What A US$23,000 House Looks Like in Rural Wakayama, Japan
Just helped another friend purchase a house in the village. It cost US$23,000, and here's a quick tour inside.
#wakayama #ryujinmura #龍神村 #kominka #古民家
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Ryunohara
523 Hiroihara, Ryujinmura,
Tanabe-shi, Wakayama Prefecture
Japan 645-0523
About Ryunohara: Ryunohara is a tea and bee farm in progress. We're nestled deep in the mountains of Ryujinmura, Wakayama Prefecture. The 2 farmhouses on the property are 60 and 120 years old. We will use natural farming techniques, so no tilling, no fertilisers, pesticides, and no weeding. A farm-to-table cafe is in the works.
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I think it's important for anyone thinking of purchasing in rural Japan to remember that there is an expectation of developing relationships and contributing to the community. My sister and her family live in a rural community in northern Japan and recently purchased a traditional home. She has lived there for over ten years and has gradually developed many acquaintances and friendships. The opportunity to buy (and at such a good price) would not have been possible without these connections. Its also her relationships that have overwhelmingly enriched her life there. I was visiting her last week, and in the time I was there, she received 18 watermelons from a local farmer, two free pizza's from a local cafe, and a wood carving that a friend's husband made for her in her likeness (intricate and hours to make)! I was surprised by so much generosity. She then turned around and gave most of the watermelons to her coworkers and friends. She has given various food and gifts to the people around her and has helped others through volunteering, translating, etc.
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
Yes you’re totally right - that’s one big thing most people overlook. I’ll talk about it in a future video, but it would not have been possible to purchase this house if not for the connections I already had here. The price was knocked down almost 50% because the previous owner had heard good things from his ex-neighbours. I don’t get that many watermelons but I almost drowned in onions, mushrooms, and potatoes this year. And yes - pass the love around!
@ohmyme13
Жыл бұрын
Would be a pain for a loner like me.
@unknownspectre
Жыл бұрын
@@ohmyme13 Japan is a GREAT place for loners. I lived in Japan for 4 years and never experienced these expectations she described above. Rather, the BIGGEST expectation is to not be rude, and that you are not a nuisance or burden on anyone else. But, if you choose to open yourself up to others, you will generally be welcomed as a part of the community, as much as any gaijin (foreigner/outsider) can be.
@RikerLovesWorf
Жыл бұрын
LOL I have live in Japan for years and years and there absolutely is ZERO expectations to do so, just like anywhere else. No one is pressured or obliged to play nice with neighbors or keep up appearances. Most of the people in these areas are like 80 year old women, they could care less about your foreign ass pretending to care. You're talking out of your ass here. Japanese people, probably more than any other culture on earth, desire to be left alone and given privacy.
@RikerLovesWorf
Жыл бұрын
@@ohmyme13 lol, Dude, it's Japan. The country is FILLED with loners. This person doesn't know wtf they're talking about, just some anecdote from their sister half a world away. Japanese people, probably more than any other culture on earth, desire to be left alone and given privacy.
The beauty of Japan makes me feel jealous
I love the wooden accents, the simplicity, the peaceful setting
Japan is such a beautiful country
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
It is!
@pete531
Жыл бұрын
and xenophobic
@stielimusterman3066
11 ай бұрын
@@pete531 I prefer xenophobic countries to globalist sellout countries, that lost almost all of their identity...
@loginavoidence12
11 ай бұрын
@@pete531 exactly why it's unspoiled.
@frjcde9392
11 ай бұрын
@@pete531 What’s wrong with that? And no one is scared. stop overusing that buzzword, ya simpleton.
You can't even get a house for ten times that in Florida now. That is so beautiful!
@coffeefish
5 ай бұрын
And those houses in FL are rotted, and termite infested, piles of crap.
@heathmcrigsby
3 ай бұрын
Not like it matters, the collapse is coming soon anyway.
@xHugoxN7
3 ай бұрын
Yeah I want to stay in Florida, but stuff like this makes me second-guess those plans.
@WOAHdatsalowprce
3 ай бұрын
@@xHugoxN7 why the hell would anyone WANT to stay in Florida?
@xHugoxN7
3 ай бұрын
@@WOAHdatsalowprce Family.
In my mind I'm picturing the yard transformed into a beautiful Japanese garden, it has a lot of potential.
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
It does! I hope to turn it into a wild garden.
@muniaisworthit
Жыл бұрын
@@Ryunohara what are you planning to plant in your garden I'm curious
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
@@muniaisworthit Hydrangea, azalea, Japanese irises and lilies, Japanese pepper and tea.
