mokomoko.japan

Comment POD for a link to the full video! Japanese real estate is all about tempering your expectations. Before buying a home in Japan, it helps to visit the area you are interested in, walk the streets, and get a real feel for the neighborhood. You can research online, browse listings, and even view some properties on your own, but there is a point where having someone on the ground becomes extremely important. From local communication to property access, negotiation, paperwork, and understanding the process, buying in Japan can get complicated quickly. That is why narrowing your location and getting the right support makes the entire process much smoother. #akiya #buyhouseinjapan #japanrealestate #japanproperty #japanhomes

Comment LIST and we’ll send you some of our favorite homes in Japan. This home in Nara Prefecture is listed for under $40,000. It has four bedrooms, sits between Nara and Osaka, and is less than half a mile from a JR train station, making it easy to get around without a car. You get access to Osaka, Nara’s famous deer, Kansai food, mountain views, and a quieter lifestyle outside the city. And yes, foreigners can own the home and land in Japan without needing a visa. For anyone looking for an affordable vacation home in Japan, this is the kind of location that makes a lot of sense. #nara #osaka #buyhouseinjapan #japanrealestate #japanhomes

Comment LIST for a link to our favorite properties, including this one! This $50,000 home near Tokyo had a Mount Fuji view that wasn’t even advertised. We viewed it in Hachioji, about an hour west of central Tokyo by express train. The condition was better than expected, with some renovations already done, and the huge windows looking toward Fuji were the best part. For the price, location, and view, this is why looking just outside major cities in Japan can make a lot of sense. #hachioji #tokyorealestate #buyhouseinjapan #japanrealestate #japanhomes

Comment LIST and I’ll send you our favorite countryside homes in Japan. Rural Japan is nothing like Tokyo. The communities are smaller, everyone knows each other, and life moves much slower. You will also notice fewer foreigners, an older population, and fewer young families. It is not for everyone, but if you have visited Japan a few times and are thinking about a vacation home, countryside areas within 1 to 2 hours of a city can be a great place to look. #ruraljapan #inaka #japanlife #buyhouseinjapan #akiya

One of the biggest questions with Japan’s business manager visa is what happens after the first year. From what immigration attorneys are seeing, renewals are usually handled case by case, but the main thing Japan wants to see is that your business is real and operating properly. That means: • Paying taxes • Keeping the company active • Maintaining assets or investment • Potentially employing staff Property ownership alone does not get you residency, but building a legitimate business in Japan can create a long term path. #businessmanagervisa #japanvisa #moveToJapan #japanbusiness #japanlife

Renting in Japan as a foreigner can honestly be one of the most difficult parts of moving here. A lot of people assume having enough money solves the problem, but in Japan the bigger factor is often trust and familiarity. Many rentals have restrictions around foreign tenants, language ability, or communication concerns, even if you are willing to pay larger deposits and fees upfront. That is why the process can become a numbers game. In this case, nearly 50 different apartments were reviewed before finally finding a solution. What ultimately helped was having someone local with the right connections step in and work directly with a management company that was comfortable handling the arrangement. That relationship and representation made the difference. It is a good example of how important having the right people around you can be when navigating housing in Japan. At AkiyaMart, we help buyers and renters understand these realities ahead of time so they can approach the process properly. #japanlife #rentinjapan #moveToJapan #japanrealestate #akiya

The business manager visa process in Japan can be a lot more complicated than people expect, especially when it comes to the setup requirements. One of the biggest hurdles is that you typically need things like a business plan, office space, and banking setup before fully establishing yourself. In some cases, there are provisional pathways that give you a short window to enter Japan and complete those steps after arrival. But that creates another challenge. Many banks want proof of longer term residency before opening an account, while the visa itself expects you to already have certain parts of the business operational. That disconnect is where a lot of applicants run into frustration. It is not necessarily impossible, but it does mean navigating a system where different requirements do not always line up perfectly. That is why patience and proper planning become critical during the process. For many people moving to Japan long term, understanding these realities early makes a huge difference in setting expectations properly. At AkiyaMart, we often talk with buyers and business owners navigating both the property side and the logistics of establishing themselves in Japan. #japanvisa #businessmanagervisa #moveToJapan #japanlife #japanbusiness

Comment LIST for a link to some of our favourite properties on our website! Everyone’s reaction when they realize Japan still has affordable homes sitting all across the country 😭🇯🇵 It starts as a joke scrolling through cheap houses in Japan… and then suddenly you’re comparing ski towns, beach areas, countryside homes, and Tokyo suburbs at 2am. Japan has millions of vacant homes known as akiya, and while many need renovations, some of them are in incredible locations that would cost a fortune elsewhere. That’s why more foreigners are starting to pay attention to the Japan real estate market. At AkiyaMart, we help buyers go from casually browsing to actually understanding how to purchase property in Japan. #akiya #cheaphousesjapan #buyhouseinjapan #japanrealestate #japanhomes

