I think, based on future regulations, thisbcoule become a good way to repopulate towns. However, this may give way to massive real estate holdings which could privatize entire towns. Thank you Shu Matsuo Post
@@shumatsuopost Buying a house still doesn't mean that you get a resident visa in Japan - and with a tourist visa a foreigner can only stay for 90 days every 6 months legally..... so you can have one or more houses in Japan - yet you can't live there all year long unless you get a spouse visa, a working visa or a resident visa - and neither of those 3 are easy to obtain thanks to some serious conditions.... :( - Re-Population in the traditional sense could only occur if the Japanese governments would also radically re-work their visa system that would enable foreigners to settle permanently in Japan... I wish it would be easier right now - but as far as I know it is everything but easy to settle in Japan as a non-Japanese person. :(
@@ladameauxcamelias3524 To apply for permanent resident status in Japan by default you have to spend I believe 10 years continuously in Japan, while having a job, paying your taxes and not applying for any unemployment benefit and other similar social aid. - - There are certain conditions that can shorten this: for example 1., if you have been married to a Japanese person for a certain number of years that reduces the requirement for the permanent resident status with -1 year or 2., if you work in a critically important work-sector you might also get 1 year off from the requirement (there is an official list from the Japanese government which jobs count as critically important jobs at the moment in Japan) or the age of the applicant also matters and the younger you are the better points you get and you might also get a time-reduction. I know that people over 40+ don't get any bonus points this way any more unfortunately. - If you g00gle "Permanent Residency in Japan: Relaxation of Requirements" that should help you get the most up to date requirements. ;)
Matsuo-san, I find you truly amazing. You populated the "About" segment of your channel, while so few do. You reply to many commenters. Your work and book appear to be first rate. I have every confidence that your subscriber list will grow. Just recently, I discovered akiya on UA-cam and have been binging. My wife of 28 years is from Tokyo. While she was a city girl growing up, we treasure living in rural New Mexico. Best wishes!
I remember looking into these when they were first brought out. The deal breaker was that the house was pretty much paper thin. The traditional build looks great but is just a frame with paper walls. Modernizing them would be very expensive and sometimes not accepted.
Everything about Japan I learn proves me more and more that Japan is really only good to visit for foreigners. I love Japan but I could never live there.
@@shumatsuopost Sorry but Japanese people, lifestyle and personality are not conducive to most foreigners. I have watched many videos, read many comments, articles and Japanese mindset is WAY to strict, narrow-minded for the vast majority of cultures. Just finished watching another channel showing what one can buy for $23K US in rural Japan. Then I read THE comments. You can't just buy the house you then have to be accepted by the locals, learn the language, contribute to helping others etc etc. and even then as very many say, Japanese never really accept foreigners, are very suspicious, and are difficult to read what they really think, usually they only put on a good face but are not too likeable or sociable. And if you want to work and live, not just retire, the job market is BRUTAL. I've always said I could never live there, only visit.
@@spaniardsrmoors6817 This is also what I have heard. You can be a foreigner in Japan, but you will never feel "at home". And for me as an African American, I really have to consider that. I love the culture from what I have heard, but I wouldn't like to move to another country and feel like a perpetual outsider. We get enough of that here in America at times, and I hear you feel it more in Japan.
@@shumatsuopost have you ever tried to stay 2 or 3 nights at one of those free ikea homes? Just want to know if you ever experience anything paranormal.
Hi, I visited Japan 6 years ago and I adored my stay in the country side. It would be very sad if people let little villages die. In this era with remote working many of those places could be revitalised with people who are fed up with the lifestyle of big cities. It’s your history, your legacy. Here in Spain there’s more and more people considering moving to villages because Covid was specially tough in big cities and housing is increasingly more unaffordable.
I agree with you that it would be very sad if we let little villages die - it's only the matter of time. Thank you for your insight! Where in Spain are you?
I came from Switzerland and did buy one in a countryside of Nagano for around a VERY low price and totally renovated it. Now it's become a perfect place to escape Tokyo's summer heat.
This reminds me to the 1 euro housing system in Italy. The renovation will cost a bigger amount and you have to stay for a certain amount of time in the village. However, for people who want to change their lifestyle or are digital nomads and want to have an affordable place it seems a good scheme. Establishing small communities in rural areas is also a great way for a more sustainable life. But yeah, I agree, these properties are not business investments. Thank you for the detailed video!
@@shumatsuopost Yes, I have been watching the $1 house in Italy for a long time, but all these complicated and lengthy procedures(Italian language only) stopped me. So I turned to a Japanese Akiya house now. I am retired Asian woman but in a very good health condition,, love to do innovation work myself. I am going to Fukuoka next month, in May. I would stay till I find a suitable house. Any suggestions?
@@robindong3802 That's awesome. Kyushu is probably my favorite island in Japan and where I would retire, too. Do you have agents you'll be working with to find akiya there already?
@@shumatsuopost Shu, Thank you for the reply. I dont have any agent yet. The location I am looking for is around Fukuoka and Kumamoto. The house I like is medium size(easy to renovate and maintain), one storey with a good size of backyard. Lots of sunlight. Also it is not too far from public transportation, I will contact you once I get to Fukuoka.
I lived in the country side in Japan for five years and I miss it. I considered these properties, but I knew that I didn’t have the money to update/modernize the property to my comfort level. I hope one day I could go back to Japan.
@@shumatsuopost Tochigi prefecture, about 45 minutes from the Fukushima boarder. Loved it even though Tochigi was once voted the least popular prefecture of Japan a couple of years ago from NHK survey. They don't know what they're missing :) I left because I got burnt out from teaching English and I couldn't transition to another job because my Japanese was so weak. I was actively studying and hired a tutor, but it was not enough to pass N2. :(
I think a countryside home would make a great airbnb-type house for people who want to take a relaxing vacation to the countryside. Maybe a couple on their honeymoon or someone just looking for a new experience or adventure. You would definitely have to advertise it to specific people, but I dream to live in a countryside, it would be so fun.
Has to have some sort of appeal, e.g. beach, beautiful mountainous area, place where people go to hike or ski or some other outdoor activity but I agree, there is some opportunities there.
I doubt Japan will ease up on immigration limits; however, Japan should consider a foreign RETIREMENT VISA like Portugal, Costa Rica, Mexico, etc. The Japanese government could approve these visas as long as the retiree has a minimum retirement income, takes an online class that highlights information about the culture and life in Japan, and meets the requirement to live in a "rural" area. Compared to the US and Canada, some of these rural areas are actually not far from larger towns and still accessible by train line, so many aren't as inconvenient as they seem, especially if having a job is not a deciding factor. Many younger retirees would consider this option for several years. It would be a win-win; they would bring money into smaller communities, perhaps live in an abandoned home for a time or have a rental situation, likely engage with their neighbors (since most would probably have interest in the Japanese culture), and may help to bring some vitality to a small community with their interactions or skills. I have lived in Japan for extended periods and this is something I would definitely consider if it were an option in retirement.
Just curious since I have interest on at least visiting japan, and my country doesn't suffer with birth rate yet. But wouldn't be best for them to have people that are not retired yet moving in to japan for work and possibly build a family?
Building a new house is much easier. I bought an Akiya 7 years ago. It was in quite good condition and not a total wreck. So it wasn’t free. The land is 3x the average lot size of my city with mountain views. I’ve been renovating it for about 2 years now. I’m still not finished yet. Japan will never change. I’m Canadian and from my experience, Japan is very isolating socially.
I was calculating the same situation, and came to the same conclusion. Still considering an akiya with some farmland, register as a farmer and grow something to sell, but probably not anytime soon. Great video! Maybe check your volume in the next one, was a little hard to hear in the beginning, but informative overall, especially the price comparisons between the two countries!
Thanks for watching! And thanks for our feedback about the volume. Do you live in Japan? And what part of Japan are you thinking of buying an akiya in the future?
If you are a Japanese citizen, or have a Japanese spouse, plausible. But if you are a foreigner with no Japanese spouse, you can’t buy farmland to farm commercially. Hobby farm ok but not actual commercial farming to survive off, and also I think local areas have their local policies, JA, town halls etc which ‘approve’ commercial farmers.
your comment- register as a farmer- regulations differ by locality but in my area you need to have land, equip, and know how- for example, to be classified as a farmer one needs to have had 4000m2, under continuous cultivation for some years and the equipment to grow and harvest crops (usually rice, but others possible). Equipment costs: Tractor 3mill, Planter 1 mill, Combine 3 mill, Huller/sorter 1 mill- just for your consideration. (all costs in yen)
I was born and brought up in a remote corner of Toyama Prefecture. After decades of living away (overseas and in Tokyo), I do not think I would be accepted even if I wanted to move back - it is such a closed community.
@@shumatsuopost They view 'outsiders' with suspicion and aversion. Introducing immigrants to revitalise the region? Quite out of the question. They would rather stay poor and isolated.
@@bluespangle This isn't just a Japanese thing, it's just how villages are. The small populations are close and are always suspicious of outsiders. I plan to retire to my home town someday and I'll probably also be seen as an outsider since I haven't lived there in so long. I'm sure if you made an effort to get to know the people and join the community that they would welcome you.
FREE GUIDE: How to Buy an Akiya as a Foreigner: stan.store/shumatsuopost Do you think getting an abandoned free house in Japan is a GREAT investment or TERRIBLE investment and why?
The problem with Japan is it is basically a communist country. They tax you when you earn, they tax you when you spend. They tax you when you eat, they tax you when you sht. I had the idea of just sitting there and breathing, maybe reading or surfing the net, but not really doing any activity at all. But they taxed me for "residing" and the longer you reside, the more you pay. It is a very tricky decision whether to choose to reside in Japan or simply visit as a non-resident. Either way, it seems unclear how estate taxes will handle an unsellable property when we die. Aside from that, the properties may be uncomfortable in summer and winter. Spring and fall would be pleasant if hayfever was not an issue. I am not sure how ageing locals would feel about foreigners moving into a dying town. Japanese like to see young people, beautiful people, maybe not fat old foreigners. Also, what kind of social services will continue to be offerred in the dying town? There is a limit to how much the productive cities will subsidize the unproductive countryside.
@@musashi4856 I don't know exactly and it probably won't apply to you if you don't have Japanese nationality or some kind of permanent or semi-permanent visa (e.g. resident, student, work etc). But, in general, if you are not coming to Japan on a tourist visa and stay more than (1 month?), then you will be forced to pay a residency tax to cover the costs of garbage collection, city workers etc and the national health insurance. There is also a national pension system but if you are above a certain age this might be voidable. I am not sure. The health system payment is both income and age related. The residency tax is income dependent but also based on time period (i.e. how many months in the previous year) resided. Even if your income is zero (e.g. a language student), I think you still need to pay some of these expenses. Understandably, if city services remain the same but the number of contributors is dropping, the residency tax on the remainers can only go up. Shu Matsuo's solution of mass immigration will never work: the immigrants would dillute Japan by being lower IQ or lazier than the existing populace, on average, and hence everything would be degraded (e.g. hospitality standards or hospital care). If one imports the third world, one becomes the third world. Demographics is destiny.
