I WANTED to buy Two Traditional Akiya houses in a Japanese Countryside town - Houses under 10K USD

[@anitawilliams3678]

Hello Steven. I found your video by happy accident. To cut a long story short, I made it my mission to visit the second house in Kamiichi when I finally got back to Japan in April. I decided to bite the bullet and have signed the purchase contract. (To be finalized in December when I return.) Absolutely beautiful location and the house is beautiful, albeit needing a tonne of work. It will be my labour of love and a VERY long-term project! Thank you for the inspiration! :)

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Hi Anita, great to hear from you again! Yes it will be a long-term project & labour of love of course, but you have Kakimori-san in the neighbourhood who will be very helpful. I am not sure if you will be able to share your renovation story somewhere, but looking forward to your journey regardless.

[@Chiraii]

Please update us about your story !

[@crypticvega88]

How's it going?

[@tatianaabramovskaya8765]

It's been a year. Hope your work of love is progressing with the help of love. Question. How did you find the house? I've finally decided, trembling in fear, to look for my dream place in Japan. I'm obsessed with Japan, and am ready to brave all the natural disasters it comes with. BUT I'm a total newbie. Started to learn the language, but still a no-go for the Japanese sites. Is it better to come and explore in person? As I think many of the houses are just not listed. Any advice would be appreciated.

[@tatianaabramovskaya8765]

@@GoodOldHousesJapan It's been a year you posted this. Hope everything goes well for you and with your houses. Question. How to find a house? I've finally decided, trembling in fear, to look for my dream place in Japan. I'm obsessed with Japan, and am ready to brave all the natural disasters it comes with. BUT I'm a total newbie. Started to learn the language, but still a no-go for the Japanese sites. Is it better to come and explore in person? As I think many of the houses are just not listed. Any advice would be appreciated.

[@rogerdodger8415]

Having bought/renovated/rented/sold property for over fifty years, I can opine the following advice. Location is 90% of the decision to buy or not. The rest can be repaired or replaced. A poor location can never be improved. Next is to *never* pay what is asked. Make a list of the defects to show the seller along with your offer by writing instead of by phone or in person. (Gives them time to mull it over) Visit the property at night and on weekends, and if possible just talk to the neighbors. (they can often surprise you!) Finally, don't remodel in a way that best suits YOU, but rather is oriented towards a tenant. No expensive items (carpet, counters, fixtures, etc...) There's a lot, lot more, but that's a good start. Mosquitos!!!!! *YIKES!!!*

[@_nosso_]

I learnd more with your comment then most yt real estate gurus

[@rogerdodger8415]

@@_nosso_ Thanks! Renting out apartments is like tredding through a minefield. You're doing good for awhile until...one....small....misstep.

[@cber5077]

Totally agree, and these places don’t have any of your top 3 requirements (location).

[@neustron]

Thank you Roger 😊

[@bosquegracias]

Nice comment roger I can add that is important to look at enviroment for disasters/scenarios

[@nopefoh]

the first one has A LOT of potential. honestly that's the type of machiya i'd be looking for as a restoration project. i totally agree w/ your assessment of the second house. glad you're doing visits again Machiya-sama!

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you ラガス sama for the comment! They both do have potential! It was just so sad to see the town so dead...

[@Whimmery]

first house definitely has a lot of potential. second one seems scary in terms of needing a lot of fixing

[@AcidxAnarchy]

The second house would make a great passion project for someone just starting out who wants to be close to nature imo. It might need work but the price is great, and it has decent train station nearby.

[@radry100]

Restoring such a house would cost more than building a new modern house though. It's very like old, unatended houses like these are full of mold and rotten wood.

[@rsmith02]

@@radry100 New modern houses might be $200K or less but be made of cheap materials and have no character.

[@15751Chris]

Dear Lord if I saved up 10K it would be hard not to spend 3.5k of it on a Japan vacation real quick. Then I wouldn't have money for the house! Owning a house in Japan seems like a dream though.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

With the yen being so weak 3.5k really gets you a lot of things in Japan! evening the houses are getting cheaper to buy (with dollars).

[@user-gz4ve8mw9l]

Problem is Japan doesn't let foreigners stay in the country very long. Even if you could feasibly stay for 6 months a year as I believe you can if you buy property in Japan. It isn't realistic unless one could stay all year every year. Then you'd need to find a job in Japan which is definitely not easy for most outsiders or gaijin. I'm sure a lot more people would buy these and move to Japan if they were allowed to stay and work regardless. I know I would but I'm a tradesman in the USA so utterly unrealistic.

