What ¥3M / ¥10M / ¥30M Actually Buys on Japan’s Akiya Market

The Honest Answer to “What Can I Get for ¥X?”

The most common question we get from prospective foreign akiya buyers is some form of “what does ¥10 million actually buy in Japan?” The answer most online sources give — a fairy-tale cottage in the countryside, move-in ready — is the wrong answer. The realistic answer depends heavily on what you mean by ¥10 million (purchase price or all-in?), where you are looking, and how much work you are willing to do.

This guide is calibrated for the foreign buyer profiles we serve most often: second-home buyers (4–8 weeks of personal use per year) and short-term-rental investors (Airbnb / Minpaku). Numbers are 2026-current and assume Hokkaido as the regional anchor, with a comparison table to other regions below.

All numbers are all-in — purchase + acquisition costs + renovation needed for the stated use. Furnishings included for STR buyers. The headline price you see on Suumo is typically 30–50% of this figure.

For broader context: Finding Your Akiya in Japan. For the cost layers behind these numbers: The Hidden Costs of Akiya Ownership.

The ¥3 Million Tier (All-In)

At ¥3M all-in, you are not really buying a livable property. You are buying a starting point. The purchase price portion is typically ¥1.0M–¥1.8M, with ¥1M–¥1.5M of basic work to make the property habitable for occasional personal use.

What you actually get

• 40–60 year old wooden house, single story or 1.5 story, 80–120 square meters of building.
• 200–500 square meters of land in a small rural town.
• Outdated bathroom and kitchen but functional plumbing.
• Likely kerosene heating, no insulation upgrades.
• Roof intact but probably 20+ years old.
• Often no nearby station; car access only.

Where ¥3M is realistic

• Rural Tōhoku (Aomori, Akita, Iwate inland).
• Inland Hokkaido (rural towns 30–60 minutes from Asahikawa, towns around Lake Toya).
• Rural Chūgoku (interior Shimane, Tottori, Hiroshima mountain districts).
• Remote islands (Tsushima, Iki, parts of Kyūshū’s outer islands).

Realistic use case

A genuine second-home for buyers committed to personal use only, with high tolerance for rustic living and active engagement with renovation. Not suitable for STR — the property at this level cannot generate revenue to cover its own carrying costs, and the location does not draw enough demand. Not suitable for absentee owners — the carrying cost (¥600,000+ annual) easily exceeds 20% of the purchase price.

Honest assessment

The ¥3M tier works for buyers who fall into one of two categories: those building a passion project they will personally finish over several years, and those with a Japanese family connection to the specific area. For other buyers, this tier disappoints. The ¥10M tier is usually a better entry point.

The ¥10 Million Tier (All-In)

At ¥10M all-in, the math starts to work for the typical foreign buyer. Purchase price typically ¥3M–¥5M, with ¥4M–¥6M of functional renovation. The result is a livable, comfortable, occasionally rentable property in a reasonable location.

What you actually get

• 30–50 year old wooden house, 90–130 square meters of building.
• Renovated kitchen and bathroom (post-1981 if you choose well).
• New water heater and modern toilets.
• Functional insulation, particularly for snow-country use.
• Updated electrical panel.
• Often within walking distance of a station or in a small town center.
• Land area 150–300 square meters; garden possible.

Where ¥10M is realistic

• Asahikawa city proper: Walking distance from the station; well-positioned for Airbnb investment. Our Asahikawa real estate guide covers neighborhood-by-neighborhood detail.
• Surrounding towns (Higashikagura, Tōma, Pippu): Larger lot, better access to Asahidake; ideal for second-home use.
• Furano outskirts: Rural Furano-area properties slightly removed from the central tourism strip.
• Rural Nagano: Hakuba outer ring, Kiso valley, around Lake Suwa.
• Rural Kyūshū: Around Beppu, Yufuin’s outskirts, near Aso.

