What the Richest Vacation Town in Japan is Like

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

Get Nebula using my link for 40% off the annual subscription go.nebula.tv/lifewhereimfrom. Special thanks to Alex from Tokyo Portfolio www.youtube.com/@TokyoPortfolio who got us access inside the homes. The only thing I think was missing from this video was being able to see inside some of the $5-$15 million homes. I know there's some pretty swanky stuff out there! Anyways, happy holidays everyone! - Greg

[@Japan_Changed_My_Life]

Bugs. Lots of bugs in the face and sometimes on the camera lens. That’s what I got from every shot walking and talking outside. No thanks!

[@typerightseesight]

I don't think I would feel out of place or uncomfortable but I would probably be a little paranoid about being assassinated. lol.

[@The_Modeling_Underdog]

Alex with Chris: "Let me show you some of the creepiest, tiniest apartments in Tokyo and its surroundings." Alex with Gregg: "Let's explore Nature and rich houses in Karuizawa!" Loved the video. Always a pleasure, mate.

[@Graywing]

Alex is the ultimate crossover Japan tuber.

[@RiskyStrats]

​@@user-vp5fm3yc2lit was interesting once but then it just kept happening. But it is interesting how different channels approach the same video concept

[@GlasbanGorm]

@@Bubblepoot His last name is Shepiro, and he's in real estate.

[@melg6834]

@@GlasbanGorm Aah, jeeeeeewww 🐷 should have known

[@DavidCruickshank]

@@GlasbanGorm You know two people can have the same last name without being related right? Ben and Alex shapiro have no relation to one another. And neither have any relation to Alex Shapiro, a composer.

[@TokyoPortfolio]

Wait a second, I've seen that guy before

[@dodgelightyear]

5:31 Ah, yes. The obligatory Alex Goes into an Empty Bath Tub scene

[@SuperZoomVideos]

Going to start a rumour that Alex is the puppet master behind all Japanese KZbinrs 😂

[@OctavianAsix]

W Mans

[@midnightgir6]

Will he be on Trash Taste next?

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

FYI, I posted the full tours of the 3 properties on my second channel kzbin.info/www/bejne/eobFdJ2ugqxshq8

[@gilgamoosh]

18:30 Chimney plugs/caps are a real thing, and it would probably have been more expensive to completely fill the chimney in with bricks as opposed to keeping the inside hollow, so my guess is that you could turn it into a usable chimney!

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

Ah, cool, thanks for letting me know!

[@user-no2mz9hl4f]

It seems so strange to have a chimney without a fireplace - that American style home was definitely odd!

[@saishowaguu2]

I actually closed on a place in Karuizawa (but i will not be putting up an American flag). It's in the Owner's Hill community and it's what I've always wanted. It's reneted out most of the year except for mid summer and the solnowy season in February. As for the "Gates House", I cant say if he actually owns it outright, but I can 100% confirm he's stayed there more than once.

[@thoptercrew]

I visited Karuizawa this year and it's a lovely area, but felt empty. Actually, the zone where these vacation homes are would make for the perfect set for a Silent Hill movie (a little mist and fog and you're sorted). The city centre is very nice though, with lots of sweets shops, bakeries and cafes. The onsen was great too! Top tip: If you like creepy stuff, do the Nakasendo trail Karuizawa-Kumano Kotai-Yokokawa where you can see some abandoned building projects, decrepit half-built homes, a run down bus and sales office falling apart in the middle of the mountain trail (bring the leeches spray)

[@TORTLESSS]

you spend time here when youre sick of people, so it does the job perfectly

[@heidiheida511]

I myself was a permanent resident in a rich people vacation resident area and it was very disturbing. The area became like that over times. During the weeks the area became unpopulated because all the owners only show up a few times during the year. The local shops had to close because there were not enough permanent residents left. The local government tried to react and sold plots cheaper to permanents. But not for long because rich foreigners tried to sue law cases because its "prefered treatment" of one specific group....

[@jsmith434w]

thanks for this fictional story

[@heidiheida511]

@@jsmith434w It is sad to believe that your life is that boring so you consider that daily story as fictional :-) But I think you do you - keep on going bud.