[@15751Chris]

@@user-gz4ve8mw9l I do have Butcher skills, my biggest hurdle would be getting my Japanese and Kanji to the level needed for whatever processing facility I would work at. But I can see myself working in Japan. I am trying to broaden my skills currently so I can have more options for work anywhere. I am going for 80 days here in February till May and I plan on getting my hands dirty somewhere along the way, I would love to go to Japan and cut real Wagyu.

[@dancostello6465]

@@user-gz4ve8mw9l get job in Pusan or take Hokkaido ferry every six months. Find some village house affordable there too.

[@novrinkov0053]

@@user-gz4ve8mw9l find job in japan is not hard it depends on your language skills many foreigner can't speak japanese and can't communicate with workpartner,that's only reason, not because of foreigner many south east asian and east asian working in japan,because they can speak japanese

[@teagueman100]

I love how the 'old school' train station looks so modern compared to any infrastructure here in country Australia lol

[@jesus.christis.lord.foreve899]

❤⚘

[@slashbashful6549]

I grew up in Aomori prefecture (foreigner). It's a dream to find this channel; words can't describe how badly I want to move back, and finding an older home to restore I feel would be a cherry on top. Stressful, but getting to know your home, the town, and its locals. I honestly can't think of a finer dream.

[@Mobik_]

Do it! I'd love to do the same and I have never visited Japan so far.

[@quetal5695]

I have traveled the countryside of Japan in end of autumn/beginning of winter (as a foreigner). I often stayed in old houses that have been restored and can now be rented as guest houses (they are cold in winter). As a foreigner I recommend to maybe try those guest houses before buying and see if it fits. In that one town I met an architect who also restores houses. He gave me a small tour and I was surprised at all the empty houses. Lots of people move to cities for there is hardly work to find in the countryside.

[@christopherbownes494]

Would be nice to not have to work. And merely live off the land you till. But there's no way taxes will allow that to happen.

[@BlackJesus8463]

They probably left because it got cold in the winter and that guy is just do it all over again.

[@waileasunsets]

Hi Steven...please be careful, both of these houses have some obvious challenges as others have commented. You will need to hire a very proactive team to find all the issues and plan for them. Do the planning so unexpected things are limited. When you do decide on your next one make sure to put everything you need in the contract to cover all the things that happened in your first project, especially requiring the continuous prosecution of the work, no splitting time with other projects that the contractor might have. Let me know if I can help you in any way.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Hi John, thanks for the heads up. No worries I am not buying the houses. A thorough inspection will be needed as you said. Really tempting to have a private project starting soon though...

[@Pressplay_Media_EU]

With the way these old japanese houses are built they are sturdy and you'd be talented if you could take one down yourself. there are no nails, which warp and rust, bend in the heat and cold over time, but interlocking grooves like a very complicated kind of lego.. more like a Jenga tower that won't fall over. The only thing I would do any work on is insulation, because they can get cold and hard to heat

[@eberbacher007]

I bet the huge boiler is because heating that thing is a nightmare, no insulation, I bet even with heating on full blast, a lot of it just escapes

[@DovidM]

There may be a lack of skilled labor in neighboring towns.

[@ShikokuFoodForest]

Hello, are you living in Japan? I’m Canadian and I bought a 70-year old house in southern Shikoku, Japan in 2015. My house was not as cheap as these Akiya, but much cheaper than a house in Canada of course. I’m finishing up renovations in preparation to sell. I’m in a city with a population of 250~300k.

[@devinhallsworth5531]

Seeing what you can buy in Japan for 4k actually makes me violently enraged at how absolutly screwed up the housing market is in Canada and how its impossible for first time home buyers to find anything that wont indebt them the rest of their lives.

[@shammydammy2610]

Akiya are so cheap because of population trends...loss of population and migration of rural population to urban centers. It's hardly a positive.

[@FoxyfloofJumps]

These places just need people who WANT isolation/quiet daily life. Lots of those here where I live.@@shammydammy2610

[@humushumus2219]

Well, these houses are basically glorofied sheds. If you are used to a modern house, this sure is prettier, but you'll be very uncomfortable in this drafty building. The housing market in the US is based on maximising bankers profitts. You should be angry.

[@HKim0072]

There are lots in the US that offer the same type of deals. But, they are in deserted rural areas.

[@lethfuil]

Akiyas are often cheap to buy, but those are then very expensive to renovate and you have to live in a very rural area, where you likely won't have a job. Just imagine you could buy a house in Canada for 4k. But you need at least 50k (if your really lucky and also can do a lot by yourself) to renovate it and also a couple of thousands to pay the taxes and fees, etc. Now you still have a relatively cheap house, for 60-80k. Great! But the house is in a village with an hour long drive to the next bigger town where you get work, if you're not picky, or got really lucky. Many houses in Japan are abandoned for a reason.

