WHAT DO YOU RECKON? Are you up to the challenge of renovating a traditional Japanese house? I'd always romanticised the idea right up until I set foot in this place. My dreams are crushed. Cheers to Alex from Tokyo Portfolio for joining us! I can't believe it's already been a year since we last caught up. You can check out this video linked in the box above!
As a carpenter, I'd love to own the older house and do the renovations myself. It's really not in bad shape at all. But the initial cost is way overpriced for what you get.
@@paros320 Correct...but Tokyo also has wards where the prices are not that bad, just stay away from the famous ones. Also, you can easily find an affordable place that is just a 30 minute bus ride into Kyoto -- and it's not so bad. The need to commute via train in Kyoto is unnecessary if you're a foreigner? Most foreigners working in Japan can just work remotely I imagine.
Actually the yellowing on these old kind of plastics does not mainly come from cigarettesmoke but from the bromium used in the plastic to make manufacturing easier. The plastic degrades over time having more and more bromium getting oxidized which makes it yellow and slightly toxic :)
Dang. So that's why my SNES and Gameboys have gotten all yellow over the years even though they were never subjected to tobacco smoke. I learned something new today.
I'm just bloody lucky to get to do what I enjoy - even if it means staying up until 5am regularly 😅 Glad to have amazing viewers and folks on the Abroad in Japan Patreon. This whole community gives me strength through thick and thin!
Mate, what you have done here, is commented on a random British man's comment, making him feel very proud about himself and just give him the slight hope that he can relate with other members of society. Also the Patreon features are just the best.
What's upsetting is the second house looks comfy to me, at first glance. Many small rooms to utilize, authentic and nostalgic feel. It's the awareness of how everything is degraded and about to break that makes it an awful place to move in.
kinda felt the same, also wondering why its so expensive if there isn't much demand for it, you would think the reasonable thing to do would be drop the price to make it more likely to sell, a lower price would make up for the cost of renovations. i rather liked the look myself, the view of the garden area from the first shot made it seem like there wasn't much you could do but the second shot of it showed much more potential there.
@@tuseroni6085 It is weird. I can't imagine it's doing anything for the current owner and they would be willing to drop the price drastically to offload it.
I had been considering buying an old house in my area, but my wife (who is Japanese) said “absolutely not”. So we ended up building a new house instead. Can’t say I regret it at this point. (Of course it costs more to build a new place, but land is pretty cheap rural Japan. And then there are those zero interest bank loans… 😆)
@@shiromochi-kun The house itself it’s mostly modern, but we had it built by a local carpenter who uses a traditional approach to building. It was a fascinating process. (Which I video blogged, if you’re interested.) 🍻
I would expect that most Japanese people who have lived or stay in an old house would never want to own one due to the drafts, cold, lack of insulation, super steep stairs, etc. I have romanticised the idea of living in an old Japanese house myself but having visited friends who do, and having stayed in some (renovated) ones, the reality can be pretty uncomfortable
Tbh, i like the second one more, though the state and price of the building is terrible, i would merge some of the rooms together, and thicken/soundproof the walls to the neighbors, and make sure all the walls are properly insulated for winter to, i think a bigger kitchen would do wonders.
I feel like it would be great if even if some of these houses were demolished, that the new ones could be made with a similar visual style, even if they weren't made exactly the same way.
That would increase property prices, which is one of the things Japanese real estate laws and regulations discourage. It's maybe the only rich country in the world where real estate laws have not been changed to "preserve the character" of a neighborhood. That's why most Japanese neighborhoods are so hideous--anyone can build any old ugly thing on their plot of land. But that keeps prices low since "preserving character" is an expensive undertaking.
@@pdruiz2005 I would not say ugly, it has its own charm, but yeah I can say people who do not like cyperbunkesque concrete blocks wont like it that much. But at least its easy to walk inside the city
Another youtuber named Anton (Anton in Japan) bought a abandoned house ("Akiya") in Tokyo for virtually free and renovating it. It was abandoned for 10+ years and still had all the belongings of the former owner. His channel is super interesting if anyone wants to see how to renovate an Akiya.
yes and he stated how insane and ridiculous it is for anyone to do so. There are so many restrictions when throwing away old wood/garbage in japan its stupid.
