Ken

What Ken does

Ken Corporation Ltd. is a privately held Tokyo-based real estate brokerage specializing in high-grade residential and commercial properties in Tokyo and Yokohama. Founded in 1976 and operating for approximately 50 years, it serves expatriates, foreign corporations, embassies, government agencies, and affluent Japanese residents through five core service lines: residential rental brokerage, property sales (for personal residence and investment), office leasing, property management, and investment advisory. The company operates three specialized departments (International Leasing, standard Leasing, and Office Leasing) across seven branch offices, with over 7,000 properties listed for rent and sale, and holds what it describes as one of the top market shares in the high-grade lease agency field in Japan.

Its underlying platform is a direct-to-consumer digital brokerage: a members-only WEB SALON portal requiring prior registration, appointment-only property viewings, and a public website featuring searchable listings, market reports, and expat living guides. The principal proprietary asset is a 50-year dataset of actually contracted rents from several thousand annual high-grade rental agreements, which feeds the quarterly KEN Residential Market Report (priced at JPY 220,000 for Tokyo 11 Wards and JPY 440,000 for the combined version). Within flagship projects, Ken pairs its brokerage role with property-level technology integrations such as Suica-based contactless key cards and dual-fuel emergency generators providing 72-hour backup power.

Revenue is generated via three streams: brokerage commissions (110% of monthly rent on rental transactions plus sales commissions), recurring property management fees with English-speaking 24/7 support, and institutional market report subscriptions. The 2026 catalyst is the TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY RESIDENCE — a 44-story, 847-unit co-development with JR East Group, R.A. Asset Management, and HBA — representing Ken's largest project to date and signaling a shift from pure brokerage toward deeper involvement in flagship development partnerships.

Name

Ken

Legal name

Ken Corporation Ltd.

Website

https://kencorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ken Corporation Ltd. is a Tokyo-based luxury real estate brokerage operating for 50 years, specializing in high-grade residential and commercial properties in Tokyo and Yokohama for expatriates, foreign corporations, embassies, and affluent Japanese clients through rental brokerage, sales, office leasing, investment advisory, and property management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Real Estate Brokerage

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121), Real Estate Property Managers (53131)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate (6500)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Investment Property Brokerage (SFR/Small Multifamily) (BPAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Commercial Real Estate Brokerage (Leasing & Sales) (FSAEAJAB)

Keywords

• Luxury residential brokerage
• Expatriate relocation services
• Commercial office leasing
• Property management services
• Real estate market research

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Brokerage: Brokerage commission for residential and commercial property rentals and sales. Commission equivalent to 110% of rent at conclusion of rental agreement.
2. Property Management Services: Residential property management services including rent collection, repairs coordination, English-speaking staff support, and 24/7 assistance.
3. Market Reports: Sale of KEN Residential Market Report to specialized organizations, priced at 220,000 JPY for Tokyo 11 Wards Version and 440,000 JPY for combined version with High Grade Residential Areas Version.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ken Corporation Ltd. is a Tokyo-based real estate brokerage that facilitates high-grade residential rentals, property purchases, office leasing, and property investment advisory across Tokyo and Yokohama. It also provides property management services with English-speaking staff and publishes the KEN Residential Market Report, a quarterly dataset on high-end Tokyo rental trends, serving expatriates, foreign corporations, embassies, and affluent local clients.

Product overview

Ken Corporation Ltd. is a Tokyo-based real estate services company offering a comprehensive suite of property services including rental agency, property sales, office leasing, investment advisory, and property management. The company operates three main departments: International Leasing Department (serving expats and foreign corporations), Leasing Department (serving Japanese clients), and Office Leasing Department. Supporting services include the KEN Residential Market Report (published quarterly) and property management. The company specializes in high-grade properties in central Tokyo and Yokohama, with over 7,000 properties listed and 50 years of experience in the Tokyo real estate market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KEN Residential Market Report: Quarterly market report publication covering rent trends, vacancy rates, and market analysis for high-grade residential properties in central Tokyo, published in February, May, August, and November.

