The rosenka (roadside land value) for 2026 (Reiwa 8) was published on July 1, 2026 in the National Tax Agency's "Property Valuation Standards"[NTA Property Valuation Standards (in Japanese)]. The national average rose +2.9% year on year — the fifth consecutive year of increase, and the largest gain since the current valuation method was adopted.
For anyone who expects to inherit land or receive it as a gift, the rosenka is a key figure that determines the tax amount. This article organizes what the rosenka is, how to read a rosenka map, how to look up your own land, and how to calculate the valuation — laid out so that even first-timers can understand it in three minutes.
▶ If you want to look up your own land's rosenka right now, go to the NTA Property Valuation Standards, or to this article's "step-by-step guide to looking it up."
What is the rosenka? The price used to value land for inheritance and gift tax
The rosenka (inheritance-tax roadside land value) is the value the National Tax Agency sets for "how much per square meter" a standard building lot facing a road is valued at. It is the basis for valuing land (building lots) for inheritance tax and gift tax[NTA No.4602].
The rosenka is calculated using January 1 of that year as the valuation date, and is published around July 1 each year. In other words, the rosenka for 2026 is "the price as of January 1, 2026," and it was published on July 1, 2026.
The valuation of land directly affects the amount of inheritance tax and gift tax. Whether inheritance tax applies depends on whether the total estate exceeds the basic deduction, so valuing land such as your home is the starting point for any estimate. The overall flow of inheritance tax calculation is explained in The inheritance tax basic deduction and tax-saving measures.
[Published in 2026] Land price trends for Reiwa 8
The rosenka for Reiwa 8, published on July 1, 2026, rose +2.9% year on year on the national average, marking the fifth consecutive year of increase and the largest gain since the current valuation method was adopted[NTA On the rosenka for Reiwa 8]. Real estate demand and the recovery of inbound visitors to Japan are pushing land prices up.
| Item | Situation for Reiwa 8 (2026) |
|---|---|
| National average rate of change | Year on year +2.9% (fifth consecutive year of increase; largest gain on record) |
| Movement by prefecture | Rose in 36 prefectures, flat in 3, fell in 8 |
| Highest rosenka in prefectural capital cities | 44 cities rose, 3 cities (Aomori, Tsu, Tottori) flat. Zero declines for the first time in 35 years, since 1991 |
| Highest rosenka nationwide | In front of "Kyukyodo" in 5-chome, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo = ¥53.36 million per square meter (+11.0% year on year; No.1 nationwide for the 41st consecutive year) |
| Highest rate of increase nationwide | Hakuba Village, Nagano Prefecture = +32.7% (popularity of the ski resort among inbound visitors) |
| Tokyo | +9.4% year on year on the average of standard building lots. By tax office, Asakusa / Kaminarimon-dori had the top growth rate in Tokyo at +27.5% (inbound visitors, rental demand) |
When the rosenka rises, the valuation for inheritance tax and gift tax on the same land goes up, tending to increase the tax amount. People who own a home or land in urban areas can rest easier by re-estimating, with the latest rosenka, whether it exceeds the basic deduction (¥30 million + ¥6 million × the number of statutory heirs). As the valuation rises, it also becomes important to check applicable systems such as the special provision for small-scale residential land, etc.
* Detailed figures and rankings, both nationwide and by region, can be checked in the NTA's published materials and various news reports. Because land prices change year by year, always confirm the rosenka for that year when filing.
How to read a rosenka map: the numbers are "in thousands of yen," the letters are the leasehold ratio
On a rosenka map, a "number + letter" is written along each road. The way to read it is as follows[NTA Explanation of the rosenka map].
For example, if "300C" is written on a road, it means a standard building lot facing that road is valued at ¥300,000 per square meter (300 thousand yen), with a leasehold ratio of C = 70%. "100" means ¥100,000/m².
The letters A–G indicate the ratio of the right to lease land (leasehold)[NTA Explanation of the rosenka map].
* The leasehold ratio is used when valuing the right of a person who leases land and has built a building on it (leasehold), or the land of the party who leases it out (leased land / underlying land). The more central and commercial the area, the higher (A or B); suburban residential areas are generally D–F.
How to look up your own land's rosenka (free, 3 minutes)
Anyone can check it for free in the NTA's "Property Valuation Standards: rosenka maps / valuation multiplier tables."
- Open the NTA's "Property Valuation Standards" site[NTA Property Valuation Standards (in Japanese)]
- Select the year and prefecture you want to look up
- Select the municipality and area, then display the "rosenka map" or the "valuation multiplier table"
- Read off the number (in thousands of yen) and the letter (leasehold ratio) written on the target road
* Rosenka maps for the past several years are also published. If an inheritance occurred in the past, select and check that year.
How to calculate the valuation of land (land for one's own use)
The valuation of a building lot you use yourself (land for one's own use) is basically found by the following formula.
The "various adjustment rates" are adjustments according to the shape and depth of the land. Land that is extremely long or short in depth goes down via a depth-price adjustment; a corner lot goes up via an addition for side-road influence; irregularly shaped land goes down via an adjustment for irregular land, and so on[NTA No.4602]. For a standard, regularly shaped lot, the adjustment rate is close to 1.00.
Valuation of land for one's own use = ¥300,000/m² × 1.00 × 150 m² = ¥45 million.