Of course it wasn't pretty, but it looked like fine enough. Do some repairs and you could live there if you are content with simple necessities. But that price...
Having grown up in the rural American South, I've seen a plethora of abandoned homes/trailer houses. The state of the unrenovated town house is probably the best case scenario for an abandoned/uninhabited house. Especially for being 100 years old
Seriously. PA resident here, and every time they complained I was like "You people truly have no idea. Come to me after you've seen a COMPANY HOUSE."...
Not sure about the layout, but the aesthetics of the "running garden" kitchen were really nice. I loved the combo of terracotta tiles with wood framing. And a stainless steel countertop is pretty cool as well. The skylight though seemed like a really unique and beautiful architectural feature.. If only the house weren't falling apart lol
honestly it didn't seem like it was falling that much apart, the floors aren't that big of aa deal to replace and they looked at a slanted door. I've seen way worse things.
The weekly content has truly been a blessing! The high quality production, the sheer fun of your videos, it's a good time to be an Abroad in Japan fan (and Patreon)!
In Australia, we could buy and renovate 2 or 3 of these machiya for the average cost of a decent home in inner Melbourne or Sydney. Funny how Chris scoffs at the cost, whereas I would love to pay that little for a house in the middle of Kyoto and live there. I'd still be about a million dollars better off than Melbourne!
If it weren't for the decrepit state, I would totally prefer the second machiya over the first. The second has a warmer feel and personality to it versus the first's modern uniformity.
Yeah, I didn't like ether of them. First one was so sterile and modern that it might as well be a whole new building. Second one is in really bad shape and the floorplan in not conducive to modern lifestyles. I've seen vids about macchias that were renovated to accommodate modern needs but preserved more of the original aesthetics. That second one might not even be viable due to wood rot it seems it might have and how thin the framing is on it.
totally agree. The first one was virtually featureless just like a hotel at any airport in the world, given some minimum price point. Who would want that for a home? Not only had the second one more personality but even some actually distinguishable style - like it or not.
@@cheekyjebus5559 Mold is a legitimate concern as is the potential for structural failure. At one time japanese buildings were often constructed of carefully cut, fitted wood parts without the use of nails. It's very elegant, but every construction method has pros and cons.
@@cheekyjebus5559Can't wait for the "treated" Wood to collapse on me after I clean the VISABLE mold, but can't repair the obvious structural issues😂 Also no one cares about how hard you had it, its not an Olympic sport and if it was you'd lose, it's especially funny when you're commenting on your Iphone
Living in Munich, definitely one of the notoriously expensive cities in Europe, $400K for the house and another $200 for renovating the place actually - and unfortunately - doesn't seem too shocking. A completely standard apartment with 70m² starts at roundabout 600k€ if you want to buy it. And that's not even the places in the popular areas. Not saying it's not a lot of money, I just wasn't as shocked by the price as I expected to be.
I also live in a german city, a smaller one and the prices for houses went up so much over the last years that something like this would be possible inside the city core and pricy for the outter parts of the city, but not absolutelly unreasonable
It's the same in big cities in New Zealand and Australia. I am always shocked by how affordable property is in Japan, including rents. That said, wages are low.
I saw an ad for a barista at blue bottle coffee in Kyoto. They were offering $6.50 per hour! No wonder this machiya seems like a lot of money to people in Japan!
Renovations aside, I think one advantage of traditional Japanese house is how little furnishing you need to do. You can just buy futon instead of full beds, sitting pillow instead of chairs, the wardrobes are built-in and even the tables are smaller.
it's a shame it can be that expensive to renovate these houses. I would love more content on Kyoto's debt and how it came about, that took me by surprise, with how much tourism the city has had (covid time excluded). Thank you for the content Chris!