@@timothysmcnamara5925 An interesting hypothesis you present in your last paragraph. However, isn’t this the very reason for the population decline? Demographic purity is fate accompli for genetic obsolescence. The value lies in culture which can be maintained or even improved upon with any advocate if nurtured and sustained with care. Japanese culture has gained demand abroad and could be leveraged to hand-pick or screen for worthy successors who are willing to assimilate.
@@musashi4856 yes, you are right. Japan is one of the most homogenous places I have ever been and it is something I feel rather ambivalent about. It is quite static and inflexible. The myth of Japanese racial purity has some truth to it but it is also exaggerated. Prime Minister Hata, for example, was obviously of Chinese descent (according to his family name) but they would have come over a thousand years ago so they would be quite well assimilated. I just don't see foreigners being happy in rural Japan especially in a small, dying town. Most people don't like feeling like outsiders and most foreigners will not want to change: instead they will want to change Japan to better accommodate themselves (e.g. less stringent garbage collection rules, better human rights protections etc). I am not trying to be pessimistic. I am just trying to be realistic. Writing out my thoughts like this helps me to think more clearly: time in the dying town in rural Japan would be a very nice holiday, I am sure. But if it was your base and your only home, and if you could not afford to travel for at least a few months every year, I think the rules, the negativity, the situational morality and the alienation would start to wear you down. You would start to see an island, even a very large one, as a prison.
This is a subject I've been researching for quite a while. I am interested in moving to Japan to start my own farm so somewhere remote with a lot of land is perfect. But my biggest issue is the visa. I don't have a bachelor's degree so can't start out as a teacher and haven't been able to find if a farm can be considered a business. I'm glad I stumbled upon your channel!
Id ditch traditional farming and instead go with hydroponics, you can grow allot of stuff in much less of a area than traditional farming. Another nice thing is you don't need any of the "heavy machinery" that allot of traditional farming requires, which is good cause tractors and accessories for them aint cheap.
If you are not Japanese or married to a Japanese citizen, you can’t just buy and do commercial farming. Hobby farms are okay. Not commercial farms. All commercial farms have to be approved by the local town, JA etc. Each area has their policies and some areas can make it hell to apply for the necessary permits. If you can’t speak or read Japanese fluently, you are stuck. You can do it secretly if the village is desperate but if someone reports…well..damn.
@jonahwhale9047 It's a totally valid point that not a lot of Japanese farms are made after the same model as American farms, or a lot of other farms. Most of the space being used is much more restricted. I think it's cool they still have such a high yield with smaller space, but yes, if you're envisioning a 200 acre farm for your Japanese business endeavor, you're probably going to have to head back to the drawing board.
I'm genuinely thinking about small older house, I'm alright with it being far off from the city. I'm somewhat a jack of all traits which could help me a bit with fixing random stuff. I'm also considered an 'old soul' so I'm alright visiting the cities on the weekends and just keep to myself during the weeks. As an artist and a painter, my priority in life is to breathe life back into the world through art, and I wish to someday help a few villages with that♡ Last year in New York, I've because homeless, not because of anything I've done, but simply because I didn't have enough money to compete for an apartment, that was one of the hardest summers I've ever went through. So I'll gladly sign up for a program over there, not simply because of the low cost, but I also want to bring life back, have careing neighbors that I don't have to fight with and just co exist in harmony. Even if a house didn't have home value, it still had love put into it, and I want to bring love back💝
Wow I'm an artist too, and love the Japanese culture so much especially the old village architectural structures. Nothing surpasses nature and connecting back to it's beauty.
You sound more Italian than Japanese. Italian villages a little north of the Italian Rivera (between Genoa and Nice) pay for you to move to them. If you have transport and don't mind the residual effects of German fanaticism you could very well be the next Mario Puccini.
Really great video! Informative and well structured and presented. I was viewing a tiny homes channel and saw yours in my suggestion feed. Glad I passed through! Subscribed and best wishes to you, Shu! 💯
At first I thought ugh another video on cheap or free homes in Japan but this guy is totally spot on. How do I know? Well I’m an American who bought a home in Japan. I love it and built it myself but it will likely only provide an experience for me but not an investment. What he is saying is basically don’t do it if you think you are going to make money.
Thank you! I bought a house in the country of Tirol in Austria. Everything i renovated myself! Now it's like a dream. Best wishes from Hans from Innsbruck in Austria!😂
Giving away these homes for free is such an innovative solution, and it's interesting to hear about the reasoning behind it - from shrinking populations to changing lifestyles. I'm curious to see how this initiative will play out and what impact it will have on the housing market and communities in Japan. Thanks for sharing this fascinating and informative content!
I don’t see the decision to give away the homes as an innovative idea at all. It’s more of a desperate effort to attract both tenants and investment. The Japanese government has such an anti-immigrant view that it has chosen to slowly die out instead of welcoming immigrants to provide both commerce and a boost to its population. The main target for these homes are Japanese owners, not necessarily immigrants, although foreigners with significant wealth have participated in the program.
Many of these homes are in really, really bad condition and need to be completely rebuilt which is often way more work than building a new house. You can get lucky though and find some real gems that are actually in very good condition. All of them have no insulation and are darn freezing cold in winter without central heating of course. I bought an Akiya 7 years ago and am still renovating mine.
Sincerely, I want to learn the Japanese Language and live close to a Zen Temple. Farm some vegetables, do something with agroforestry, rise an atelier, do something with education, art. I have seen a lot of documentaries about Japan. So many beautiful places, and Shikoku is one of them. So if I have the means, I wanna go to Japan and live as far as possible. I love the Japanese culture and the countryside.
The topic you are talking about is very interesting and I would be interested if I lived in Japan but I live in Washington state so that will never happen! 😊 Thanks for sharing this from Japan. It's nice to know what goes on in other countries!
I would love to get one in Japan.... I am not looking for investing, rather just own one and stay in for the rest of my life. I do have friends in Tokyo so it would be closer to visit than Canada... very interested.
Excellent content..all so true. I just returned from a trip to Kyoto and Shiga..I saw firsthand the old abandoned houses and slowly dying villages.. My gaijin friends are fixing up a few but it’s a drop in the bucket..
Japan has always been a dream of mine, I have such an adoration for that island and its people. Hopefully one day I can meet the requirements to live in such an incredible place.
@@noolie62 I’ve visited many places in Japan, but never made it to Nagasaki. I hear it is a beautiful place. I’m curious what attracts you to living in Japan?
@@noolie62 Hello noolie62. That is wonderful you are intrigued about Japan and the thought of living here someday. I don’t want to take that away from you in any way. However since you asked: I understand, since I felt very similar before I came here. My reasons for saying the grass is not always as green as you think is not complicated. It is really very simple. I will first say, we are all individuals and my experiences in Japan may be different from yours. However, there are some truths that are common pretty much throughout the country concerning Japanese society and culture. It all depends on how you see it. You may be perfectly fine with it. I can’t explain everything in one paragraph, but I’ll make a few key points: As a Canadian, I was born and raised in a multicultural country of leaders, where independent thought and critical thinking is valued. Conversely, Japan is largely a monocultural society of followers where obeying very strict rules of behavior, even thinking and generally conforming are highly valued. I’m not saying it is good or bad, but perhaps simply not aligned with my values that I was raised with in Canada. In a nutshell, as a white male I am always treated as a foreigner and am always reminded that I do not belong. I have experienced much racism, discrimination, prejudice, exploitation, corruption, conflicts of interest, double standards, even bribery and extortion here. I am a very open-minded person who believes in human rights and freedom of speech - none of which is valued in Japan compared to Canada. Come to Japan. Follow your dream. Experience Japanese culture. If you can easily overlook some of the realities of life here, you may really love Japan. It’s not a bad country. The majority of outsiders will never know the real Japan. I recommend reading Dogs and Demons: Tales from the dark side of Japan by Alex Kerr. Japan is still worth experiencing. I’m just not going to sugar-coat the truth.
me too..i work in Japan before ,20 yrs.ago and visited Japan before pandemic because my sister lived there in Japan.. i wanted to live there too, ilove😮 Japan..praying that we will come back to Japan soon🙏🙏🙏
So long as it's peaceful and quiet it's cool, and so long as it's drama free and not going to be any harassment from Big groups it sounds like a Great place to live. Cities are a Fad right now but at some point the people WILL wake up, I personally would love the low key lifestyle.❤
Rural Japan is definitely peaceful and quiet, but there is all sorts of wildlife, including hordes of mosquitos if you live near rice paddies. Japan also has frigid winters and hot/humid/rainy summers, and like he said, those houses aren’t insulated and don’t have central heating/cooling. That said, despite the negatives, I would love to live there.
Really good video, with a lot of really good points to consider. It's so enticing to think about living out in the Japanese countryside, even if you have to spend 6 months renovating somewhere. One thing that you didn't touch and would probably need to consider is the stability of the region in regards to living next door to China/Russia/N.Korea and whether that region will be safe in the coming decades.
I'd love to live in the Japanese countryside. My concern has more to do with earning enough income to sustain myself in Japan. I'm curious how foreigners who move into the countryside support themselves: Are they mostly retired? Are there English teaching opportunities in low-population areas? Thanks for the video!
Some of my foreign friends in Japan came here with the JET Program and they'll usually have you start in a rural part of Japan. Others have a remote-job where they and work from anywhere. Good luck!
It always breaks my heart when a house is destroyed, there are so many homeless, no matter how bad a house is, do people not think the homeless would want a roof over their head?
Absolutely, it is a beautiful country to live in with a rich culture, respectful people and safe environment. I think those 3 things are a good way to gage a countries success. A great place to raise a family. I'd like to see immigration easier for those of Japanese descendants abroad to come back regardless of koseki registration. Especially 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation that want to learn more about their relatives culture and country.
@Jonah Whale Even after nearly 3 decades in Japan, Immigration still won't provide a permanent visa, as the govt. keeps tightening the rules every few years. Japan doesn't want foreigners that aren't hard, cheap workers.
@@earlysda Simply put, Japan doesn’t want independent-thinking, qualified, capable foreigners who are often not willing to put up with all the control and domination for next to nothing in wages and benefits. They prefer to bring workers to Japan from countries like the Philippines 🇵🇭 for short-term contract work only long enough to exploit them, then send them back home before the corrupt labour law requires them to compensate them better.
Wow! You made an excellent video! 😃 I learned a lot from you. I would like to have a home for the long haul... until I die, basically. I totally am not into flipping homes. I've lived in Japan for more than 15 years. Do you have any advice for me?
Thanks for watching and for your comment! If want to have a home for the long haul, buying an akiya might be a good option for you. You may spend quite a bit on the initial renovation but you will be able to reduce your living costs for a long time. Those are my two cents :)
As someone who’s been homeless most of my life, as well as a fan of the Japanese culture, I would LOVE to own a home there. It’s been my dream since I was young and even more lately to renovate/fix up one ;-; but I can’t even afford a passport…
I lived there it’s a amazing place! People have respect and very polite to gaijin like me 😂 try to get your passport but also keep in mind a ticket 🎫 ✈️ costs about 1500-2200$ most foreigners have English teaching jobs.
