Japan Property Articles & Guides

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

Yoshida Hospital, Hirakata, Osaka — Photo: Nisiguti, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

New

guides · 10 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.

April 12, 2026

Street in Shizuoka with Mount Fuji in the background. Photo: Pexels

New

Regional Guide · 7 min read · Audio

Shizuoka's Secret: Hot Springs, Mt. Fuji Views, and Underpriced Akiya

Sandwiched between Tokyo and Nagoya with bullet train access, Shizuoka offers climate, scenery, and property prices that most foreign buyers overlook.

April 7, 2026

Traditional wooden houses in Narai-juku, Japan

guides · 6 min read · Audio

Japan's Abandoned Houses: A Complete Guide for Foreign Buyers

Looking for abandoned homes for sale in Japan? Browse 1,000,000+ akiya listings across all 47 prefectures, with real prices, hidden costs, and a step-by-step guide for foreign buyers.

April 5, 2026

Practical Guide · 5 min read · Audio

Renovation Reality: What ¥5 Million Actually Gets You in Japan

Real renovation budgets from real projects. We break down costs for kitchens, bathrooms, roofing, and structural work so you can plan with confidence.

April 3, 2026

Practical Guide · 9 min read · Audio

From Akiya to Airbnb: How Our Layer Feature Reveals Minpaku Potential

Use our interactive map layers to find akiya with high short-term rental potential — see minpaku zones, transit access, and hazard data at a glance.

April 3, 2026

Culture · 14 min read · Audio

Understanding Kominka: When an Akiya Is Actually a Cultural Treasure

What separates a genuine kominka from an ordinary akiya — traditional joinery, cultural registration, renovation economics, and the growing movement to save Japan's architectural heritage.

April 2, 2026

A quiet street in rural Japan. Photo: Ben George / Unsplash

Practical Guide · 6 min read · Audio

Building a Life in Japan Around Your Visa: A Property Buyer's Guide

Buying an akiya is the easy part. Living in it legally is where it gets complicated. A practical guide to the visa strategies real buyers use — from 90-day rotations to business manager visas to the digital nomad option.

April 2, 2026

Regional Guide · 6 min read · Audio

Osaka's Akiya Opportunity: Urban Convenience at Countryside Prices

Japan's second city has akiya stock that rivals rural prefectures on price but offers world-class infrastructure. A deep look at the Osaka market.

March 31, 2026

Tokyo skyline — international search interest in Japanese property has surged across all major markets in Q1 2026.

Market Analysis · 5 min read · Audio

Global Search for Japanese Property Surges: UK +57%, Canada +62%, USA +38%

Six months of search data from 317,000+ listings reveal a global acceleration in demand for Japanese real estate. Canada and the UK are growing fastest, but Southeast Asia is the emerging story.

March 30, 2026

Practical Guide

Practical Guide · 1 min read · Audio

How to Request More Properties in Any Area of Japan

Can't find enough listings in your target area? Akiya Japan's Coverage Request feature lets you tell us exactly where you want more properties — and we'll go find them.

March 28, 2026