New Belgian Neighbors » Japan Akiya Restoration » Startup Business Visa

SUMMARY

Benton Homestead introduces Martine, a Belgian expat on Ōmishima Island, touring her early-1990s house bought for ¥3.7 million ($25,000 USD) to renovate into a guesthouse while preserving original features.

STATEMENTS

Martine and her husband, Belgian newcomers, have relocated to Ōmishima Island and acquired multiple properties, including one for personal residence and two for guesthouse renovations.
The featured house, constructed in the early 1990s, requires minimal structural work compared to their other property, focusing mainly on cleaning, painting, and updating utilities for guest comfort.
They intend to maintain the home's original Japanese aesthetic while incorporating personal design elements, such as non-traditional colors sourced with difficulty in Japan.
The entry room features natural light, a traditional closet, tokonoma alcove, and beautiful glass doors, with ongoing work limited to painting and tatami mat replacement.
The bathroom includes a light mint green tiled area for washing, while the adjacent tub and shower room boasts stainless steel tub, full-ceiling tiles, and plans for a ceiling heater installation.
The kitchen offers ample space, high ceilings, brightness, and a functional hot water heater, needing only cleaning despite its age.
Both main bedrooms provide natural light, closets for futons, access to each other and the kitchen via glass doors, and will receive modern air conditioners and heaters.
The second bathroom features retro round tiles in blue, shikui walls that were challenging to paint, and remains in reusable condition after cleaning.
Access hatches in tatami rooms lead under the house, and a closet hatch accesses the attic, which contains original construction documentation.
Exterior renovations include painting boards and foundation black, demolishing a shed for a backyard patio, with the property just two minutes from the beach.

IDEAS

Foreigners can affordably purchase and renovate mid-20th-century Japanese island properties for under $30,000, turning them into viable guesthouses amid rural depopulation.
Blending European interior design sensibilities, like custom color palettes, with traditional Japanese elements creates unique, personalized spaces that stand out in homogeneous local aesthetics.
Early-1990s Japanese homes often retain functional vintage features, such as operational hot water systems and retro tiles, reducing renovation costs while appealing to nostalgia.
Proximity to cycling routes and beaches on islands like Ōmishima positions renovated properties ideally for eco-tourism, enhancing guest experiences with outdoor access.
Challenges in sourcing non-standard paints in Japan highlight supply chain limitations for expats, yet yield satisfying results that differentiate properties from typical rentals.
Preserving original glass fusuma doors and tokonoma alcoves maintains cultural authenticity, allowing guesthouses to educate visitors on Japanese living while adding modern comforts like Western beds.
Demolishing outdated sheds to create patios transforms underutilized backyards into relaxing outdoor areas, crucial for seasonal island appeal.
Built-in access hatches for underfloor and attic spaces in 1990s homes simplify maintenance, a practical innovation not always present in older or newer constructions.
Following a structured renovation timeline, from painting to utility upgrades, enables quick openings like March launches, balancing efficiency with quality for business viability.
Documenting property purchases via 3D walkthroughs aids transparency for potential buyers or viewers, demystifying the akiya market for international audiences.
Integrating side doors for bike parking caters to Ōmishima's cycling culture, making guesthouses more functional for active travelers exploring the Shimanami Kaido.
Replacing aged air conditioners with modern units ensures guest comfort in variable island climates, prioritizing reliability over cost-saving in high-use areas.

INSIGHTS

Affordable rural Japanese properties like akiya offer expats a low-barrier entry to entrepreneurship through tourism, revitalizing depopulated areas while fostering cultural exchange.
Personalizing traditional homes with subtle foreign influences not only overcomes material sourcing hurdles but enriches local architecture, bridging global and Japanese design paradigms.
Vintage functional elements in mid-era homes underscore Japan's durable building standards, allowing renovations to focus on aesthetics and updates rather than overhauls.
Strategic location choices near natural amenities amplify a property's appeal, turning simple renovations into immersive experiences that sustain island economies.
Thorough documentation and phased renovations streamline the transition from purchase to operation, providing models for other foreigners navigating Japan's bureaucratic immigration and business landscapes.
Prioritizing guest-centric modifications, like enhanced heating and outdoor spaces, transforms personal dwellings into profitable ventures that align with slow-living tourism trends.

QUOTES

"When we bought the house, we really loved the house as in the state as it was. We wanted to have it as original as possible, but as an interior architect, I wanted to put into something from ourselves, and the colors are not standard what you see in Japan."
"Finding the colors was really a hassle, but we're really happy with the results we have."
"Even though we want to keep the original house as it is, here we will place a real bed, a double-sized bed for the guests to enjoy the space even more and relax after a day of cycling."
"We bought the house last year for €4.7 million yen, which is about $30,000 or $25,000."
"Yeah, we will open this house uh beginning of March and the other house in spring somewhere. Not specific specified yet."

