$6000 House: Winterizing for Year 2
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- What was it like living in my older Japanese house last winter?
I learned A LOT living through my first winter in snow country Japan. I got to experience the heavy snow falls both at home and at a bunch of ski resorts. It was great!
Temperatures dropped to around -10 degrees. Snow fell as much as 6ft in one day. And the snow clearing machines shook me awake as they passed by at 2am.
Winter was an absolute blast!
In this this video, I talk about my first winter season experience at home in Myoko and how the house held up. I also cover what I learned and what I have changed for my second year.
Write your impressions, thoughts, and questions you have in the comments :)
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QUICK GUIDE
01:34 Outside the house
05:58 A throughback to shoveling snow last winter
18:15 My snow shovels
20:25 Inside the house
27:57 A quick look around the neighborhood winter preparations
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#japanesehouse #diy #diyjapan #japandiy #cheaphousesjapan #japan #mattguy #renovation #myoko #niigata #snowcountry #japow #skiing #winter #winterization #winterizing #snowboarding #妙高 #リフォーム #新潟 #スキー
Thanks for sharing your experience. Your videos are very educational for people who are fascinated by life in Japan like me. You are blessed to have neighbors who care about each other. Good luck with your vlogs and I'm looking forward for more content.
Thank you very much! Good neighbors make life even better. Glad you liked the video 🙏
@@im.mattguy you can prevent some snow build up by installing a tarp on the roof at an angle so it slide off as the snow comes down. you won't have to worry of it building up in the winter.
imagine a place where neighbors actually think about each other
Fortunately, I don't have to imagine in my suburban home in the US in a smaller town. My neighbors are amazing. We take turns snowblowing each other's driveways, picking up packages when we're away, pulling in the garbage cans and recycling bins. It's the most amazing neighborhood.
Def not in america
The more I watch these videos, the more I realize how terrible the quality of living is in America. Its an unhappy experience and we use entertainment and drugs to cope
You really have found the most wonderful place to live. I very much appreciate that you respect your neighborhoods privacy but it's also really nice to see the area around you house. Thanks for the update.
Thank you and appreciate the comment!
Hang a thick, king size quilt over the front door- works wonders keeping the front area much warmer and can easily be pulled aside to go out the door. I used grommets and hung them on hooks in the wall- very easy to put up and take down.
Very interesting! Try putting a curtain rod above your front door, and hang insulated curtains, or a heavy blanket to shut out the cold coming from the door.
Living in Finland means dealing with winter for a solid six months each year. Finland-a beacon of development and efficiency in so many ways-still somehow manages to act surprised every time it snows. Every. Single. Year. Snow comes down, and boom, it's as if no one could have possibly predicted this highly unusual phenomenon. "Oh, wow, too much snow!" Right on schedule.
Just imagine if they hired more people or invested in extra snow-clearing equipment. Problem solved, right? Instead, we’re left with the same old excuses while we dig ourselves out, shaking our heads because, deep down, we know this can totally be managed.🥶
Believe it or not, but up until early 2000's there was always enough people and snow-clearing equipment. After that money has been used to "more important" things.
@virtueofhate1778 ah ,early 2000s Finland and this Finland feel like 2 different countries.
There is plenty of equipments, means, workforce and money in Finland to be one of the best countries in snow management, but working ethics just suck. Nobody cares, they just complain. Also because everything is outsourced to the private companies the outcome is just as bad or good as the working ethics and skills of that particular company. And because of outsourcing, nobody else do nothing about the issue. Quality of winter maintenance varies a lot from place to place here. And it is always going to ba like that, because Finns are just like they are.
Those gas pipes so exposed to the road look like a horrible accident waiting to happen. Especially with this huge tractors removing the snow. I love your videos. Japan is my favorite country in the world, I love its culture and the beauty of its nature. I wish I could live there. So watching your videos give me a lovely little experience of that. Thank you very much.
Please make a lot of winter house videos. Your house looks beautiful in the snow!