@muniaisworthit
Жыл бұрын
@@Ryunohara 😍😍😍
This is a beautiful home. I’m glad someone will restore it and live there. It would be such a waste otherwise. Japan is so beautiful. I’m in Hawaii and $23,000 isn’t even a down payment on a house!
@gardenia8085
11 ай бұрын
Marie...I am in Oahu on the windward side. Cannot even imagine a house for $23,000.
@Flat_Earth_Addy
8 ай бұрын
That's because Hawaii is trash. This is WAY too expensive for Japan!
As a foreigner I lived in Japan for nearly two decades. What has to be put into perspective in a strong way are the necessary steps to be able to pull this off. Yes, it is not financially heavy price -- on the surface. But for a starter you absolutely must be fluent in Japanese. Not just a little. You are expected to help out the community, to be part of events, to do volunteer work if this is being done. You can't just shy away from the locals if you want to have a life there. Miss a beat and your life could be hell, seriously. You have to truly want to be part of a culture that is more or less never accepting of non pure bred japanese citizens. You will be second class whatever you may think. This is not to say people will not be polite or make you feel at home most of the time for most of the people. But in rural Japan, especially, you are expected to follow their game plan, not do your own thing. So, if you want to marry into an extended family, like it or not, this price is a bargain. But if you want to lead your own life, it may indeed result in enough hell through shunning that you will run from your investment. In other words, it's not for everybody.
@susancasimire6811
Жыл бұрын
what you just described is normal in black countries I guess you are from America or Europe
@scottmason229
Жыл бұрын
And I think it's the way it should be. Europeans like me are terrible for buying houses, especially on the continent and never learn a word of their language! We British like to live elsewhere and not integrate, I think it's such bad manners. Then again, we have many people living here who can't speak English and have nothing to do with British communities either. Big up the Japanese I say.
@70svd
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for your advise. I agree with your comments. Japanese are great and nice people but I have to say kind of odd with the way they think, how I know because I am married to one. 😃
@kodfkdleepd2876
Жыл бұрын
Um, that is the way it is everywhere. Um, people do not want someone coming in to their personal existence and ruining it. I can't understand though why they would be mad if you kept to yourself. In any case, I think it is a bad idea to integrate because what makes humans so diverse is their diversity. Once everyone becomes the same then what's the point? Ultimate though the reasons for all this is due to government who runs society so poorly(due to all their looting) that villages, towns, and cities collapse. Only the biggest ones remain(think monopoly) because the government's counterfeiting goes in to those cities the most. The Japanese government is doing a really poor job running it's society for long term growth. Probably intentionally(same thing is happening across the world). I think the more marginal a village is the more those in it *need* others to survive. So they "expect" you to help them out because they need help(they too are seeing their way of life vanish and want to stop it).
@MMABeijing
Жыл бұрын
no
I would love an update so that we can all see the transformation that you accomplished on the property and how it was furnished on the inside. If I were 20 years younger I could see myself making this journey. Now I am old and there is little I could offer a community other than what is stored in my small mind. Your friend is very lucky to have you to help with this beautiful home. I wish you all fortune and prosperity.
@ginkhoba
5 ай бұрын
I would suggest you are not old but you are experienced, something very valuable. and worth a lot, too.
@iamuzumakianduchiha776
4 ай бұрын
I think ur pretty experienced
@ginkhoba
4 ай бұрын
@@iamuzumakianduchiha776 me, 62
@emi-uq8kb
3 ай бұрын
Старость даёт мудрость.Не отчаивайтесь.При помощи интернета можно посмотреть много стран и мест на земле не выходя из дома.Желаю вам крепкого здоровья.
@ginkhoba
3 ай бұрын
@@emi-uq8kbsorry, I can't read Cyrillic.
Beautiful home. I love the quiet space of the home.
@Ryunohara
2 жыл бұрын
I love it too!
I wish I had $23,000 now. I would buy that house in a heartbeat and live there.
Very beautiful home with amazing interior features. In perfect condition with minimal damage and minimal updates on interior-exterior space including the property management.
this gentleman is amazing at describing the house and the view. he has me sold
Omg! Where I’m from this house would be worth almost 20x this! This is a steal! The guy living here must be astonished from how good this place looks. Amazing video btw. I watched all of it
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Michael! The guy who is supposed to live here can’t enter Japan at the moment (as with all prospective tourists) so the house is waiting for him to visit. Can’t wait to be cycling around with my friend though!
@graceonfilmsnstuff
Жыл бұрын
@Ryunohara you're a sweet friend. I wish i had one like you in japan for when i plan to visit/work some time
I was not expecting the inside of the house to be that nice. What the heck dude.