The debt situation makes me scoff all the harder that Japan was so obstinate to reopen the country after the pandemic, using every stupid carrot on a stick trick to only allow a few people to come in (such as being limited to guided tours). Kyoto thrives on tourism and I don't know if the government wanted the business owners to show some form of outdated Japanese pride by dying on the vine instead of accepting the financial benefits of tourism/foreigners or what, but that delay of reopening when most of the world already had reopened couldn't have helped things.
As long as the basic structure is solid, renovations don't need to be as expensive as claimed in the video. One of my friends bought and renovated a property last year just outside Kyoto and paid about US$250,000 in total, including the house purchase. There was also a Japanlife Redditor a few years ago who bought a 2-story 10-room 1955 house for $90k and then completely renovated the interior for something like $110,000. It really depend on the location.
@@dgmt1 Countryside houses are cheep and plentiful because so many younger people prefer the type of jobs and lifestyles of the cities, so the city proper is much more expensive. Cities also tend to have a lot more regulation and paperwork.
@@dgmt1Yeah, outside Kyoto. That's a very important point you just glossed over. The reason this decrepit old thing is worth so much is because of the land value. Any patch of land within the city is gold dust.
@@MrManBuzz property costs are based on location, renovation costs are not. Renovating a house that is a 10-minute commute from Kyoto station is not going to cost particular more than renovating an old house located within the city.
I might be odd but i much like the second unrenovated one! If it was restored to just its prior glory I think it's quite a comfortable and cozy space that I'd love to spend time in!
I agree. In my opinion it is VERY nice compared to some horrible places I've come across where I live in the USA. The wood flooring in the kitchen and the walls are in my opinion exquisite. Instead in the USA we have vinyl flooring, fake wood, and depressing drywall. Many houses in the USA are painted nearly the same depressing shade of white and are in FAR worse shape than that second home. I've seen houses that literally have several inches of rat and mice feces all over the floor. While generally in better structural shape due to the better construction, there really is usually nothing worth keeping of the original home during renovations.
honestly i think the unrenovated one looks better; it has a variety of textures its not just wood. I’m assuming no rebuilding means you’re not allowed to make a completely identical house but with steel supports? But i’m unsure how you would repair it without taking out the support beams…
I'm glad you document things like this. Architecture might not be the first thing that comes to mind when people discuss the culture of a given society, but it's a a massively important way to distinguish one culture from another...or at least it was before the globalization/westernization of a number of countries.
The extreme yellowing of the intercom plastic likely has nothing to do with the cigarette smoke - all of it could be due to the bromine added to the plastic which makes it degrade and turn yellow with time when exposed to the sunlight and oxygen.
My wife and I lived on the East coast of the US and when it was time to consider buying a house the market was just shocking. We love Japan and discovered we could move to Japan, do 2 years of language school, buy a 40 year old house in a Tokyo suburb and renovate it for significantly less than we could get a run down house where we were living. Also with all the natural disasters Japan has we are significantly safer now than we were living in the US. Money well spent in our eyes.
We were in Japan in March and stayed in a renovated traditional house in Kyoto....It was quite fun and I am so glad we got to experience it. We really wanted Sharla's place in Tokyo but sadly it was booked out.....I know it would have been much better than the sketch airbnb in Tokyo, LOL.
Just watched Tokyo Llamas restoration work and docus as well and would have to agree with everything here. Buying old houses in Japan is not for the faint of heart. It will take you years to finish up renovation, not to mention expenses (especially transporting trash apparently) . There's a reason why even the Japanese prefer to buy new.
I think that cities like Kyoto need to have a competition for architects to come up with in part standardised, affordable and buildable modern, functional and energy efficient but still tradionalish looking home and house designs and to give tax cuts and other incentives for home owners/builders to persue those kind of homes.
Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how affordable it when people, like the owner of the house(s) in this video, buy the properties for the purpose of renting them out to tourists for short-term stays. Can absolutely dry up the local economy because tourists don't contribute even close to the level like actual residents do.
@@saitodosan9377true; also, the (young) locals don't want to live in Kyoto because of their financial situation and the rising taxes. There's a lot of mismanagement with the city finances, zoning, and city planning. Right now, unless some MAJOR foundational changes happen in Kyoto, their best bet may be to encourage more of the tourism/rental/hospitality-related real estate game. Though, over reliance on that sector is a major part of what got them where they are. They need to make changes; but they probably won't---politics.