Thank you! Will do! Excited for this season
life looks already so relaxed without snow... this ads another layer of slowdown relaxation
In Quebec we have private and municipal snow removal. The private snow removal comes around 4am-5am and clears your driveway. The city comes around right after that. The roads are cleared by the time it’s time to leave for work. Snow removal comes during the day as well if it’s needed.
We obviously need consultants from Quepec to Finland to teach us how to do it in a right and efficient way.
Your windows with picturesque views of the mountains is to die for. Feels so surreal. Enjoy winter but keep yourself warm ☺️
Those extra windows will make a big difference. If there are any windows with a single glass panel, try adding bubble wrap (spraying water with a bit of detergent will help it stick) to the glass on the inside. I find this really helps with the heat in Australian summers on north-facing windows.
Your videos are like therapy for me. It looks so cozy and peacefully where you live. I am sure, that I will never live in Japan, because of the language barrier, but my dream is to live in a small town like you do, close to nature.
Hopefully I will find this place outside of Japan haha
But I will for sure visit Japan someday in my life!
So awesome and appreciate the comment! You definitely need to visit Japan for a trip :)
A map of good areas to buy property in. Now that’s a good idea. My wife has been bugging me about spending so much on hotels while in Japan. We go enough and Now that Japan has a nomad visa it’s certainly a temping idea.
I know it will be useful some people looking for a place and number where question is where to look
that nomad visa is great but unfortunately u need to make 70k per year... guess I need to pick up more projects 😂
May I suggest rigid insulation cut to the correct measurements and put up against those windows you don't intend to use. You can glue two or more layers together to make the insulation flush with the walls. Use the rigid insulation on the ventilation holes and doors as well. Since you can buy sheets of insulation in 8' sections, you can cut it up as you need. Scraps fit in all sorts of weird configurations.
May I also suggest putting a curtain rod over the doorway and hang a heavy blanket you can pull over the door to block drafts. If you don't mind doing a bit of sewing, may I suggest buying a roll of quilting batting. If you buy a couple of flat sheets or just yardage and sew the batting between the sheets. You can hang them from any wall that might radiate cold. a ceiling fan can push the heat down as heat rises. Just some ideas.
Awesome, thanks! The windows are doing great but the front door blanket might happen this year :)
Matt, I'm really enjoying your videos! Thank you for sharing life in snow country!
Hi Matt, I'm watching this from California but has brought back memories from life in upstate NY where is does snow a lot. The feeling of the changing season really comes through in this video!
How great is the changing seasons! I went to Penn State a while back and did a few trips to upstate NY. I remember the beautiful seasons :)
Really interesting. The way how they are protecting the garden plants from the heavy snowfall is something we could learn from also here in Nordic Countries where winter damages due to the heavy snow are quite common issue.
I absolutely love your full vlog experience. I stumbled upon your channel a couple months ago and I've watched just about everything since. I never thought it might be possible to buy a house in Japan. Now I'm watching your videos and thinking about how I can retire there. Hopefully my wife would be amenable to it - we're still discussing the logistics of it
Great video, looking forward to some actual winter videos. I want to see the snow fly and how life is.
Awesome video. I really wanted to know about the reality of winter. I grew up in Michigan in the 60’s and 70’s when there was a lot of snow. We had some blizzards that gave really deep snow-nothing like what you get though. 😊
Sounds interesting in Michigan. It’s known to be super cold there in winter, so you know if it’s still the same?
@@im.mattguyThe climate has definitely changed. The Upper Peninsula definitely has a much colder climate and a lot more snow. It is ski country there. We had snow from October to April-May in the 60’s-70’s. The lakes and rivers froze more than a foot thick. We would clear them for skating. The roads would be plowed and the snow banks were just piled up high everywhere. So your videos bring up great memories for me.
So interesting to learn about winter prep. You look like you will have a much more comfortable go of it this year.
Interesting for me as well! Let’s see how it is this year :)
This double windows was a good idea. You might be able to leave them open a crack as it will act like a mini greenhouse and then maybe a small fan to circulate the warm air in and out.
