Traditional Carpenter-Built Home in Kaminoseki, Yamaguchi
This property is a vacant house located in the town of Kaminoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, on a peninsula jutting into the Seto Inland Sea. It was originally built by the seller's grandfather, who was a master carpenter (miyadaiku) specializing in temple and shrine construction. The home was constructed using traditional wooden joinery techniques (kigumi kenchiku), a method that relies on interlocking wood rather than metal fasteners. The seller notes that despite its age, the house shows minimal signs of distortion, which they attribute to the large beams used in its construction. The roof tiles have been replaced, and there are no leaks. A former shop section of the building was recently demolished, resulting in 63 square meters of cleared land that could serve as a parking area or a sunny garden for growing vegetables and flowers.
The property sits within a network of narrow lanes typical of the Seto Inland Sea region. While many surrounding homes lack parking, this house has space for two cars, and the road allows vehicle access to the front of the building. Public water is connected, while there is no sewer system; the toilet is a pit latrine (kumitori-shiki), though a town subsidy is available for conversion to flush. Drainage from the kitchen and washroom flows into a ditch on the front road. Propane gas is used. Cable internet (K-Vision, 15 Mbps to 1 Gbps) is available for a monthly fee of 5,610 yen. The property is located outside a city planning area, with no specified building coverage or floor area ratios. Property tax is currently exempt. The seller acquired the property through inheritance and has no plans to live there, as their own residence is in another prefecture.
The town of Kaminoseki is known for its scenic coastal setting, with the sea in front and mountains behind. The Kaminoseki Straits are a short walk away. The Kaminoseki Michi-no-Eki (roadside station), which includes a ferry terminal for nearby islands and a bus stop for JR Yanai Station, is a two-minute walk from the house. The natural hot spring facility "Hatoko no Yu" is a five-minute walk away, with a discounted rate of 300 yen for senior residents. The property itself does not have a sea view, as it is set back from the coast. Access is via a 44-minute bus ride or 26-minute drive from JR Yanai Station on the Sanyo Main Line, or a one-hour and six-minute drive from Tokuyama Station on the Sanyo Shinkansen line.