Owning an Abandoned Japanese House | Akiya Buying Experience
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Daryl and Natsu purchased this abandoned home in Zentsuji, Kagawa and shared their experience with us. Akiya are everywhere and you can find a good deal on a home like this.
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All together, with everything, the cost was $40,000 for what we showed you. They’re the owners ^_^ of a very lovely and livable Japanese home!
If I could figure it all out in english. wow. lol
The house and the environment where you like to live is of course a personal choice. But to me, this house is not inviting, even if it only costs 40,000. it is not just about the house but also the environment. Of course, some people also like to live in the desert. I suspect you don't have to speak fluent English to see that.
@@janvanspauwen7792 I have been a hobbyist skateboarder standing on a skateboard for at least 5 years of my life for almost 80% of its 36 longevity and am getting a lil old and feel like a birdhouse as such in japan would be something to retire to. lol
Only $40,000!? That's actually insane!
@@Tulsy_Grape My mom bought a house about 8 years ago for that in ohio. Its not a massive leap it means it was the poor part of japan. haha :p
I think it is important to emphasize that property ownership in Japan does not automatically grant a permanent visa as it does in other countries.
Whoa! You could loose your visa despite owning a home there?
@@thims1961 not lose it, but you aren't granted a visa simply by owning real estate.
@@thims1961 Some places if you get a house/apartment, it gives you a permanent visa. I have no idea where because it is not a thing in the USA either.
@@AdachiCabbage I'd think the search wouldn't take place before being accepted under one form of a visa or another
Yep, our friends have two condos in Tokyo and they are still tourists!
Thanks to Daryl & his family for sharing
It is a very big spacious house. The house looks to be well maintained, even if the front structure is 75 years old. The many rooms with traditional sliding doors, tatami mats, air vent lattices and decorated sliding doors are very nice! I believe Kagawa is on Shikoku Island (smallest of the 4 main islands). Thanks to the homeowners for showing their house and explaining the history & renovations! It seems like they have become good at buying & renovating Akiya's and are ready to do more.
The back (presumably less old) part of the house is about 70 years old.
My wife sold a house in this exact town. I know Zentsuji very well as my wife grew up nearby, we visit every year. It is very visibly a declining town with a very elderly population. It's hardly a place you'd move to for opportunity. There's a reason houses are ridiculously cheap. The guy saying you could buy one as an investment is interesting. It would not be considered an investment as it would continue to lose value. They are not even worth turning into AirBnB as very few tourists go through apart from a few of the temple pilgrims.
John saying that it is up and coming is just outright wrong.
A person who usually looks to buy one of these akiya do so when they are looking to settle down out and away from the big cities. If you can work remotely, have no problem being hands on DIY and have a can-do attitude then akiya life is for you. If you want cheap just to flip and profit, you're in for a world of disappointment.
That's the problem that people don't understand. They think "free/cheap house," but they don't know what that entails.
Any renovation that isn't DIY is in the tens of thousands of dollars. The area and schools are pretty much barren since no one wants to live there, not including the Japanese language you have to know in order to fill out the children's documents every day. Furthermore, you need to be a proactive member of the community and pitch in when needed.
@@xeong5 Well said!
More young people need remote jobs to breathe back life into these areas
Shikoku's dwindling population has only one way to go, sadly. My mom was from nearby Okayama-shi on the way to Shikoku, but not as close as say Tamano. Akura Village if you know where that is, which became a part of Okayama-shi in the 1990s I think. But it is a beautiful island with a very nice temperate climate. But for investment, yah not doable, unless it's a place people go for vacations or other reason.
You are truly blessed. That is a beautiful house. Love and respect John and family. 💜💜🇯🇵🇯🇵💜💜
The previous owners would probably be thrilled that new life was being breathed into the home.
Or they died in it and the relatives want rid of it. Most dont even go throught the process of claiming inheritance because its too burdensome so thats why its abandoned. Sold of by the local government to get back old taxes.
@@TellPenn Yup, that's usually the case. Elderly parent or parents have passed on and the kids don't want to deal with cleaning and renovating.