26:47 it looks like the weatherstripping on the old windows is not there it's really hard to tell but it looks like there's a big gap partway up. It might need replacing, and that's one of the things that would be noticeable with both air and noise coming through.
Another super informative video! I imagine the double windows and the ceiling/under-floor insulation will make a huge difference for you this winter and in the hot summers. You mentioned that you added a plastic barrier and moisture-absorbing product to the ground in the crawl space, I hope you will show that process in a future video. In the meantime, enjoy the japow this winter!
You could put a curtain over the front door, you can get swinging curtain rails so it opens easily…. I live in an old house in Wales and we have a door curtain. Makes a huge difference!
if you have dry snow, get a good leaf blower! I use a 730 cfm battery powered blower and it does AMAZING. It's significantly quieter than gas and the batteries last about 15 mins each. Whichever you get, make sure it has a HIGH CFM, anything less than ~500 is going to feel worthless. Maybe stating the obvious here, but use it often, don't wait until the snow is 4 feet tall.
I will for sure look into this. Thanks!
Loved your videos such perfect editing... Super easy narration... 😊
Great progress Matt. Looking forward to seeing your further efforts. Thanks for sharing.Regards from Bathurst Australia 👋
Great video Matt, as someone in Australia we don’t have anywhere that gets snow like that as far as I’m aware, it’s very interesting to see the prep work for winter, I grow some bonsai and am just starting my first rice fish pond also, Japanese gardens are amazing, please lots more videos showing off your neighbourhood! 👌😊🍻
Thanks!
Thank you so much!
I remember; you were concerned with the snow. Love the new color ! It looks like a winter fairytale when it snows. Hi Matt, stay safe.
What a beautiful town. I look forward to seeing it in the Winter.
I remember the tour you did about a year ago and the winter prep bout 4 months ago :p
I really miss these kinda winters in Sweden, the consistency of it at least where it snows late November and cold all the way February, I feel like I have to move to Japan
Amazing video thank you for putting in the effort! I have just spent 2 weeks in Japan and even coming from the EU I just can't shake off the feeling that Japan is living in the feature. I am very much so interested in the map and property location suggestions! Arigato!
Awesome and thank you! Glad you enjoyed your stay in Japan, it’s a special place
The future? More like caught in 80s technology with post crisis Financials...
love the long videos like this
Love your videos! Looking forward to seeing more videos with your second winter there. I love snow!
I would super recommend installing carprot, just a roof will do. You don't have to deal with frost and snow so much. Big quality of life upgrade in cold climate. You could diy it with some wooden beams and maybe metal roof. And I'm sure you can also buy them in Japan for reasonable price. You could potentially even make that as extension of the house by connecting that roof to your house wall. Basically you would always have way to get in without bothering about snow.
Also, when it comes to insulated glass feeling colder, it should. While warmth from the sun is good, what you want to do most is keep heat in, especially if you have heating/ac. And those insulated windows will do that, and I assume those old windows would just leak out the warmth despite also letting in sunlight.
I really enjoy your videos. I have only watched 2 of them but will definitely watch them all. Thank You So Much.
You should keep good ventilation under your house to avoid issues with moisture and condensation, we have the same climate here in Norway 🙂
Happy New Year in your new house.
Great video, as always. Really interesting.
That's a lot of work just to cope with winter, though. 😅
This lifestyle is definitely not for everyone.
Out of topic: I would love to hear about the time you lived in Brazil.
Thank you and you’re right! There was a time this life wasn’t for me either and one day it might change again :)
Brazil! Yes! I really do need to talk about some of my past stories. I lived in Florianopolis and the favela Rocinha in Rio De Janeiro. Wonderful days I’ll always cherish!
@@im.mattguy Talk about contrast! From the chaos of one of the largest favelas to one of the most peaceful countrysides in the world. 😂
About the video, how do people manage to work and take care of their home during the most intense snowfalls? Do they get to be home for that? Or are they expected to plow snow overnight and be at work in the morning as usual? I understand this is not the reality of people living in big cities, but I'm sure there are some towns where this situation would occur.