[@nickloong]

The first house is an ideal property for some DIY project. The bones of of the house looks good and all it needs is some sprucing up and some new stains for all the timber structures in the house. And that yellow green train was a beauty at the end of the vlog. Thanks for sharing my friend, glad you're posting again!

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you Nick! Both houses are quite nice and I'm sure they will both become interesting renovation projects. Glad you liked the end of the video as well.

[@chrispraz877]

I hope these Machiya-style houses are revered and preserved. They are beautiful.

[@ThorParker]

Even the rain in japan seems so polite

[@_H_2023]

I think I would personally ovoid both of them especially the second one. where there is give in the floor especially a wooden structure best leave alone, you can tighten a floor but difficult to do the whole structure. I would also reconsider living by the river, looks nice but you could have serious damp issues especially if the land lies low to the river ie rising damp for most of the year. As for the Japanese knotweed it's there for a reason 'moisture' another good reason why I would avoid those houses. The best method is the old fashioned way of finding a location by compass diameter and work out traveling time within 1/2hr from transport. That way you will get to see how many things it can offer within the circles radius. good luck.

[@microcolonel]

I think it's sad that so many good houses have been abandoned. I recognize the issues that are caused by weather for buildings in Japan, but not all of them are fifteen-year buildings. Thank you for the video. :+ )

[@BlackJesus8463]

Yeah I was wondering why people restore old houses that people don't expect to last more than 15 years.

[@jueviolegrace8827]

Obake(Ghost),Yokai, Kaiju,kappa, oni,akuma, etc are now residing the houses 😏

[@etaka]

I lived in Japan for 12 years. I lived in or near the countryside, so they were more traditional style homes, not the mass produced suburban type from the postwar period. They can be expected to last. Or at the worst, the framework or roof tiles will last, and the stucco over bamboo walls can be easily redone. One could remodel a house for about $60,000 US equivalent to a modern western style. I've seen a 400 year old home for sale (you will never have large twisted old growth open beams like that today) for about $100,000. I too was saddened by the way modern Japanese turn their backs on the old ways and traditional (more rural or island) towns. They want to live and work in Tokyo or one of the other 12 designated major cities. Public transportation and highways in Japan (including ferry boats) are generally very good, so even living an hour out of town is not that big a deal. Owning a car is not as necessary as in the US. I didn't own a car before getting married in Japan, and I drove only about once a month afterward, to visit the in laws with the grandchildren. Also, there is currently no solution for the declining birthrate as more young women enter the workforce, couples marry later, and have fewer children. By 2030, it is estimated that one third of all homes in Japan will be vacant or abandoned. Even in Tokyo, about 10% of homes are currently vacant or abandoned. Good news for renters and home buyers. And future college students. Even 20 years ago it was estimated that there would be a place for every aspiring college student (if they were not picky). There was no longer a need to be as competitive as in the past. Japanese TV shows featured how tough it was to enter national universities in S Korea, with children studying until 11 at night. Nowadays it's Chinese students who are going to incredible lengths to enter good universities.

[@alexanderrahl7034]

A couple years ago I was looking at properties in Japan on Zillow, and it was blowing my mind how many apartments I could find for $100 - $300 a month I was so taken aback my it that I kept telling myself "this can't be right. That can't be true, my math must be wrong." And after checking my math probably a dozen times over the course of the search, I wasn't. But being a foreigner, I've heard it can be a bit of a hassle getting a property over there lol

[@YJ-7]

It's IMPOSSIBLE if you don't have a Japanese friend. Even if you are able to pay the written price with no negotiations (they let you negotiate if listed as negotiable) or even if you pay extra. I don't know why since they are houses not apartments so you cannot disturb others with "foreign noises" or something haha. Ofc it would help if you wore a nice suit, learnt formal conversational Japanese, don't act like a monkey and show plenty of respect, they are more likely to work with you in that case.

[@viciouspillow]

Okay I see there’s a comment possibly but it is not showing up so i am sorry if I am repeating information but I would like to give my insight. I am traveling Japan right now and have been studying Japan for almost a year. This is no where close to being fluent but everyone that I have come into contact with or have talked to has been really nice and even have helped me more than what I ask for. So I believe that the people who are having a hard time finding jobs or housing is just because they don’t speak any japanese. I believe if you are at least N3 or N2 level you will not have a problem finding housing or jobs because you will be able to talk to everyone like you are Japanese. Sorry for the long post but I really wanted this to be known.