Thanks! Very helpful for the unsuspecting overseas buyer, with a romanticized image of a bucolic life in rural Japan. I'm one of them! CA is going to you-know-where when it comes to real estate, property taxes and crime in major cities. We are nearing retirement and were thinking of selling our home (low seven figures) and moving to Japan where my spouse was born. RE in the big cities that you mentioned are overpriced and tiny, compared to what we are used to here in SoCal. Have expat friends in Thailand and it sounds more enticing, especially if the new government changes some of their archaic laws.
I agree with you if they open up immigration the people who are retired but have an income. Individuals like myself would love to come there and Revitalize a home to live in for my retirement. Sadly I don't see it changing anytime soon.
Great video, increases overall insight in real estate. Alot of diversity when it comes to real estate in different countries. Some food for thought. I wonder how other countries differ from one another.. maybe a deep dive into European real estate? Looking forward for the next video
Thanks for the comment! I don't know much about European real estate so I don't think I'm the right person to talk about it. I can talk about Japan and the US :)
All prefectures in Japan, including the big cities you mentioned, are losing population. It's not simply rural depopulation, although of course that is happening faster than urban depopulation. This matters when people are thinking about real estate in the long term.
The people living in rural areas actually have a much higher birth rate, but the new generations are mostly moving to cities, like mentioned in the video. So without the countryside the population of the cities would shrink even more drastically.
Actually there’s one with a growing population of young ppl migrating from other parts of Japan. I bought in there and now the prices have exploded even for the Akiyas 15 minutes from the train station. The only akiyas which don’t command a price are deep inside the mountains with poor road access.
I am so thankful to sugar matsu from the family support. He always gave through the railroad company in his family. Anything we can do to support mihone! ❤❤❤
If Japan opens up for more immigration I think they need to examine the people very well before letting them in. I am not Japanese but I want to see Japan remain Japan. Not like what is happening in Europe and North America at the hands of their "leaders".
Nothing remains the same in this world. There are consequences for stagnation which Japan experienced the onset of the Meiji era. A solution that retains some cultural heritage is to immigrate young foreigners that will birth children in Japan. Japan can then imbue this culture and heritage into the youth. The idea of Japan will remain alive.
@@shumatsuopost People dont forget their roots and integrate into other cultures so easily. Rather than integrate into the new nation, most tend to self-segregate and continue to follow their own cultural traditions and norms within the context of their new home. This may not sound like an issue, but remember why you're advocating that immigration be opened. If foreign cultures are used as the primary method to improve Japan's birthrate, then over time the Japanese people with be out-bred and replaced. For example, London in England has around 40% of its population foreign-born. Only about 36% of London's population are actually British-English. The culture there currently is unrecognizable to those who experienced it only a few decades ago.
I'm slow so someone explain to me why a reducing population is so terrible? I mean the push for less pollution and all that stuff just means that Japan has a chance to make itself more natural while the people get a better lifestyle (better environment) I get it that people will say that there won't be enough people to sustain the infrastructure, but is that true? I am not against capitalism, free market nor am I a minimalist but it seems that less people in a naturally beautiful country like Japan isn't so bad.
@@bertroost1675 At present, Japan is leveraged by a hegemonic power as a bulwark to contain a few key countries to its West. The incentives are obvious hence why Japan is now being allowed to tool-up and rearm. In the near and distant past, look to your history books to recall the failed and successful conquests of Japan.
@@bertroost1675 I understand the human condition to compartmentalize things into nice & tidy boxes/models; in this case populations. But this is not the real world. The real world resolves to entropy. The longer one attempts to prevent change, the more cataclysmic the change will be. Think how Japan tried to prevent the chaos of global change during the Edo/Tokugawa isolation period (1603- 1868). Although an era of cultural distinction for Japan, this lockdown hampered their development as a nation and resulted in their inability to prevent Commodore Matthew Perry and his “Black Ships” from forcing their way into Japan and demanding they open to trade. The Tokugawa gov’t collapsed shortly afterward as a result. If the Tokugawa were more amenable to change then they may still be in power today. Furthermore, Japan’s homogeneity is a myth. This island was originally inhabited by the following indigenous people: - Jōmon people - Ainu people - Ryukyuan people - Ezo people - Emishi people However many populations have migrated to form what you see as Japan today. - Yayoi people - Yamato people - Chinese people - Korean people - Southeast Asian people - Western people Do you really care about the superficiality of outward appearances like skin, eye, & hair color or are you more concerned with preserving Japanese culture? If you value culture, how does it survive in a dynamic ever-changing world if it remains rigid and inflexible; i.e. snapping like a dried-out, brittle snag?
My friend say sometimes some bad people rape a girl student in lots of abandone house and killed them then the police found the body they private it i mean they didnt put it in a news or news paper that mean other abandon house is hunted....sorry im not good in english.
Increasing population by letting in heaps of immigrants will destroy Japanese culture and ultimately what it means to be Japanese. Foreigners come into a country with their own mindset and self-interest. Japan is correct to control the influx of immigrants despite foreign pressure to open up. Already half-Japanese people are genetically not fully Japanese yet demand to be acknowledged as Japanese. There comes the problem of bloodline (unique to Japanese genetics) and Japanese identity.
I can understand why they would be worried about their culture disappearing, but....most of the people I know who want to live in Japan do so FOR the culture. Why would it be bad for a foreigner to go to a country they love and make a career in a traditional Japanese subject such as pottery or weaving? Wouldn't that be an ultimate form of flattery? It could also be a stepping stone for younger generations of full Japanese to also continue that tradition. And even if a person is half Japanese and they choose to identify with their Japanese side, why should they be discriminated against. I would embrace them wholeheartedly.
When any other ethnicity uses that argument it's labeled racism, when Japanese people use it no one bats an eye. I do see your point, but at this rate of declining infertility what it means to be Japanese won't exist if pure-blood Japanese stop giving birth. Ironically it's the culture that's causing the population decline, not immigration.
that kind of mindset is what will destroy Japan but what is worse is that what this person just wrote is no different from the nazi mentality... a superior race by bloodline and genetics... seriously? ... good luck Japan
@Jonah Whale sure, that is why Japan will gladly give visas to underpaid Vietnamese and Filipino workers... because Japanese are saints that just want to protect their culture... they would never exploit foreigners and try to sustain their dying economy and a shrinking middle class... wake up!! people that have money will not invest in Japan !!
my brother has been through this he has a japanese wife, its way more complicated than it appears. its only really open (as it should be) to permanent residents and japanese citizens or at least someone with a long term visa, contrary to what some foreign real estate shills might say, if you doubt this ask them to produce the govt docs saying its ok. also my brother said many of these homes have issues, like they are in landslide areas, right next to highways, have a graveyard right in the back (he said one he saw had 16 graves from previous owners) for houses with significant land you might be forced to farm, the ages are not always transparent, they could be over 100 years old but if they added anything in the last 30 years can claim thats the age of the entire house. having said all that although very few are "free" they are still a great deal for the right person.
Depending on the location, you could turn it into a vacation location or spa of some type. Specially if you have multiple houses next to each other or clustered together. Yes, of course I do not forget the fact that things cost money. So a decent size wallet to cover costs really would help with that idea. Connections with companies in the direct area as nation wide will also help a lot. You can still make a profit if you pick the right location in the right setting. Of course this should be allowed by the local government etc.
Here's the thing about living in the country side. There isn't much work especially if you're a foreigner. You need to make certain amount to get permanent residence. If you can't PR, then you have to rely on your visa. If for some reason you are having issues renewing your visa and get kicked out of the country, then that house is abandoned again.
Hi Shu Matsuo, great video on Akiya houses! At 8:15, you mentioned real estate isn't an asset in Japan. Are these the Akiya houses? What about houses/apartments in a City area like Osaka? Are they not considered Assets? As a foreigner, I am considering buying a house in Osaka for Air BNB and a holiday house. What is your take on that? Hope to hear from you. Thank you.
Thanks for watching. I think if you're using it as both an airbnb and a holiday house, it may work. I consider an asset to be something that puts money in your pocket. So if the value of the house drops in the future and you can't even get what you put in it or there is no ROI, that's not an asset. Good luck!
I bought a somewhat abandoned house in Japan because the pandemic turned my job into telework. I'm hoping to sell it for more than I bought it for and spent on renovations, but that's not what I'm worried about now. I'm enjoying the place for now. I've put a ton of work into the yard, so it looks much nicer than before. It's not too rural. I'm curious what will happen in the future. There's a little bit of development in this area, and it's not too bad for getting into Yokohama or Tokyo. Anyway, it's been a good project fixing up things over the past year. It's pretty satisfying. There's absolutely no way I'd be able to afford a normal, new house anywhere in Japan, and definitely not back in my native country.
In California , it is same case , family suffered depression and unable to care for the property or themselves and ended up taking their own lives . I thought I let you know .
This reminds me of the opening scenes of "My Neighbor Totoro", when the family moves into an abandoned house and has to chase all the soot sprites away. It looks very calm and romantic, but I'll bet that structurally it's a heck of a lot of work. Japan can get COLD in the winter, and I don't see modern people willing to put up with rice paper walls.
Does Japanese government have some sort of immigration program for foreigners? Does the akiya houses are also open to foreigners? Your reply is much appreciated.
We recently had a chat with a local authority, in Japan, about an akiya. It is in an interesting spot as it is only forty five minutes from Tokyo. I was in the village thirty years ago and to my mind with the access to the newish rail line it's become an attractive proposition. Despite this ease of access people are still leaving the village. 🤷🤷
Having the economic possibility and buying a Kominka to restore is a dream come true. The problem would be that as a foreigner, I couldn't stay in the country as I would like because of the visa. I wouldn't consider the fact to turn this hypothetical property into a BB or whatever because I do not have this kind of entrepreneurship in my mind. So, unless the Japanese government lets foreigners invest in the country with fewer restrictions, as you said, getting what I want is so unattainable.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yeah, while it's possible, it is difficult for foreigners to buy and use an akiya. If you're interested, here is a step-by-step guide - stan.store/shumatsuopost - hope it helps!
I wish the US housing market was similar to Japan. The asking price for some of the houses here are insane for a dumpy uninhabitable house. Used things shouldn’t gain value, especially when they’re run into the ground or used for living. Housing should not be a luxury.
30K/m in USD? Average occupancy of Airbnb is 20 days/m. That means you would need to rent it out for $1500/night. Unless you make your property super special, it's very unlikely. Or just get a bunch of Airbnbs.
I loved in a traditional house in Nara with no insulation....it's freezing. It's worse when you need to go to washroom which is outside! The owner added glass to the windows, it's still cold ..like living in a tent...lol..