I noticed last year you were clearing snow at night in a black jacket. You should invest in a safety vest and maybe a head lamp. Those front end loaders are hard to see out of.
Great idea. That was my neighbor clearing snow in the video. We have a very bright flood light on the street that lights up everything but more safety solutions are better
Definitely interested in the property list. I love your videos! I'm still considering where is best to buy an Akiya
Such a beautiful neighborhood! Thanks for sharing!
I think opening the double glazed windows to let "warm" sun in during winter will end up losing heat that was already trapped inside the house. It will only feel warm right at the window if you sit in the sun. But its something to try.
I'll give it a try and see what works. It's a new approach this year
Beautiful home thanks for sharing buying property as well
I think you will be much warmer this winter.
It’s a completely different house this winter. Feels like I’m at the Hilton 😂
The dampered sliding close on your genkan door was pretty neat--I've never seen a sliding door do that before!
Thank you for your interesting video😊 It looks very cold and snow texture looks just perfect for skiing. I thought I would buy a jacket with a heater, or maybe you get warm by working hard to get rid of snow😊
The snow shovelling really makes you take off the layers, it starts to feel like summer! Hahaha
A snowblower would be an investment for you. Well worth it though. Here in Canada, I have lived in Newfoundland and Ontario, we just continuously clear it, even during the storm. We aren’t allowed to put snow on the roads so you have to find somewhere to put it on your property. Interesting to see how it is dealt with in different places.
Snow blower is popular here. For me and a bunch of neighbors in my street we just don’t really need it. It’s a bit overkill for the amount we clear. The roads are cleared very precisely up to our front doors
I would absolutely love to visit Japan it’s one of the countries on my bucket list. And oh how I would love to live somewhere that gets snow like that! I live in Florida and I’m so tired of the heat I could scream sometimes. Lol!😂😂
We enjoyed your video.
Thanks for the comment! Appreciate it :)
1. Are you planning on building a garage ?
2. How have you been in japan for 15 years ?
Im doing more research daily and it seems difficult to get a long term visa and I’m trying to get more information on property and owning a car but id like to be 30min away from Tokyo or Kyoto
Good job on all the work by the way 🙏🏾💪🏽
Thank you!!
I have a garage. My car to a little too big to get in about during winter with the snow that makes everything more narrow.
I’ve always been either a student or work sponsor. Now have my own business
@ ook great yea im just learning about the process so ill just have todo more research. Thanks 🙏🏾
The map sounds great, so please, if you can, make one. 🙏 If you could, also mention the temperature ranges in the areas. Although snow is beautiful, my body cannot take the cold, it causes severe cramping in my hands, arms, feet and legs.
I like how fuji still stands bald in November 😆
Feels like the calm before the storm 😅
❤❤So nice-lots of work; house is looking so good. Congrats :) from US - Arizona
It's interesting how the Japanese protect plants from snow, even the small ones, with bamboo supports. That's a great idea. But I don;t think there are any bamboos around where I am.
It makes sense with how strong and durable it is. Its also a beautiful image
Always very interesting!!!!
Bubble wrap, cut to size and placed over window glass on windows like toilet and bathroom and any other windows thst you do not look out. Some people use soapy water to stick it on to the glass, others use tape, some cover all from frame to frame, top to bottom as well. 😊
Very interesting video (My first to see of yours) Thanks for sharing the realities of living in an area as beautiful as that. ☺👍
Interesting video is cool
To see the difference being from the uk
It looks beautiful where you live
Very interesting videos, have you thought about putting solar panels on the roof so that you have a lower electricity bill + there is a lot of space in the house for batteries and an inverter? (the space at the entrance where the boiler or whatever was)
+ You could convert the shed/garage into a small rental home, kitchen + bathroom on the ground level and living/bedroom on the first floor.
You should try using some reflectix insulation on the crawl space walls and some plastic moisture barrier on the ground.
Witaj Przyjacielu
powiem Ci dobra rade na zime. Zlikwiduj okno w łazience i w toalecie WC. w tych pomieszczeniach zostaw koniecznie otwory wentylacyjne.