More than that, they're just happy to have the tax burden off their family's records. Has nothing do do with "breathing new life into the home."
@@TheFergyme he's talking about the dead people who used to live there being thrilled, not the decedents who wanted to offload it.
Great to see that the original wood wasn't ripped out or slathered in paint. Really nice.
Wow! Daryl and Natsu are doing an incredible job on that house. It's in pretty good shape for being so old and the wood looks fantastic. That's incredible that to buy the wood alone would cost more than they paid for the house. 👍
Indeed this akiya trend is a once in a lifetime opportunity. If you want to grab it , we are happy to help :)
There's a BUNCH of these houses in the countryside. I live in Ehime and it's the same here. If you are able to work remotely and don't mind living in the countryside, it's a really good option. Beautiful house!
Would love to live in the country even in the US but I can't remote work
Any jobs there?
@@Chrisicola If you can't speak Japanese, not much. If you work remotely it's a good option though.
@@javy8912 What area would you recommend for someone tyhat knows little Japanese, but possible access via train to metro area?
@@Chrisicola In Shikoku? There is no bullet train here, just regular JR. All of the 4 big cities have access to JR trains, but if you want quicker access to bigger cities like Osaka or Hiroshima then I would recommend Tokushima, Takamatsu, or Matsuyama cities, or around those areas. I live nearby Matsuyama and am 1 hour ferry from Hiroshima and 1hour plane ride to Tokyo.
Thank you for receiving us and thanks John.
家を見せてくれてありがとうございました！
I just learnt from another channel that old akiyas built more than 30 years ago were not built to withstand earthquakes hence old akiyas are a big earthquake-collapse risk. Don't understand why you're promoting something without going into its risks.
If they’re still standing, they were built very well - wouldn’t you think? They’re checked out and if they pass, they’re OK. Most people will do extra work. Big buildings like school built after WWII to 1975 or so aren’t as strong (concrete) and def would require earthquake proofing and a much larger cost. With that said, to rebuild it might be 3x the price but a better investment if you plan to stay for 2-3 decades
@@onlyinjapanGO If old akiyas are still standing, it would mean it or the area has not experienced a big enough quake yet, you don't know when was the last time a quake hit that area, or even never before and you cannot assume a quake will never happen in that area. I won't want to depend on luck.
There are trees and buildings that have been standing here for more than a thousand years show me somewhere else on earth where that happens.
From Thailand, really appreciate it.
Congratulations.
I'm currently saving up to buy one of these houses within the next 3-4 years. It's my absolute dream to live in Japan and one day I will do it!
Much love from Arizona 💜💜
And your visa will be?
@@earlysda I've got time to figure that out. Would love to get residency but would have to look into it more. I've got to wait for my kiddo to graduate high school anyways 🤷♀️
you won't feel very welcomed... trust me
@@LarryNg-mx8qz Depends on the person, individual behavior and the people living around him.
Otaku😂😂😂
Bro is living my *dream*. Countryside Japan is so gorgeous
lol I thought the same thing when I saw your comment. Just make a move. Life wont happen without your move.
Make sure your earning enough to place kids in an international school
Not to discourage but you need to research how much you need to save up just for renovation alone. Homes in Japan lose value over time and you have to do updates to the foundation and possibly renovations. I would suggest researching first but buying since it's not the same as other countries.
That's so beautiful. The whole place, and the view!
What kind of visa are you going to get?
The upstairs looks well maintained. The hallways around the rooms are designed to keep the rooms comfortable in winter and summer. Expensive homes that were built in Japan would surround the entire rooms with a hallway.
Only thing stopping me is employment in Japan - such a good looking house.
Big same tbh. I'm working on finishing my Bachelor's specifically to go get a job in Japan.
haha Same here.
Would you swap for a salary 10 times lower in Japan though? It might be better to first get rich, then move. Though I think you need a job to be allowed to stay in Japan.
Thing is, this is impractical for 99% of people since these locations tend to be so remote that there's not a lot of jobs available. Hence, why people abandon them.
It's mostly only practical for wealthy Westerners who have passive income coming in as USD which multiplies their buying power.