Thanks to your clear, articulate explanation in English, it was much easier for me to understand the complications of vacant houses, real estate and the economy in Japan than to listen to them in Japanese though I’m Japanese! Lol.
Thanks for an honest review. Living in rural Japan is not an easy thing! Even for someone like me who has family there and can speak the language fluently, if you do not have mastery of kanji (myself included), you will be confused even by a simple utility bill or a hundred other things virtually all of which is written in kanji. Unless the local municipality has set up a bi-lingual assistance office (most likely not), you are SOL - unless you have family or close friends to count on for assistance. As such, I would like to retire in Japan surrounded by peace and beauty, but even for someone like me who has a leg up, I still need to think really hard about actually doing it.
Being from America, I'm constantly thinking of how much I'd like to move further out into the country as cities keep expanding and eating up rural spaces. It seems strange in a modern country like Japan that there aren't people jumping at these houses simply for the free property. If you have a car, wouldn't you have easy access to nearby cities?
NIce vid-another thing to know is that even if the gov't thru the akiya bank "lends" a house to someone for free, the land and its title remains with the original owner. Japanese inheritance law is such that rights to such land pass to wife, kids, other relatives and thus when and if someone who moved into an akiya became interested in purchasing the land under the house, one is going to have to do some sluethwork to find all the relatives who have a stake in the land and then entice them to sign off.
They should entice foreigners because a lot of people would take this up, with some regulations like having money/getting a job and not being a jerk/respecting the culture. This would help money and bring back tourists.
I'd go straight away, but I think getting a visa of residency would be hard...I wish they would relax the rules a bit so foreigners could stay there.We can already buy property there but that doesn't mean we'd be allowed stay.
If there would be an additional financial incentive that could cover a percentage of the renovation, It could be more attractive for the people considering adquiring an akiya, I myself being a handyman and carpenter would do it if my japanese would be better, and if Japan would offer a path to citizenship
How is the delivery in those remote area's? Can I order all my food and IKEA furniture online and get it delivered the next day? And how is the internet? Is Starlink available?
Can someone please tell me how to get a residency there. Ownership doesn't get you a residency, so how can you live there? no one talk about it. Thank you very much.
Here is what I found: You have been living in Japan for a sufficient period of time. You display good conduct. You can support yourself financially. You have paid Income Tax and other contributions in Japan. You must have a Guarantor who is a Japanese citizen or Permanent Resident.
Italy and other countries with a decreasing population are also implementing similar policies. There are always catches, but is an option that can be interesting for some people.
@@shumatsuopost in most cases you have to restore them and live for a number of years: this will bring those depleted municipalities some income in the form of taxes and some energy to the dying economies of those small towns or villages that are populated almost only by old people. The way it is set, they mostly attract wealthy foreigners who are interested in owning a holiday home in the beautiful and full of history Italian countryside, but there's also groups of young professionals who either work from remote or are interested in farming and related activities, who are beginning to consider this option.
Would absolutely love to but I'm a disabled vet on pain meds and from what I understand alot of those pain meds aren't even allowed over in Japan so there goes that idea. If I even want to travel there the paperwork to bring them just for the trip needs to be filled out months ahead of time and isn't even guaranteed to be approved. If they lightened up on some of those strict regulations it would be a nice place to live . . .
Getting a house as a foreigner in Japan does not provide with any residence either, right? But depending on which country you are from, yo can stay up to 6 months as a tourist per year. I had the plan (at some point of my life) to get an akiya and renovate or buy a cheaper house that doesn't need too much restoration in a rural area to spend 6 months a year over there and the other 6 months on my home country, working remotely for example. But it´s very interesting what you mentioned about some houses requiring to live on that address for a fixed amount of time as a condition.
As an American, I would totally do that if it were allowed. 1. I grew up on a farm I would love it there. 2. I've been in IT for 30 years, who better facilitate good connectivity so not only would locals be encouraged to to move to a rural area, but the foreign immigrants would be happy too? 3. I think another way to encourage growth in rural areas is to extend transit into those areas, so it's not such a schlep to get out there. Take somewhere in the US like New Jersey. I could live almost anywhere in the state and not have to own a car. Even a $10 Uber to the train station, and then a $15 ticket to NYC is convenient to get to work every morning. (with the very occasional train delay.) 4. I used to work for Honda R&D, I'm not a stranger to Japanese culture (though I would still have much to learn). 5. And I'm sure there would be some single men and women available who would want to have a family, myself included. (I know this is counter to the homogenous genetic makeup of Japan at large, but it's not unheard of, and attitudes are changing slowly.) 5. imagine the tourism that it could generate, let's say one village had a few Italians, another had a few Mexicans, another had some Americans...people could go out on a weekend just to have some authentic tacos, another weekend redneck BBQ, another weekend could be at the "Mobster Murder Mystery" dinner theatre over fettuccini alfredo and chicken parmesan. Some folks might wanna farm, some might want to make bamboo baskets. I know Japan is very change-averse; but something's gotta give, and Japan has too rich of a history to just fade away into the night. Look at Denmark, they're paying their women just to go on vacation and get knocked up. (true story).
additionally, design the transit systems so goods and supplies can be more readily delivered and received in the rural areas, this takes the stress off the roads and the time it takes to get things there and finished products to market, but again, helps the commute.(of course, this is a big investment) This could also help facilitate low-impact living, those who want to live semi-off-grid, I could see this being done with very little additional infrastructure costs....in fact some people might even become small-scale power producers that could help contribute to Japan's power-grid, expanding the production diversity, wind, solar, methane recapture (which burns pretty clean), sand batteries, this could be a huge boon to take Japan into the next development age, (also be a good opportunity for Japan Post and Toll to grow their logistics business.
Buy and build a cafe so there will be interesting for a tourism and increase people to work there so the next generation would love to work there. Like here in Indonesia. So many pretty cafe in rural area and that build the perspective of people who wants to visit just for the sake of a view or instagramable places. Maybe..any ideas?
What did you expect? You’re not going to get a brand new house done to your exact specifications in a safe and wealthy neighborhood in the city center.
Does Japan allow off grid living with no penalties? I.e. water catchment, DIY solar, DIY remodeling with repurposed material, DIY septic or out house, and self sustaining garden with farm animals as a meat source? Akiya sounds perfect for off grid living. 😊
30km, from Moscow, house120square meters and plot of land 1000 square meters. It will be cost ~ 300000$.And don't forget that Moscow Square is bigger than Tokyo
I think, based on future regulations, thisbcoule become a good way to repopulate towns. However, this may give way to massive real estate holdings which could privatize entire towns. Thank you Shu Matsuo Post
Yeah, I could see that happening as well. Great point. Thanks for watching!
@@shumatsuopost Buying a house still doesn't mean that you get a resident visa in Japan - and with a tourist visa a foreigner can only stay for 90 days every 6 months legally..... so you can have one or more houses in Japan - yet you can't live there all year long unless you get a spouse visa, a working visa or a resident visa - and neither of those 3 are easy to obtain thanks to some serious conditions.... :(
- Re-Population in the traditional sense could only occur if the Japanese governments would also radically re-work their visa system that would enable foreigners to settle permanently in Japan... I wish it would be easier right now - but as far as I know it is everything but easy to settle in Japan as a non-Japanese person. :(
@SG how can I apply for a residency visa ?
@@IamNotMeButWhoAreYou 100% agree - great points. Thank you for sharing!
@@ladameauxcamelias3524 To apply for permanent resident status in Japan by default you have to spend I believe 10 years continuously in Japan, while having a job, paying your taxes and not applying for any unemployment benefit and other similar social aid.
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- There are certain conditions that can shorten this: for example 1., if you have been married to a Japanese person for a certain number of years that reduces the requirement for the permanent resident status with -1 year or 2., if you work in a critically important work-sector you might also get 1 year off from the requirement (there is an official list from the Japanese government which jobs count as critically important jobs at the moment in Japan) or the age of the applicant also matters and the younger you are the better points you get and you might also get a time-reduction. I know that people over 40+ don't get any bonus points this way any more unfortunately.
- If you g00gle "Permanent Residency in Japan: Relaxation of Requirements" that should help you get the most up to date requirements. ;)
Matsuo-san, I find you truly amazing. You populated the "About" segment of your channel, while so few do. You reply to many commenters. Your work and book appear to be first rate. I have every confidence that your subscriber list will grow. Just recently, I discovered akiya on UA-cam and have been binging. My wife of 28 years is from Tokyo. While she was a city girl growing up, we treasure living in rural New Mexico. Best wishes!
Thank you for your kind words! I really appreciate your support. I've been to New Mexico once - spent a day in Albuquerque back in 2007!
I remember looking into these when they were first brought out. The deal breaker was that the house was pretty much paper thin. The traditional build looks great but is just a frame with paper walls. Modernizing them would be very expensive and sometimes not accepted.
Thanks for sharing and sorry to hear your deal didn't work out. Where was this house located?
Everything about Japan I learn proves me more and more that Japan is really only good to visit for foreigners. I love Japan but I could never live there.
@@TheDamascenoFamily What makes you say that it's only good to visit for foreigners?
@@shumatsuopost Sorry but Japanese people, lifestyle and personality are not conducive to most foreigners. I have watched many videos, read many comments, articles and Japanese mindset is WAY to strict, narrow-minded for the vast majority of cultures. Just finished watching another channel showing what one can buy for $23K US in rural Japan. Then I read THE comments. You can't just buy the house you then have to be accepted by the locals, learn the language, contribute to helping others etc etc. and even then as very many say, Japanese never really accept foreigners, are very suspicious, and are difficult to read what they really think, usually they only put on a good face but are not too likeable or sociable. And if you want to work and live, not just retire, the job market is BRUTAL. I've always said I could never live there, only visit.
@@spaniardsrmoors6817 This is also what I have heard. You can be a foreigner in Japan, but you will never feel "at home". And for me as an African American, I really have to consider that. I love the culture from what I have heard, but I wouldn't like to move to another country and feel like a perpetual outsider. We get enough of that here in America at times, and I hear you feel it more in Japan.
After watching the Grudge you can't pay me enough to accept an abandoned "free" house.
Sorry to hear that - personally, I kind of want to see ghosts in those houses to change my belief about them.
@@shumatsuopost 😂
@@shumatsuopost have you ever tried to stay 2 or 3 nights at one of those free ikea homes? Just want to know if you ever experience anything paranormal.
@@shumatsuopostlol i dont want to experience that type of ghost
So do I, japanese are creepy people.😱
Hi, I visited Japan 6 years ago and I adored my stay in the country side. It would be very sad if people let little villages die. In this era with remote working many of those places could be revitalised with people who are fed up with the lifestyle of big cities. It’s your history, your legacy. Here in Spain there’s more and more people considering moving to villages because Covid was specially tough in big cities and housing is increasingly more unaffordable.
I agree with you that it would be very sad if we let little villages die - it's only the matter of time. Thank you for your insight! Where in Spain are you?
@@shumatsuopost I’m from Madrid.
@@arcabuz I love Madrid! I've only visited there once but I loved it :)
@@shumatsuopost it is fantastic place in this time of the year because it is not too hot yet :), you should visit now or in autumn.