Jezeli nie chcesz zlikwidowac okien na stale, to na zime zaslon okna styropianem 20 cm.
Zycze wszystkiego dobrego.
Pozdrawiam z Polski.
Love your videos... can't wait until you put videos out were to buy properties looking forward Thank you...
awesome video... by the time I finally get my kominka in the mountains east of nagano (well, I'm looking at a few in January, which seems to be idiotic looking at real estate in maybe two meters of snow) I will have a pretty good idea how things work in japan!
Togakushi here I come .... fingers crossed 🤞 😂
Love if you can share more of your experience about your kominka! Thanks.
You “need” a small snow blower. Total game changer. I’ll never go without one again. You can get those odd spots and also behind the shed. You won’t agree with me until you get one 😉
So far so good. I enjoy using the shovel but maybe in a few years. The previous owner also didn't use a snow blower for 60 years. Seems like the setup for the house is working
@@im.mattguyWe used to live in Minnesota with heaps of snow and didn't have a snow blower either.
I want to see your new maps.
I have been enjoying your videos. Very informative! I’m interested in your map of best places to buy properties. Please keep me posted.
Wish you good winter!)
Thanks for the video.
Also have you thought on painting concrete basement with waterproof paint? It will prevent water aoking under house. Well, anyway, very good work you have done.
This was really interesting! Thanks for the tour. Why don't you put your car in the shed? Looks like it'll fit.
My car is a very tight fit and in winter the road becomes narrower. My partner parks there since her car is smaller
Yes definitely to where to buy properties
I also have 2 windows. However, the double-glazed one is on the outside and the normal one is inside, I thought it would be more efficient for the double-glazed window to take the brunt of the outside noise/temperature
妙高は良いところです
昔よく妙高のスキー場に行ってたな・・
マットさんこれからは大雪が降る季節です笑
気をつけてくださいね💦
コメントありがとうございます！妙高のスキー場によく行かれていたんですね！本当に素晴らしい場所ですよね。これからの大雪シーズン、楽しみでもありますが、気をつけて過ごしますね。優しいお言葉ありがとうございます！
Yes please share with us the best locations for buying An Akiya house in Japan
You prefer akiya over cheap houses?
@ just an Akiya with a very good price , but that doesn’t need huge reparations, thank you in advance
Same, please share the map of the locations for buying an Akiya house in Japan.
A map of good areas to buy property near Ski Resorts 🙂
Noted :)
Yes I am interested in best areas to buy property. Maybe you should make a book?
Just binged through all your videos in the last week, I've been really enjoying your journey with this house.
When talking about renting a spot to park, is your shed large enough to park your car in? Or is there some regulation against that? That way you don't have to worry about clearing the car space.
I have a larger size car for Japan, the van. The shed was build for a smaller car and with the narrow road it’s difficult to get in and out on the daily. It’s doable but I also live with my partner and she uses that parking space.
There are a lot of undercover options if my arms get tired 😂
Sure looks pretty there.
Very interested. I lived in Yokohama as a child many years ago. I never got to ski in Japn when I lived there ............
did you think of using the shed to park your car for the winter?
Property for purchase absolutely!
You should get a leaf blower. They make great snow removal machines in tight spots.
Great idea! I’ll try one this year! 🙏
Hello Friend
I will tell you some good advice for winter. Eliminate the window in the bathroom and toilet. but leave ventilation holes in these rooms.
If you do not want to eliminate the windows permanently, then cover the window with 20 cm thick Styrofoam for winter.
I wish you all the best.
Greetings from Poland.
Are you allowed roof melt cables in japan? i know here in Minnesota we put those on are roofs with temp timers keeps ice and snow off roofs good. Also roll out drive way tile mat that also heated since parking pot small it like a gaint heat pad but water proof and there mainly used for walk ways but two or three i bet would work great in you parking spot . awesome videos
Hey Matt Thank you for the update. I think it's getting to be a much rarer thing to find a house under 5000 near a cool location like yours or am I wrong?! Please let me know because seriously bro I am thinking of buying a d the only thing keeping me from doing it is not being able to speak Japanese and if the location has high speed Internet.
definitely getting more difficult as its become more of a trend. If you haven't lived in Japan I would recommend that first to see how you feel about it
La Nina means the opposite for Japan in america. Less snowfall here.
