How easy is it to buy and restore an old country house in Japan?

Tokyo (CNN) – Near the city of Fujino, just off the busy Route 20, just 65 kilometers west of Tokyo, is a narrow one-lane tunnel.

By the way, the modern incarnation of Japan seems to be disappearing as travelers emerge into the cedar forests and twisted mountain roads that lead deeper into an even less lenient side of rural Japan.

With no gas stations or convenience stores, some houses splash down the side of the road or stand on top of the hills, only accessible by small roads. In general, only hikers heading to or from Jinba Mountain or weekend cyclists show any sign of human life.

It is in this wooded landscape, where life moves to the rhythm of the seasons, that Shuji Kikuchi decided to do what many dream of: buy and restore a century-old wooden house and create a weekend home in the Japanese countryside.

“Nakamaru,” as he and his partner have been called, has taken seven years to form. The property overlooks the hillside covered with Kikuchi tea plants and is separated from a few neighbors by a picturesque stream and bridge.

Just over an hour from the heart of Tokyo, it is a rural oasis but also a work of love.

“It’s like having an old car, there’s always something to work on to keep it running,” Kikuchi says.

The Tokyo resident spent five years looking to the local area for affordable old property to buy and restore with the craftsmanship and character that modern Japanese homes lacked. (It was that the roof collapsed under a particularly heavy snowfall for the former owner of Nakamaru to sell in 2014.)

The walls were raised in place of the traditional “shoji” screens that formerly separated the rooms. Insulation, which is not common even in modern Japanese homes, was added under the floors to cope with the very cold winter months. The entrance to the “dressage” was restored to a cozy space. A separate second floor was added for guests of the long-stay house.

“I had a plan in mind as soon as I saw it and I haven’t changed much about the big picture,” says Kikuchi. “But the little details changed a lot. It was a series of endless little projects.”

The idea of ​​installing a marble floor in the kitchen by himself went from sleep to nightmare. It cracked as soon as it set. Fortunately, Kikuchi’s partner, a professional chef, took over and transformed it into something elegant and functional, a place where they could prepare banquets for frequent weekend visitors.

Japan’s real estate market is open to foreigners

Many others, including foreigners, hope to emulate Kikuchi’s success story.

Non-Japanese citizens can buy property in the country. Residence status is not required and there are many real estate agents who cater to foreign buyers.

Most properties in Japan’s “inaka” (countryside) are not like Nakamaru, which is located on especially special land, but empty houses are plentiful, cheap, and sometimes even free.

While they represent an opportunity for bargain hunters, they have created a problem for decaying local authorities and rural communities because empty houses bring down both convenience and property prices.

Japan’s 2018 housing and land survey counted 8.76 million vacant homes and the number will increase. Many local authorities have websites listing vacant homes for sale in an attempt to stimulate interest and sales.

“The value is the land, not the house,” he says.

“With a 3 million yen ($ 25,900) premises you often need 5 million yen more to make it livable. The best deals are on existing structures with minimal renovation. The existing structure is what causes unforeseen problems.” .

Also, not all fields in Japan look the same. Points of interest are two hours from Tokyo or Osaka, making them accessible in the weekend potholes.

Complications, especially for foreign buyers, often arise when trying to get loans and browse local regulations on individual properties. Some rules require that the house be inhabited full-time, restrict changes to existing structures, or include farmland that requires active use.

Own a piece of Japanese history

Tom Fay, a British writer and professor living in Osaka, has overcome a number of obstacles over the past year as part of his own project: the renovation of a 100-square-foot 100-year-old farmhouse in Kyoto Prefecture .

The cost of the house? About 7 million yen (about $ 60,000), expenses included.

“It looks wild as it goes up a winding lane with forests on three sides,” he says. “But it’s not as wild as it sounds; it’s also pretty close to services like a supermarket and a train station.”

After two years of searching for the right property, it took five more months of multiple rejections to get a loan.

What drove him through the mess of regulations was his desire to live closer to nature, more in keeping with his Welsh rural upbringing, and to own a piece of Japanese history.

Inside, the house was partly a treasure, a part-time capsule when Fay finally became the owner. A 1958 calendar was still hanging on the wall.

Fay hopes to move into the house later in 2022.

Unlike many bargain seekers looking for cheap old homes, Flechtner preferred to invest in desirable, high-quality property, increasing value with a series of thorough renovations.

“The bones of the house were kept and as long as we didn’t change square meters we could do whatever we wanted,” he says.

The result is a modern interior space with natural light, insulation, soundproofing and many of its own design touches.

“Design focuses on entertainment. There’s always a surprise with these old houses, but the builders’ vision helped us.”

There are dozens of machiya townhouses on the market in Kyoto City. As with all real estate, prices vary dramatically depending on the condition of the home, location and size.

A search of their current listings shows a price ranging from 8.8 million yen (about $ 76,000) for a small, unrenovated townhouse to 550 million yen ($ 4.7 million). for a series of four renovated machiya that can be operated as hostels.

Invigoration of local communities

Although economically affordable for many, Japan does not have a second home ownership culture: about 0.65% of the population owns a second home, according to a Japanese government survey.

General Fukushima and his trading partner Hilo Homma want that to change.

“Young people go abroad if they can and the idea of ​​moving to a local place (camp) is impossible. Unlike countries like Sweden, which have a similar amount of space to Japan, having a second home is considered only for people who are rich and secretive, “says Fukushima.

The Covid pandemic causes many to reconsider their relationship with offices and city life. Fukushima also wants to help those who enroll in Sanu establish a relationship with local rural areas, sometimes referred to as “kankei jinko”, to help revitalize local businesses and communities.

“For this to happen, places need to have gentle services such as cafes, bakeries and organic shops to attract younger urban people to visit and spend time,” he says.

The location of Kikuchi’s holiday home, Little Fujino, has elements that already make it an attractive proposition for those entering the country life. In addition to its easy access to the capital, an “art village” and even a Steiner school mark it as something different from most rural cities.

Years after Kikuchi moved into the community, he still faces the weaknesses of local life: trees hanging on his property are cut down without consultation or have to join regular local activities, such as now road cleaning.

But after the heavy load of a rebuild, the protruding branches and garbage collection seems like a small price to pay for a beautiful piece of history and tranquility.