[@jsmith434w]

@@heidiheida511 sorry your life is so sad that every day you are under attack by the super rich elites who are targeting you and ruining your life

[@jsmith434w]

@@heidiheida511 careful, if Bill Gates sees you typing this, he will personally target you like he has before

[@wizirbyman]

omg this is where they had a season of terrace house and i always thought it was such an odd season because most of the cast still worked in tokyo so they would literally commute back and forth for hours lol

[@j134679]

its just about an hour which a lot of people already do

[@arcturionblade1077]

Karuizawa is considered the Poconos of Japan. It's a really nice area, been there a few times staying at Airbnbs with the missus and two pups. Personally though, we prefer the Yamanakako area. The lake is really nice and it feels a bit more homey there compared to Karuizawa.

[@kimberiysmarketstrategy]

Can US citizens buy homes with iintent to AirB&?

[@hakao5555]

Karuizawa also hosted Japan's first officially recognized international high school. I had accidentally flew a drone over the former emperor during his vacation. Needless to say the secret police and the imperial guard raid scared the hell out of me as a foreign high school student.

[@easterndundrey]

how did they track that drone back to you?

[@caloocanboy5800]

wahhh😅

[@perfectcellsucks6645]

@@easterndundreythey prolly watched it fly back to him. There are the secret police and imperial guard. They don’t play around when it comes to security.

[@phamhuynhquanghuy9537]

yeah yeah, shinzo abe@@perfectcellsucks6645

[@HK-wq1ei]

they let the former prime minister get assassinated so idk about that. @@perfectcellsucks6645

[@micahransomt]

I lived on the retreat center at 10:16 for three years. That’s actually an evangelical christian missionary campground and retreat center. My parents were there to attend a small language school for new missionaries. Union Church (filmed at 1:34) was still in use: I played the innkeeper in the nativity play :) The emperor came to play tennis across the street once; his entourage used the church parking lot and my friend got to help them park as the parking attendant that day.

[@steefen]

Nice to see so many videos lately. Thanks a lot for them! Also, unexpected to see Alex on this channel, nice surprise 😄

[@--Paws--]

The process of "shou sugi ban" has become popular for several years now, even in the US. The aesthetic of the black color and the treatment through burning is quite an interesting addition to building a house.

[@bn8535]

It is my mission in life to stop westerners saying shou sugi ban, it's called yaki sugi. No one in Japan has ever heard of shou sugi ban

[@paulccrimmins]

Aloha 🤙 from Honolulu! Thanks for another great video, Greg

[@GanonV]

You should have shown Meiji era houses like the one at 17:17 because victorian architecture is rarer in Japan and almost gone. I would love to be able to buy that in Japan.

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

Yeah, there were quite a few places I would have loved to get into, but there were only so many listings and owners that would let us film inside.

[@mediatransfers9927]

I live in Karuizawa (as one of the 20,000 permanent residents!) around the corner from that house and a few years ago go to know the new owners. A sad story. It had been terribly neglected and falling apart, and this retired couple bought it and spent a lot of time restoring it themselves, planning to move into it as their retirement home. However, the wife suddenly fell ill and passed away, and he couldn't bear to finish the job alone. It fell into disrepair again. We've lost track of the gentleman -- and he may have sold it as lately there has been a bit of new work done to it. Surprised that you didn't mention that John Lennon and Yoko Ono (and Sean) lived in Karuizawa for a time -- you didn't notice that almost all the shops play Beatles music as their in store BGM? 🙂

[@Blizzarkian]

That was great. Really enjoyed the cohost. I love your back and forth.

[@dvpablo]

Love to see more and more of your videos these days, happy holidays in Japan! 🎄🎄

[@jthomp72]

It feels like every Japanese based KZbinr that I know eventually crosses over with the others. Literally at some point I think I’ve seen some combination of everyone that I follow on each other’s channels

[@danielford6381]

Not a cross over I was expecting. Great video!

[@endangeredmarmot4518]

Interesting area. The western style homes have a sense of uncanny valley to them, in that they look like a North American home, but there are some subtle differences that just make it look a bit off. I wonder if it was the same in person?

