Japan first two-story 3D printed home completed in Miyagi

Japan’s first two-story home built using a 3D (three-dimensional) printer was completed in Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture, in November 2025, marking a milestone for the domestic construction industry.

With condominium and single-family home prices rising and labor shortages worsening, the project is drawing attention as a potential model for faster, more efficient housing - particularly in depopulated areas.

Photo courtesy of Kizuki K.K. press release, linked at the bottom of this article.

The rounded structure stands about 6.3 meters tall and has a total floor area of roughly 50 square meters. A bedroom and bathroom are located on the first floor, with the kitchen on the second floor.

TBC News Dig YouTube video in Japanese.  Turn on auto-translated captions in English for an understandable relation of the original Japanese, including the city building inspector approving the construction.

Construction used a dedicated 3D-printing mortar made from cement, sand, and water, layered in a process that leaves distinctive wave-like marks on the walls.

The project was led by Kurihara-based housing startup Kizuki and Tokyo construction firm Onocom, with cooperation from around 20 companies including structural designers and housing equipment makers.

According to Kizuki, while single-story 3D-printed homes have previously been sold in Japan, this is the country’s first two-story example. The house has already been handed over to its buyer.

Overhead view of the house being printed.  Photo courtesy of Kizuki press release.

Traditional reinforced-concrete construction requires skilled workers to assemble wooden formwork before concrete is poured, but shortages of formwork carpenters have driven up labor costs and delayed projects.

In contrast, 3D-printed housing simplifies the formwork process. Exterior and interior walls can be completed in about two weeks, shortening construction time by several months compared with conventional homes.

The method also offers greater design flexibility, allowing for curved or unconventional shapes. Steel reinforcement is embedded into printed components, and concrete is poured to form structural elements, ensuring seismic resistance, the company says. Thick walls made from mortar-based formwork filled with concrete and steel provide strong sound insulation and thermal performance.

Daytime exterior photo courtesy of Kizuki press release.

Rika Igarashi, CEO of Kizuki, said the process relies on machines guided by 3D data. Unlike conventional construction, which is divided among multiple contractors by stage, exterior walls, interior walls, and formwork are printed simultaneously.

While 3D-printed housing is moving toward broader adoption in Europe and the United States, challenges remain in Japan. The specialized mortar is an expensive, imported custom product, and significant investment is required for printers and related equipment, meaning costs are not yet lower than conventional methods.

Kizuki aims to deploy the technology in depopulated regions and remote islands in Japan, where securing skilled labor is difficult, and is also considering expansion into Southeast Asia, including the Philippines. Kentaro Takeguchi, a professor at Kindai University’s Faculty of Architecture, said that while cost reductions are still needed, the realization of a two-story 3D-printed home is significant and could lead to lower costs if mass production by major housing makers takes hold.

Sources:

Kizuki website (Japanese only)

Nikkei Shimbun (Japanese only; paywalled)

PR Times (Japanese only)