There are nine million abandoned houses in Japan. We’re buying one. This is everything about that move: what an akiya actually costs, what it takes to buy one as a foreigner, the renovation, and the parts nobody warns you about. I’m figuring it out as I go and writing down the real numbers.
You can do most of a Japanese house renovation yourself. Electrical, water, and gas are licensed work, and the permit rules changed in April 2025. Here is the honest line between what is yours and what is not.
On a ¥1,000,000 akiya, the fees can run to 54% of the purchase price. Here is every cost nobody mentions, what it runs, and when it lands on your doormat.
Yes, foreigners can buy property in Japan with no restrictions at all. Owning it, though, gives you zero right to live there. Here is what is actually true.
Yes, ¥0 houses in Japan are real. No, they are not free. Here is what a free akiya actually costs once you add gift tax, fixed fees, clearing out the last owner’s belongings, and untangling the title.
An akiya renovation runs about ¥2,000,000 to ¥40,000,000 in 2026. Here is why that range is so wide, what each line item really costs, and how to figure out which end you are on before you make an offer.
We’re saving $100,000 to move to Japan and buy an abandoned house. Here are the 10 things that are actually working, with the real numbers behind each one.
I love the ritual of having a hot cup of coffee every morning. When I don’t…
How to Build a Japanese Style Chabudai or Floor Sitting Table!
Learn how to make sake at home with rice, koji, water and yeast. My step by step homemade sake recipe with exact ratios, photos and a video.