Nittetsu Kowa Real Estate, SANU, and JDSC Launch Joint Research on Multi-Location Living and Well-being
Nittetsu Kowa Real Estate, SANU, and JDSC have initiated joint research to scientifically clarify the impact of multi-location living, commuting between urban and natural environments, on people's well-being. Initial analysis has revealed structural trends in how multi-location living affects mental and physical states, aiming to create insights that contribute to next-generation living environments and urban design.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 30, 2026 at 23:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 30, 2026 at 14:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 14:59 (27 min after Collected)
Nittetsu Kowa Real Estate Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Masahiro Miwa; hereinafter “Nittetsu Kowa Real Estate”), through its comprehensive research institute “Future Style Research Institute,” along with SANU Inc. (Head Office: Meguro-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Gen Fukushima; hereinafter “SANU”), and JDSC Inc. (Head Office: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Directors: Erutes Satoshi Kato / Asuka Sato; hereinafter “JDSC”), have commenced joint research to scientifically elucidate the impact of multi-location living, which involves moving between urban and natural environments, on well-being and its underlying mechanisms.
This initial analysis has revealed structural trends in how multi-location living affects mental and physical conditions.
## Background
Against the backdrop of increased flexibility in work styles and diversification of values, the lives of urban residents are expanding from single to multiple locations. A survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (※1) shows that approximately 30% of urban residents are interested in dual-area living, indicating that multi-location living is becoming a widespread new lifestyle chosen by the working generation. However, research that structurally captures its psychological and physiological effects has not been sufficiently systematized domestically or internationally. This research aims to re-frame lifestyle changes not merely as individual experiences but as a social structure, with the goal of creating insights that contribute to next-generation living environments and urban design. It is a rare initiative in Japan where three areas of expertise intersect: “Housing x Living Fields x AI/Data Analysis.”
## Key Insights from Initial Analysis
This study targeted two groups practicing a lifestyle of regularly moving between urban and natural environments: “SANU 2nd Home members (196 people)” and “non-members (218 people).” An online questionnaire survey was conducted regarding value perceptions related to well-being (importance of time) and mental/physical states (fulfillment) at home and accommodations. Accommodations refer to SANU 2nd Home facilities for SANU 2nd Home members, and hotels/ryokans for non-members. Notably, SANU 2nd Home members tend to stay outside their homes more frequently than non-members (statistically significant p<0.001).
**1. SANU 2nd Home Members Tend to Have Higher Expectation Levels for Time Related to Well-being**
While both groups commonly emphasized “time related to well-being,” focusing on the percentage who answered “extremely important,” it became clear that SANU 2nd Home members showed higher values in many categories compared to non-members (refer to Figure 1). Specifically, high expectation levels were confirmed for items related to “deep relaxation,” “deep joy,” “human relationships,” “immersion in enjoyable activities,” “enjoying hobbies/leisure,” “feeling freedom,” and “experiencing nature.”
Figure 1. Expectation levels for time related to well-being – Comparison of two groups by percentage answering “extremely important” –
Note) The percentage of “extremely important” responses for each item was compared between SANU 2nd Home members and non-members. Statistically significant differences were confirmed for multiple items in the inter-group comparison (using chi-squared test, significance level p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001).
**2. Different Well-being Fulfillment Structures Confirmed at Home and Accommodations**
At accommodations, SANU 2nd Home members showed a tendency towards greater fulfillment in items such as “deep relaxation,” “experiencing nature,” “feeling freedom,” “concentration on work or study,” and “introspection/insight” compared to non-members.
Conversely, at home, non-members showed a tendency towards greater fulfillment in most of the items listed above. It was revealed that “concentration on work or study” was the only item where SANU 2nd Home members showed a greater tendency towards fulfillment than non-members at home (refer to Table 1).
While accommodations showed fulfillment in cognitive aspects like “concentration” and “introspection/insight” in addition to restorative elements, suggesting that distancing oneself from urban life may be involved in state changes accompanied by attention switching and self-regulation, the existence of a segment recognizing fulfillment in similar items at home was also confirmed.