@@arcabuz Spain also has a program, where you can buy a house for 1€.
I came from Switzerland and did buy one in a countryside of Nagano for around a VERY low price and totally renovated it. Now it's become a perfect place to escape Tokyo's summer heat.
Wow, really? That's awesome. Do you live in Japan full time?
@@shumatsuopost Yes. Been living here in Tokyo since 2014.
This reminds me to the 1 euro housing system in Italy. The renovation will cost a bigger amount and you have to stay for a certain amount of time in the village. However, for people who want to change their lifestyle or are digital nomads and want to have an affordable place it seems a good scheme. Establishing small communities in rural areas is also a great way for a more sustainable life. But yeah, I agree, these properties are not business investments. Thank you for the detailed video!
Thanks for watching! I keep hearing that Italy has done something like this. Really curious to know how it impacted its population.
@@shumatsuopost Yes, I have been watching the $1 house in Italy for a long time, but all these complicated and lengthy procedures(Italian language only) stopped me. So I turned to a Japanese Akiya house now. I am retired Asian woman but in a very good health condition,, love to do innovation work myself.
I am going to Fukuoka next month, in May. I would stay till I find a suitable house. Any suggestions?
@@robindong3802 That's awesome. Kyushu is probably my favorite island in Japan and where I would retire, too. Do you have agents you'll be working with to find akiya there already?
@@shumatsuopost Shu, Thank you for the reply. I dont have any agent yet. The location I am looking for is around Fukuoka and Kumamoto. The house I like is medium size(easy to renovate and maintain), one storey with a good size of backyard. Lots of sunlight. Also it is not too far from public transportation,
I will contact you once I get to Fukuoka.
I lived in the country side in Japan for five years and I miss it. I considered these properties, but I knew that I didn’t have the money to update/modernize the property to my comfort level. I hope one day I could go back to Japan.
Thanks for sharing. What part of Japan were you and what made you leave, if you don't mind sharing?
@@shumatsuopost Tochigi prefecture, about 45 minutes from the Fukushima boarder. Loved it even though Tochigi was once voted the least popular prefecture of Japan a couple of years ago from NHK survey. They don't know what they're missing :)
I left because I got burnt out from teaching English and I couldn't transition to another job because my Japanese was so weak. I was actively studying and hired a tutor, but it was not enough to pass N2. :(
Lol some Japanese people love living in Viet Nam because of the weather. They invest a lot of money to live there which is a good thing for Viet Nam.
I think a countryside home would make a great airbnb-type house for people who want to take a relaxing vacation to the countryside. Maybe a couple on their honeymoon or someone just looking for a new experience or adventure. You would definitely have to advertise it to specific people, but I dream to live in a countryside, it would be so fun.
The problem is, many of these areas now have no shops, supermarkets or even train stations ☹️
How can i get a free houae
@@cupidok2768 Contact a Japanese real estate agent and be prepared to live in a damaged house an hour from a train station and shops.
Has to have some sort of appeal, e.g. beach, beautiful mountainous area, place where people go to hike or ski or some other outdoor activity but I agree, there is some opportunities there.
I doubt Japan will ease up on immigration limits; however, Japan should consider a foreign RETIREMENT VISA like Portugal, Costa Rica, Mexico, etc. The Japanese government could approve these visas as long as the retiree has a minimum retirement income, takes an online class that highlights information about the culture and life in Japan, and meets the requirement to live in a "rural" area. Compared to the US and Canada, some of these rural areas are actually not far from larger towns and still accessible by train line, so many aren't as inconvenient as they seem, especially if having a job is not a deciding factor. Many younger retirees would consider this option for several years. It would be a win-win; they would bring money into smaller communities, perhaps live in an abandoned home for a time or have a rental situation, likely engage with their neighbors (since most would probably have interest in the Japanese culture), and may help to bring some vitality to a small community with their interactions or skills. I have lived in Japan for extended periods and this is something I would definitely consider if it were an option in retirement.
Foreign retirement visa - that’s an interesting one. I’ve heard someone talks about that before as well. Thanks for sharing your insight!
Just curious since I have interest on at least visiting japan, and my country doesn't suffer with birth rate yet. But wouldn't be best for them to have people that are not retired yet moving in to japan for work and possibly build a family?
Japan is smart. They know that letting foreigners to purchase land would destroy their economy. Nobody is like Japan.
Building a new house is much easier. I bought an Akiya 7 years ago. It was in quite good condition and not a total wreck. So it wasn’t free. The land is 3x the average lot size of my city with mountain views. I’ve been renovating it for about 2 years now. I’m still not finished yet. Japan will never change. I’m Canadian and from my experience, Japan is very isolating socially.
I don't think Japan needs to ease immigration controls.
This is why I love Japan! Hopefully they can fully recover and many people moving in.
Yes, that would be a really big help!
I was calculating the same situation, and came to the same conclusion. Still considering an akiya with some farmland, register as a farmer and grow something to sell, but probably not anytime soon. Great video! Maybe check your volume in the next one, was a little hard to hear in the beginning, but informative overall, especially the price comparisons between the two countries!
Thanks for watching! And thanks for our feedback about the volume. Do you live in Japan? And what part of Japan are you thinking of buying an akiya in the future?
If you are a Japanese citizen, or have a Japanese spouse, plausible. But if you are a foreigner with no Japanese spouse, you can’t buy farmland to farm commercially. Hobby farm ok but not actual commercial farming to survive off, and also I think local areas have their local policies, JA, town halls etc which ‘approve’ commercial farmers.
your comment- register as a farmer- regulations differ by locality but in my area you need to have land, equip, and know how- for example, to be classified as a farmer one needs to have had 4000m2, under continuous cultivation for some years and the equipment to grow and harvest crops (usually rice, but others possible). Equipment costs: Tractor 3mill, Planter 1 mill, Combine 3 mill, Huller/sorter 1 mill- just for your consideration. (all costs in yen)
@@rumpelstiltskin9768 Thank you for the info! really appreciate you taking the time to actually type out valuable insight :D
I was born and brought up in a remote corner of Toyama Prefecture. After decades of living away (overseas and in Tokyo), I do not think I would be accepted even if I wanted to move back - it is such a closed community.
I'm sorry to hear that. Can I ask what makes you think you might not be accepted if you went back?
@@shumatsuopost They view 'outsiders' with suspicion and aversion. Introducing immigrants to revitalise the region? Quite out of the question. They would rather stay poor and isolated.
@@bluespangle This isn't just a Japanese thing, it's just how villages are. The small populations are close and are always suspicious of outsiders. I plan to retire to my home town someday and I'll probably also be seen as an outsider since I haven't lived there in so long.
I'm sure if you made an effort to get to know the people and join the community that they would welcome you.
@@bluespangle everyone gets old; you need to find ways to reintegrate to settle to where you call it your home.
FREE GUIDE: How to Buy an Akiya as a Foreigner: stan.store/shumatsuopost
Do you think getting an abandoned free house in Japan is a GREAT investment or TERRIBLE investment and why?
The problem with Japan is it is basically a communist country. They tax you when you earn, they tax you when you spend. They tax you when you eat, they tax you when you sht. I had the idea of just sitting there and breathing, maybe reading or surfing the net, but not really doing any activity at all. But they taxed me for "residing" and the longer you reside, the more you pay.
It is a very tricky decision whether to choose to reside in Japan or simply visit as a non-resident. Either way, it seems unclear how estate taxes will handle an unsellable property when we die.
Aside from that, the properties may be uncomfortable in summer and winter. Spring and fall would be pleasant if hayfever was not an issue. I am not sure how ageing locals would feel about foreigners moving into a dying town. Japanese like to see young people, beautiful people, maybe not fat old foreigners.
Also, what kind of social services will continue to be offerred in the dying town? There is a limit to how much the productive cities will subsidize the unproductive countryside.
@@timothysmcnamara5925 Could you elaborate on this tax system a bit more in-depth? How did they tax you for just residing?
@@musashi4856 I don't know exactly and it probably won't apply to you if you don't have Japanese nationality or some kind of permanent or semi-permanent visa (e.g. resident, student, work etc).
But, in general, if you are not coming to Japan on a tourist visa and stay more than (1 month?), then you will be forced to pay a residency tax to cover the costs of garbage collection, city workers etc and the national health insurance. There is also a national pension system but if you are above a certain age this might be voidable. I am not sure. The health system payment is both income and age related. The residency tax is income dependent but also based on time period (i.e. how many months in the previous year) resided.
Even if your income is zero (e.g. a language student), I think you still need to pay some of these expenses. Understandably, if city services remain the same but the number of contributors is dropping, the residency tax on the remainers can only go up.
Shu Matsuo's solution of mass immigration will never work: the immigrants would dillute Japan by being lower IQ or lazier than the existing populace, on average, and hence everything would be degraded (e.g. hospitality standards or hospital care). If one imports the third world, one becomes the third world.
Demographics is destiny.
@@timothysmcnamara5925 An interesting hypothesis you present in your last paragraph. However, isn’t this the very reason for the population decline?
Demographic purity is fate accompli for genetic obsolescence. The value lies in culture which can be maintained or even improved upon with any advocate if nurtured and sustained with care.
Japanese culture has gained demand abroad and could be leveraged to hand-pick or screen for worthy successors who are willing to assimilate.
@@musashi4856 yes, you are right.
Japan is one of the most homogenous places I have ever been and it is something I feel rather ambivalent about. It is quite static and inflexible.
The myth of Japanese racial purity has some truth to it but it is also exaggerated. Prime Minister Hata, for example, was obviously of Chinese descent (according to his family name) but they would have come over a thousand years ago so they would be quite well assimilated.
I just don't see foreigners being happy in rural Japan especially in a small, dying town. Most people don't like feeling like outsiders and most foreigners will not want to change: instead they will want to change Japan to better accommodate themselves (e.g. less stringent garbage collection rules, better human rights protections etc).
I am not trying to be pessimistic. I am just trying to be realistic. Writing out my thoughts like this helps me to think more clearly: time in the dying town in rural Japan would be a very nice holiday, I am sure. But if it was your base and your only home, and if you could not afford to travel for at least a few months every year, I think the rules, the negativity, the situational morality and the alienation would start to wear you down. You would start to see an island, even a very large one, as a prison.
This is a subject I've been researching for quite a while. I am interested in moving to Japan to start my own farm so somewhere remote with a lot of land is perfect. But my biggest issue is the visa. I don't have a bachelor's degree so can't start out as a teacher and haven't been able to find if a farm can be considered a business. I'm glad I stumbled upon your channel!
Thanks for watching - if you can find a way to come to Japan like as a student first, it's a lot easier to get a job while you're here. Good luck!
Id ditch traditional farming and instead go with hydroponics, you can grow allot of stuff in much less of a area than traditional farming. Another nice thing is you don't need any of the "heavy machinery" that allot of traditional farming requires, which is good cause tractors and accessories for them aint cheap.