It's so much brighter inside than it looks like it would be from the outside. I hope your friend has enjoyed his new home. Good day!
This is exactly the kind of house and location that I would like to live in when I purchase a house in Japan someday. The view is nice and so peaceful
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
It’s a nice place, yes :)
Amazing! The old realestate saying, "location, location, location," holds true here! That would be a half million dollar house in some areas of the USA!
Thank you for sharing. Love the clean lines of the house and the ability to use the breezes to cool the home. See you again, soon!
What a wonderful presentation & what a lovely place‼️ Thank You so very much ~ Blessings‼️ 🎶💝
What a beautiful home! I would enjoy a house like that and getting to know the neighbors and community.
Very beautiful!!!! I am a foreigner who is thinking about one day purchasing property within the country, so this is extremely encouraging. ❤
Look forward to seeing the final clean up of garden and furniture in place its so lovely .
This home is so beautiful thank you so much for sharing and such wonderful scenery I would love to live here and just live in peace and tranquility it’s so beautiful and relaxing. 🌸
Your videos are my favourites right now! It is great to see these houses and other foreigner's experiences. Within 1 month I will have ownership of an old farmhouse in Yamaguchi prefecture and I am watching many of your videos to learn! So thank you for sharing. I will need to learn Japanese vocabulary now about fixing houses, gardening and hot water systems.
@Ryunohara
2 жыл бұрын
Congratulations! The house will be a great Japanese language & history tutor I’m sure. Have fun!
@ggraverobber
Жыл бұрын
How's it going with the house? :) Care to share your experience?
@cut_putashatsang9784
Жыл бұрын
@@ggraverobber her name "blond nomad" nomad home, I mean it's questionable 😂🤣
Very beautiful house and great video, looking forward to the next one. Really need such calming and soothing videos during this difficult time..
@Ryunohara
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching, Diana!
Lovely presentation, blending sensitivity to nature in your heart and appreciation of cultural surroundings. A good friend and a good realtor if you happen to be one.
Beautiful house! Lovely design, so spacious (it's huge!). Excellent build quality too! The little village and valley look lovely!
$23,000... It's a wonderful house with a great view! But hearing housing prices so cheap when I live in a major city with pricing in the millions just makes me shed a tear.
@mannkidd6774
3 ай бұрын
I bet there's potential for a lot of HUGE spiders to crawl around in that house especially since it is in a rural farm area. Japan got some huge huntsman type spiders that rival those from Australia.
@alexabel8010
3 ай бұрын
@mannkidd6774 SHEEESH, Huntsman sized spiders? That's wild, lol. That's like half the size of a Japanese dude. Those little cunts can basically choke you out. I had no idea critters like that were native to Japan!
@graywolf2694
2 ай бұрын
@@mannkidd6774lol small price to pay
@heroevulgar
Ай бұрын
Then don't live in a major city (?)
@ithinkicanmakethat6294
12 күн бұрын
@@heroevulgar please be mindful when making comments like this. Up and moving is not always an option as jobs do not pay as much in rural area in America. I’m sure you knew this thought.
great house and great presentation - very well done! thank you for sharing :)
You purchased a beautiful home. Amazing.
A beautiful place to live in.The house is a dream come true .
Very lovely location. I'm impressed by your knowledge of everything. The Japanese countryside always seems so enchanting to an American like me.
Cycling and Rural Japan are two of my favourites! Purchasing a house in Inaka would be my absolute dream!
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
Wakayama has the Wakayama 800 Cycling Network (800km route). You’ll love it here!
That is a beautiful home, I could never find something so beautiful like that in the U.S. thanks for sharing
this looks awesome, really good find. lots of space for a japanese home. good job you guys
What an absolutely lovely house, I would so love to live there.
I love Japan and their culture, hope to visit one day
@Tonyscasa
11 ай бұрын
Get your vaccine 💉
@Flat_Earth_Addy
8 ай бұрын
@@Tonyscasa For what? There are no diseases in Japan.
Looking forward to seeing your progress.
All the internal wood work looks in great shape and clean. Just beautiful.
Wow I’m jealous, what a super nice home
Those are really great views! And your realtor skills are improving real fast!
@Ryunohara
2 жыл бұрын
This house sold itself!