[@viciouspillow]

Also you need money

[@viciouspillow]

Also I could be entirely wrong so please feel free to share you experience

[@ajadrew]

I prefered the first house & I'm amazed at the low prices! But also sad to see so many of the old houses going to ruin.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

I think both houses have the potential to become something really nice... it's unfortunate that the neighbourhood was so dead. I'm sure more nicely renovated shops/houses would attract more people to do the same, but then it's kind of a first egg or first chicken question...

[@ajadrew]

@@GoodOldHousesJapan I appreciate the point!

[@Yquan151]

@@GoodOldHousesJapan on top of the house prices, there would be fees, right?

[@JamesHarris-rl5zj]

Thanks so much for another exceptionally well-done video. I hope to sell my properties here in America and retire to Japan sometime in the future. Having visited 39 countries, I find the Japanese culture and country to be by far the most amazing. I hope to retire to a small village and just spend my time helping everyone with their daily life.

[@TheSandwichTV]

You are a real one James

[@zoan23456]

Is it possible to retire in japan full time? If so what kind of visa allows it?

[@TraditionalJapaneseHouse]

You can do it, I have one here kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZDNYoRvlp2tebs

[@TraditionalJapaneseHouse]

@@zoan23456 We bought summer house in Japan also , we have a lot of friends there, we spent time over there every year. we still love it. We want to sell it because we getting old to travel anymore.

[@johnhickman2033]

I love that retro train even though it has leaky windows!

[@ericzhao5077]

If I move to Japan, I prefer to choose Shizuoka or Kanazawa prefecture to live. It's a small but beautiful city. Hope you are exploring more Machiya houses in those two towns or prefectures. LOL. Thank you for your videos!! Hope you doing well.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Hi Eric, I don't get to visit Shizuoka at all, but I'm sure there'll be more videos on Kanazawa & surrounding area in the future. Thanks for your comment!

[@dragons4thchild]

Shizuoka is a blast (so many craft beers is definitly a plus as German) but Kanazawa is a little bit too much rain for my taste. :)

[@ericzhao5077]

​@@dragons4thchild Right, Kanazawa is the rainiest city in Japan. But there has a beach mountain and a beautiful city!!

[@lisakimchis]

I grew up visiting Shizuoka every summer (family lives there). Beautiful place with picturesque views of Fuji-san.

[@namae6637]

The first one certainly seems to be a better deal, but I’d personally buy the second one. The way I see it, being surrounded by vacant houses means you have a good bit of privacy, nothing’s stopping you from just doing a bit of maintenance on the exteriors on your own if that pristine look is what you’re looking for, and if nothing else the land value alone on riverfront property in my country is higher, so if you look at it as you buying the plot with the intention of building your own holiday home or rental property it’s not that bad (from the perspective of someone in a country where riverfront property is highly sought after, I don’t know what Japan’s stance is.)

[@Vstrom650klr]

You have a RAT potential if living near empty houses unfortunately

[@biggs7109]

man ive been brainstorming on where i want to go for a while when my kids grow up i love videos like this thank you.

[@maggiemacaskill1037]

The second house would be a dream for me. I live in canada with my sons and pay that much in rent every four months 😢 I would leave this family's ancestor shrine up forever. I feel sad for the little old lady who used to live there I wonder what happened to her

[@jamesbennett3104]

I watched this entire video for nor real reason other than I've always been fascinated with Japan and the every day life of the Japanese people. I love America home architecture and seeing how Japanese people lay out their homes is interesting.

[@BlackJesus8463]

I liked the second house too! The peace and quiet of the abandon houses would be nice!

[@BrendonSmith-e9v]

I am 80 years old and have visited Japan four times for extended periods. I love your culture, history and life style. I would have loved to have purchased a Kyomachia and lived in it. Loved seeing your home.

[@sarathhettiarachchi282]

Mr.Steven , I must say that I am very much grateful to you for your fine video with balanced assessments covering vital facts. That smart river and the very beautiful picturesque environment of the 2 nd house is so wonderful. I, too, have some fear over the foundation of it. So, There's no doubt that wherever you go in japan, you find beauty. Even that kamiichi Railway station, an end station, so fine. Thanks a lot. You're doing a great job on behalf of many of us.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you for the kind words! Both houses now have a new owner and hopefully in a few years I will have an opportunity to follow up on the how they have been transformed :)

[@softypapa]

Your videos are always so interesting. Thank you.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you for watching as always! There are tons of interesting things to film but always not enough time to edit...

[@orphiastitt]

12:39 This neighbourhood looks abandoned but extremely beautiful

[@hang4963]

I am a repair handyman for the house inside out.Also Also, I am interesting, maybe? Buying a small little. Cottage for myself In the area.

