Episode 3 · May 18, 2026 · 1h 26m

Akiya Banks Explained: The Hidden Front Door to Japan's Vacant Homes

Read in 1 min · Listen in 1h 26m

Everyone talks about Japan's nine million empty homes. Nobody explains how you actually find them. In episode two of Old Houses Japan, host David and co-founder Victoria go behind the scenes of akiya banks — the government-run property registries that are the entry point to this world for most foreign buyers. What they are, who runs them, why they only capture an estimated five to fifteen percent of Japan's truly vacant homes, and what actually happens between finding a listing and buying a property. Including the story of a client who found a hundred and fifty year old farmhouse on the Iizuna Akiya Bank in Nagano — hit every wall a foreign buyer can hit — and still got there. The visa barrier. The declined offer. The family who needed to know more than just the price before they'd sell. Plus: why David and Victoria's favourite akiya bank in northern Kyoto has listings you won't find anywhere else. The information that doesn't exist in any listing but that David brings home from every property tour. If you've ever opened a Japanese property listing, run it through Google Translate, and wondered what comes next — this episode is the answer. Mentioned in this episode:National Akiya Bank portal: akiya.mlit.go.jpIizuna Akiya Bank: 飯綱町空き家バンクFukuchiyama Akiya Bank: 福知山市空き家バンク 🎙️ Podcast: oldhousesjapanpodcast.com🌐 Property platform: oldhousesjapan.com📋 Grants database: oldhousesjapan.com/grants📸 Instagram: instagram.com/oldhousesjapan📧 Get in touch: hello@oldhousesjapan.com