If this land is leased (borrowed from someone), the leasehold is valued at ¥45 million × 70% (C) = ¥31.5 million. Conversely, land leased out to others (leased land / underlying land) is valued at ¥45 million × (1 − 70%) = ¥13.5 million.
Note that land such as the site of the home in which the decedent lived may have its valuation reduced by up to 80% under the special provision for small-scale residential land, etc. For the special provision when selling an inherited home, please also check the ¥30 million special deduction for vacant houses.
Areas without a rosenka are valued by the "multiplier method"
Not all land has a rosenka assigned. Areas where no rosenka is set are called multiplier areas, mainly suburbs, rural areas, and mountainous areas where urbanization has not advanced. In multiplier areas, valuation uses the following formula[NTA Explanation of the valuation multiplier table].
The valuation multiplier is set in the NTA's "valuation multiplier table" for each area and land category (building lot, rice field, upland field, forest, etc.). The fixed-asset-tax valuation can be checked on the fixed-asset-tax assessment statement that your municipality sends each spring. The mechanism of the fixed-asset-tax valuation itself is explained in How to calculate fixed asset tax.
The difference between the rosenka, the published land price, and the fixed-asset-tax valuation
Land has several "prices" with different purposes, and they are easy to confuse, so let's organize them. The inheritance-tax rosenka is set at a level of about 80% of the published land price, which serves as a guide to the actual sale price (market price).
| Type of price | Setting body | Main use | Level guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market price | Market (sale) | Actual transactions | Current value |
| Published land price | Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | Transaction benchmark | 100 (baseline) |
| Inheritance-tax rosenka | National Tax Agency | Inheritance tax / gift tax | About 80% of the published land price |
| Fixed-asset-tax valuation | Municipality | Fixed asset tax and others | About 70% of the published land price |
* The published land price is as of January 1 and published around March[MLIT Land price publication]; the fixed-asset-tax valuation is reassessed every three years. All ratios are general guides and differ from one piece of land to another.
Which year's rosenka do you use?
You use the rosenka not for the year you file, but for the year the land was acquired (the year the taxable event occurred). Inheritance tax is valued using the rosenka for the year the decedent died, and gift tax using the rosenka for the year the property was received as a gift. For example, for an inheritance that occurred during 2026, you use the rosenka published in July 2026.
If you are considering gifting land during your lifetime, it is important to plan it together with the gift-tax basic deduction (¥1.1 million per year) and the valuation mechanism. For details, see The right way to use the ¥1.1 million gift-tax exemption.
Common misunderstandings and points to note
Here are three especially common misunderstandings around the rosenka. Check them before you make an estimate.
What "rosenka × area" gives is only the valuation of the land, not the tax amount. Inheritance tax is calculated by subtracting the basic deduction (¥30 million + ¥6 million × the number of statutory heirs) from the total estate including the land, and applying the tax rate to the remainder. Even if you have land valued at ¥45 million, no inheritance tax applies if the entire estate is at or below the basic deduction.
You cannot use the fixed-asset-tax valuation as is. The fixed-asset-tax valuation is used only in multiplier areas without a rosenka, and even then you multiply by the valuation multiplier. In areas where a rosenka is set, you calculate using the rosenka.
For inheritances and gifts from January 2024, a new valuation rule that corrects the gap with the market price applies to condominium units (sectional ownership), and in many cases the valuation ends up higher than the conventional rosenka-based calculation. When inheriting or gifting a condominium, we recommend checking the NTA's latest information or consulting a tax accountant.
Summary
FAQ
When was the rosenka for 2026 (Reiwa 8) published?
It was published on July 1, 2026 on the NTA's "Property Valuation Standards" site. The national average rose +2.9% year on year, the fifth consecutive year of increase. The valuation date is January 1 of that year.
How does the rosenka differ from the market price (sale price)?
The rosenka is set at a guide of about 80% of the published land price, and is generally lower than the actual sale price. The rosenka is the price used to calculate inheritance tax and gift tax, and differs in purpose from the transaction price in the market.
How is land without a rosenka valued?
In multiplier areas where no rosenka is set, valuation uses the multiplier method of "fixed-asset-tax valuation × valuation multiplier." The valuation multiplier can be checked in the NTA's valuation multiplier table.
Which year's rosenka should I use?
Not the year you file, but for an inheritance the year the decedent died, and for a gift the year you received the property. For an inheritance during 2026, it is the 2026 rosenka.
Can a condominium unit also be valued by "rosenka × area"?
Not as is. For inheritances and gifts from January 2024, a new valuation rule that corrects the gap with the market price applies to condominium units (sectional ownership), and in many cases the valuation ends up higher than the conventional rosenka-based calculation. For inheriting or gifting a condominium, we recommend consulting a tax accountant.
Reference links (sources)
This article is based on the following official materials (neutral, primary sources). Publication dates and valuation rules may change, so please confirm the latest content before filing.
- National Tax Agency — Property Valuation Standards (rosenka maps / valuation multiplier tables) (in Japanese)
- National Tax Agency — On the rosenka, etc. for Reiwa 8 (press release) (in Japanese)
- National Tax Agency — Explanation of the rosenka map (in Japanese)
- National Tax Agency — Explanation of the valuation multiplier table (for general land, etc.) (in Japanese)
- National Tax Agency — No.4602 Valuation of land and buildings (in Japanese)
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism — Land price publication (in Japanese)
* This article is general information, not tax advice. For land valuation and the filing of inheritance tax or gift tax, please consult a tax office or a tax accountant well-versed in inheritance and real estate.