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Regional Guide

9 articles

A surfer walks along the Shonan coast with Mount Fuji in the background

Featured

Regional Guide · 10 min read · Audio

Japan's Best Coastal and Surfing Towns: A Buyer's Guide to Life by the Waves

From Olympic surf venues in Chiba to palm-lined breaks in Miyazaki, Japan's Pacific coast offers world-class waves, affordable coastal living, and a growing community of surfers turning beach towns into permanent homes.

May 13, 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

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

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

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

Regional Guide · 11 min read · Audio

Nagano's Akiya Boom: Ski Town Properties the World Hasn't Discovered Yet

Hakuba and Nozawa get the headlines, but smaller Nagano towns like Madarao, Yamanouchi, and Iiyama offer similar mountain access at a fraction of the price.

March 26, 2026

Regional Guide · 11 min read · Audio

Kanagawa: Beach Towns and Mountain Retreats Within Tokyo's Reach

Hayama, Miura, Hakone, and Yugawara — Kanagawa's akiya market offers lifestyle properties with ocean views and onsen access, all less than 90 minutes from central Tokyo.

March 25, 2026

Regional Guide · 17 min read · Audio

Snow Country Living: Your Guide to Akiya in Japan's Ski and Onsen Regions

From Niigata to Hokkaido — where to find affordable snow country akiya near ski resorts and onsen, what they cost, and what winter ownership really involves.

March 13, 2026

Regional Guide · 5 min read · Audio

Buying Property Near Unazuki Onsen: A Guide to Kurobe, Toyama

Kurobe sits at the gateway to Unazuki Onsen and the Kurobe Gorge — two hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen, with property from ¥100,000. Here is what buyers need to know about this onsen town in Toyama Prefecture.

March 11, 2026

Regional Guide · 14 min read · Audio

Niigata: Japan's Snow Capital Has the Cheapest Akiya You'll Find Near a Bullet Train

78,000 vacant houses, ¥1M akiya near ski resorts, and a 90-minute bullet train to Tokyo — Niigata's snow country is Japan's best-kept property secret.

February 25, 2026

Regional Guide · 16 min read · Audio

Why Chiba Is Japan Most Saved Prefecture for Foreign Property Buyers

Chiba dominates saved properties on Akiya Japan yet has virtually zero English-language coverage. We dig into the data to show why savvy buyers are looking east of Tokyo.

February 24, 2026

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