What Happens to Your Japan House When You’re Not There
Free Japan Market Match Snapshot: see where & what you can buy ➡️ http://akiyahub.com/match
Are There Hidden Fees? ➡️ https://akiyahub.com/articles/are-there-hidden-fees-when-buying-an-akiya-in-japan
Does Owning Property Grant Residency? ➡️ https://akiyahub.com/articles/does-owning-property-grant-residency
Do I Need to be In Japan to Buy a House? ➡️ https://akiyahub.com/articles/do-i-need-to-be-in-japan-to-buy-a-house
Most foreign buyers don’t realize what actually happens to a house in Japan when it’s left empty.
In this video, a local property manager in Chiba shares the real risks of owning a home in Japan from overseas, including humidity damage, mold, pests, maintenance issues, and costly mistakes many owners only discover too late. You’ll learn what really happens when no one is checking on your property and how proper property management can protect your investment.
If you’re planning on buying a house in Japan, owning a vacation home, or managing property remotely, this is essential viewing before you commit.
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How I got here…
I’m Japanese, but for years I never invested in Japan. That all changed when I bought my first Akiya (vacant home). I was hooked, and soon started Post FI to help others do the same. In 18 months, I helped over 100 people successfully purchase a home in Japan and start living their dream! You can learn about their amazing journeys here on my channel. Now, I’ve co-founded and launched AkiyaHub to help thousands more.
The truth is, the window to buy these overlooked properties won’t stay open forever. Prices are still low, renovation support is still available, and more people are discovering the opportunity every day. That’s a recipe for rising demand and shrinking supply. I want to help as many people as possible who love Japan and want to be part of revitalizing it before this door closes.
In my experience, the hardest part is starting. While it’s 100% possible for anyone to own a home in Japan, navigating the process is anything but easy, even for locals!
That’s why I wanted to build AkiyaHub:
✅ A community-first platform where people who love Japan can connect, share, and learn together.
✅ All the tools and resources I wished existed when I was just getting started.
✅ The team & partners IN Japan to help make it happen regardless of where you are in the world.
I knew I couldn’t do this alone, so I’ve also worked hard on finding and bringing together an amazing group of individuals that form our team here in Japan. Their goal is to support you from your first search, to closing the deal, to hosting your first Japanese BBQ (which I hope to get an invite to 😀).
My goal?
Make buying a home in Japan the easiest part of your journey, so you can focus on what really matters: living your dream here.
To all my fellow Akiya Hunters:
Whether you’re searching for your forever home or your next investment, I would be honored to play a small part in your story.
Happy Hunting,
Shu
DISCLOSURE
I am not a financial advisor. This video and the ideas presented in it are for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as financial or legal advice. Please also note that the past performance indicated in the video does not guarantee future results.
00:00 Intro
03:27 Buying is only the beginning
06:29 Contractor vs Manager vs Owner
08:42 Why “I have a friend in Japan” is not enough
10:30 What actually goes wrong
14:12 Japan has different rules
15:51 What a property manager actually does
19:27 Fix and maintenance walkthrough
25:09 Outro
25 Comments
What’s scarier in an empty house: the humidity, the pests, or the repair bill you didn't see coming?
Free Japan Market Match Snapshot: see where & what you can buy ➡ http://akiyahub.com/match
The absolute worst situation is being an absentee landlord or having a house unoccupied. It always ends badly. Having a property manager is essential. Ask me how I know! 😂
A lot of those properties have to have 20 previous owners from foreigners buying it and then realizing it wasn't practical to own. I'm sure that is the business of it.
130,000 Japanese Yen equals
811.86 United States Dollar
Apr 29, 2:36 PM UTC gheez that's an extremely high water Bill 💸
In Japan, the "termite line" for common native species typically stops at [Hokkaido], though changing climates have shifted this boundary.
The Termite Distribution Boundary
For a buyer looking at Akiyas (vacant homes), the risk varies by latitude and species:
* Yamato Termites (Reticulitermes speratus): These are found throughout Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Their northern limit traditionally reaches southwestern [Hokkaido] (e.g., around Hakodate), but they are generally not established in the colder, central, or northernmost reaches of [Hokkaido].
* Iē Termites (Coptotermes formosanus): These are much more destructive but far more sensitive to cold. They are restricted to coastal areas south of the Kanto region (Tokyo and south) and warmer Pacific coastal zones. [1, 4, 5, 8]
* The "Cold Buffer": High-altitude regions in central Japan (like [Nagano's highlands] or the northern [Tohoku region] (Aomori, Akita) provide a natural deterrent due to prolonged freezing temperatures, which can be fatal to termite colonies if they cannot reach warmth. Southern Snowy Regions (The Intersection)
If you are looking for the intersection of "snowy" and "termite-safe," consider the "Snow Country" (Yukiguni) along the Sea of Japan coast:
* [Niigata] and [Toyama]: These regions experience massive snowfall but still host Yamato termites. While the cold slows them down, they can survive winter by nesting deep in the soil or within the heated structures of a home.
* Northern [Aomori]: These are the southernmost reaches where termite activity is significantly reduced by climate. They are the "safer" bet compared to central Honshu, though climate change is beginning to see incidents further north than before.
