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Akiya houses: why Japan has nine million empty homes
New figures show nearly 14% of all houses in Japan are empty – but this real estate glut is attracting growing interest from foreigners
However, there is growing interest among foreigners in this glut of empty properties, particularly kominka(traditional) houses as an option for cheap and unusual accommodation, holiday homes or to rent out to tourists. Hana Sakata and her husband have been renovating and renting out houses for almost a decade through their New Heritage venture, beginning with a holiday home on the Izu peninsula that had lain vacant and fallen into utter disrepair. They acquired a traditional kominka house in a village in mountainous Nagano after part of it collapsed under the weight of uncleared snow while its elderly owner was in a care facility.
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