Historic Property with Traditional Earthen Floor Space in Okayama's Coastal Region
This unique property is located in Kasaoka City, in the southwestern part of Okayama Prefecture. It is a traditional wooden single-story house built before the Taisho era (pre-1912), situated on a vast plot of approximately 929 square meters. The building itself offers over 104 square meters of living space with a 4DK layout. The most distinctive feature is the spacious earthen floor area (doma), measuring roughly 6 by 3 meters, which presents significant potential for creative use as an atelier, workshop, or could be converted for retail purposes.
According to the agent's notes, the property has been passed down through generations of the owner's family and holds sentimental value, but has become vacant due to relocation. The overall condition requires substantial renovation for immediate habitation. The water supply previously relied on well water, but this is no longer functional. The property includes a traditional Goemon-buro (iron bathtub), but it is currently broken. A separate guest house (hanare) stands across a courtyard from the main building; however, its walls and pillars have significantly deteriorated, making restoration challenging. The owner is open to negotiation on the sale price.
The location offers a quiet and settled atmosphere, yet is conveniently close to shops and public facilities. It is about a 15-minute drive from JR Sanyo Main Line's Kasaoka Station and a 5-minute walk from the nearest bus stop, Nagiri. The area provides excellent access to the scenic Kasaoka Islands in the Seto Inland Sea, with ferry terminals just a 10-15 minute drive away, perfect for taking a bicycle over for island cycling tours. An interesting local fact is that Kasaoka is known for its efforts in stork conservation, successfully reintroducing the Oriental white stork to the wild. The closest major landmark is the beautiful Seto Inland Sea National Park, renowned for its coastal scenery and island clusters.
