We want to wish our readers a happy holiday season and all the best as the New Year rings in around the world.

It’s also been close to a year since REthink Tokyo first launched and it’s been a pleasure providing helpful, well-informed content in the realm of Japanese real estate — and in turn learning about what topics matter most to you.

The last REthink Tokyo eNewsletter will be released on Wednesday, 12 December 2018, and our first for 2019 will be launched on Wednesday 16 January. During that period, we will still be updating the website with any breaking news, reports and blogs, so please keep in touch by visiting the REthink Tokyo homepage. In addition, we will be updating our social media feeds, so you can follow us via your favourite platform: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.

This end-of-year post is also a great excuse to reflect back on 2018's highlights, so here are our top 10 most popular articles as chosen by you, the readers.  

10. Why Japanese buildings are so cold in winter – And tips for keeping warm.

9. Nakameguro: More than just a nice neighbourhood – A quietly creative hub not far from Shibuya, Nakameguro offers an eclectic mix of high-end, hot trends and quirky sub-cultures.

8. Doomed to depreciate: The limited life span of a Japanese home explained – While a house may be a strong investment option abroad, in Japan they are a guaranteed source of negative equity — but why?

7. The future of Airbnb in Japan: Cloudy, with a strong chance of bureaucracy – The homesharing law that looked set to level the playing field seems to be closing it off instead, and Japan Airbnb renters are growing increasingly concerned about their investments.

6. Airbnb in Japan: How legal is it? – The legal status of Airbnb and homesharing in Japan has recently been clarified. And complicated again.

5. The 10 scariest things about owning real estate in Japan – Godzilla doesn't even make the list.

4. The 9 best places to Airbnb in Tokyo – The top neighborhoods in Tokyo to Airbnb, based on transport, atmosphere and things to do.

3. Six elements of Japanese traditional architecture – An overview of some of the main characteristics of traditional Japanese architecture.

2. "Free houses" in Japan: Where they are and how to get one – Rural Japanese towns are so desperate for younger residents that they are giving houses away for free(ish).

1. Akiya banks: Real estate listings promoting sales of abandoned Japanese homes – Akiya (abandoned homes} can be an affordable option for entering the real estate market in Japan. Here are some tips for how to find them and what to consider.