[@ChristineExplores]

WOW Thank you for sharing these finds! I love looking at houses and these are really amazing! I would love to visit Japan someday.

[@tylergilliard2495]

Would love to invest in projects like this. Thanks for showing your process.

[@stevendunn2501]

Great music choices 👍🏾 Another great job at providing us with relevant info.

[@ronimiller397]

Thanx for taking the mask off . This sounds great , excited to see these houses.

[@sarathhettiarachchi282]

In searching for abandoned houses, .among all ,I found that your video clip is very much interesting and wonderful too

[@YaoiMastah]

Good thing I'm never offered to look at old houses, whenever I'm in Japan.. I would buy one (especially the 2nd looked lovely) in a heartbeat, and then spend too much on a contractor and architect to have it restored "Showa meets Ghibli".

[@mjmikaelson]

Thank you for sharing! Great video ✨😉👍

[@lkmayhew9390]

From California: Thank you so much for the video. The one thing is that I find myself trying to will the video camera to look up rather than down so much. Floors are somewhat interesting but, for me, I prefer to see the whole room, not so much the floor. 🥰🙏

[@morgan97475]

The houses reminded me of my grandparents place in Okinawa. It's lovely to see how clean Japan is.

[@avioracrown6967]

Yes, the only problem is Their mountain become illegal trashing grounds

[@GuncaFromlv]

I just discovered your channel and I am in love with the style of video make and just how informative it is! Keep it up, I am subbing!!

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you for the kind comment! Glad you enjoyed the videos :)

[@cindylong624]

When it is raining it is a good time to inspect the house from the inside and note the drainage

[@InternetXplorer]

I think the town is the issue. The station was so quiet. Need more people to move (back) into the area before you will see any capital gains. Of the two properties, I would choose the second one near the river. It might even be possible to buy the neighbouring houses and expand your plans!

[@staceyk.210]

I must admit the first home you viewed showed Great Potential I noticed the foundation was very low compared to must homes here in the US!! I love the open floor plan concept and the river seems to be a hugh plus for me!! I would prefer to live in the rural area versus the Big City 🏙️!! I believe most people moved out of the area/town because they choose the city life and what a Shame that is because this town could become a real gem 💎 if it had some Great Investors!! I truly enjoyed watching this video 🙏🏽 and Thanks for Sharing🧡🤍🎇🤍🧡

[@FoxyfloofJumps]

Those houses have potential. But they do need tons of work, probably about 50,000 USD to really update to modern standards for structure, amenities, and safety. The first house has probably sunk or settled over the decades due to groundwater being drawn out, allowing the soil to compact behind it.

[@kegman83]

As an American, it blows me away that that house is sold for that amount. If things were different, it could easily be a rental or AirBnB.

[@ericp1139]

They are so low because they are in ghost towns. Tourists will typically want to stay in the big cities; not an obscure, empty village.

[@systemchris]

The first one done a great job, and the tiles looked great

[@debbiecurtis4021]

It's a long drive from there to kyoto. Be careful in the rain. Some of the properties, if nicely renovated could make nice Air B&B for tourists. You could have rental bicycles for guests to use. Sadly I think the $4000 property would be better to be demolished. Then build a foundation a few feet higher, and rebuild the house on top saving much of the traditional materials.

[@dolphinboi-playmonsterranc9668]

I think having a nice house with a patio would be fun to live at. I enjoy watching rain, so having a nice place to sit and watch it would benefit me a lot. In fact, i love rain so much that I'm currently sick from going out in near freezing rain. Don't do that. 4:49 The Ultraman font!

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Do move to Hokuriku region (facing Japan sea)! That's where you get all the rain 😂 and spot on with the Ultraman font!

[@vagabondwastrel2361]

I would absolutely nope out of that second house just for the stairs. I could see myself slipping down them easily.

[@existinginaspace8347]

Just dropped by to say all the posters in the train station got me curious and I did end up watching Wolf Children. No regrets. Will probably go back to it a couple of times.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Haha thank you for this comment. I love that movie and watched it several times with my kids :) It gets aired on TV every now and then.

[@nikki_tay]

The first house reminded me of 'Memoirs of a Geisha' type house, the attic, even the view! This is great. Thank you for bringing attention to these subjects.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you for watching!

[@ingov8500]

Great video. Thanks for sharing them.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you and glad you enjoyed the video!

[@KF-qj2rn]

beautiful and much like WA state (US) in terms of weather.

[@RAZGR1Z]

I really enjoy videos like this. thank you.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you and glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Stainless_Steel_Rat.]