Realistic use case

The standard foreign-buyer akiya entry point. Workable for second-home use (4–10 weeks personal use), or moderate-occupancy STR with proper Minpaku setup. Annual carrying cost typically ¥600,000–¥900,000 depending on whether you self-manage or use an absentee management service.

Honest assessment

If you are buying your first Japanese property, ¥10M all-in is the budget at which the experience usually meets expectations. Below this, you compromise on livability. Above this, you start paying for finish and location rather than function.

The ¥30 Million Tier (All-In)

At ¥30M all-in, the conversation changes. You are no longer compromising on anything fundamental. Purchase price is typically ¥10M–¥18M for higher-quality stock, with ¥10M–¥18M of upper-tier renovation (or a fully renovated turnkey purchase at the top of this range).

What you actually get

• Either a substantially renovated kominka with traditional character preserved, or a near-modern house with full energy and seismic upgrades.
• 120–180 square meters of building, often 1.5 or 2 stories.
• Modern kitchen and bathroom to luxury standards.
• Full insulation and energy-efficient heating (often heat pump systems).
• Seismic retrofitting completed.
• Furnishings appropriate to STR or premium second-home use.
• Larger land (300–600 square meters), garden, often onsen access nearby.
• Premium location — Niseko outer ring, central Furano, Karuizawa fringe, prime Asahikawa neighborhoods.

Where ¥30M is realistic

• Niseko outer ring (Rankoshi, Kyōgoku): Genuine ski-access second homes at 30–50% of central Niseko prices.
• Central Furano: STR-grade properties with year-round demand from skiers, lavender tourism, hikers.
• Karuizawa fringe: Reach traditional resort prestige outside the central strip.
• Prime Asahikawa neighborhoods: The 旭川駅前 area, Tokiwa Park area; premium urban Airbnb positioning.
• Coastal Wakayama / Mie: Boutique fishing-village conversion projects.

Realistic use case

Serious STR investment with realistic ¥3M–¥5M annual gross revenue at strong occupancy. Premium second-home with full comfort and turnkey use. Both are achievable; the math works if the operation is competently run.

Honest assessment

At this tier, the akiya logic starts to compete with new-build construction. A new-build of similar specification in a similar location is typically ¥35M–¥45M. The case for akiya is character, location uniqueness, and the ability to occupy a property that simply could not be built today (kominka structures, premium plots that have left the market).

Regional Calibration

The numbers above assume Hokkaido / northern Honshu. Other regions shift the calibration:

What Changes Above ¥30M and Below ¥3M

Above ¥30M: into renovation-as-vanity territory

Buyers spending ¥40M, ¥50M, or more on akiya conversion are usually motivated by something other than economic optimization. Heritage architecture, family history, a specific neighborhood. These can be wonderful projects but the math against new-build keeps getting worse. Be honest with yourself about the motivation.

Below ¥3M: speculation and salvage territory

You can buy an akiya in Japan for ¥500,000. You can sometimes buy one for ¥0 — many municipalities will give you a property if you commit to demolishing the existing structure. At this tier, you are buying land minus a liability, not a home. The renovation budget required to make these properties usable typically pushes the all-in cost back up to the ¥10M tier anyway.

What To Do Next

Set your all-in budget before you start browsing listings, not after. The mistake nearly every first-time foreign akiya buyer makes is anchoring on the headline purchase price and discovering the all-in number a quarter into the project.

For a Hokkaido-specific budget walk-through with examples: What ¥10 Million Buys in Hokkaido. For a 15-minute English conversation about which budget tier fits your goals, contact us.

Whichever tier you land in, the number stops being an estimate at the moment you sign. The sales contract and the 重要事項説明書 are what fix the boundaries, the reconstruction rights, the defect liability and the escape routes if financing falls through — a ¥3M property with a road frontage problem is worth less than nothing, and that fact appears in the disclosure, not in the listing. See the Japanese sales contract explained in English, and the inspection checklist for foreign buyers for what to verify before the paperwork stage.