Comment JAPAN and we’ll send you our full guide on what to look for before buying. We’ve purchased six homes in Japan over the past two years, and there are a few red flags that can save you a lot of money and stress if you catch them early. First, check for water damage on ceilings and around the roof. Roof repairs on older homes can get expensive very quickly, and signs of leaks are something you never want to ignore. Second, avoid homes with a pit toilet unless you are prepared for major upgrades. Installing a modern toilet system can cost far more than most buyers expect. And third, always verify whether the property is freehold or leasehold. With a freehold property, you own the land outright. Leasehold means you are effectively renting the land beneath the home, and that can create long term complications. A surprising number of listings on the market are leasehold, so it is important to double check before committing. Cheap homes in Japan can absolutely be worth it, but knowing what to avoid is just as important as knowing what to buy. At AkiyaMart, we help buyers understand these details before making a purchase. #akiya #buyhouseinjapan #japanrealestate #japanproperty #japanhomes

Comment JAPAN and we’ll send you our guide on what to look for before buying. Are cheap homes in Japan too good to be true? Honestly, it depends. A lot of these lower priced homes are cheap for a reason. Many are older wood structures that need renovations, repairs, or updates before they are comfortable to live in. The idea of a $10k house sounds exciting, but in reality, increasing your budget even a little can make the experience much smoother, especially if you plan on staying there right away. That said, if you are willing to put in some work, these properties can absolutely be worth it. The homes we purchased needed renovations too, but over time they turned into some incredible properties and experiences. The key is knowing what to look for before you buy, especially when it comes to structure, water damage, access, and renovation costs. At AkiyaMart, we help buyers understand the reality behind these homes and how to approach the process properly. #akiya #buyhouseinjapan #japanrealestate #japanproperty #japanhomes

Comment JAPAN and we’ll send you a guide to get started. There are over 9 million abandoned homes in Japan, and the reasons most locals are not buying them come down to a few key factors. First, migration to major cities. Younger generations are moving to places like Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka for work, leaving rural areas behind. Second, financing limitations. Many older homes are difficult to get a mortgage on, which means buyers often need to purchase in cash. And third, preference for new homes. In Japan, there is less of a renovation culture, so older properties are often overlooked instead of restored. That is why so many of these homes sit vacant. At the same time, many of them are located in great vacation areas, which is why international buyers are starting to take interest. And something a lot of people do not realize is that foreigners can legally buy property and own land in Japan without needing a visa or citizenship. At AkiyaMart, we break down the process and help buyers take the first step toward ownership. #akiya #buyhouseinjapan #japanrealestate #japanproperty #japanhomes

Comment POD for a link to the full video! Buying property in Japan can feel complicated for foreigners, but even Japanese buyers find the process challenging. A big part of it comes down to how detailed and structured everything is. There are a lot of formal steps, including using a hanko (personal seal), completing paperwork correctly, and following specific procedures. If something is not done properly, documents can be sent back and the process can slow down quickly. Beyond the paperwork, each stage has its own challenges. Finding the right property can take time, especially when estimating renovation costs on older homes. Then comes negotiation and making an offer, which often follows specific expectations and etiquette in Japan. And even after the deal is agreed on, the closing process and documentation can feel overwhelming. It is not just one step that is difficult, it is the accumulation of many detailed steps. That is why having the right support makes such a big difference. At AkiyaMart, we help buyers navigate each part of the process so it feels manageable from start to finish. #akiya #buyhouseinjapan #japanrealestate #japanproperty #japanhomes

Comment POD for a link to the full video! In Japan, many buyers do prefer new homes over older ones, and it is not just about financing. One factor is the mortgage system. Japanese home loans, often called housing loans, are structured around the age of the property. Older homes, especially akiya, are harder to finance or may have shorter loan terms, which makes them less attractive. But there is also a cultural element. There is a concept often referred to as kegare, which relates to something feeling “used” or carrying a sense of past presence, even if it has been cleaned or renovated. Because of this, some buyers naturally prefer something brand new rather than secondhand. On top of that, Japan historically treated homes more like consumable assets rather than long term appreciating investments. Many houses were built quickly during growth periods, and over time the expectation became to rebuild rather than renovate. So when someone inherits an older home, especially in a rural area, it often does not make financial or cultural sense for them to keep or restore it. That combination of financing limitations, cultural preferences, and market structure is a big reason why so many akiya exist today. At the same time, this is exactly why international buyers are starting to see opportunity in these properties. At AkiyaMart, we help buyers understand both the cultural and practical side of the market before making a decision. #akiya #japanrealestate #buyhouseinjapan #japanproperty #liveinjapan

🏡 Can I buy a house in Japan as a foreigner?

Why are houses in Japan so cheap? 💜 Check the link in bio to find out how to buy!