Being from the USA I love the atmosphere of the Japanese houses very fascinating lots of history. 10k is not much and I would easily spend that much for a house in Japan in decent condition. Good video I subscribed.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you Mike! Lots of houses like the ones in the video for under 20k~30k in the rural areas of Japan. Condition varies of course...😂

[@yami2227]

2nd house would be amazing if renovated, the entrance and outside are beautiful and the house as a whole on the outside would be beautiful if spruced up. The layout of the house, slightly bellow ground level, allows for any kind of interior design without breaking the aesthetic of the house on the outside.

[@yami2227]

the more I watch with the second house the more I want to just live in it and renovate it.

[@ETAD1K]

@@yami2227 Not before I do lol Imagine the winter with everything white and the garden I would build would be massive. As a builder it wouldn’t take me long I’d do it mostly myself. I’m dying inside

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

The 2nd house is definitely more special than the 1st one. I just hope the surrounding is more lively... maybe on a sunny day the atmosphere will feel completely different.

[@yami2227]

@@GoodOldHousesJapan the atmosphere is perfect but the water damage is there, it would take a lot of work but definitely a hidden gem. Also too bad that there are too many other abandoned houses around

[@ETAD1K]

@@yami2227 Water damage is easily fixed with waterproofing.

[@HANUMAN7454]

Damn those houses look so cozy. Especially on a rainy day. I would love to have one.

[@xiaoyi3847]

I think with proper restoration and investment, those two places will be really nice.

[@ericp1139]

You can restore the homes, but you can’t restore the decrepit neighborhood.

[@Abduckted]

You're the only person i know that gets two houses and still asks for money

[@user-w8jhtre23]

Vines are good isolators, in summer they are making the inside of the house cooler and in winter warmer. 23:28

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you I guess you are right! Never thought of it this way...

[@elsk1031]

日本に物件を買って自分が住む場合は日本の文化に適応できるかを事前に試してみる事をお勧めします。 日本社会は安全で親切ですが、同時にルールやマナーについても守らなければならない項目が沢山あります。 日本人は小さい頃から親や学校からこれらを学びながら育ちますが、他国で育って大人になってからこれらを習得するのはかなり難しいのではないかと想像します。 日本人は普段は静かで大人しく見えるかもしれませんがルールに従わない人や無礼な人に対してはとても冷酷になる場合があります。 無駄な衝突や後悔を避けるために事前に日本人をよく理解してくれる事を願っています。

[@nutzeeer]

Buying such a house as a young person seems like a dream come true. So much space to invite friends and do what you want!

[@radry100]

More like a nightmare unless you have unlimited funds. Don't waste your money on a ruin like this.

[@nutzeeer]

@@radry100 as if building new is cheaper

[@chrislaws4785]

God, it seems like these houses are MASSIVE for such a small price tag. I mean they would probably take a couple ten thousand of dollars to REALLY fix up and make it really nice. But once you did it would be a REALLY beautiful home.

[@tkt9009]

Good video and very detail. Thanks a lot

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you and glad you liked the video!

[@ETAD1K]

More videos love it glad I found the channel.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you and glad you liked the video!

[@ryosukereaper]

Very good quality video! I liked it.

[@robmarsh2217]

Nice vid , thanks for the view .

[@pickleman4876]

The second location has gorgeous details to it, but the bones of the house are rotting. The first is an ideal renovation project!!!

[@kattkatt744]

Not everybody are seeking a modern hotel experince. That is my guess for the high score. If you are looking for a true traditional experience this is a good place, so people who like that give it a high score. In the end star reviews are inadequate. Different people are looking for different things and those differences can only be taken into consideration with a more in depth description than you will get with a lonely number score.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Hi Katt, that is true. Still, the place was leaking and honestly a bit dirty here and there... traditional or modern is one thing but cleanness & safety of the place to me is first priority... that is why I find it a bit odd that so many people were satisfied with their stay. Maybe because the price was cheap enough to justify for the drawbacks?

[@NissanR33Ztune]

The reality is way different, live here in Japan for 4-5 years and you’ll quickly understand that’s it’s all smoke and mirrors. Unless your partner is a born western Japanese national that is fluent in Japanese or you Japanese is brilliant. There’s more issues then you could ever imagine. Also renovating a place like this will easily set you back 50-80,000 USD if you want to make it truly livable western wise.

[@vagabondwastrel2361]

Every place has it's issues. Right now the west is going through a fight for identity between self hating communists and those who just want their rights respected with the government upholding it's side of the civic agreement. My rose tinted glasses around Japan disappeared once I saw into it's legal system through media and cross referencing it to reality. The American legal system has it's issues but it is the one I would rather be held to. Far too many people don't understand the rights they have and the rights you wouldn't have elsewhere.