If you are not Japanese or married to a Japanese citizen, you can’t just buy and do commercial farming. Hobby farms are okay. Not commercial farms. All commercial farms have to be approved by the local town, JA etc. Each area has their policies and some areas can make it hell to apply for the necessary permits. If you can’t speak or read Japanese fluently, you are stuck. You can do it secretly if the village is desperate but if someone reports…well..damn.
@jonahwhale9047Depends on how rural you're willing to live. There's still quite a bit of countryside in Japan.
@jonahwhale9047 It's a totally valid point that not a lot of Japanese farms are made after the same model as American farms, or a lot of other farms. Most of the space being used is much more restricted. I think it's cool they still have such a high yield with smaller space, but yes, if you're envisioning a 200 acre farm for your Japanese business endeavor, you're probably going to have to head back to the drawing board.
I'm genuinely thinking about small older house, I'm alright with it being far off from the city. I'm somewhat a jack of all traits which could help me a bit with fixing random stuff. I'm also considered an 'old soul' so I'm alright visiting the cities on the weekends and just keep to myself during the weeks. As an artist and a painter, my priority in life is to breathe life back into the world through art, and I wish to someday help a few villages with that♡ Last year in New York, I've because homeless, not because of anything I've done, but simply because I didn't have enough money to compete for an apartment, that was one of the hardest summers I've ever went through. So I'll gladly sign up for a program over there, not simply because of the low cost, but I also want to bring life back, have careing neighbors that I don't have to fight with and just co exist in harmony. Even if a house didn't have home value, it still had love put into it, and I want to bring love back💝
I love that. Thank you for sharing. If you're a jack of all traits and do some fixing stuff yourself, getting an akiya might be just perfect for you.
Wow I'm an artist too, and love the Japanese culture so much especially the old village architectural structures. Nothing surpasses nature and connecting back to it's beauty.
You sound more Italian than Japanese. Italian villages a little north of the Italian Rivera (between Genoa and Nice) pay for you to move to them. If you have transport and don't mind the residual effects of German fanaticism you could very well be the next Mario Puccini.
100% agree on the point about immigration! Fantastic video contextualising the whole Akiya thing :)
Thank you for watching! Appreciate your support.
Let’s be real the thing with thé immigration, those immigrants will demand to change Japanese culture to meet their own culture.
Thank You for a very articulate outlay of the opportunity and its potential issues!
Appreciate your support! Thanks for watching
Really great video! Informative and well structured and presented. I was viewing a tiny homes channel and saw yours in my suggestion feed. Glad I passed through! Subscribed and best wishes to you, Shu! 💯
Thanks for watching! I appreciate your support - more videos are coming - stay tuned!
At first I thought ugh another video on cheap or free homes in Japan but this guy is totally spot on. How do I know? Well I’m an American who bought a home in Japan. I love it and built it myself but it will likely only provide an experience for me but not an investment.
What he is saying is basically don’t do it if you think you are going to make money.
Thanks for your comment. Awesome to hear you built your own house in Japan. Where did you build it?
Thank you!
I bought a house in the country of Tirol in Austria. Everything i renovated myself!
Now it's like a dream.
Best wishes from Hans from Innsbruck in Austria!😂
Thanks for your support!
Giving away these homes for free is such an innovative solution, and it's interesting to hear about the reasoning behind it - from shrinking populations to changing lifestyles. I'm curious to see how this initiative will play out and what impact it will have on the housing market and communities in Japan. Thanks for sharing this fascinating and informative content!
Thanks for watching and your ongoing support!
I don’t see the decision to give away the homes as an innovative idea at all. It’s more of a desperate effort to attract both tenants and investment.
The Japanese government has such an anti-immigrant view that it has chosen to slowly die out instead of welcoming immigrants to provide both commerce and a boost to its population.
The main target for these homes are Japanese owners, not necessarily immigrants, although foreigners with significant wealth have participated in the program.
@@MartinD9999 Such a waste. Japanese leadership would rather their country go extinct than face the reality of change.
@@MartinD9999 Spot on. I completely agree with your point. I think Japan needs to be more open to immigration to really make a difference.
Many of these homes are in really, really bad condition and need to be completely rebuilt which is often way more work than building a new house. You can get lucky though and find some real gems that are actually in very good condition. All of them have no insulation and are darn freezing cold in winter without central heating of course. I bought an Akiya 7 years ago and am still renovating mine.
If I had a visa I would get one and live there. No problem. Fix it up and make it a little EuroJapanese palace hehe
Sincerely, I want to learn the Japanese Language and live close to a Zen Temple. Farm some vegetables, do something with agroforestry, rise an atelier, do something with education, art. I have seen a lot of documentaries about Japan. So many beautiful places, and Shikoku is one of them. So if I have the means, I wanna go to Japan and live as far as possible. I love the Japanese culture and the countryside.
Awesome. Yes, it is a beautiful country. I think you'll love living there. Hope you'll make it out here one day!
The topic you are talking about is very interesting and I would be interested if I lived in Japan but I live in Washington state so that will never happen! 😊 Thanks for sharing this from Japan. It's nice to know what goes on in other countries!
If you really wanted to, you could make it happen ;)
I would love to get one in Japan.... I am not looking for investing, rather just own one and stay in for the rest of my life. I do have friends in Tokyo so it would be closer to visit than Canada... very interested.
If that's the case, an akiya house might be a perfect fit for you. Good luck!
Excellent content..all so true.
I just returned from a trip to Kyoto and Shiga..I saw firsthand the old abandoned houses and slowly dying villages..
My gaijin friends are fixing up a few but it’s a drop in the bucket..
Thanks for watching!
Japan has always been a dream of mine, I have such an adoration for that island and its people. Hopefully one day I can meet the requirements to live in such an incredible place.
Yeah, it's a lovely country to visit and live. I hope you'll visit one day!
The grass is not always as green as you think living here.
@@noolie62 I’ve visited many places in Japan, but never made it to Nagasaki. I hear it is a beautiful place. I’m curious what attracts you to living in Japan?
@@noolie62 Hello noolie62. That is wonderful you are intrigued about Japan and the thought of living here someday. I don’t want to take that away from you in any way. However since you asked: I understand, since I felt very similar before I came here. My reasons for saying the grass is not always as green as you think is not complicated. It is really very simple. I will first say, we are all individuals and my experiences in Japan may be different from yours. However, there are some truths that are common pretty much throughout the country concerning Japanese society and culture. It all depends on how you see it. You may be perfectly fine with it. I can’t explain everything in one paragraph, but I’ll make a few key points: As a Canadian, I was born and raised in a multicultural country of leaders, where independent thought and critical thinking is valued. Conversely, Japan is largely a monocultural society of followers where obeying very strict rules of behavior, even thinking and generally conforming are highly valued. I’m not saying it is good or bad, but perhaps simply not aligned with my values that I was raised with in Canada. In a nutshell, as a white male I am always treated as a foreigner and am always reminded that I do not belong. I have experienced much racism, discrimination, prejudice, exploitation, corruption, conflicts of interest, double standards, even bribery and extortion here. I am a very open-minded person who believes in human rights and freedom of speech - none of which is valued in Japan compared to Canada. Come to Japan. Follow your dream. Experience Japanese culture. If you can easily overlook some of the realities of life here, you may really love Japan. It’s not a bad country. The majority of outsiders will never know the real Japan. I recommend reading Dogs and Demons: Tales from the dark side of Japan by Alex Kerr. Japan is still worth experiencing. I’m just not going to sugar-coat the truth.
me too..i work in Japan before ,20 yrs.ago and visited Japan before pandemic because my sister lived there in Japan.. i wanted to live there too, ilove😮 Japan..praying that we will come back to Japan soon🙏🙏🙏
Thank you for your honest and clear recommendations
So long as it's peaceful and quiet it's cool, and so long as it's drama free and not going to be any harassment from Big groups it sounds like a Great place to live. Cities are a Fad right now but at some point the people WILL wake up, I personally would love the low key lifestyle.❤
Rural Japan is definitely peaceful and quiet, but there is all sorts of wildlife, including hordes of mosquitos if you live near rice paddies. Japan also has frigid winters and hot/humid/rainy summers, and like he said, those houses aren’t insulated and don’t have central heating/cooling. That said, despite the negatives, I would love to live there.
No, thank you! Riddled with spirits I won't want to deal with 💖
lol Definitely not for everyone :)
Really good video, with a lot of really good points to consider. It's so enticing to think about living out in the Japanese countryside, even if you have to spend 6 months renovating somewhere. One thing that you didn't touch and would probably need to consider is the stability of the region in regards to living next door to China/Russia/N.Korea and whether that region will be safe in the coming decades.
Thanks for watching! Really interesting point about the stability of the region. Thanks for your insight!
I'd love to live in the Japanese countryside. My concern has more to do with earning enough income to sustain myself in Japan. I'm curious how foreigners who move into the countryside support themselves: Are they mostly retired? Are there English teaching opportunities in low-population areas? Thanks for the video!
Some of my foreign friends in Japan came here with the JET Program and they'll usually have you start in a rural part of Japan. Others have a remote-job where they and work from anywhere. Good luck!
Would probably be very hard earning enough by teaching in a sparsely populated area
@@snorremortenkjeldsen6737 yeah, I think this would work well if you have a remote job
@@snorremortenkjeldsen6737 That's what I expect. I imagine doing IT or software development remotely would be much easier.
It always breaks my heart when a house is destroyed, there are so many homeless, no matter how bad a house is, do people not think the homeless would want a roof over their head?
Absolutely, it is a beautiful country to live in with a rich culture, respectful people and safe environment. I think those 3 things are a good way to gage a countries success. A great place to raise a family. I'd like to see immigration easier for those of Japanese descendants abroad to come back regardless of koseki registration. Especially 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation that want to learn more about their relatives culture and country.
100% agree with your points. I hope immigration gets easier in the future for everyone.
@Jonah Whale Even after nearly 3 decades in Japan, Immigration still won't provide a permanent visa, as the govt. keeps tightening the rules every few years. Japan doesn't want foreigners that aren't hard, cheap workers.
@@earlysda Simply put, Japan doesn’t want independent-thinking, qualified, capable foreigners who are often not willing to put up with all the control and domination for next to nothing in wages and benefits. They prefer to bring workers to Japan from countries like the Philippines 🇵🇭 for short-term contract work only long enough to exploit them, then send them back home before the corrupt labour law requires them to compensate them better.
@Jonah Whale Jonah, I pray you will repent of wishing bad things on other people.
@@ShikokuFoodForest Northern writes more spot-on hard truths that many people in Japan prefer not to listen to.
Renovating a old japanese home is very labor intensive and it requires much wood.i work on one for 8 years hardest thing I ever did in my life.
Wow! You made an excellent video! 😃
I learned a lot from you.
I would like to have a home for the long haul... until I die, basically.
I totally am not into flipping homes.
I've lived in Japan for more than 15 years.
Do you have any advice for me?
Thanks for watching and for your comment!
If want to have a home for the long haul, buying an akiya might be a good option for you.
