Tsubo to Square Meters, and How to Read a Japanese Property Listing
Japanese listings mix tsubo, tatami mats and square metres, and hide the important limits in abbreviations. Here is how to convert the numbers and which lines to read before anything else.
The short answer
One tsubo is about 3.306 square metres (exactly 400/121 m²), roughly the area of two tatami mats. To convert, multiply tsubo by 3.306 to get m², or divide m² by 3.306 to get tsubo. An 80-tsubo plot is about 264 m², and a ¥10 million plot of 80 tsubo is ¥125,000 per tsubo, or about ¥37,800 per m². Japanese listings quote land in both units, and the tsubo price is the number agents use to compare plots.
Tsubo, jo and square metres
- 1 tsubo
- 3.306 m²
- 1 jo (tatami)
- about 1.62 to 1.65 m²
- 100 m²
- 30.25 tsubo
- Tsubo (坪) measures land and total floor area. Prices are often given per tsubo (tsubo-tanka, 坪単価).
- Jo (畳) measures rooms, by the number of tatami mats. A "6-jo" room is about 10 m². Mat size varies by region, so treat jo as approximate.
- Square metres (㎡) are the legal unit on the register and in contracts. Tsubo figures in a listing are a convenience.
Quick conversions: 50 tsubo ≈ 165 m², 80 tsubo ≈ 264 m², 100 tsubo ≈ 331 m², 200 tsubo ≈ 661 m².
The numbers on a Japanese listing
A typical listing sheet (maisoku) packs a lot into a small table. The terms that matter most:
| Japanese | English | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 価格 | Price | Tax-inclusive or not, and whether it is negotiable |
| 土地面積 | Land area | Registered (公簿) or surveyed (実測) area |
| 建物面積 / 延床面積 | Building / total floor area | Includes all floors; may exclude unregistered additions |
| 間取り | Layout | For example 4LDK: four rooms plus living, dining and kitchen |
| 築年月 | Built | Before June 1981 means the older seismic standard |
| 建ぺい率 | Building coverage ratio | Maximum share of the plot a building's footprint may cover |
| 容積率 | Floor area ratio | Maximum total floor area relative to the plot |
| 用途地域 | Zoning | Residential, commercial, or none |
| 接道 | Road frontage | Width of the road and length of frontage |
| 現況 | Current state | 古家あり means an old house stands on land sold as land |
Coverage ratio and floor area ratio
These two percentages tell you how big a house the plot can legally carry.
Take a 264 m² (80-tsubo) plot with a 60% coverage ratio and a 200% floor area ratio:
- the building footprint can be up to 158 m² (264 × 60%);
- total floor area across all storeys can be up to 528 m² (264 × 200%).
In practice a road narrower than 12 m can lower the floor area ratio, and local rules add height and setback limits. In areas with no zoning, typical of the countryside, limits are set by the prefecture.
Layout codes: what 3LDK means
The number counts separate rooms that are not the living area. The letters describe the shared space:
- K: kitchen only.
- DK: dining kitchen, big enough to eat in.
- LDK: living, dining and kitchen together, usually 10 jo or more.
- S: a "service room" that cannot legally be called a bedroom, often because of windows.
Old rural houses are often listed as 6K or 7DK: many tatami rooms around a small kitchen.
Red flags hiding in the small print
- 1
再建築不可 (cannot be rebuilt)The plot fails the road-frontage rule. The house may be renovated but not replaced.
- 2
セットバック (setback)Part of the plot must be given up to widen a narrow road, shrinking the usable area.
- 3
私道負担 (private road share)You will own a share of a private road and its upkeep.
- 4
借地権 (leasehold)You buy the building but rent the land, with ground rent and renewal terms.
- 5
未登記 (unregistered)Part of the building is not on the register, which complicates loans and resale.
Our guides to road access and setback, leasehold houses and unregistered extensions go deeper on each.
Every Engawa listing shows m², price and hazard data in English
Land and floor areas, build year and the original source listing are on each property page, with flood, landslide and earthquake readings for the plot.
Sources and review notes
The tsubo conversion is the statutory definition of 400/121 m². Coverage and floor area limits depend on the exact zoning and road conditions of each plot; confirm them in the important matters explanation before you sign.
- MLIT: building standards
- Real Estate Transaction Improvement Organization (RETIO)
- MLIT: Real Estate Information Library
Editorial ownerEngawa Editorial Team
MethodUnit definitions and standard listing terminology, checked against official sources
Checked on18 October 2026
This article is general information, not personalized legal, tax, structural, financing, visa, or investment advice. Property and service availability can change.
Frequently asked questions
How many square meters is one tsubo?
One tsubo is 400/121 square metres, about 3.306 m², roughly the area of two tatami mats. Multiply tsubo by 3.306 to get square metres, or divide square metres by 3.306 to get tsubo. For example, 80 tsubo is about 264 m² and 100 m² is about 30.25 tsubo.
How big is an 80 tsubo plot of land in Japan?
An 80-tsubo plot is about 264 square metres, roughly 2,850 square feet. With a typical 60% building coverage ratio, a house footprint of up to about 158 m² could stand on it, subject to the plot's zoning, road frontage and local rules.
What does price per tsubo mean in Japan?
Price per tsubo (tsubo-tanka) is the price divided by the area in tsubo. Agents use it to compare plots of different sizes. A ¥10 million plot of 80 tsubo is ¥125,000 per tsubo, which is about ¥37,800 per square metre. For houses it can refer to land or to building cost.
What does 3LDK mean in a Japanese listing?
3LDK means three separate rooms plus a combined living, dining and kitchen area. K is a kitchen only, DK a dining kitchen big enough to eat in, and S a service room that cannot legally be called a bedroom. Older rural houses are often listed as 6K or 7DK.
What does saikenchiku fuka mean on a Japanese property listing?
Saikenchiku fuka (再建築不可) means the plot does not meet the road-frontage rule, so a new building cannot be put up if the existing house is demolished. The house can often be renovated, but resale value and lending options are limited. It is one of the most important terms to spot on a listing.
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