[@vagabondwastrel2361]

Also you would be shocked at how little some places need to be considered "western" a lot of those standards are a hindrance to freedom.

[@kiryukazuma6078]

@@vagabondwastrel2361 nigga it’s not that deep 💀

[@davidhill850]

I know I'm reading the comments here and laughing my ass off to these peoples delusions. I lived in Japan for 10 years and will probably retire there in 5-10 years. Nevertheless, they have no idea what they are getting into buying one of these "barns" out in the middle of nowhere Japan.

[@AdrienDesautels]

This is so sad. There are so many opportunities outside of the big cities. Wish people would bring their spirits outward and expand.

[@The_Gallowglass]

As long as the foundation and roof are good enough you can always fix it :)

[@nilnil8411]

It's sad to see such a beautiful Japanese town dying despite being well connected via railway, road connectivity. Japanese population is aging that can be reason.

[@dragons4thchild]

I just was in Toyama 3 weeks ago. It is really an intresting region.

[@ggcpres]

Yeah...being so far below street level with a river right there isn't wise. If you get a bad enough rain that river will run through your first floor.

[@shoiku4734]

Ohh! I am looking for something like this for under $10K. Old samurai house or olden days house. I know there are cons to buying such old houses, but I am still interested. The Machiya house looks better than other rental Japanese apartments I have seen on KZbin. I will try keeping as much of it as untouched as possible, just wipe the walls & floors clean. The tatami is well preserved. It would be a pity to renovate to modern furnishings. I just need to know 1) Whether anyone died in there 2) What is the reason that the house is empty, what happened.//Wow... Kamiichi is so 1980s.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Yes I agree Kamiichi is very 1980s...or 70s 60s. No one died in these houses. The owners just cannot take care of the houses anymore as they don't live in town anymore. The houses are slowly deteriorating without being taken care of for 10+ years. Such a shame but really nothing we can do with less and less population in Japan.

[@sindaquil_]

Amazing video👌🏼 . I'm surprised by the condition of the first house and how it did not have any leaks. I'm also sad for the town seeing many houses overgrown with vines I didn't know Japan had towns this empty in the countryside.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Yes the first house is in good hands now and I might be able to film the BEFORE and AFTER when it's done :) but also yes the dead quiet town is a bit depressing

[@ericmattinen4728]

Looking at the quality of the guest house, and the location, I think fixing the nearby Machiya up into a rental for travelers might be a good investment. If it works out, you can always buy some of the overgrown units nearby and fix them up for rentals. The first one is nice, lots of potential. I think I would buy them both for that good price.

[@guisteh11]

Not being connected to sewage is a big problem in my opinion. Not every tourist would like to squat over a hole.

[@manchagojohnsonmanchago6367]

@@guisteh11 no.. Most houses in japan use septic tanks even in cities this is normal.. Infact its normal in many countries..

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

@@guisteh11 I think sewage is close to the property and can be connected with a few thousand dollars!

[@bisharu]

いやいやー、ユーチューブは本当に最高ですねー。都市計画のマニアックの私は、伊勢に住んでた頃から「いつか、延び延びにぽつねんと一戸建てをリフォームしてー」とずっと思い込んでいたのですが、好良屋さんを見つけて可能性が急に閃きました。片言の日本語ですが、英語でも後ほど御社ホームページを通して連絡させて頂きます。Thanks for the realistic and practical content!

[@outofthefoxootf979]

Just wondering 11:24 is there a reason you shouldn't zoom in to the dolls?

[@wistara23]

Hi nice to see your tour, Iam working at Japan now and i am still far to reach akiya house but hope that day will be true

[@JulietGermanotta]

hello I just came across this video in this channel don't mean to be neurotic but let's be honest this KZbinr is quite handsome. 😘 Now that is done I know Japan is having a huge issue with population because people are dying more than they are having births. That's why there's so many cheap older homes, because the children or grandchildren that inherit them do not want to pay high property taxes on a second home. I like millions of other Americans would totally love to move to Japan and live in a smaller rural town . But if they're not going to make it easy to get citizenship or permanent residents I don't see the purpose and buying a home there

[@stopato5772]

I prefer the second house and to lift it to be near level with the road. it would allow an upgrade to the foundation and underfloor insulation.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Yes I think there will always be fear of flooding for the 2nd house...

[@Siro975]

amazing video, love it!

[@dixcreative]

A Facebook group or discord would be good. Easier to interact with your fans.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thanks for the suggestion. Not sure which is easier for people to join & participate but I am going to explore discord a bit more.