You may spend quite a bit on the initial renovation but you will be able to reduce your living costs for a long time.
Those are my two cents :)
New Subscriber... very interesting information about Japan 🇯🇵
Appreciate your support!
As someone who’s been homeless most of my life, as well as a fan of the Japanese culture, I would LOVE to own a home there. It’s been my dream since I was young and even more lately to renovate/fix up one ;-; but I can’t even afford a passport…
Hope you can own one someday!
I lived there it’s a amazing place! People have respect and very polite to gaijin like me 😂 try to get your passport but also keep in mind a ticket 🎫 ✈️ costs about 1500-2200$ most foreigners have English teaching jobs.
u will soon! i believe in u!
Thanks! Very helpful for the unsuspecting overseas buyer, with a romanticized image of a bucolic life in rural Japan. I'm one of them! CA is going to you-know-where when it comes to real estate, property taxes and crime in major cities. We are nearing retirement and were thinking of selling our home (low seven figures) and moving to Japan where my spouse was born. RE in the big cities that you mentioned are overpriced and tiny, compared to what we are used to here in SoCal. Have expat friends in Thailand and it sounds more enticing, especially if the new government changes some of their archaic laws.
I agree with you if they open up immigration the people who are retired but have an income. Individuals like myself would love to come there and Revitalize a home to live in for my retirement. Sadly I don't see it changing anytime soon.
You should still come to Japan. Where are you currently based?
@@shumatsuopost currently Hawaii. We lived in Yokosuka back in 1995 and love Japan.
Great video, increases overall insight in real estate.
Alot of diversity when it comes to real estate in different countries.
Some food for thought.
I wonder how other countries differ from one another.. maybe a deep dive into European real estate?
Looking forward for the next video
Thanks for the comment! I don't know much about European real estate so I don't think I'm the right person to talk about it. I can talk about Japan and the US :)
All prefectures in Japan, including the big cities you mentioned, are losing population. It's not simply rural depopulation, although of course that is happening faster than urban depopulation. This matters when people are thinking about real estate in the long term.
The people living in rural areas actually have a much higher birth rate, but the new generations are mostly moving to cities, like mentioned in the video.
So without the countryside the population of the cities would shrink even more drastically.
Actually there’s one with a growing population of young ppl migrating from other parts of Japan. I bought in there and now the prices have exploded even for the Akiyas 15 minutes from the train station. The only akiyas which don’t command a price are deep inside the mountains with poor road access.
I am so thankful to sugar matsu from the family support. He always gave through the railroad company in his family. Anything we can do to support mihone! ❤❤❤
If Japan opens up for more immigration I think they need to examine the people very well before letting them in. I am not Japanese but I want to see Japan remain Japan. Not like what is happening in Europe and North America at the hands of their "leaders".
Nothing remains the same in this world. There are consequences for stagnation which Japan experienced the onset of the Meiji era.
A solution that retains some cultural heritage is to immigrate young foreigners that will birth children in Japan. Japan can then imbue this culture and heritage into the youth. The idea of Japan will remain alive.
@@musashi4856 I would hope so. It's best if they import other classy Asians.
When you say “not like what is happening in Europe and NA” what exactly do you mean?
@@shumatsuopost Just letting people pour in illegally. Let them come in through a proper process legally.
@@shumatsuopost People dont forget their roots and integrate into other cultures so easily. Rather than integrate into the new nation, most tend to self-segregate and continue to follow their own cultural traditions and norms within the context of their new home.
This may not sound like an issue, but remember why you're advocating that immigration be opened. If foreign cultures are used as the primary method to improve Japan's birthrate, then over time the Japanese people with be out-bred and replaced.
For example, London in England has around 40% of its population foreign-born. Only about 36% of London's population are actually British-English. The culture there currently is unrecognizable to those who experienced it only a few decades ago.
honestly, if i had the money & could renovate, etc. i would love to buy property to live 🤷🏿♂️🤷🏿♂️💪🏿
I'm slow so someone explain to me why a reducing population is so terrible? I mean the push for less pollution and all that stuff just means that Japan has a chance to make itself more natural while the people get a better lifestyle (better environment) I get it that people will say that there won't be enough people to sustain the infrastructure, but is that true? I am not against capitalism, free market nor am I a minimalist but it seems that less people in a naturally beautiful country like Japan isn't so bad.
How beautiful will this country be if a dwindling population can’t defend its territory economically and militarily?
@@musashi4856 Who will invade?
@@bertroost1675 At present, Japan is leveraged by a hegemonic power as a bulwark to contain a few key countries to its West. The incentives are obvious hence why Japan is now being allowed to tool-up and rearm.
In the near and distant past, look to your history books to recall the failed and successful conquests of Japan.
@@musashi4856 I just prefer the immigrants to be of similar backgrounds and race. Not like what the UK has done to itself.
@@bertroost1675 I understand the human condition to compartmentalize things into nice & tidy boxes/models; in this case populations. But this is not the real world.
The real world resolves to entropy. The longer one attempts to prevent change, the more cataclysmic the change will be.
Think how Japan tried to prevent the chaos of global change during the Edo/Tokugawa isolation period (1603- 1868). Although an era of cultural distinction for Japan, this lockdown hampered their development as a nation and resulted in their inability to prevent Commodore Matthew Perry and his “Black Ships” from forcing their way into Japan and demanding they open to trade. The Tokugawa gov’t collapsed shortly afterward as a result. If the Tokugawa were more amenable to change then they may still be in power today.
Furthermore, Japan’s homogeneity is a myth. This island was originally inhabited by the following indigenous people:
- Jōmon people
- Ainu people
- Ryukyuan people
- Ezo people
- Emishi people
However many populations have migrated to form what you see as Japan today.
- Yayoi people
- Yamato people
- Chinese people
- Korean people
- Southeast Asian people
- Western people
Do you really care about the superficiality of outward appearances like skin, eye, & hair color or are you more concerned with preserving Japanese culture?
If you value culture, how does it survive in a dynamic ever-changing world if it remains rigid and inflexible; i.e. snapping like a dried-out, brittle snag?
Hello. I'm in Japan and considering investing in real estate in the states too. So...subscribed.
Best of luck to you!
Mos definitely that japan need to open the doors for more foreigners... i agree in that solution.
Yes! I hope that'll happen soon.
It needs to be carefully controlled to avoid becoming another U.S.A.
@@tessdurberville711 yes totally agree with that, it can’t be like crazy but moderated.
My friend say sometimes some bad people rape a girl student in lots of abandone house and killed them then the police found the body they private it i mean they didnt put it in a news or news paper that mean other abandon house is hunted....sorry im not good in english.
Increasing population by letting in heaps of immigrants will destroy Japanese culture and ultimately what it means to be Japanese. Foreigners come into a country with their own mindset and self-interest. Japan is correct to control the influx of immigrants despite foreign pressure to open up. Already half-Japanese people are genetically not fully Japanese yet demand to be acknowledged as Japanese. There comes the problem of bloodline (unique to Japanese genetics) and Japanese identity.
Interesting. What’s worse - dealing with the culture changing or going extinct in the future? 🤔
I can understand why they would be worried about their culture disappearing, but....most of the people I know who want to live in Japan do so FOR the culture. Why would it be bad for a foreigner to go to a country they love and make a career in a traditional Japanese subject such as pottery or weaving? Wouldn't that be an ultimate form of flattery? It could also be a stepping stone for younger generations of full Japanese to also continue that tradition. And even if a person is half Japanese and they choose to identify with their Japanese side, why should they be discriminated against. I would embrace them wholeheartedly.
When any other ethnicity uses that argument it's labeled racism, when Japanese people use it no one bats an eye. I do see your point, but at this rate of declining infertility what it means to be Japanese won't exist if pure-blood Japanese stop giving birth. Ironically it's the culture that's causing the population decline, not immigration.
that kind of mindset is what will destroy Japan
but what is worse is that what this person just wrote is no different from the nazi mentality... a superior race by bloodline and genetics... seriously? ... good luck Japan
@Jonah Whale sure, that is why Japan will gladly give visas to underpaid Vietnamese and Filipino workers... because Japanese are saints that just want to protect their culture... they would never exploit foreigners and try to sustain their dying economy and a shrinking middle class...
wake up!! people that have money will not invest in Japan !!
my brother has been through this he has a japanese wife, its way more complicated than it appears. its only really open (as it should be) to permanent residents and japanese citizens or at least someone with a long term visa, contrary to what some foreign real estate shills might say, if you doubt this ask them to produce the govt docs saying its ok. also my brother said many of these homes have issues, like they are in landslide areas, right next to highways, have a graveyard right in the back (he said one he saw had 16 graves from previous owners) for houses with significant land you might be forced to farm, the ages are not always transparent, they could be over 100 years old but if they added anything in the last 30 years can claim thats the age of the entire house. having said all that although very few are "free" they are still a great deal for the right person.
Well said. Thank you for sharing!
Depending on the location, you could turn it into a vacation location or spa of some type. Specially if you have multiple houses next to each other or clustered together.
Yes, of course I do not forget the fact that things cost money. So a decent size wallet to cover costs really would help with that idea. Connections with companies in the direct area as nation wide will also help a lot. You can still make a profit if you pick the right location in the right setting. Of course this should be allowed by the local government etc.
Thx, really unbiased review
Happy to hear that!
Here's the thing about living in the country side. There isn't much work especially if you're a foreigner. You need to make certain amount to get permanent residence. If you can't PR, then you have to rely on your visa. If for some reason you are having issues renewing your visa and get kicked out of the country, then that house is abandoned again.
Hi Shu Matsuo, great video on Akiya houses!
At 8:15, you mentioned real estate isn't an asset in Japan. Are these the Akiya houses?
What about houses/apartments in a City area like Osaka? Are they not considered Assets?
As a foreigner, I am considering buying a house in Osaka for Air BNB and a holiday house. What is your take on that?
Hope to hear from you.
Thank you.
Thanks for watching. I think if you're using it as both an airbnb and a holiday house, it may work. I consider an asset to be something that puts money in your pocket. So if the value of the house drops in the future and you can't even get what you put in it or there is no ROI, that's not an asset. Good luck!
Thanks for sharing Bro, love those village Japanese structures just the way they are.
Thanks for watching! Yeah many of these rural towns are beautiful.
I bought a somewhat abandoned house in Japan because the pandemic turned my job into telework. I'm hoping to sell it for more than I bought it for and spent on renovations, but that's not what I'm worried about now. I'm enjoying the place for now. I've put a ton of work into the yard, so it looks much nicer than before. It's not too rural. I'm curious what will happen in the future. There's a little bit of development in this area, and it's not too bad for getting into Yokohama or Tokyo. Anyway, it's been a good project fixing up things over the past year. It's pretty satisfying. There's absolutely no way I'd be able to afford a normal, new house anywhere in Japan, and definitely not back in my native country.
In California , it is same case , family suffered depression and unable to care for the property or themselves and ended up taking their own lives . I thought I let you know .