Table 1. Differences in mental and physical fulfillment at home and accommodations – Two-group comparison –
Accommodations: Deep relaxation (SANU 2nd Home members), Experiencing nature (SANU 2nd Home members), Feeling freedom (SANU 2nd Home members), New experiences/encounters (—), Concentration on work or study (SANU 2nd Home members), Introspection/insight (SANU 2nd Home members)
Home: Deep relaxation (Non-members), Experiencing nature (Non-members), Feeling freedom (Non-members), New experiences/encounters (Non-members), Concentration on work or study (SANU 2nd Home members), Introspection/insight (—)
Note) Regarding the answer distribution for each item at home and accommodations, statistically significant differences were confirmed for multiple items when comparing between SANU 2nd Home members and non-members. Only statistically significant differences are listed in the table (Mann-Whitney U test, significance level p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001).
This initial analysis has revealed structural trends in how multi-location living affects mental and physical conditions.
## Background
Against the backdrop of increased flexibility in work styles and diversification of values, the lives of urban residents are expanding from single to multiple locations. A survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (※1) shows that approximately 30% of urban residents are interested in dual-area living, indicating that multi-location living is becoming a widespread new lifestyle chosen by the working generation. However, research that structurally captures its psychological and physiological effects has not been sufficiently systematized domestically or internationally. This research aims to re-frame lifestyle changes not merely as individual experiences but as a social structure, with the goal of creating insights that contribute to next-generation living environments and urban design. It is a rare initiative in Japan where three areas of expertise intersect: “Housing x Living Fields x AI/Data Analysis.”
## Key Insights from Initial Analysis
This study targeted two groups practicing a lifestyle of regularly moving between urban and natural environments: “SANU 2nd Home members (196 people)” and “non-members (218 people).” An online questionnaire survey was conducted regarding value perceptions related to well-being (importance of time) and mental/physical states (fulfillment) at home and accommodations. Accommodations refer to SANU 2nd Home facilities for SANU 2nd Home members, and hotels/ryokans for non-members. Notably, SANU 2nd Home members tend to stay outside their homes more frequently than non-members (statistically significant p<0.001).
**1. SANU 2nd Home Members Tend to Have Higher Expectation Levels for Time Related to Well-being**
While both groups commonly emphasized “time related to well-being,” focusing on the percentage who answered “extremely important,” it became clear that SANU 2nd Home members showed higher values in many categories compared to non-members (refer to Figure 1). Specifically, high expectation levels were confirmed for items related to “deep relaxation,” “deep joy,” “human relationships,” “immersion in enjoyable activities,” “enjoying hobbies/leisure,” “feeling freedom,” and “experiencing nature.”
Figure 1. Expectation levels for time related to well-being – Comparison of two groups by percentage answering “extremely important” –
Note) The percentage of “extremely important” responses for each item was compared between SANU 2nd Home members and non-members. Statistically significant differences were confirmed for multiple items in the inter-group comparison (using chi-squared test, significance level p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001).
**2. Different Well-being Fulfillment Structures Confirmed at Home and Accommodations**
At accommodations, SANU 2nd Home members showed a tendency towards greater fulfillment in items such as “deep relaxation,” “experiencing nature,” “feeling freedom,” “concentration on work or study,” and “introspection/insight” compared to non-members.
Conversely, at home, non-members showed a tendency towards greater fulfillment in most of the items listed above. It was revealed that “concentration on work or study” was the only item where SANU 2nd Home members showed a greater tendency towards fulfillment than non-members at home (refer to Table 1).
While accommodations showed fulfillment in cognitive aspects like “concentration” and “introspection/insight” in addition to restorative elements, suggesting that distancing oneself from urban life may be involved in state changes accompanied by attention switching and self-regulation, the existence of a segment recognizing fulfillment in similar items at home was also confirmed.
Table 1. Differences in mental and physical fulfillment at home and accommodations – Two-group comparison –
Accommodations: Deep relaxation (SANU 2nd Home members), Experiencing nature (SANU 2nd Home members), Feeling freedom (SANU 2nd Home members), New experiences/encounters (—), Concentration on work or study (SANU 2nd Home members), Introspection/insight (SANU 2nd Home members)
Home: Deep relaxation (Non-members), Experiencing nature (Non-members), Feeling freedom (Non-members), New experiences/encounters (Non-members), Concentration on work or study (SANU 2nd Home members), Introspection/insight (—)
Note) Regarding the answer distribution for each item at home and accommodations, statistically significant differences were confirmed for multiple items when comparing between SANU 2nd Home members and non-members. Only statistically significant differences are listed in the table (Mann-Whitney U test, significance level p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001).