[@yumiyuki5851]

It's not a western style house, in my eyes it's just a general Eastern wooden house. except for the American ones, the fireplaces and chimneys are not Eastern Home Style

[@MariaPetalcorin]

It’s the same in real life. You definitely feel something is a bit off. It’s like what Japanese people think an American house would be like. Some of them even come fully furnished and decorated, move in ready. But that for me was a negative, I wanted to pick things out myself.

[@davidgensemer502]

I'm so happy to see the crossover with Alex!

[@sophiaisabelle01]

We appreciate your dedication and hard work. Happy Holidays everyone.

[@Bulelengman]

Karuizawa in summer is very nice indeed, Waseda got a big property there with all the facilities and we really enjoy our summer camp there. But, the one surprising us is that our sensei have a vacation home there, my sensei was once an advisor to Japan PM and her husband is a neurosurgeon.

[@azabujuban-hito8085]

I have a vacation home in Yamagata area. It's a really great getaway spot to escape the intense humidity and heat of Tokyo during summer.

[@erawanpencil]

Imagine how much more humane American suburbs would be if you were required to build houses and streets around trees in a forest, not cutting them down. Every once in a while in the US you see a suburb built INTO a forest not ON it and it's unbelievable the feeling it evokes.

[@may.b.tomorrow]

crime rates are too high in USA, idk this will work on large scale

[@littlsuprstr]

The reality is that tree roots really mess with plumbing, foundations, drainage, etc. It means higher maintenance and vigilance. Unless they're rich Americans have no time or energy for that. We live in a frankly brutal society.

[@dovahbrewer]

@@littlsuprstrit’s lazy

[@Mark-OutWest]

That style of design doesn't maximize the developer's earnings. They like to shove as many houses as they can into a subdivision.

[@alexgravenor]

This kind of design is super expensive! Think about how much pavement, sewer line, electrical lines and such all have to run to just one user. It’s much better to build up as much as possible and preserve trees in common places

[@LARKXHIN]

"We will only let your dog into our shop if it's in a stroller." what a time to be alive.

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

You can check out all the dog stuff in Karuizawa here www.karuizawa-withdog.com/

[@rachelbaziak4159]

I love it! I take my old dog for a brief walk and he gets so tired so I put him in the stroller so I can enjoy my 2 mile walk knowing he is comfortable and he has a nice smile on his face , I think he likes it.

[@pastorjillk]

I can't quite put my finger on it but the American style houses. seem to have a surreal feel to them. Uncanny valley would be a good phrase to use.

[@Bionickpunk]

Yeah whats with the stair handles being cut off when they reach the ceiling? Also the doors are too narrow.

[@bluetrolli6983]

Same, it somewhat looks like its trying too much to be american that it looks kinda creepy in a way

[@SirTwitchy]

I really see alex on every channel these days😂, quality video

[@piainchina]

As a southern German I would call the first one a bargain😂. Housing prices are expensive here😢

[@sirBrouwer]

Me being Dutch also think that sure it's hefty but actual still affordable for what you get.

[@lukabozic5]

Never a boring video with Tokyo Portfolio in it!

[@ib8401]

Thanks for this video. Such a beautiful place. I feel relaxed just looking at it.

[@Masterrobsen]

i love the guidelines, especially for keeping as many trees as possible,..... should be used it in urban and other subaurban areas, so there will be much better air quality

[@danielfavini6154]

great video! just a side note though, the first house you're showing off (the yakisugi wall one) wasn't built by a japanese couple. my wife (who's japanese) and myself (swiss) designed and built it :) really enjoyed the tour though!

[@effiesunshine]

I knew Alex would be in here just from the title! Love Alex!

[@decemberclouds]

The outtakes on this are pretty fun! I'd love to try the world's best apple pie while walking around some luxury homes.

[@hope7317]

i love the small bloopers and extra bits you always include in your videos! you and akko trying the apple pies was such a silly and enjoyable addition

[@RyomaG]

Thank you for showing us such a beautiful place in Japan!

[@animal-lover--]

i had two senior dogs and towards the ends of their lives we got a stroller for them. it gave us so much more freedom because we could take them out for longer durations and we could take them to more places.

[@silviastanziola659]

Awesome to see you collaborate with Alex!

[@joshuainlondon]

I grew up going to Karuizawa every summer or even winter too sometimes but it's honestly the best getaway area from Tokyo if you love nature but also love high-end sophisticated places. It really isn't too appealing if you're just visiting Japan tho. It's less Japanese than other rural areas of Japan.

