Land and House Surveyor Examination
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Land and House Surveyor Examination (土地家屋調査士試験) is the Japanese national examination for the registered professional who prepares and files applications to register land and building descriptions - boundary measurements, parcel area, building floor area and layout - and who supports 境界確定 work between neighbours. Candidates are typically surveying and registration practitioners, legal-affairs staff, and graduates of law, civil engineering or geography who intend to open or join a 土地家屋調査士事務所. The examination is administered by the Ministry of Justice, and the official body publishes current details of schedule, fees and results on its website. Expect a written paper mixing multiple-choice short-answer items with a descriptive (記述式) section requiring boundary and area computations and reasoned legal writing, followed by an oral examination for those who pass the written stage. Preparation is usually sequenced: measurement theory and instrument practice first, then 不動産登記法 and the 表示に関する登記 procedure, then civil law concepts (所有権, 相隣関係, 地役権, 共有), then past-paper practice under time pressure. The descriptive section rewards clean computation layout and precise statutory language, so drill writing by hand rather than reading only. Verify all current administrative details with the official announcement before applying.
What you'll study
About Land and House Surveyor Examination preparation
What does the examination actually test?
Two layers. A written paper covers surveying theory and instruments, error adjustment, cadastral boundary determination, 不動産登記法 and 表示に関する登記 procedure, and the civil law of land and buildings. The 記述式 section asks you to compute boundaries and areas and to write reasoned answers. Candidates who pass proceed to an oral examination.
How hard is it, realistically?
It is a demanding, low-volume professional examination. The difficulty is not obscure theory but precision: applying statutes to messy facts, laying out computations so an examiner can follow them, and finishing under time pressure. Most candidates need repeated cycles of past-paper practice rather than a single study pass.
How many questions, and how long is each paper?
The official body publishes the current structure, item counts and time allocations in its examination guidelines each year, and these have changed over time. Do not rely on numbers from older prep material; check the current official announcement before you plan your pacing.
Can I retake it, and how many times?
Retaking is permitted and common; there is no lifetime cap that candidates generally worry about. What matters is whether a partial pass carries over to the next sitting, which depends on the rules in force for that year. Confirm the current carry-over and retake rules with the official announcement.
What does it cost to sit?
The examination fee is set by the administering body and is announced with each year's application guidance. Because the figure is revised from time to time, check the official website's application page rather than relying on a number quoted in a forum or an older textbook.
In what order should I study?
Start with measurement and adjustment so the arithmetic becomes automatic, then move to 不動産登記法 and the 表示に関する登記 application procedure, then the civil law topics that drive boundary reasoning. Finish with timed past papers, writing the descriptive answers by hand, because that is where most marks are lost.
Why do candidates fail the descriptive section?
Three recurring causes: skipping the computation layout so the examiner cannot follow the reasoning, citing statutory provisions loosely instead of accurately, and running out of time because they practised reading answers rather than writing them. Practise full handwritten answers against a clock and mark them against the official style of reasoning.
Is the oral examination a formality?
No. It probes practical judgment: how you would handle a boundary disagreement, what you would tell a client, which documents you would rely on. Prepare by explaining your reasoning aloud in short, structured answers, and be ready to justify a decision rather than recite a rule.
Does passing make me a registered surveyor immediately?
Passing the examination is one requirement; registration with the appropriate registry follows a separate procedure, including any required practical training or credentials. Check the current registration requirements on the official site, since the conditions and their documentation are periodically revised.
Where should I get authoritative information?
Only from the administering ministry's official examination pages and the current year's application guidance. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with the examination authority; treat any figure or rule here as a prompt to verify, not as a substitute for the official text.