SUUMO Kansai 2026 Hidden-Gem Towns: Kusatsu Tops, Amagasaki and Tsukaguchi Undervalued
- 2026 hidden-gem winner: Shiga's Kusatsu (48 pts, tied with Umeda).
- Investor watchlist: Amagasaki/Hanshin 34, Tsukaguchi/Hankyu 28, Namba 25, Akashi 23, Mukonoso 22.
- Most gems are Hyogo stations: reach Osaka/Kobe but cost notably less.
- Kusatsu's desirability rank has climbed for years, hitting No.6 in 2026.
Alongside the 'most desirable' list, SUUMO publishes a Kansai 'hidden-gem' ranking — areas that are underrated but good value to live in. The 2026 winner is Shiga's Kusatsu (tied with Umeda at 48 points), echoing its jump from No.9 to No.6 on the desirability list in a single year. Ranks 3–7 are the ones investors should mark: Amagasaki/Hanshin (34), Tsukaguchi/Hankyu (28), Namba (25), Akashi (23) and Mukonoso (22) — mostly Hyogo stations that reach Osaka or Kobe but cost noticeably less. For rental-yield or budget-conscious buyers, the hidden-gem list is closer to real-world tactics: popular stations are already priced for their demand, while the value gap hides in these undervalued yet well-connected spots. (Rankings/scores cited with our own commentary; source: Recruit, Mar 2026.)
