Akiya Japan Library

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72 articles

Tsushima Island from the International Space Station — closer to South Korea than to the Japanese mainland, at the heart of all three proposed tunnel routes. Photo: NASA / ISS

Featured

Market Analysis · 8 min read · Audio

The Tunnel Japan Can't Quit — and What It Means for Kyushu Property

The Japan-Korea tunnel has resurfaced in headlines after a 2025 political scandal. Here's what it would actually mean for Kyushu property values — and what's already growing without it.

May 5, 2026

Exterior of a traditional Japanese wooden house in Wazuka, Kyoto — the kind of characterful property that performs well as minpaku accommodation. Photo: Pexels

New

Legal & Tax · 13 min read · Audio

Minpaku: The Airbnb-Style Law Changing Japan's Akiya Market

How Japan's 2018 minpaku law — and the 2025-2026 regulatory wave — is reshaping akiya demand, and why location now determines everything for investors.

May 4, 2026

Toyota Woven City aerial view at dusk — the Phase 1 prototype community in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, with Mount Fuji silhouette. Photo: Toyota Motor Corporation

Market Analysis · 14 min read · Audio

Where Japan Is Building Next: Projects That Could Reshape Property Values

From the $8.9 billion Osaka casino resort to TSMC factories doubling land prices in Kumamoto, Japan has major projects underway that foreign buyers should know about. Theme parks, airport expansions, shinkansen extensions, semiconductor hubs, and foreigner-friendly municipal programs — mapped against where to buy.

May 2, 2026

An abandoned property in Japan — the starting point for every serious akiya search. Photo: Unsplash

Practical Guide · 14 min read · Audio

Unlock Japan's Hidden Property Market: A Power User's Guide to Akiya Data

Five government databases, 1,000 municipal akiya banks, and a subsidy stack worth millions. Here's how to use all of it.

April 28, 2026

Tokyo Tower at dusk — Japan's property market continued rising through the 2026 oil crisis — Photo via Unsplash

Market Analysis · 6 min read · Audio

Same Crisis, Different Decade: How Japan Spent the Last 50 Years Preparing for Today's Oil Shock

What does daily life actually look like in Japan when oil prices spike back home? Lower mortgage rates, no car, better housing, and a country that spent 50 years preparing for exactly this.

April 25, 2026

Dotonbori at sunset, Osaka — the entertainment district that draws millions of visitors a year and anchors one of Japan's most active property markets. Photo: <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/28544608/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="underline">Lucas Costa / Pexels</a>

Market Analysis · 11 min read · Audio

Japan Property Market Report 2026: What International Buyers Need to Know

Japan property market 2026: 9 million vacant homes, 251,000+ listings, new foreign buyer rules, yen advantage, and regional snapshots for international buyers.

April 24, 2026

Himeji Castle (姫路城), Hyogo's UNESCO World Heritage landmark — Photo by Svetlana Gumerova on Unsplash

Regional Guide · 13 min read · Audio

Hyogo Beyond Kobe: Affordable Akiya in Japan's Most Underrated Prefecture

From the Tajima coast to the Harima plains, Hyogo has diverse geography, strong infrastructure, and akiya stock that rarely appears in English.

April 23, 2026

Practical Guide · 12 min read · Audio

How Japan's LINE App Can Help You Find and Renovate an Akiya

Discover how Japan's most popular messaging app is used by locals and agents for akiya deals, from finding listings to managing renovations remotely.

April 20, 2026

A traditional irori with iron kettle in a Japanese room with shoji screens — Wikimedia Commons

Renovation · 4 min read · Audio

Irori: The Heart of the Traditional Japanese Home and How to Restore One

Discover the history and cultural significance of the irori (囲炉裏) sunken hearth, and learn practical steps for restoring one in your akiya.

April 16, 2026

Traditional Gassho-Zukuri farmhouse in Shirakawa-go — Photo by M K. on Pexels

Buying Guide · 13 min read · Audio

How to Buy an Abandoned House in Japan: Complete Guide

Buying an abandoned house in Japan is accessible for all foreigners. Costs, process, risks, and the best regions covered in this complete step-by-step guide.

April 14, 2026

Buying Guide · 13 min read · Audio

Akiya for Business: Turning Abandoned Houses into Guesthouses and Cafés

The minpaku law, fire code requirements, business registration, and visa rules for foreigners turning akiya into guesthouses and cafés.

April 12, 2026

A Japanese ambulance from the Kumamoto City Fire Department. Photo: KUPS39M / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

guides · 11 min read · Audio

How Far to the Hospital? Accessing Healthcare in Japan as a Non-Japanese Speaker

You found a beautiful akiya in a rural village — but how do you find out if the nearest hospital is 10 minutes away or 90, when you cannot read Japanese? A practical guide for non-Japanese speakers: how to research healthcare access using English-language tools, what distances are acceptable, and the right questions to ask before you commit.