Products and services

• Tokyo Rental Property Services Rental property agency services for Tokyo and Yokohama, covering apartments, expat housing, and residential properties. Includes property search assistance, contract support, and bilingual agent assistance for international clients.
• Tokyo Property Purchase Services Real estate purchase agency services for buying properties in Tokyo for personal residence or investment. Includes market analysis, property search, contract process support, and post-purchase fee guidance.
• Office Leasing Services Office space leasing services for businesses seeking commercial properties in Tokyo, including establishment of new offices and strategic centralization of isolated offices.
• Property Investment Advisory Investment advisory services for high-grade income properties in Tokyo, utilizing 50 years of market data and rental agreement expertise. Supports investment strategy formulation, tenant mediation, and purchase/sale strategies.
• Property Management Services Property management services including residential property management, building management, rent collection, repairs, and 24/7 support with English-speaking staff for owner peace of mind.
• KEN Residential Market Report

Quantifiable outcome

• Top share in high-grade lease agency field
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• JR East Urban Development CorporationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026JR East Urban Development Corporation is the Lessor for the TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY RESIDENCE project. This is a flagship co-development partnership where JR East Group conceived the project and Ken Corporation supports as rental agent and broker. The 44-story, 847-unit residence completed in spring 2026 represents Ken Corporation's largest and most prestigious project.
• East Japan Railway Company (JR East)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026JR East is the operator of the TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY project, developing the next-generation district as a global co-creation hub. This represents their first project combining large-scale district development with high-grade residential properties at international standards.
• R.A. Asset Management Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2026R.A. Asset Management Inc. serves as the rental agent for TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY RESIDENCE, handling tenant placement and leasing activities for the premium property.
• HBA (Hirsch Bedner Associates)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2026HBA, a global interior design firm with 50+ years and 1,500+ projects in 80+ countries, was selected via competition to design interiors for TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY RESIDENCE. They brought 'bright luxury' design concept balancing authenticity, tactile quality, and modern sensibility.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Plaza Homes: Tokyo-based luxury real estate agency specializing in high-end rental and sales properties for expatriates and multinational corporations. Direct competitor in the same high-grade Tokyo residential leasing niche Ken serves.
• Housing Japan K.K. Tokyo luxury and investment real estate firm focused on premium condominium sales and high-end leasing for foreign clients. Competes directly with Ken in the expat and cross-border buyer segment.
• Tokyo City Living: Bilingual real estate brokerage in Tokyo focused exclusively on expatriate rentals and corporate housing in central Tokyo wards. Direct overlap with Ken's International Leasing Department.
• Real Estate Japan (Hikari Co.): Tokyo-based rental and sales brokerage with a multilingual focus serving foreign nationals and inbound relocations. Overlaps with Ken on Tokyo apartment leasing for international residents.

Emerging players

• Relo International / Re-locate: Corporate relocation services platform assisting multinational firms with employee housing in Japan. Competes for the same foreign-corporate housing budgets that drive Ken's International Leasing revenue.
• SUUMO (Recruit Co.): Japan's largest online real estate portal with extensive Tokyo apartment listings. A distribution and listing platform competitor rather than a brokerage, but increasingly encroaches on Ken's listing-discovery funnel.

Broad incumbents

• Mori Building Co., Ltd. Major Japanese developer of luxury Tokyo high-rises (e.g., Roppongi Hills, Toranomon Hills). While not a brokerage, it shapes the supply of high-grade properties that Ken leases and is a landlord/developer peer.
• Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. One of Japan's largest real estate developers and brokers operating across residential, office, and investment property. Overlaps with Ken in premium Tokyo residential and office leasing at greater scale.
• Tokyu Land Corporation: Large Japanese real estate developer and brokerage operating in Tokyo's high-end residential market. Comparable on luxury residential brokerage and management services.

Regional players

• Century 21 Japan: Global real estate franchise operating in Japan with Tokyo franchisees handling residential and investment property transactions. Comparable in residential brokerage but with a broader mass-market mix rather than Ken's luxury focus.

Market position

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kencorporation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ken-corporation-ltd-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ken