[@danieljiangg]

Wow Alex from Tokyo Portfolio! Will it be not long before we see Abroad in Japan collab here?

[@Ojitzo]

I think it already happened.

[@mohebbi71]

I can scarcely imagine anything worse than a company saying "hey everyone, we're going to a luxury fancy pants elite town this summer.... to work with views of other people having a good time" :D

[@j134679]

well, there's the being naked with your colleagues part in the tiny baths but then again that's normal there

[@sirmione905]

A lot of owners of small companies build a vacation home and register it as company’s property for employees. By doing this, they can cut a lot of tax but in most cases it’s only used by the owner and his/her family.

[@davidhill850]

I can think of nothing more Japanese than that really. Also "company retreat" seems a obvious tax write off.

[@gunjirox7485]

Funny to see these collaborations. Like you both

[@ibaibaiba]

I learned about Karuizawa from Ouran High School Host Club yearsss ago… and it’s quiet fascinating to see the real life version of it 😁

[@stanleygagner]

Same! It's been fun to learn more about it. It reminds me of the fancier suburbs where I live in the US.

[@littlelilacbunny]

Omg Loveee ouran host club high five so nice to meet a fellow fan 😍

[@drizzify7850]

My first experience paying to use the public toilets was in Venice Italy, definitely worth the price of 1 euro for a clean environment.

[@ricespuffs]

so my family owns a vacation home here, and apparently the emperor (then crown price) came to play tennis in our backyard, since it was one of the only ones built at the time! I love karuizawa, it’s a place of so many of my childhood memories :)

[@illletmyselfout.8516]

I went to the Prince outlet mall in July it was awesome for a mall. huge grass hills like a cross between a park and a mall

[@KyoushaPumpItUp]

This is the first time I've seen Tokyo Portfolio collabing with you. Collab with Chris Broad (Abroad in Japan) when?

[@Zach-oc4yh]

I used to live in saku (just one Shinkansen stop away) and while visiting a friend in Karuizawa multiple families of monkeys jumped down from their house and proceeded to cross the road right in front of me. This was the first time I had ever seen monkeys in the wild. It’s an awesome place.

[@JustifyLuck]

Actually the price of the property in Japan is quite cheap compared to the one with terrifying design in Taiwan. I have no idea why people would want to buy a house in Taiwan.

[@mikeymoose7253]

Alex really gets around 😂

[@trevorhinds5744]

Happy holidays to you and your family 👪

[@xlaurenisfine]

I remember this place from Terrace House! It looks so peaceful

[@yumiyuki5851]

😂😂😂 reminds me of Hana Kimura

[@etherdog]

Glad to know you are on Nebula, Greg! When did you join? I've been a subscriber since BC.

[@LifeWhereImFrom]

This spring!

[@Fryzzi]

@25:30 as someone who has an Apprenticeship as a Baker. If you don't get any Apples, no matter from which side you start, it's NOT the best or even a good Apple Pie.

[@moragodofthunder]

Happy to see this collab. Very fascinating subject, too.

[@kyawzinhein]

Hey Greg, what do you think of exploring regional dialects in Japan? I'm particularly interested in Fukui dialect but there's not much resources or content to watch.

[@kellybryson7754]

Happy bolidays from the USA

[@--Paws--]

4:10 Ryan Trahan just reviewed a camp/airbnb that looks exactly like this but it was in the US, in the eastcoast though.

[@sjorslindenbergh982]

So cool that you got Alex in the video! His channel and that of Enes Yilmazer are my real estate chillout channels.

[@panama-canada]

I'm loving it!

[@fabiorobertoferreira978]

Great place! Congratulations on the video.

[@maxime1776]

Hahaha I know Alex from Abroad in Japan. Happy to see a crossover episode 😆

[@tcsargea]

Very nice episode, Thankyou so much , I guess we aren’t all that different

[@olodesu]

>I've never seen anything of this quality >This is one of my favorite houses This guy says it every time. Watched a few of his videos. Typical real estate agent.

[@lemonrinds8296]

Haha, the American Style house reminded me of my Sims builds! Too many rooms, weird placement of furniture...