Wow Matt! So you left the old single glazed windows in place and installed the double glazed on the inside? Awesume. Somewhere on the internet they say every 17mm air gap adds an estemated R5 insulation value. Do you have any issues with moisture condensation yet on either set of windows? It is hot pot season. ))) Cheers
Yes due it.
I don’t understand why houses in Japan don’t have attached garages, which will make snow plowing much easier. Maybe you can install a roof over your parking spot.
I wonder what it be easier to build a carport and I’m not sure if it might be not legal over in Japan to get you know it’s a new thing you know for over here but I’ve heard where they put the same thing what they do in houses they where they put heating rods and the cement to warm the cement in the winter time to do the ice and snow or they have it on to where it doesn’t you know accumulate and keeps your driveway snow free basically or would the power consumption be too much for the electric because I do know some countries that can be expensive to pay the electric bill Because I was thinking maybe you would have a good space to put a carport from your back door to maybe the all the way across to the next building or at least to you know within inches of the other building that way the snow doesn’t accumulate on the top of the car unless it’s really windy or to go ahead and just build a garage which would immensely probably help you the most. I’m not sure if it would be beneficial to do an attach garage or just go ahead and do an unattached a garage but either way comes with each challenges and that way you wouldn’t have to get up so early to do a lot of shoveling so that you can be in time to clear your property to push the snow so that the government when they come through with the tractors, you are working with them so they can when they plow the road. They can basically get all the snow that had accumulated and power to the wherever they have to do to deposit so it can get it out the way.
dont u have boards guarding the base of the house to keep away the snow? we use them in Austria in the alps, so the wet snow doesn't soak the concrete bases
You mean when the snow melts? I don’t see them in Japan and my guess is that the season here changes very quickly to summer. It’s super hot at 35+ degrees Celsius. I assume it helps to dry things out quickly.
Is it a big problem in Austria?
@im.mattguy i think u are right,our seasonschange is slow and leaves a quote long wet period in between. also it may happen to freeze again in that melting period , whivh may cause problems if concrete is soaking wet. it is not a big problem,just a precaution people do to prevent damages.
I haven’t noticed it being a problem here. The season can change very quickly so it must be related to
Am I the only one worried about a snow plow hitting those gas pipes?? I'd build a box around those things so fast and paint it bright orange.
While accidents can happen, it’s been there for 20 years. Japanese approach is usually careful and precise when it comes to most things
😂 Yeap, same....
What you're not supposed to put snow in the streets! Sarcasm as somebody who lived in snow country Syracuse New York and now lives in West Virginia. It's really annoying when you go past somebody's driveway and they're plowing their driveway across the road and leaving frozen speed bumps or worse when it melts and refreezes frozen ice-skating rinks for your car.
Hi Matt. Another great video. Could you please share your opinion on using heat pumps for heating in winter? I bought an old house in Joetsu and I’m trying to decide between LPG gas heaters and heat pumps. Grateful for your opinion.
rain chain... In BC on the coast they have them
What about the sushi place you got close to the house? would you make a video on how it is to eat there?
You don’t use snowblowers? I live in Canada and get lots of snow. I love my snowblower.
Most people do. My street it’s pretty lucky that our snow is precisely cleared right up to our doors
💙 another fab video. I would definitely be interested in the map. Specifically Hiroshima for us, my son does remote work from Canada, if a cheaper property was available, we'd be interested. Coming up on retirement, great time for us to purchase a smaller place for back and forthing..
Can you install heating wires on your roof to melt the snow so you don't have to clean it
It’s possible but I’m ok doing another season without it. I cleared the roof just a few times last year and not sure if it’s worth the money for a heating system for me at this time