Bitsii moved to a remote fishing town in Ehime prefecture in 2021. She wasn’t ready to commit anything major since she was new to Japan and unsure visa renewal potential — until the locals handed her first vacant akiya house.  This interview with Bitsii is full of interesting insights about akiya DIY and living in rural Japan.  *All the photos on this page are of the house Bitsii bought and the surroundings. Would you mind quickly introducing yourself to our readers? How long have you lived in Japan and what brought you there originally? Bitsii: Hello! I’m Bitsii Nakamura. I ..read more

If you are considering purchasing a house in Japan, chances are that Osaka has stolen your heart. Japan’s third largest city and the beating heart of the Kansai region, Osaka solidified its status as a thriving commercial hub as far back as the 16th century. Life here, though, is certainly not all about work and no play: the abundance of shopping, gourmet and entertainment options are truly the envy of the rest of the country, as are the top-quality museums, not to mention the numerous picturesque spots to admire cherry blossom in the spring. As a port town with long links to the Asian cont ..read more

Dani and Evan, after living on an urban farm in New Orleans, moved to rural Japan to pursue hobbies like beekeeping and farming. They bought two akiya houses on Ōmishima island for their guesthouse and future home, attracted by the mild climate and tourism potential. Renovations were completed quickly despite challenges like time constraints and many others. They were now sharing their experiences to help others pursue similar dreams. *All the photos on this page are of the houses Dani & Evan brought. Would you mind quickly introducing yourself to our readers? How long have you lived i ..read more

Gilles bought an akiya in Kyushu for under $10,000 and turned it into a lovely cafe / atelier / lodging.  Here’s his story! *All the photos on this page are of the house Gilles bought and the surroundings. Would you mind quickly introducing yourself to our readers? How long have you lived in Japan and what brought you there originally? Gilles: I am originally from France, and I came to Japan 32 years ago while on a backpacking trip in Asia. That is where the trip ended. I slowly worked my way to become independent and started a company offering various services in the field of visual ..read more

Nick started a company called Japan Remotely to help people achieve the best of both worlds: live in Japan and work remotely. He shares his thoughts about the financial benefits of relocating to a cheap house in Japan. Would you mind quickly introducing yourself to our readers? How long have you lived in Japan and what brought you there originally? Nick: My name is Nick and I lived in Japan for about 10 years. I first got involved with my local sister city program and then later moved to Japan full-time. A few years ago, I moved away from Japan. I miss it! That’s why started ..read more

When Tom Fay wanted to set down roots in Japan, he left the city and bought a kominka in the countryside. Here’s his story. *All the photos on this page were taken by Tom Fay. Would you mind quickly introducing yourself to our readers? How long have you lived in Japan and what brought you there originally? Tom: I am originally from the UK and came to Japan in 2007, originally as an English teacher on the JET Programme. It was my first time in Japan and I actually knew very little about the country, didn’t speak a word of Japanese and only intended to stay for perhaps a year or two at most ..read more

Western news media homed in on the story of Japan’s depopulation crisis and the eerie ghost towns left behind about a decade ago now. More recently, though, the focus has been on the abandoned properties up for grabs. Headlines like Japan Is Giving Away 8 Million Abandoned Houses — Here’s How to Get One and Want a free country house in Japan? They’re giving them away may raise a few eyebrows, but is there any truth to the claims? Yes, you really can buy a house for under $500 in Japan Yes, there are really houses in Japan that are listed for $500 — in fact there are many. But what those ar ..read more

Dream of buying a home in Japan? The good news is that, whether you are a resident or not, anyone can purchase real estate in the country. And, with the yen at record lows against most major currencies at the time of writing, housing here is more affordable than ever to those living overseas. But the first question that likely comes to mind is: what exactly are the prices of homes like in Japan? We’ll address this very question here. For the sake of our international audience, we will provide JPY prices with their US dollar equivalent (in fact, all Japanese property listings on my Cheap Hous ..read more

Coline bought a house in Japan all from her home at France. I interviewed her about the process and her experience in it. She generously shared with us her journey and her future plans for the property. *All the photos on this page are of the house Coline bought and the surroundings. Would you mind quickly introducing yourself to our readers? How long have you lived in Japan and what brought you there originally? Coline: My name is Coline, I am 24 years old (23 when I found my dream house) and I am a photographer currently living in France. The first time I came in Japan was from studies a ..read more

Marc has lived in Japan for about 15 years and recently bought his dream home on the world famous island of Naoshima. In this interview, Marc shares with us about the real estate market in Naoshima, the challenges of working with renovation contractors, and convincing the owners to sell the house to him!  *All the photos on this page are of Marc’s house. Would you mind quickly introducing yourself to our readers? How long have you lived in Japan and what brought you there originally? Marc: Hello Michael! My name is Marc and my wife is Juliette. I have been living in Japan for about 1 ..read more