This reminds me of the opening scenes of "My Neighbor Totoro", when the family moves into an abandoned house and has to chase all the soot sprites away. It looks very calm and romantic, but I'll bet that structurally it's a heck of a lot of work. Japan can get COLD in the winter, and I don't see modern people willing to put up with rice paper walls.
Does Japanese government have some sort of immigration program for foreigners? Does the akiya houses are also open to foreigners? Your reply is much appreciated.
Yes, anyone regardless of citizenship can purchase real estate in Japan
6:33 yes indeed👍
Thanks for watching!
Just remember there is a cost with whatever you do. Wonderful video on what you are getting into.
Appreciate your comment - glad you enjoyed it :)
We recently had a chat with a local authority, in Japan, about an akiya. It is in an interesting spot as it is only forty five minutes from Tokyo. I was in the village thirty years ago and to my mind with the access to the newish rail line it's become an attractive proposition.
Despite this ease of access people are still leaving the village.
🤷🤷
Having the economic possibility and buying a Kominka to restore is a dream come true. The problem would be that as a foreigner, I couldn't stay in the country as I would like because of the visa. I wouldn't consider the fact to turn this hypothetical property into a BB or whatever because I do not have this kind of entrepreneurship in my mind. So, unless the Japanese government lets foreigners invest in the country with fewer restrictions, as you said, getting what I want is so unattainable.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yeah, while it's possible, it is difficult for foreigners to buy and use an akiya. If you're interested, here is a step-by-step guide - stan.store/shumatsuopost - hope it helps!
I wish the US housing market was similar to Japan. The asking price for some of the houses here are insane for a dumpy uninhabitable house. Used things shouldn’t gain value, especially when they’re run into the ground or used for living. Housing should not be a luxury.
Same thing that happened in italy. Free homes with tremendous amount of renovation.
How is it working in Italy?
The more i learn the more I'm sure i will definitely be retiring here in the Philippines as a foreigner. I'll definitely visit Japan though
What are great places to retire in the Philippines?
if ima a millionaire ibe buying a whole town and privatize it then have a posting overseas for a good price like for renting or a vacation
That sounds like an interesting plan :)
could I buy them under an LLC an turn into 30K/Month through AIR B&B ?!?!?
30K/m in USD? Average occupancy of Airbnb is 20 days/m. That means you would need to rent it out for $1500/night. Unless you make your property super special, it's very unlikely. Or just get a bunch of Airbnbs.
I loved in a traditional house in Nara with no insulation....it's freezing. It's worse when you need to go to washroom which is outside! The owner added glass to the windows, it's still cold ..like living in a tent...lol..
Yes, that's one big downside of houses in Japan, in general. The winters are cold but not that cold but with no insulation, it is freezing...
Thanks to your clear, articulate explanation in English, it was much easier for me to understand the complications of vacant houses, real estate and the economy in Japan than to listen to them in Japanese though I’m Japanese! Lol.
That's great! Glad you enjoyed the video!
Thanks for an honest review. Living in rural Japan is not an easy thing! Even for someone like me who has family there and can speak the language fluently, if you do not have mastery of kanji (myself included), you will be confused even by a simple utility bill or a hundred other things virtually all of which is written in kanji. Unless the local municipality has set up a bi-lingual assistance office (most likely not), you are SOL - unless you have family or close friends to count on for assistance. As such, I would like to retire in Japan surrounded by peace and beauty, but even for someone like me who has a leg up, I still need to think really hard about actually doing it.
That's an excellent point. Thanks for sharing your insight. Like you said, it is doable but not easy.
Maybe if they put houses of only a few villages to sale or give, I would consider it as new residents would concentrate into just a few areas.
This is absolutely fascinating. I would definitely consider it if i was a bit wealthier and retiring.
It really is!
Being from America, I'm constantly thinking of how much I'd like to move further out into the country as cities keep expanding and eating up rural spaces. It seems strange in a modern country like Japan that there aren't people jumping at these houses simply for the free property. If you have a car, wouldn't you have easy access to nearby cities?
I guess most people crave connection and convenience and are willing to pay for them
Hi Shu Matsuo.. Can you recommend visas for tourist who wanted to settle in Japan permanently?
I did a video on that, too: ua-cam.com/video/1q0RCnOjUUU/v-deo.html
NIce vid-another thing to know is that even if the gov't thru the akiya bank "lends" a house to someone for free, the land and its title remains with the original owner. Japanese inheritance law is such that rights to such land pass to wife, kids, other relatives and thus when and if someone who moved into an akiya became interested in purchasing the land under the house, one is going to have to do some sluethwork to find all the relatives who have a stake in the land and then entice them to sign off.
wow great info and very sobering
Thanks :)
What are the requirements to buy an Akiya? Residence permit? Visa? Which visa?
They should entice foreigners because a lot of people would take this up, with some regulations like having money/getting a job and not being a jerk/respecting the culture. This would help money and bring back tourists.
I'd go straight away, but I think getting a visa of residency would be hard...I wish they would relax the rules a bit so foreigners could stay there.We can already buy property there but that doesn't mean we'd be allowed stay.
If there would be an additional financial incentive that could cover a percentage of the renovation, It could be more attractive for the people considering adquiring an akiya, I myself being a handyman and carpenter would do it if my japanese would be better, and if Japan would offer a path to citizenship
I apreciate that they sound like ikea 😁 do the make you keep the aesthetic and building methods? That's what will make it expensive to renovate.
Yeah, I'm saying it all wrong... lol
I really wish I was much younger and knew about this to me it is a great blessing
Never too late to start something you want to do ;)
How is the delivery in those remote area's? Can I order all my food and IKEA furniture online and get it delivered the next day? And how is the internet? Is Starlink available?
Can someone please tell me how to get a residency there. Ownership doesn't get you a residency, so how can you live there? no one talk about it. Thank you very much.
Here is what I found:
You have been living in Japan for a sufficient period of time.
You display good conduct.
You can support yourself financially.
You have paid Income Tax and other contributions in Japan.
You must have a Guarantor who is a Japanese citizen or Permanent Resident.
Italy and other countries with a decreasing population are also implementing similar policies. There are always catches, but is an option that can be interesting for some people.
How are the policies working in Italy?
@@shumatsuopost in most cases you have to restore them and live for a number of years: this will bring those depleted municipalities some income in the form of taxes and some energy to the dying economies of those small towns or villages that are populated almost only by old people. The way it is set, they mostly attract wealthy foreigners who are interested in owning a holiday home in the beautiful and full of history Italian countryside, but there's also groups of young professionals who either work from remote or are interested in farming and related activities, who are beginning to consider this option.
Would absolutely love to but I'm a disabled vet on pain meds and from what I understand alot of those pain meds aren't even allowed over in Japan so there goes that idea. If I even want to travel there the paperwork to bring them just for the trip needs to be filled out months ahead of time and isn't even guaranteed to be approved. If they lightened up on some of those strict regulations it would be a nice place to live . . .
Hope it would work out well for you!
@@shumatsuopost Thanks!
I'm very curious about what happens when a person is homeless in Japan? Are there housing or other services available?
Ive been to Japan twice and never saw a homeless person. I found it very interesting.
Getting a house as a foreigner in Japan does not provide with any residence either, right? But depending on which country you are from, yo can stay up to 6 months as a tourist per year.
I had the plan (at some point of my life) to get an akiya and renovate or buy a cheaper house that doesn't need too much restoration in a rural area to spend 6 months a year over there and the other 6 months on my home country, working remotely for example. But it´s very interesting what you mentioned about some houses requiring to live on that address for a fixed amount of time as a condition.
I'd like to go live there too but red tape would stop me I think.
As an American, I would totally do that if it were allowed. 1. I grew up on a farm I would love it there. 2. I've been in IT for 30 years, who better facilitate good connectivity so not only would locals be encouraged to to move to a rural area, but the foreign immigrants would be happy too? 3. I think another way to encourage growth in rural areas is to extend transit into those areas, so it's not such a schlep to get out there. Take somewhere in the US like New Jersey. I could live almost anywhere in the state and not have to own a car. Even a $10 Uber to the train station, and then a $15 ticket to NYC is convenient to get to work every morning. (with the very occasional train delay.) 4. I used to work for Honda R&D, I'm not a stranger to Japanese culture (though I would still have much to learn). 5. And I'm sure there would be some single men and women available who would want to have a family, myself included. (I know this is counter to the homogenous genetic makeup of Japan at large, but it's not unheard of, and attitudes are changing slowly.)
5. imagine the tourism that it could generate, let's say one village had a few Italians, another had a few Mexicans, another had some Americans...people could go out on a weekend just to have some authentic tacos, another weekend redneck BBQ, another weekend could be at the "Mobster Murder Mystery" dinner theatre over fettuccini alfredo and chicken parmesan.
Some folks might wanna farm, some might want to make bamboo baskets. I know Japan is very change-averse; but something's gotta give, and Japan has too rich of a history to just fade away into the night. Look at Denmark, they're paying their women just to go on vacation and get knocked up. (true story).
additionally, design the transit systems so goods and supplies can be more readily delivered and received in the rural areas, this takes the stress off the roads and the time it takes to get things there and finished products to market, but again, helps the commute.(of course, this is a big investment) This could also help facilitate low-impact living, those who want to live semi-off-grid, I could see this being done with very little additional infrastructure costs....in fact some people might even become small-scale power producers that could help contribute to Japan's power-grid, expanding the production diversity, wind, solar, methane recapture (which burns pretty clean), sand batteries, this could be a huge boon to take Japan into the next development age, (also be a good opportunity for Japan Post and Toll to grow their logistics business.
Buy and build a cafe so there will be interesting for a tourism and increase people to work there so the next generation would love to work there. Like here in Indonesia. So many pretty cafe in rural area and that build the perspective of people who wants to visit just for the sake of a view or instagramable places. Maybe..any ideas?
I was just in Bali and saw a bunch of trendy cafes. Thanks for the insight!
Nice video and thanks for the info.
Thanks for watching!
I feel like Ju-on watches above while the broker is discussing the terms on the buyer. 😅😂
😅
Same thing happended in Sicily (Italy)
It's like the "dollar" homes in Michigan and Indiana... Neighbors are filled with danger, houses so broken you basically rebuilding a home.
What did you expect? You’re not going to get a brand new house done to your exact specifications in a safe and wealthy neighborhood in the city center.
Does Japan allow off grid living with no penalties? I.e. water catchment, DIY solar, DIY remodeling with repurposed material, DIY septic or out house, and self sustaining garden with farm animals as a meat source? Akiya sounds perfect for off grid living. 😊
I would really love to look into this for myself.
Go for it!
@@shumatsuopost , would like to know more information to evaluate.
Another thing to consider is daily living expense. Living countryside is not "cheap", especially when it is far from source of daily needs.
If you own a car, it's not too bad. Cost of living is significantly cheaper in a rural area than a city though.
30km, from Moscow, house120square meters and plot of land 1000 square meters. It will be cost ~ 300000$.And don't forget that Moscow Square is bigger than Tokyo