[@arceus54321]

great video greg. cool to see alex on this channel. also, that house looked very similar to my house in toronto

[@jomangeee9180]

Thank you really enjoyed that

[@Bloodworia]

I know this place from one of the Seasons of the Terrace House reality show. I also visited the soba restaurant of one of the contestants family once. Didn't realize where i was, seemed totally normal to me.

[@lisanaga9369]

Like a cross between Muskoka and Algonquin Park 😊

[@KuruGDI]

I can see why you would want to buy a western style house in Japan. Being that you want to live in a different style as a person who grew up in Japan or that you want to live in something familiar for people from abroad. However, I could not see myself buying a home in such an area and buying one that has a _traditional western style_. I would rather look out for one with a traditional Japanese interior and a modern construction.

[@chummychimchim]

I remember Karuizawa from Ouran High School Host Club.

[@KeroseneSkies]

WAIT WAIT only a million???? Where I live in Canada a bungalow can be easily a million dollars rn. Like bungalows over 50 years old are regularly selling for even around 2 million dollars. If a beautiful summer home in Japan is the same price, newer, and more beautiful, that's amazing.

[@jenssen97]

0:01 I am not richt. I am Richard.

[@Lucky14970]

AAALLLLLLEEEXXXX! I’m still waiting for you to finally bring to the public your “Patent pending points scale!” Yah know, the one you mentioned in the 430k ski cottage video… The one that was “hermetically sealed!”

[@DrAhzek]

I don't want to be mean and judge tastes but the first house he showed was something I see quite a lot among middle-class in Europe but with some more "tasteful" features that don't scream "Ikea showcase room". Like, I get the price for the neighbourhood and all but paying 800k USD for that seems like the same kind of insanity as buying a barrack in SF bay for 1mln$. I think there are better places to "dump" your money for second house.

[@speedycatz]

Agree. It is clean and neat, but for some reason, characterless.

[@j134679]

The people who own these would probably also have party houses within central Tokyo, which also sounds insane as they are literally relatively large residences built solely to host parties, but that's just how it is for those with money.

[@DrAhzek]

⁠@@j134679 I can understand such party homes in Tokyo. I dont approve but I get it. It makes some sense if you want to have a separate „funzone”. What I dont get is buying a place like this first house. Like, it isn’t tasteful, comfy or isolated enough to serve its role as a second house for anyone. You literally dont have a garden space or a solid terrace, just a massive slope. This alone is like a big no-no for any „summer retreat” regardless of how much money it costs.

[@tuh1cax]

Looks like West Vancouver, but way cheaper. Can't even get a 2br condo for that.

[@j134679]

it also has 2 train stations (one of which an express line stop) and expressway exits, so not really NIMBY enough to be West Vancouver level of puckered hemorrhoid butthole

[@Angie-lp2hk]

15:50 have those trees been bent just to provide shade for that house? lol

[@kamanama3671]

Low or no walls will also allow wildlife to pass

[@TPK846]

Beautiful and peace , i love Japan too.

[@TheJohn8765]

Nice to see Alex on ypur channel. When are you gping to do something with Chris Broad? You are both hq channels and you both have a real appreciation for Japan.

[@Jackthesmilingblack]

If you plan to buy a house in Japan, look for a "concrete" house. The usual timber-frame house is considered to have a life of some 30 years, so is discounted into the ground. The concrete house is similarly discounted, but has a far longer life. With low bank interest, buy-to-rent makes sense, however buy-to-renovate and sell-on doesn't. If you intend to drive out to Karuizawa from Tokyo, you need to pick your time carefully or you risk getting caught up in a monster traffic jam. So many Tokyoites drive out to the countryside in order to go shopping at the outlet mall. Go figure! So avoid peak times as the road from the highway exit gets super congested. Now there's out-of-control construction everywhere, which is essentially ruining the attraction of Karuizawa. So thanks a heap local government. Karuizawa is right on the border with Gunma where the cost of living is somewhat cheaper. Hint, hint. Oh, and in winter the temperature can drop to minus double-digit centigrade. However, there's plenty of free fire wood available for those with a wood-burning stove, a chainsaw and a pick-up truck. Some hopes for those candy-assed city snow flakes. With respect. Jack, the Japan Alps Brit

[@annedugan3161]

Fascinating video! Thank you for sharing this

[@joshwertheim]

here I am looking at *condos* and *townhomes* in the SF Bay Area that are minimum 800k to live in not-great areas, and it's possible to get that first one in Kuruizawa for around 800k? Dang.

