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Free guides to buying and owning a home in Japan: rules, costs, akiya, regions and living here. Researched from official sources.
Japan has 9 million empty homes, and some sell for less than a car. Our akiya guides explain where these houses come from, how akiya banks work, what renovation really costs, and how to tell a hidden gem from a money pit.
How to buy property in Japan as a foreigner: the rules, the step-by-step process, costs and taxes, and what changed in 2026.
What life in Japan is really like once you have the keys: city and country living, the seasons, safety, cost of living, visas and settling into a new community. Written by people who live here, for anyone imagining their own life in Japan.
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