Yeah, a retirement plan.
This is the kind of video that we all look for and won't it is wonderful that you made this one you should make I'm hoping that you will make more videos like this and help us to find people who can assist us in renovations and how to go about looking for abandoned houses make videos more of these😮😊😊😅
As a long-term resident in Japan, I'd like to know if Daryl got an inspection to determine the house's abilty to withstand earthquakes. If you have seen the photos from Ishikawa, you'd recognize that old can be beautiful but deadly in an earthquake. Wish them well in their endeavors!
Pretty sure in 50 yrs all of japan will be underwater
This.
These beautiful houses, like this one in the video, do NOT meet the earthquake standard aka. 耐震基準.
I spend most of the money to bring the house to today standard and mine was built in 1993.
Yolo
Dang, that is one solid house! Carpenters in the US could only wish they were as skilled! XD All in all, that is one gorgeous house, so charming and spacious!
Yeah old houses are amazing. just like old tools. never breaks in your lifetime and beyond.
What a gorgeous house!!! It’s my dream house, high craftsmanship house! So amazing… if they can create a zen garden near the house & veggies garden in the back, that would be a complete vacation home for this family…❤❤❤
Wow, this was a great find for Daryl!
It was more than a great find but it can happen to you. This trend is a once in a lifetime chance.
Why are there so many abandoned homes in Japan? No one addresses that.
Great video John! I've been chatting with Daryl and Natsu recently. Hoping to get down there to meet them in person. They seem like such a lovely and kind family. They have down such a great job with the house already. Keep up the great work mate 🙋🏽♂
If you get down to Fukuoka, let me know!
Pretty spacious❤Congrats fam!!
The house has held up fantastically
Beautiful home!!!!
a small country is convenient, a small and highly advanced country is superb
I find these posts/videos funny. Full of people who have a fantasy about living and/or retriing in Japan. But the most they did is come as a tourist if that. The retiring part is really funny considering Japan doesnt need more old people it needs younger people. There is nothing out in these parts, there is no jobs you might get a low paid English teaching job if lucky. John is definatley wrong, this is not an up and comming place its a dieing place. There are actal cities besides Tokyo or Osaka which have more connivence and jobs and there still losing people, empty apartments etc.
Funny comment, towns with fresh water, good infrastructure, affordable & available land in a place of safety are not going to be a “dying” town for long. Everything comes in cycles and people will move out of cities and back to the countryside as tech and work allows it and this era will be remembered as an opportunity as the world evolved from analog. Different strokes for different folks but there are people who never catch a wave in life. Waves don’t start on the surface, you have to feel it coming. If I’m “definitely wrong” after 26 years here, you won’t ever see it coming.
does anyone know what they do for work ?
I wonder who used to own this home ?
Did they have kids or just a married couple, or even a single person ?
Did they move elsewhere or pass away in the house or a hospital ?
This home is huge compared to most homes anywhere.
And the gigantic garden is fantastic for growing plants, food, or a playground for the dogs and kids.
I like the chicken coop.
I hope the birds dont get heat stroke even if protected from the sun.
Could have been an old family home. The kids probably live in the city and dont need it. Its a pretty common problem
Maybe a three generation family home. The older ones passed on and the kids went to work in a city?
Japan is the world's most aging country, and the population is decreasing every year. Therefore, the number of houses like this is increasing, and 10 million abandoned houses have appeared throughout the country. The government is trying to dramatically increase immigration, but the number of abandoned houses and vacant rooms is still increasing.
Wow Really nice house. That doggy is going to be a movie star. Not afraid afraid of the camera.😂😂😂 thank you John for sharing. I would love to buy a house in Japan that my family can visit at least twice a year.
That's huge!
PoPo is so cute...i thought at first PoPo is just a dog statue but no..😂😂❤❤
It took me a second as well. And NO BARKING!!! 😅😅
Kinda sad the boys wouldn't play with him!
That's beatifull Daryl and natsu san. You took really good care of that house. And try to keep it original 家は凄い見えます😊
Thanks!
