Ultra-Luxury Senior Home ‘Sakurabia Seijo’ Revealed with Initial Payments Exceeding 400 Million Yen

Nonfiction writer Hironori Jinno’s “Reporto: Super Luxury Homes for the Elderly” (Diamond Inc.), an in-depth report on “closed retirement homes,” is now on sale.

We present an excerpt and re-edit of the content from the popular book “Report: Ultra-Luxury Senior Homes.”

Ultra-luxury senior homes require extraordinary conditions, such as an entrance fee exceeding 300 million yen. Among them, “Sakurabia Seijo” in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, which opened in 1988, can be considered a pioneer.

We decided to tour the interior of Sakurabia Seijo. The guide was Mr. Koichi Ishizuka (pseudonym), the head of the customer consultation department. Mr. Ishizuka, who has been with Sakurabia Seijo for 16 years, does not seem like a typical senior home staff member; he gives the impression of a young, refreshing hotel employee.

The customer consultation department is what is known as the sales department. Mr. Ishizuka was assigned to this department two years ago, but prior to that, he was in a department called “Housekeeping,” which directly faced residents and supported their daily lives.

“I was in a department that acted as a sort of concierge for residents, helping out with any issues they had. For example, if a resident couldn’t open a bottle lid, needed something from a high shelf, or needed assistance with changing clothes, we would help with those tasks.”

I was surprised to find that there is a specialized department for miscellaneous tasks. I had assumed that any issues residents faced would be addressed by any staff members who were asked or who noticed the problem, regardless of their department.

While Mr. Ishizuka was showing me around the facility, a female cleaning staff member greeted us cheerfully with a “Hello!” in front of a resident’s room. Even in the elevator, when residents boarded on intermediate floors, Mr. Ishizuka would quickly step out and say, “After you,” which seemed like a scene from a top-class hotel.

A resident who got into the elevator instead was dressed in a well-tailored suit and responded with a polite bow, but I was struck by the young woman, who seemed to be his family member, avoiding eye contact with us.

First, I was shown a standard model room of approximately 68 square meters. The room, with an initial payment of around 150 million yen or more, includes a living room and a bedroom, offering ample space even for two people.

The kitchen is compactly designed. This is because there is a restaurant within the facility, so frequent cooking in the room is not anticipated. Additionally, the room is equipped with a lifestyle rhythm sensor that alerts if no one passes by for a certain period. This allows for the immediate detection of a resident who might have fallen inside the room. Cleaning is done twice a month and is included in the management fees.

All rooms at Sakurabia Seijo face south. Looking out from the model room’s window, directly in front is the luxury senior home “Grand Clair Seijo,” developed by Tokyu Fudosan Holdings.

The competing facility, which can be considered a rival to Sakurabia Seijo, shows on its website that a room of approximately 41 square meters requires an initial payment of about 50 million yen, which is somewhat lower. However, even this lower amount is still quite high compared to typical senior homes. Moreover, if constant care becomes necessary, it seems that a move to a care residence within the same building will be required.

“The initial payment is approximately 147 million yen for one person and about 160 million yen for two people. The initial payment is amortized over 15 years, so if a single resident moves out after 5 years, around 83.4 million yen will be refunded. After 15 years, there is no refund of the initial payment, but you can live on just the monthly fees,” said Mr. Ishizuka.

However, apart from those who pass away, very few people leave before 15 years. This might mean that there are no complaints about the facility or that elderly individuals prefer to avoid changes and stick with their current situation. Both reasons are likely factors.

Principle of Full Renovation, Layout Changes Also Accommodated

Next, Mr. Ishizuka showed me a model room of approximately 92 square meters. This room also serves as a model. It has two toilets, which is surprisingly convenient. When care is needed, toilet assistance can be time-consuming. Therefore, having one toilet designated for care or for guests could be very practical. I was further surprised by Mr. Ishizuka’s comment:

“When a resident moves out, we generally perform a full renovation of the room. We remove all walls and water fixtures, strip it down to the skeleton, and then rebuild it. We also accommodate layout changes if requested, as an optional service.”

A full renovation must involve significant costs. Such efforts on the hard aspects are likely one of the reasons for the high initial payment.

 

Amenities Embodying a Sense of Superiority

The entire third floor is dedicated to recreational areas. The library, stocked with a variety of genres, regularly updates its collection with new books. There is also a beauty salon on the same floor, operated four days a week by beauty expert Hatsuko Endo, who is known for her work in luxury hotels. Beyond that, there is an atelier for crafts, where a nail art class was being held during the visit.

Walking down the hallway, a large globe, about the size of an adult with arms outstretched, is displayed. It is a non-commercial globe given only to frequent guests of luxury cruise ships such as the “Asuka” and “Nippon Maru.”

“There is a person who frequently travels on luxury cruise ships. They donated this globe, which they received as a souvenir.”

Some guests reportedly embarked on months-long cruises, returning only to set off on another voyage. It seems as if the luxury cruise ship experience is mirrored in the comfort of this senior home.

 

Next article “[Even the bank counter travels to the high-class sushi restaurant! In the next article, “Sacravia Seijo, a Luxury Nursing Home for the Elderly,” we will continue our undercover investigation of the “too luxurious internal facilities” of Sacravia Seijo.

The book “Report: Ultra-Luxury Senior Homes,” by former Weekly Bunshun star reporter Hiroshi Jino, delves into the realities of various ultra-luxury senior homes through undercover investigation. It is currently on sale and receiving praise from Diamond Inc.