[@DestinationJapan95]

Leave the US

[@j134679]

you'd have to consider wages as well

[@harvestmoon_autumnsky]

You're right. I live south of SF on the coast. 800,000 is a tiny, very old bungalow house in need of major major repairs. Most of my neighbors live in pretty nice home that cost well over 1.5 million. And they're not mansions, just nice houses. You could sell, and go buy a home in this beautiful Japanese landscape.

[@sirmione905]

Karuizawa is about 170km (105 miles) away from downtown Tokyo. You cannot buy the same home in Tokyo for the same price. Is it still difficult to find a decent home for $800,000 in the same distant area from downtown San Francisco, like in the east of Stockton?

[@joshwertheim]

@@sirmione905 except that Karuizawa is almost nothing like Stockton. It's probably closer to living in Tahoe or a similar built-up mountainous area in the Sierras. Like sure you could maybe find a place in Morgan Hill or Gilroy for 800k but how many interesting things are out there? Also, As Greg mentioned, public transportation is quick and makes Tokyo metro much more accessible. How long does public transit take between Gilroy or Stockton and SF? Certainly not under an hour. Even Caltrain on weekends only runs once an hour and between San Jose Diridon and SF it's a bit over an hour, not including door-to-door travel.

[@sydneyshinshi]

Looked a bit run down around there in places.

[@oiocha5706]

I'd love to see a video about Japan's high fertility 'miracle towns.' What is life like there? What lessons can the rest of Japan and maybe the world learn?

[@chummychimchim]

Your sister in law is adorable 🤗

[@yaraalzahrani278]

Where is Aiko?

[@dejhary8132]

It looks familiar where John Lennon and Yoko Ono lived or spent their summer.

[@gilagarden2535]

I hope someone will create an app for the rich where normal people can stay in these luxury homes provided you provide them with useful services to upkeep the homes. Like cleaning the house, yard, toilets, the pool for free, in return, you are allowed to stay in these otherwise vacant most of the year homes for free for a couple of weeks. That way, these homes won't go to waste.

[@tesskrit561]

Nope, as long as they have a huge abundat of money, they won't want it to happen even if you pay premium price for it.

[@mediatransfers9927]

Many, many of the places have separate caretaker homes -- which are awfully nice themselves -- that live there year-round to take care of the place, inside and out. You could get hired to do that and live there year round! I walk past the house at 8:18 almost everyday and you can see part of the caretaker's home tucked away behind the porch at the right of the main house.

[@Rose_Ou]

A 90m2 house + 550m2 land for 800K in such beautiful place is actually not very expensive.

[@Jackthesmilingblack]

If you are considering relocating to Karuizawa (KZ), you need to be aware of Mount Asama (2568m). Technically an active volcano, although the last serious eruption was back in 1783. Occasion it blows off some ash, which annoys those who have just hung out their washing, but hey a small price to pay for having a snow covered mountain view. Jack, ...

[@archiegoodwinjr]

Terrain and landscape appear superior but most architecture in Karuizawa (per interiors in this video) is disappointing. In US vacation enclaves this is usually the result of owners dictating what they like instead of allowing their designers to do their jobs. As for the giant house, exploitation and cheating are what such people do. Overall, I appreciate the narrator's urban design - oriented comments. Happy new year.

[@vegancatmom]

Zoning guidelines! Fascinating!

[@Ethorthehunter]

Great video. Looks like a very peaceful place to live. I like your analogy to a campsite, it looked like camping.

[@AThousandTales]

Hahahaha I was there just a month ago! (disclaimer: I'm not rich). Before I went, I spoke to a woman from Kyoto, who literally said to me: "Why would you go to Karuizawa? It's just a resort town??" when I told her where I was heading. xD

[@concanthandleme]

I worked at a pretty fancy kindergarten for a while and all the students said they came here for vacation

[@joshua_fry_speed9449]

That Franco-Japanese printmaker Paul Jacoulet lived in Karuizawa in the 1940s when it had just started being a leisure destination