24-year-old Coline, for example, bought her dream Kominka from her desk in her native France. A year and a half ago, a local agent helped her get a traditional country house in Uda, near the former imperial city of Nara. She paid the equivalent of 37,000 euros for the property including all additional costs. It took several months before she was finally able to see the house in person. The photographer studied in Japan for a year and then worked there again as an intern. “Ever since then, I knew I wanted to live in the countryside in Japan,” she says on Instagram.
Read more about the Asian country in our “Learn from Japan” series
So far, the majority of Akiya are not for sale; many owners let them fall into disrepair. But in the new year, the supply of such houses is likely to increase significantly, creating new and interesting purchasing opportunities for a Kominka. A change in the law came into force in mid-December. Now the annual real estate tax increases three to six times when owners allow their vacant buildings to fall into disrepair. Many will therefore try to get rid of their old item cheaply instead of paying the penalty tax.