@@5217tuberthere's little reason not to do both. It breaks my heart to see the beautiful machia replaced with ugly, non-descript boxes (often with few windows). The old house could be rebuilt with modern techniques, materials, and insulation. Keep the aesthetic; but rethink the thermal profile and throw in some heated floors, enhanced ventilation, and ethernet. If they make sure the outside still looks like a machia (even if a modern re-imagining) the feel of the city could be preserved. It just takes a few less grey-haired leaders who can't adapt and instead default to the alternative through inaction. The young people are fed up and many are just working on their exit strategy to Tokyo or overseas. it's a shame.
@@Val.Kyrie. I mean, this is the same country that tore down the entire Shuri castle and Meiji Jingu, built it to the same architectural drawings, then called the resulting rebuild no different from the building they tore down, so you'd think they wouldn't be that attached to the concept of preserving the exact original materials as long as the spirit is there in terms of the building styles and methods.
I've heard that in Japan is actually common to just abandon a house, simply because financially it doesn't worth the money to maintain... The houses actually loose value overtime
@@johnrivers3813 Surreal... Here where I live, unless the surrounding area goes rock bottom, the house actually increases value over time... Japan is actually the opposite, the houses lose value, almost like a car thru the years...
You also have to keep in mind the "natural disasters" in the area. You risk flood or earthquakes depending on where you live. Newer houses are build to be more sturdy. Makes older houses less appealing. Can also impact the cost of your insurance, so old house can become more expensive that way as well.
@@johnrivers3813 This is mostly due to older homes not being built with modern things like air conditioning, proper electrical and plumbing, and insulation. Even in the 80s and 90s it was common to simply build without these elements - or as cheaply as possible. It's cheaper to just bulldoze it and start over with something that will last. So you see 20-30 year old cheap housing being torn down left and right. Anything that is actual quality is still there.
The sad tragedy of any traditional or historical building is that even if you are willing to pay a second mortgage to keep it from falling apart, it's hard to make them as comfortable as modern homes given that they often lack decent ventilation.
$350,000 to buy, and half that in renovations means $525,000 total costs. That's about what you'd pay for a house with that many bedrooms where I live.
The thing about people renovating old buildings anywhere, is that they all feel like it has to look like a hotel inside. The decrepit building looks like it has way more character, if only it could be made to be safe.
Another favorite TH-camr, she can do her own renovations, just bought an investment property in Kyoto. Loved the place she bought. She was super straight up they need a lot of repair and these houses are like being made of paper.
@@AbroadinJapanre you sure you should wish people happy Independence Day? You did lose the Revolutionary War after all. (I wonder if anyone still remembers that video lol)
Abroad's videos always nice to see. Quality makes all the difference. It doesn't feel like watching some random youtube video shot by a phone or something.
this is hard to comprehend as where I live in Victoria BC, we have dumps for $600k and most are in the $800k but new. To me the total sum isn't even off putting and you're in Kyoto. I would assume that before purchasing the buyer could see if the building would be able to rebuilt if it was a demo? Seems insane they would not be able to get that info seeing as its either a full reno or demo off the hop.
Honestly, the second house is a lot more appealing character wise than the first house. The retro touches in the kitchen, the brick, and the industrial anesthetic are awesome. If there was a way to preserve these while making it sound, that would be a wonderful renovation.
We lived in a beautiful house in Kyoto when I was a child not a real machiya. It stood in its own grounds with really nice little gardens and a big kura that had a lot of things that were left from the previous owner. Unfortunately it was riddled with termites. Since Japanese houses are usually built on wooden supports with only foundation stones between the ground and the wood of your house, if termites move in that’s the end. It’s probably the reason why there’s all that distortion, there are probably supports that are half eaten.
@@johnrivers3813 Correct - basically you have to rebuild it from the ground up, starting with a proper modern foundation. Then new walls, because no ducting or insulation. And on and on.. massively harder than a normal home, even.
