Retro-Style Single-Story Home with Private Onsen in Zao
This unique property, registered with the Zao Town Akiya Bank, is a charming single-story home built in 1974, offering a nostalgic Showa-era aesthetic combined with the rare luxury of a private hot spring. The house features a 2LDK layout with a total floor area of 75.35 sqm on a generous 294 sqm plot of land. The living area boasts high ceilings and a sense of openness, complete with a wet bar counter. The property is characterized by its distinctive red roof.
The home is equipped with an independent kitchen, shower, toilet, bath, and a bathroom with a window. Utilities include electricity, tap water, a septic tank, and propane gas. It contains a Japanese-style room, ample storage space, an independent washroom, a garden with a southern exposure, an L-shaped balcony, an indoor laundry area, and a void space (吹抜). A key feature is the three-sided natural lighting.
Critical notes from the agent specify additional mandatory payments to the villa management company upon purchase, separate from the 4 million yen property price. These include a 2 million yen hot spring facility and hot water supply burden fee, a 145,000 yen name transfer fee, and a 77,000 yen hot spring meter construction fee. Monthly fees consist of a basic management fee (including communal charges and 10 cubic meters of hot spring water) of 17,600 yen and a land management fee of 35 yen per square meter.
Located in the quiet residential area of Togatta Onsen in Zao Town, Miyagi Prefecture, the area is renowned for its therapeutic hot springs. A fascinating local fact is that the nearby Zao Mountain Range is famous for its "Snow Monsters" (Juhyo)—trees heavily coated with snow and ice that create a surreal winter landscape. The property is within a 15-minute walk from the Miyagi Kotsu Express Bus stop connecting to Sendai, placing you within easy reach of the majestic Zao Quasi-National Park, a major year-round tourist destination for hiking, skiing, and onsens.