[@monochrome1219]

True. I feel sad to see many small town is dying slowly. I mean, people in my country will prefer to buy a house than apartment. So, there's a lot of development in rural area. And, I'm curious what potential do you see in this town?

[@jeremynathanael]

Man, if only foreigner can buy it and get visa/citizenship. House looks affordable and fun to work on. Just curious is it actually possible to rebuild a brand new house after buying the house? Or do you have to keep the japanese building style?

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Yes you can destroy the old house and build something new if you want. There might be restrictions depending on the area though.

[@_nosso_]

But isn't the problem with such houses that even after restoration that it still won't sell. Like I will give you an example: you buy an akiya or the other one for 10k you invest 10k to restorate the house your house is now 50k worth but the problem is that with time it loses it value because the young people of Japan move to the city for work etc. and you end up with a house without a buyer and in the end the house losses it's worth and you end with a house you can't get rid of. If I am wrong I would love someone to inlighten me.

[@nguyentieu5538]

Thank you so much for the clip. It’s motivative. Actually I’m living Toyama now. I was thinking of buy a second but I’m afraid of many things. Thanks to the clip, I will think more about my plan.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Thank you for the comment! Other than Kyoto I really like Toyama and think it has much more potential. Problem is the snow and rain of course 😅

[@smilingdog2219]

Thanks for the honest tour. In reply to the 4.5 stars, it is most likely these reviews were generated by a bias party invested in the property. Same reason Yelp here in the U.S. is an unreliable source for honest reviews. You seen it first hand and can come away with a more accurate assessment of the property. In my opinion, it didn't look terrible, but needed some rehab.

[@mikebolin3116]

Watching from the states I liked the first house.

[@GameCriticNoob]

I'd buy that second house in a heart beat. Even if it has problems the fact you get real estate by the river is insane.

[@RaynorTheOne]

Yeah good luck during floods

[@Vstrom650klr]

I do have a question do you still have to be a resident for 10 years in Japan before you can buy property in Japan? Or have thay finally changed that

[@みかんぱん-e2d]

The problem with old houses is earthquake resistance and insulation. Older homes may not be able to withstand large earthquakes.😅

[@ronimiller397]

Question: How on earth is there any heat in these homes? I’ve been a great love for Japanese history , architecture. Friend lived there and winter pictures were intense . How did they keep warm .

[@davidhill850]

You won't. You will freeze you ass off. I just got back from visiting my parent in law from Mie in December. That house was build in the early 80's and you freeze your ass off. No insulation, single pained windows, flimsy doors. These are several levels down on that. Japanese houses don't use central air systems like we do in the USA, every separate room may or may not have a dedicated wall mounted mini HVAC unit.

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Back in the days: Irori fire place Nowadays: Kotatsu 24-7

[@ronisworld2916]

1st one has A LOT of potential. 2nd has nice scenery but it's below the road. I want that inn your staying.

[@tempgirl00711]

Thanks for sharing but won't lie, everything looks depressing. I mean literally feel sad, watching entire vid. but do like your calm warm demeanor, it's pleasant.

[@krystiansieminski8060]

For that price, just do it, get it , a small remodel, better insulation, better heating, new bathroom, and done. Very good investment, the land and the woods structure is worth more than the prices asked.Do it.TH

[@to6941]

I enjoyed your video very much, I wouldn’t worry about the first house being too low, it’s doesn’t look like the foundations have sunk and this would never happen to the whole building. The second house was nice but I think perhaps it’s a little close to the river, especially if as you say that river regularly floods. The guest gets good reviews because people are just glad of a bed for the night and they recognise it’s barley hanging on and so they are reluctant to say anything negative.

[@NihazVIDZ]

Hi Steven, Are foreigners allowed to buy property in Japan ? If so, what is the minimum one can invest - if the property that you showed in this video can be utilized for travelers its could be worth in the long run. Appreciate if you could reply this msg., thanks in advance - By the way I subscribed on ur channel.

[@fireaza]

Of course! You don't even need to have permanent residency/citizenship status to buy property in Japan, let alone be denied because you're a foreigner!

[@GoodOldHousesJapan]

Hi thanks for the comment! Anyone can buy and own properties in Japan. And yes most properties you can use them as lodging for travelers.

[@nayumicraig5248]

I wonder if it would be worth "jacking up" the building that is close to the ground. I wonder if there are tradesmen who have the skills to do that there. Jacking up a home "one level" to make a house larger and even moving houses around town, or even barging them to locations far away is a common practice on the coast of BC Canada. I was also left to wonder. One house you mentioned was not connected to the Sewer. I take this to mean its on a private septic system? Lorne.