Invest in Japan’s Cultural Heritage:
How Foreign Buyers Can Transform
Abandoned Akiya Homes
into Profitable Ventures
As Japan’s population declines and properties go unclaimed, an emerging segment of buyers is seeking out
rural architecture in need of renovation.
There are about 8.5 million abandoned houses, or akiya, across Japan,
accounting for roughly 14% of the country’s housing stock.
This number is expected to rise as the population continues to shrink.
According to an article in NYT, Australian software developer Jaya Thursfield and his Japanese-born wife,
Chihiro, purchased an akiya for 3 million yen (about $23,000) after relocating from London to Japan.