Wow😮 now this is the Ideal House 🏠 to have!! I'm all for the city life But for this price I would definitely move out to the Rural Area Anytime!! What I like most about this home is what we call here in the States a Split Plan or a Open Concept!! Large areas that you can decorate as a Living Room or a Den Area for entertainment!! The upstairs is phenomenal 🔥 and the Landscape is Superb!! Your Friend made a Wise Investment in this house and he has you to Thank For That!! Kyoto was on my To-Do-List but after seeing this I might have to venture to the rural countryside!! Wonderful Video and Thanks for Sharing💚🤍🍀🤍💚
This is amazing, I'd move to Japan tomorrow if I could. Thank you for sharing.
@Ryunohara
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
You seem like a good friend to have! I’m moving to Japan next year and would love to get in touch then. For now I’ll just watch your vids mate
@Ryunohara
2 жыл бұрын
Come visit when you can!
Oh I absolutely LOVE this home! And the views. My dream.
🎉다다미가 새것으로 보여요 😊❤ ❤방송감사합니다 😊
Love the house! Hope the new owner will keep it like this. (I see so many open plan, “modernised” Japanese homes where they pull everything out and the spirit of the house is gone). Congratulations on buying this beautiful place.
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Carmen! The house should be kept largely as is, especially since removing the shoji screens would make the whole place very drafty in the winter.
that place is amazing. So big and huge kitchen and huge bath plus the bath can be improved very easily to make it ultra luxurious. I love how quiet it is. How many sq. feet? I would definitely be a very generous and quiet neighbor. Seems like a great place. I would go above and beyond to preserve and maintain whatever elements are expected of living in the area/being a neighbor. There are always onsen? Seems very nice as an option
That's a very good property you got. All in good condition ready to move in. You are so lucky, manage your property well.
Beautiful house thanks for sharing
I absolutely love traditional japanese houses like this. Especially in a rural village in the middle of nowhere. I really want to buy a house just like this one day, but not necessarily as big. lol
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
Small is good!
What an amazing house for only $23,000.
@Ryunohara
2 жыл бұрын
It is! A lucky find.
wow.. rural japan beautiful and kind people all over japan
Excellent, Thank You. Roger
I lived in Kainan Shi in Wakayama Ken. It's really beautiful there. It's cold in winter, but I never saw much snow. It's very hot in summer. Spring is glorious, and autumn has beautiful maple leaves. That's amazing value for a house in Japan.
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
Kainan is beautiful, and you have the perfume of mikan flowers and bees everywhere. Another paradise!
I wish I had friends like you in Japan to help me buy a house lol
So beautiful. Great video
Beautiful tatami rooms - miss that
Wow, that's even cheaper than houses in my town of Shinminato in Toyama! (My 80-year-old machiya--about 260m2--cost about USD$30K, land included.) Have you done a video on the practicalities of living in your village--transportation, access to shops, medical care, etc.??
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
Not yet but that’s a great idea!
@manuelr1405
Жыл бұрын
@@Ryunohara medical facilities and costs will be helpful.
It looks amazing! That’s some gorgeous woodwork inside and the beautiful shoji, I’m in love. It’s surprisingly spacious, especially the kitchen blew me away as I know it tends to be small in Japanese houses. That bedroom view though… 🥺❤️ that’s it, I want one too! Congratulations to your friend, I hope he’ll enjoy it for many years to come. Side note from my European green heart: would it be possible to replace the wood and kerosene heating and boiler with electric one? Ideally install solar panels on the roof? I admit that the lack of insulation in Japanese houses and often the airco-based heating really puts me off.😜
@Ryunohara
2 жыл бұрын
It does feel very nice inside - the boiler that I said was kerosene’s actually electric (mentioned this a few seconds later in the video). Solar panels are very expensive in Japan though, so that’s not a route that’s easy to take.
@roxanaemanuela6668
2 жыл бұрын
The difference in climate and environmental policy, and social measures is quite staggering between Japan and many EU countries. I think you’d be hard pressed to find any house on our street that does NOT have solar panels. And they are really that expensive any longer, the cost of labour may even be higher than that of the materials here. (Social costs and company taxes are high over here across all sectors because social and medical welfare systems are very well developed and citizens pay very little for healthcare, education, public transport, etc.). But Belgium has been offering its citizens incentives under the form of cash paybacks and later income tax discounts for years so that they set up solar panels, use heat pumps for heating and isolate their houses to lower their E-index, which is calculated according to the energy performance and indoor climate standard (EPB). The lower the E-index, the greener and more energy efficient the house, and healthier in terms of air quality (for instance, active air ventilation systems have been mandatory for years in all newly built houses like ours, and are becoming so even for older ones).
@happycook6737
Жыл бұрын
The windows have typhoon shutters. How can you keep the solar roof panels protected in a typhoon? I'm curious about solar too.
what a beautiful home and property!!
Looks like a peaceful area, low key & hopefully no drama.❤
Some renovations and that place will look amazing, not bad for 23k.