I live in Britain and my house is probably around 70-90 years old. My kitchen has the same design as the "Hashiri Niwa" in that it links the front and back door of the house together in one corridor. Found that quite interesting to notice the similarity. despite mine being a British house. I know my house was designed that way for the old washing days (before washing machines) so you could hang washing outside easier as well as being able to move items through the house to the large garden.
Stayed at a friend's old house in Japan, the entire building was shaking when he and his wife was banging. Can proudly say that he has heard me, and I have felt him...
I think the unrenovated one looks better because the old architectural interior and exterior style is more beautiful that minimalistic modern one. So i would try to keep the old style while repairing the house.
I actually liked the look of the older unit. Yes, it's run down and in serious need of repair, but it's also got a lot of character to that a the first one doesn't.
Wouldn't it be great if Abroad in Japan does buy one of these and make a series of videos renovating it? You can even do a collab with designers etc from your pool of viewers. Do a competition, get them paid with free trips to Japan to manage the job. Content for at least a year or more!
I’ve definitely seen worse places for rent in America but they’re cheaper in a lot of places but you should see apartments in NYC for how they look they’re so expensive
The size of these places and the cost is still SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS cheaper after renovations than a 1 bedroom condo in Toronto, Vancouver, or NYC. The overall investment is so much cheaper than you guys think.
I was thinking the same thing 😅 $350,000 plus $150,000 in renovations is less than most first homes in Australia. It is definitely a cheaper option for many foreigners.
Well, you also have to think about it in terms of the country's local currency value, salary, expenses, etc. compared to your own. Is this cheap for someone who lives in the USA/Canada and can actually afford to live in those cities? Sure. Is it cheap for the average person actually living in Japan? Maybe not.
@@saitodosan9377 Fair point and I agree with you in regards to ex-pats in Japan or Japanese born locals. I would argue however that this channel's viewers are largely non-japanese foreigners in North America/Europe/Australia and assuming thats the case, this video doesn't drive home the 'expensive' cost to viewers at all. None the less, you did make a great point. Cheers!
Honestly this still looks better than I expected. If you wanted to turn it into something like a traditional inn it would take a lot of money obviously but if you just wanted to make it livable for yourself much less work would be required. New tatami mats, sliding doors, better insulation, getting rid of the horrible 70s style (lamps, wallpapers, etc) and a good cleaning would go a long way already
The first place isn't a machiya! That's a sauna! Real though, there's a middle ground. I recently spent a month in a kyomachiya through Hachise, and it was only $60 per night and an actual livable place, neither run down nor, again, a sauna 😂
I enjoy watching you're videos and learning more about this magnificent country. It is unfortunate that these beautifully designed simply built homes can not stand the test of time, especially for being part of Japanese history and culture. It is great that you give your viewers insight and knowledge about Japanese life. Thank you!❤
No kidding! Just as you seem to have uploaded this two days ago I signed up for Anton in Japan channel - all about renovating old houses in Tokyo. Worth a look for anyone interested.
As a German, who lives in a very old "peasant house" we renovated/rebuild, i see this as a normal old house. The secret is to work with age not against it. If the floor is warped see if it because of damage or age. Fix it if needed otherwise let it be. Show age don't hide it. If you renovate a house do it yourself and take your time. So the points are: Take your time, don't force it, be flexible and roll with the punches. 🙂
When i think of a PROPER traditional Japanese home, i think of the large wrap around front porch, the sliding doors, the high roof with exposed wooden beams, the traditional Japanese style arched roof with ceramic roof tiles and the garden with the bamboo rocking water fountain . THAT IS MY DREAM HOME, i want to live in a house that every day when i come home i feel like I'm in an episode of Rurouni Kenshin.....LMAO!!
That kitchen's shape and run-down nature reminded me a lot of my grandparents' house in Uzbekistan, out in the countryside. I kinda like it. And you could use the "garden" spot to make a tiny rock collection and put some hanging ferns on the sides. It looks like a cozy little place to hang out. Shame it's not structurally sound.