Key Risks for Akiyas
Because Akiyas are often uninhabited for years, they lack the artificial heating that might keep a colony alive in a cold snap, but they also lack the maintenance needed to stop leaks. Termites in Japan thrive on moisture; even in cold regions, a leaky roof or damp crawlspace is the primary driver of infestation. details on specific prefectures in the Tohoku region that balance heavy snow with lower pest risks?
Very informative and relevant information. I'm over 50, would love to give life to a home in a quiet area of Japan and live there full time with some travel. Just don't see a full time visa option if I am unable to work and have income to support myself. 3 months tourist visa is not my goal.
6,000 usd income. Not bad for a PT job.
What is the typical cost for having a property manager in Japan?
I somehow missed the price of the service. Do they discuss it somewhere in the video?
Love the no I-don’t-care time stamps only marking the intro and outro. xD
Long intro
Even with the attractive of Yen exchange rate, I would never buy a property that I can't manage myself. Common sense tells me no one cares more about your money but yourself.
Sugimoto sounds like a hard worker. Is she backed by a company? What happens if she is unable to do her job?
I'm not even finishing this video. Here we go again, every video is a commercial trying to sell you their services. smh I can already tell you the outcome of this video and I only watched 11 minutes of it. Shu is now marketing "management services". Gee, big surprise. /end sarcasm This is why I turned off notifications for this channel. I got sick and tired of watching commercials. It's not every single video, but very close to it. There's no "content" it's just advertising. Thumbs down.
A good thing about Japan is there aren't any squatters.
Nice scheme you've got going here.
Why would someone buy a property they can only live in for 3 months at a time maximum, perhaps 6 months at most if entering Japan as a non-resident, and also hire a property manager to manage the home for 12 months of the year? Make it make sense. If you could find a neighbor to walk in and through the place one time every couple weeks and pay that person ¥2,000 each time, that's only ¥4,000 per month. This woman in the video has so many places to "manage" that, as you say, if she can get to each one once a month that is a problem. Will such "managers" stop managing and getting paid for months you are there, then step in again as called to do so, or are they going to expect consistency, as in, "I'm the property manager for an entire year, or I'm not"? I can't imagine a manager having the kind of schedule I would want them to have – one where I'm not paying them to "manage" during months I am there – and being effective in managing very many properties.
Make it make sense for someone who doesn't want to throw money away.
When we installed our grass we had to run the sprinkler every day so the roots would take. We have a lot of grass… about 50 tsubo. The water company phoned and asked us about it. It was a brand new house so they wondered. It's good that they called to check. Japanese zoysia grass is very hardy so now I don't even water it… ever.
Loads of contractors in Japan definitely overcharge. I think a lot of the house repainting companies overcharge. They have to set up scaffolding all around your house etc. sure they clean the house and redo the caulking as well as painting but I can't get my head around the cost.
The siding on my house is fine. Nothing comes off when I wipe my hand on it. It's just some of the caulking has dried and needs to be redone. I can recaulk my house. It's easy. There are just a few parts of the second floor where I need a long ladder. I'm hoping to find a handyman who can do those few areas. My aim is to repaint the house in the next 5-10 years and not just because the caulking is drying.
Be careful with air conditioning as well. Don't just get the cheaper model from one shop because installation is where you can be overcharged. Air conditioning installers are contracted by the stores and can give crazy high estimates. I was choosing between Yamada Denki and BIC Camera. I had one guy estimate ¥130,000 just to install one air conditioner on the second floor. The other estimate was ¥60,000. Guess which guy I went with?
Hehe @weeding. Weeds grow so huge in Japan. I can't imagine a non-resident owner leaving their home to grow massive weeds while neighbouring homes are well kept. Services should take pictures to show clients "LOOK AT YOUR WEEDS!!!" so they'll pay for their trimming.
I had to turn my headphones around as the stereo sound is flipped left to right
such a contrast. If a little bat is the most shocking thing she has seen and requires a professional to remove then we dont have much to worry about!
Also amazed that someone would move in somewhere and not introduce themselves to the neighbours + provide contact details along with a small gift. 🙂
The bigger issue is whether the Japanese Government acknowledges that there are abudance of vacant and deteriorating houses..and allowing foreigners to purchase these houses, but there is no convenience of opening a bank account to manage payments for wifi usage, water or utility bills and other monthly bills and payments..that is the crucial question..having a property agent to manage the property can be essential but an ID would better suffice when determing the concept and design the houe or home owner has in mind..
Awesome
Awesome
Are the property managers licensed in Japan ?
What is the estimated cost of property manager for a single family ppty like this? It will be good for a foreign investor who is thinking to buy a ppty and not planning to stay there . Maybe 1-2 times a year? Also will you be able to cover ppty for Airbnb? From regulation to ppty mgmt.
Great video, many questions answered. I am going through renovations process now. It takes time and money. One thing I am going through now is coming up with enough cash to start renovations. Most contractors will not take CC. I like to use CC to earn airline points, but not always the case. Shu, could you do a video on shipping personal household items to your new home in Japan. I am in the process now but its taken some time and a few obstacles to overcome. I was not aware you need a Visa to ship to Japan even though I hold a US passport. This has set me back a few months.