New subscriber here. The big question should be, why was this house abandoned in the first place? Also, your comment of trying to find the owners of the abandoned homes is puzzling to comprehend. Would you please clarify. Thanks.
Rural Japan is beautiful. I visited a friend in Saga prefecture and loved his small town.
In many areas, it's incredible!!! But let's keep it a secret. 🤣
Would you want to live there?
Daryl is lucky to get an akiya in good condition. If you're gonna be staying as a family, especially for foreigners, you gotta ask - is there any school in the vicinity? Are your kids going to be enrolled in a Japanese school? I assume there are clinics or hospital in the vicinity?
Fascinating! What a beautiful home and such lovely people. Thank you for sharing.
For people who are sick and tired of chasing the false American dream, come to Japan and start living
That house is huge.
Why are these houses abandoned? That’s what I would like to know
The house is a work of art. Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Please reinforce the structure before you live in there, the old house is very cheap but on the other hand the reinforcing against earthquakes are very expensive....
This.
These peoples don't know what they are a doing and they will learn the hard way.
Love this type home tour videoes, would love to see more of it on this channel.
I have one more little short to say is that I will be coming to Japan very soon and I'm looking to buy something like this I would appreciate all my heart some help to be able to find something like this and be able to do it quickly thank you I'm retired thank you very
It's like here in Finland. Families move to cities and lot of empty houses in countryside. Those are just a money hole.
How about schools? Where people get money? It's cheap to live in countryside but there are reasons why houses are empty.
Make love and babies ❤
In New Zealand, I am paying $2000 a month to rent a room. Maybe I should move to Japan?
so relaxing emvironment
Omg, Japan is going to become little America. Hurry Africans, go buy.
Beautiful, airy, spacious, luxurious and views are amazing.
Darryl, I really like your works in progress project. Looks good, homely and very comfortable. 👌
Question: Did they spend any money for installation of earthquake protection??
Very nice!
I really appreciated this. I've been trying to figure how to get to the point of Living in Japan. I want to live off the beaten path. My friend and her family live in Tamano City so I want to have a look there first and then go from there.
Thank you for creating this video it is packed with a lot of helpful information. Never thought about buying an Akiya house, but now we are. Cant wait to be back in Japan this September.
Costco is not a barometer of anything except consumerism and 100-roll packs of toilet paper.
When it comes to QUALITY JAPAN and GERMAN are the best. My parents are still using the same SANYO made in Japan Fridge and Washing machine for over 30 years! And it is still in good shape and working like new. The Longevity is mindblowing🤯.
And I have been using a TIGER Made in Japan Rice Cooker for over 20 years.
Eversince I was a kid I was told to never buy Made in China stuffs, but instead buy made in Japan products
Unfortunately a lot of Japanese products (for export) are not made in Japan. Those that are can be very expensive.
This is wisdom when you hear it , listen.
Those things were once called "durable goods" , sadly, now they are called "consumer goods". Failures are now intentionally built into products like refrigerators or clothes washing machines so they need replacement in 3-5 years.
There is definitely a business in selling antique furniture from these abandoned houses especially the ones that doubled as businesses.
Akiya gonna be a hot topic for the coming years. pick up on this topic John. i am looking to buy one in japan too but not too expensive.
What a nice house; beautiful interior! Thanks for the posting - it is motivation to consider an akiya.
What part of Japan is this?
Also, what type of employment are you in?
Zentsuji
Pressure wash the cement parameter walls. See if there is some sealer you can use to keep the clean view longer.
This was really interesting. The house looks amazingly solid and in very good condition.
I love Japanese house and one of my dream place to visit as well.
It's no the initial cost but the costs to renovation to meet building code.
There are dilapidated housing all over and cheap. But in renovation the costs are often enormous and often better to tear down rather than try and save. But that often isn't option to tear down in Japan and why costs so much and why hoyses are just abandoned
Wow this home is beautiful. Thank you for allowing me to see it.
I am amazed at the space in this Japanese home! I am happy to hear this family is in Shikoku, my favorite of the Japanese main islands. Why are so many homes being abandoned? Does the price of the home include the land or does the land have to be leased? Beautiful and serene property. They have done a wonderful job with it.❤❤❤
Wow, they could create a zen garden in the backyard!