Honestly it makes me homesick for the first house I lived in when I first came to Japan. My place was pretty much like that old run down place. Lots of spiders and mice. Freezing in the winter. Boiling in the summer. No plumbing in the toilet. Just a big hole that had to be suctioned out every month. Good times...😂
I'm renting an older Japanese house in Kumagaya. I have a nice garden in the back and the house itself is in good shape. It does get hot in the summer, but I have AC. In the winter it gets cold, but I like the cold for sleeping.
With Japanese vacancies predicted to hit 30% in the next 10yrs, this is a very relevant video 👍 The small town properties under 200,000 yen might be more our budget though 😆
Depending on the location there are still a lot of older Kyoto properties in good condition that are selling quite cheaply. I know of two properties (one bought by a friend, the other described in detail by a Redditor) that were bought and had major renovations done to them for around US$200-250k total within the last few years with fairly impressive final results. These were in less popular areas of Kyoto and the 250k typical renovation price mentioned in the video may be referring more to certain neighborhoods and people going to for more chic renovation styles.
@@mysterioanonymous3206 Study was just released, I read it on Mainichi. It's at about 15% now. Should have saved the page, because I'm searching for it now and all I'm finding are real estate sites 😩
I've stayed in a traditional, non renovated house when i was in Kyoto. I'm 5'11, and had to use the toilet with the door open. I couldn't close it because my knees were in the way! Lucky i was with a partner then, but with friends it would've been a funny experience. The toilet door opened to the kitchen area. I just out of curiosity looked it up, and now it's renovated and completely different ): It was old, creaky, slightly smelly, with stairs that were narrow, tiny, but incredibly steep, and each step was huge! A suicide mission to even attempt to go up there after a few drinks! I loved all of it.
Tbh the first one kinda sucks. The small garden takes up all that room when u could just walk to a park or outside. And while the 2nd needs alot of touch up it has more personality and doesn't feel like I'm in a hotel room.
@AbroadinJapan I'm a sucker for wooden interiors and the "rustic/retro" look. Idk in Australia all our old houses are brick town houses, colonial style buildings or your classic farmers house, think English but u live in a country that has 30 degree summers and u own a yute. Idk how else to describe that style
This was such a good video! So interesting, I lived walking around in Kyoto, seeing all the old buildings. It’s a shame to hear many won’t be saved. Understandable though now I’ve watched this. The metal bath made made laugh, the place I stayed in Osaka had one, wasn’t my most comfortable bath ever 😅
Just remember houses in Japan do not appreciate , they devalue just like a new car in America. They represent a beautiful culture from by gone years but it’s not a good investment at least not for me. To many rules and regulations for Americans that don’t know the language or the protocols.I would go bankrupt within a year if I bought one, unless you have millions to spend and do it as a hobby 😅
My brother is renting a home in Japan. It’s not a Machiya, but it’s still pretty old. The inside was traditional layout with tatami mats. It 2 stories and it has its own Grudge like stairway. But it’s actually not bad. My brother has been doing minor renovations to the outside garden in front and sides of house. Mostly planting plants and removing rocks and debris. He added fake grass because caring for real grass is too much work. Inside they been cleaning and reorganizing things. He mentioned he was thinking about repainting the inside and the land lord is allowing them to do it. Not sure if he did or not. The house has very large windows that lead to the outside garden which is not good for privacy and makes winters really cold. Right now it’s really hot in summer and the only AC he got is downstairs near the kitchen. His and his partner’s bed is on 2nd floor. He only pays $700 US per month for rent. Plus whatever he spends for utilities and his renovations. Still way cheaper than renting a small shotty apartment back home in US where rent is $1600 per month or higher.
Wow! I love the idea of renovating one but that's because I'm a project junkie 😅. I'd love to see the process of someone renovating one and the steps that have to be taken etc including the laws that might keep you from doing things originally in the project plan. It's sad that these homes are dying off. Thanks for this awesome video!
