You Searched For "akiya" and got 19 results
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2 mins read
Japan has a glut of 8.5 million akiya, empty 'ghost houses' left to rot. Now Airbnb wants to fill them with tourists.
Airbnb says it wants to partner with local governments to incentivize homeowners to renovate and tu…
Matthew Loh
12 mins read
Japan is trying to lure people into rural areas by selling $500 homes, but it's not enough to fix the country's 'ghost town' problem
There are more than eight million abandoned homes throughout rural Japan's 'ghost villages,' and ex…
Lina Batarags,Cheryl Teh
2 mins read
Japan's glut of abandoned, derelict homes created so many eyesores and safety hazards it's making the property market bleed billions
Japan's empty houses have damaged the prices of homes near them and caused a $25 billion loss in ju…
Aditi Bharade
4 mins read
Why Japan has more than 8 million cheap abandoned houses that people are renovating into dream homes
Blame a shrinking population, a push into cities, and a lack of DIY culture. All are reasons so man…
Amanda Goh,Jordan Pandy,Cheryl Teh
3 mins read
People are buying cheap, abandoned homes in Japan and living their dreams free of financial burden
Foreigners see Japan's empty houses as a way to be homeowners for as little as $23,000. Moving ther…
Jordan Pandy
7 mins read
They gave up big city life to buy an abandoned $10,000 house in Japan and renovate it. They say they'll never take on a project like that again.
"There are no shops at all, no convenience store, nothing — except about 30 potters that stil…
Amanda Goh
6 mins read
I bought a house in Japan for less than $45,000. I live in the peaceful countryside close to every convenience, and everything's cheaper here.
Ned Watson bought an abandoned Japanese home, known as an akiya, in 2019. It's brought him tranquil…
Jordan Pandy
2 mins read
How to buy one of those cheap, abandoned houses in Japan, according to a Canadian dad of 2 who did it
"I spent I don't know how many hours just daydreaming of living in Japan and purchasing one of thes…
Amanda Goh
7 mins read
A millennial dad of 2 bought an abandoned home in Japan for $23,600. He says restoring it is easier than expected.
Eric McAskill says he hasn't been to the grocery store in two weeks because his neighbors have been…
Amanda Goh
4 mins read
Millennials are buying old, cheap houses to get on the property ladder. Here's how they brought 4 run-down properties back to life.
These millennials got on the property ladder by buying cheap, older houses that needed a lot of res…
Kiera Fields,Zoe Rosenberg,Jack Sommers
4 mins read
A Swedish millennial bought one of Japan's famously cheap abandoned houses. Here's how he turned the 100-year-old property into a luxury Airbnb.
This 30-year-old Swedish model moved to Tokyo and started buying and renovating "akiya" — che…
Julian Ryall
3 mins read
Japan has millions of cheap abandoned homes. Here's what to know before you buy one.
Government subsidies and low costs are attracting foreigners, but buyers should be aware of potenti…
Kylie Kirschner
2 mins read
Want a fixer-upper in Japan? You could nab one of millions of country houses for sale for just $25,000.
Japan has as many as 11 million unoccupied homes. They're being sold and auctioned off for cheap in…
Eliza Relman
5 mins read
An American couple left their rent-free life in Mexico and moved to a $7,500 abandoned home in Japan: 'We feel overwhelmingly welcome'
A couple lived rent-free in Mexico for over a year before traveling to Japan and buying an abandon…
Julian Ryall
6 mins read
We couldn't imagine starting a family cramped inside a city apartment, so we moved to the Japanese countryside instead
After relocating to a rural island in Japan, Tom Miyagawa Coulton and his wife now run an English t…
Tom Miyagawa Coulton
3 mins read
There are more than 8 million empty homes in rural Japan, and local governments are selling them for as little as $500 in a bid to lure residents
In Japan, local authorities are giving away renovation subsidies to incentivize people to move into…
Cheryl Teh
2 mins read
Tired of sky-high rents? One Japanese company is offering up multi-story coastal homes an hour from Tokyo for less than $200 a month.
The rental rates are being offered by a company that is hiring people to live in and review their r…
Cheryl Teh
2 mins read
Millions of Japanese homes are abandoned, and owners are giving them away for free
Many of the homes are dilapidated - a product of the shoddy construction methods used during the po…
Aria Bendix
10 mins read
Japan's ghost town problem, the bleak reality of 'Squid Game,' and how Vietnam destroyed its last paradise: our most popular stories from Asia
Insider launched its first Asia bureau one year ago. Here are 16 of the most popular stories from o…