@ShikokuFoodForest
Жыл бұрын
Such a beautiful house! What a bargain for $23K! In Canada, you’d pay at least $1,000,000+ if near a big city. Where in Japan is this house located?
Wow what a beautiful area! Very relaxing. It's a shame I live half way across the world, I would love to come and help with the yard work. Just being able to enjoy the Japanese countryside would be a big enough reward for me! Good luck, and thank you for showing us around the house.
Thnks for sharing the beautiful house and countryside love from Australia.
I need a friend like yours. Its wonderful.❤
Good luck with your cafe plans if you need any advice hit me up. I’ve run a garden to table cafe in Nagano for 2 years now from my old my kominka and it’s a lot of work.
Meanwhile in the USA, take that house, halve it, and add a 0 to the price because boomers are diamond handing and non home owners are competing in a bidding war with billion dollar hedge funds. Utterly ridiculous, this is absolute gold. Not to mention Japan is a very peaceful and disciplined country.
what a beautiful home
I just stumbled upon your channel and I’m so glad I did👍😄. I’m going to be busy today, going back to the beginning and bringing myself up to date. I’m looking forward to following your adventures. Thank you for sharing🙂🙏🏻
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
And thanks for watching Susan!
If Japan wouldn´t be that far away and the flight wouldn´t be that expensive for me I would buy instantly a house there ^^ Especially when my boss let me work from home in the future ^^"
@Ryunohara
2 жыл бұрын
Haha yes Ryujinmura is the perfect place for remote work. Fast internet, hot springs, plenty of forests and farmland.
Can do more house tour ? From vacant farming land, nice houses to millions dollars properties, penthouses, hotel for sales; more properties tours please.
@Ryunohara
2 жыл бұрын
Haha sorry this isn’t that kind of channel. I’m running a cafe-farm-guesthouse, and I’m documenting how I’m getting there.
@TraditionalJapaneseHouse
Жыл бұрын
that is a great idea
I visited a few spots in rural Japan about 12 years ago or so. I love everything about the countryside there.
Oh my. So beautiful.
This makes me just want to cash in all my assets and just move to the countryside.
It's funny seeing this compared to other videos of just how beaten down and soulless downtown Tokyo has made its residents. I see the same thing here in America. In Chicago, you see people paying thousands of dollars in rent for such a tiny, desolate space to call home. I moved out to the burbs in a 3 bedroom, 1 bath ranch that is nothing to write home about, but is on an acre of fenced in land - rescued dogs during COVID and they love the room. I learned to appreciate having property that needed to be maintained, and have started a raised garden and mead making (growing blueberry bushes to incorporate in it eventually). I can't stress enough how much having land to work can change your mood and perspective on life. You can see how much of that hope for the future this guy has also giving a tour of his house and land. Millennials and Gen Z, PLEASE find a way to achieve this. Regressing to simpler living has so many advantages if you just say fuck it and take the plunge.
Love the roofs of Japanese buildings
this house is so amazing.
So beautiful. Full of potential and love!
That place looks awesome, what a deal.
Wonderful looking place and landscape. I could see myself there.
This looks amazing! Unimaginable that this amazing house costs only 23.000 USD! I am speechless! お疲れ様でした!
Super cool! Very awesome video!
That house is very nice and clean. So glad you got a great deal! Congratulations 🎊
@Ryunohara
10 ай бұрын
Thank you!! 😊
Wow, really nice and peaceful environment
It's alot better then I was expecting. Keep up the videos nice work
Beautiful home. Congrats.
I love the design on the cabinets.
Wow - it's still in great shape!
I'm from USA. I love the house. I could be very comfortable there.
Very nice place; beautiful. I lived almost one year in Okinawa 1972, graduated HS there. My father was USAF stationed at Kadena AFB. I going to have to build my little retirement home in the Japanese style because I like it so much. I've inherited some Japanese styled furnishings that will go nice with it. 乾杯
@binhnham2512
3 ай бұрын
Such a lovely area around Kadena. I fly in there on Space-A sometimes when i travel to Japan. There or Yokota.
This is very interesting. Thanx for sharing
Ahhh, to dream, I have always loved Japan and it's people.
Wow....Love all the wood interior pieces and flooring. Kitchen needs an update! Good luck with your project.
Really great content, good luck with the project.
@Ryunohara
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!
upstairs is wonderful .
Nice find.
I don't know why this is in my News feed but as an American I can say this is really really COOL. Good luck to you in your beautiful home
Those homes last forever like most Japanese second hand stuff. They take care of their things really good. Nice!!