He didn't get to finish how much sq ft there is because he got interrupted. Let the man talk, it is his house. lol
Excellent purchase! Thanks for sharing.
Nice! Japan is much safer than any other countries...I know I heard health care system is much better and affordable in japan? How about akiya in Chibari hill area just outside of Tokyo?
What about income? how does he support his family in the countryside?
Remote Job or youtube. there is no sustainable job in the countryside Japan.
I make 1M yen per month a security engineer but its a remote job. Would not be able to make the half of this where I live.
Being said, I live well below my means, so, should I lose that job tomorrow, wont be affected too much.
Beautiful...would there be reverse migration in time to come, from city back to rural area...?
I don't know how I feel about non-Japanese buying the homes, plus the tourist explosion. I think the Japanese culture is changing. It is not as authentic as it was 10 years ago. There are too many tourists.
Watching right now this your video, and got need to go there...
I watching and seeking for places worlwide - the most islands and archipelagos to move (relocate) there on some quiet, peaceful, tranquil, remote place...
I live in an small country Montenegro by name, where now is a tourism madness... I don’t recognize my country any more...
Greetings from Montenegro!
Ever time i watch videos of things like this is always positions as "wow its so easy to do!". Having lives in Japan on and off over the years i know the easy part is buying the house. Content makers always forget to mention how hard is is to get a visa, and that buying property in Japan gives you no such rights. Most of the people that buy either have a large income where they can afford leaving Japan for a time, and or are married to a Japanese National. Poorer people are in the minority.
Why are the houses abandoned
The society is seriously aging, and the young population has gone to big cities to make a living. There are a lot of abandoned houses in rural Japan, many of which can be used normally. Children are unwilling to inherit the property when the elderly die, because it is an economic burden. If someone is willing to take it, it only takes a small amount of money, or even no money, and the owner will be very grateful to you.
Only in Japan you're next! Your family deserves a house!
Are houses really THAT CHEAP to buy in Japan?
Japan is a big place, yes - depends where.
Those are bank owned houses because no one wanted to own them anymore after they all leave the small villages to live in the city. Only foreigners would be interested in living in bumblefuck nowhere
No a lot of akiyas are NOT owned by banks. They are family owned and they are very picky about who buys them that is why most of them are not online. Japan is a very small country with a lot of population so no matter where you go, you have decenet infrastructures. We have a convinience store, grocery stores, post office, fire department, city hall all in walking distance. Cheers,
The first big quake is going to bring that down on top of them.
Akiya are abandoned for a reason. Find out that reason.
Gullible people and money are soon parted.
Why isn't the link here? For the abandoned homes.
Can you do a video on long term visa optiins?
Cool. Yes, Sad. Aging Japanese. Leave everything behind.
That's a lovely house!
Ohhh if i had the money i would love to live in Japan for few years
Japanes gorvernment is quietly opening up the visa issues. look into it. If you wait for money first, you will wait until you retire. listen to you gut.
@@laughingmonkeywatcher6993my gut tells me I'm broke lol
6:30 Terrific view! 😊😊
Beautiful home!!! Awesome video! Thank you for sharing!
Nice,love the old style Japanese house…just move all the things,love it empty…
Beautiful house. With so much room, why don't you have a room just for the boys to sleep?
Probably related to limited cooling.
Yea we can buy houses in Japan as foreigners but we can't live in them.. You need a Japanese job to grant you the required visa for a long term stay
So get a visa 😊
Can you tell me how can an American family buy house in Japan and live there without a residency visa??? have Darrell do it?
Wonderful and beautiful home thank you for sharing.
That home is beautiful, and looks like a nice quiet area! Here in the US finding a nice home out in the country would be super expensive.
Come do a house tour of my tiny home in Mie Prefecture!
awesome find.. it's so Spacious.. love it!
Daryl was starting to say how many square feet are in the house but you talked over him so he did not say. You have a habit of doing that.
Great view guys!..❤ and such a nice 🏡
Not for me, thanks. Esp those long freezing winter nights