HABITS

Martine regularly measures and removes old tatami mats to prepare for replacements, ensuring floors align with guest comfort standards during renovations.
They dedicate time to sanding wooden beams and elements before painting, preserving the home's rustic charm while refreshing appearances.
Martine sources and applies non-standard paint colors meticulously, testing for compatibility on textured surfaces like shikui to achieve desired aesthetics.
The couple coordinates exterior painting sessions, transforming brown boards to black and updating foundations to maintain structural integrity year-round.
They document renovation progress through photos and 3D models, sharing updates on social media to engage community support and track milestones.

FACTS

Ōmishima Island properties from the early 1990s often feature durable vintage tiles and stainless steel tubs that remain in perfect condition after decades.
Japanese homes built in the 1990s commonly include built-in hatches for underfloor access and attics, facilitating easier maintenance than in pre- or post-era structures.
The Shimanami Kaido cycling route makes side-door bike parking essential on islands like Ōmishima, supporting tourism infrastructure.
Akiya abandoned houses in rural Japan can be purchased for as low as ¥3.7 million ($25,000 USD), driven by an estimated 10-12 million vacant nationwide.
Hot water heaters in 1990s Japanese residences frequently outlast expectations, still functioning without replacement after 30 years.

REFERENCES

Instagram account: /yokososhima for following renovation updates.
Upcoming website under construction for guesthouse bookings and details.
3D walkthrough link: https://kuula.co/share/collection/71ZgH documenting the property's pre-renovation state.
Shimanami Property as the recommended local realtor for island purchases.
Benton Homestead's YouTube channel and related videos on startup visas and akiya renovations.

HOW TO APPLY

Begin by assessing the property's core structure: Inspect for functional elements like hot water heaters and tiles to minimize initial costs, as with this 1990s home's intact features.
Prioritize cosmetic updates first: Paint walls in desired colors after sanding surfaces, sourcing materials locally despite challenges, to quickly enhance livability without major disruptions.
Measure and replace traditional elements thoughtfully: Remove old tatami mats and order new ones to fit precisely, preserving cultural authenticity while updating for modern use.
Upgrade utilities for reliability: Replace aging air conditioners and heaters with efficient models, and install additions like ceiling heaters in wet areas to ensure year-round comfort.
Develop outdoor spaces strategically: Demolish unnecessary sheds to create patios, paint exteriors for weather resistance, and integrate access points like bike parking to boost appeal for tourists.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Expats can transform affordable Japanese island homes into guesthouses by blending preservation with personal touches for sustainable rural living.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Partner with local realtors like Shimanami Property to navigate akiya purchases efficiently as a foreigner.
Document renovations via 3D tours and social media to build community interest and transparency.
Focus on guest amenities like modern beds and heaters to differentiate from standard Japanese stays.
Source custom materials early to overcome supply issues, ensuring designs reflect personal style.
Time openings around peak seasons, aiming for spring launches to capitalize on cycling tourism.

MEMO

On the serene Ōmishima Island in Japan's Ehime Prefecture, where the Seto Inland Sea laps against quiet shores, a pair of Belgian expats is breathing new life into a slice of rural Japan. Martine and her husband Alain, interior architects by trade, arrived over a year ago, drawn by the allure of affordable abandoned homes known as akiya. Their latest acquisition—a modest house built in the early 1990s—cost just ¥3.7 million, or about $25,000, a fraction of urban real estate prices. As they tour the property with local hosts from Benton Homestead, a fellow expat couple running a guesthouse and farm, the home reveals its charming bones: sunlit tatami rooms, vintage glass fusuma screens, and retro round tiles that evoke a bygone era of Japanese craftsmanship.

What strikes visitors is the couple's delicate balance of preservation and innovation. Martine explains their vision to keep the house "as original as possible," yet infuse it with European flair—think light mint-green bathrooms and crisp white kitchens that pop against the traditional wood panels. Challenges abound: Sourcing non-standard paints proved a "hassle" in Japan's conservative market, and textured shikui walls resisted easy application. Yet the results shimmer, with functional hot water heaters from the '90s still humming reliably. The two main bedrooms, connected by sliding doors, promise suite-like comfort, soon to feature modern heaters and even a double bed for weary cyclists pedaling the nearby Shimanami Kaido route. A side door for bike storage nods to the island's active tourism, while a revamped backyard patio—born from demolishing an old shed—invites relaxation just two minutes from the beach.

This isn't mere renovation; it's a blueprint for expat reinvention amid Japan's demographic shifts. With 10-12 million akiya dotting the countryside, properties like this offer foreigners a pathway to residency through business visas, much like Benton Homestead's own journey from startup to established guesthouse. Martine and Alain plan to open their first guesthouse by March, the second in spring, transforming personal dreams into communal hubs. As they paint the exterior black and measure new tatami, hatches to the attic and underfloor reveal forgotten construction notes, symbolizing layers of history ready for renewal. For those eyeing a slower life on Japan's edges, their story illuminates how modest investments can anchor global wanderers in island idylls, fostering economic revival one brushstroke at a time.