Compact Single-Story House with Irori in Kumamoto
This compact single-story house, built in 1987 (Showa 62), offers a total floor area of approximately 13.5 tsubo (about 44.6 sqm) on a spacious 124 tsubo (about 410 sqm) lot. The interior features natural wood extensively used on walls, ceilings, and floors throughout. A standout feature is the raised tatami room (小上がりの和室) equipped with an irori (囲炉裏, sunken hearth) and a hibutana (火棚, a traditional shelf for the hearth), giving the home a charming vacation cottage-like atmosphere.
The property includes a terrace and has a 2DK layout. The land is large enough to potentially enjoy a vegetable garden if a well water system can be established.
However, several critical issues need attention. The registered land category for both the building site and the front road (a shared ownership among 20 individuals) remains classified as 'forest' (山林). The access easement road (承役地) is narrow and its pavement has significantly deteriorated. The shared well water system is currently unusable due to lack of maintenance and degradation, making the property unsuitable for residential use in its current state. Furthermore, inspection and repair of water supply and drainage pipes (for the bathtub and toilet), correction of the terrace floor's tilt, resolution of boundary steps for parking, and either repair of the shared well or new well drilling are all required.
