanzei), and the work of cutting grass and clearing snow. If you already have a clear plan for using the land, the low price is a big advantage. But if you take it only because it is cheap, you will be left with nothing but the burden.

What to check before you buy

1. Zoning, building coverage ratio and floor area ratio: the procedures change depending on whether the land is inside a city planning area. Outside the city planning area of Shiraoi Town, a building permit (kenchiku kakunin) may not be required, but there are still separate limits on what you can build
2. Road access: whether the land touches a road under the Building Standards Act for at least 2 m. If the road is private, you need consent for passage and excavation
3. Water, sewerage and electricity: whether the main pipes run under the road in front of the land, and how much the connection costs
4. Boundaries: whether there are boundary markers, and whether anything crosses into the neighboring land. Who pays for the final boundary survey
5. Hazard maps: Shiraoi Town faces the Pacific Ocean and has areas that are expected to flood in a tsunami. Also check for river flooding and landslide warning areas
6. Winter conditions: whether snowplows come on the road. Some districts of Shiraoi get more snow than Tomakomai
7. Sunlight and wind: the coast is windy, and salt damage makes metal parts deteriorate faster

What to do with the land

• Build a house: the town center is the realistic choice. Water supply and sewerage are in place, and daily facilities are all there
• Vacation home or second home: Kojohama and Takeura. Hot springs and the sea are close, and Sapporo is about 1 h 30 min by car
• Business use: you can get large areas of land cheaply. You must check the zoning and road access
• Storage yard for materials or vehicles: cheap land in the suburbs. Include the property tax in your calculations

Banana House has its head office in Honkocho, Tomakomai, and we also broker land in Shiraoi Town. We have information on land that is not publicly listed. If you tell us what you want to use the land for and what your budget is, we will suggest realistic options. The cheaper the land, the more important the investigation before you buy.

Related articles: Selling, renting out or demolishing a vacant house in Shiraoi / Finding a rental in Shiraoi / Real estate information for Shiraoi

This page was machine-translated. The Japanese original prevails.