Such a shame when people "renovate" a century old building but make it look like some modern IKEA place. The history of a house is what makes it interesting. A house without history isn't a home. I'd move into the unrenovated home without hesitation, compared to the modernised one. On a side note, that's a smashing coat mr. Shapiro has on.
@@TheHekateristhat’s why we have done minimal redecoration or carpet changes in our house. We respect the history of people who lived and hopefully lived here before. The older style wallpapers and the raised wallpaper we paint on is so much nicer and homelier than the restored place next door. Softer.
Haha. I know this feeling. I am currently reforming and living in a 35 year old house that was built well and taken care of. However the reform process is nuts.
You know it's funny. In Italy for example when like old historical towns and buildings are empty and falling apart, the country nationalizes them and then lets people purchase em for free if they pledge specific money to renovate using local companies and materials. That way the costs for the person purchasing it are only the renovations, not another 400k for the house itself when it's basically falling apart.
Well, in some european countries there is an incentive to keep the original architecture of the houses, specially for touristic reasons, because the houses are part of the landscape. I hope Japan goes that way too (In cases in which it is impossible to fix the house, they should be able to at least rebuild it)
If I were a millionaire, I'd buy a machiya to renovate in Kyoto in a heartbeat to eventually live in, though I'd aim for a renovation that stays a truer to the general aesthetics of traditional machiya even if it is more expensive; that first place looked too modern and kind of defeats the purpose of renovating a machiya to begin with. It's one thing to have modern conveniences and benefits like double glazing and a modern kitchen, but quite another to remove the whole traditional Japanese interior aesthetic!
i haven't checked in in a while but i have to say your weightloss looks *great!* (tbh i was just feeling so sad tuning in, and seeing all that incredible effort from the biking lost. idk if it was just the covid thing, i know that hit a lot of people that way, esp being cooped up.) amazing cheekbones! in know it's $$$ to reno old properties pretty much anywhere but it's so sad to think of them being torn down. history, lost. i think if people had kept on in them and put money in little by little they would have lasted well. good to hear your voice/delivery again. always so engaging.
Unrelated but that cat about to sit down next to the guy in the intro was cute even though it's short but I would watch that for 10 hours I enjoy seeing Alex on the channel had a good chuckle at seeing him just smiling while sitting in the baths
The extra layers of windows are more likely for sound insullation, though they would help with thermals as well (unclear if the walls are properly insullated, which would be a bigger factor).
WHAT DO YOU RECKON? Are you up to the challenge of renovating a traditional Japanese house?
I'd always romanticised the idea right up until I set foot in this place. My dreams are crushed.
Cheers to Alex from Tokyo Portfolio for joining us! I can't believe it's already been a year since we last caught up. You can check out this video linked in the box above!
i wuv u 🥺🥺
Griffith did nothing wrong
I would take on the challenge, sounds a bit hard but it would be worth it.
@@Sichlittdid he ?
A new video after a long workday! Thanks again Chris :)
As a carpenter, I'd love to own the older house and do the renovations myself. It's really not in bad shape at all. But the initial cost is way overpriced for what you get.
That price is probably 90% location.
And the fact that is 2x 70 square metres
@@StaK_1980 That's basically real estate in a nutshell.
Yeah, and in Kyoto of all places. I’m sure it would be far cheaper anywhere outside of Tokyo/Kyoto/Osaka/Hiroshima
@@paros320 Correct...but Tokyo also has wards where the prices are not that bad, just stay away from the famous ones. Also, you can easily find an affordable place that is just a 30 minute bus ride into Kyoto -- and it's not so bad. The need to commute via train in Kyoto is unnecessary if you're a foreigner? Most foreigners working in Japan can just work remotely I imagine.
Yeah, the price and worrying about the structural integrity would be my biggest concern, otherwise I'd be happy enough with that sort of place.
Actually the yellowing on these old kind of plastics does not mainly come from cigarettesmoke but from the bromium used in the plastic to make manufacturing easier. The plastic degrades over time having more and more bromium getting oxidized which makes it yellow and slightly toxic :)
Dang. So that's why my SNES and Gameboys have gotten all yellow over the years even though they were never subjected to tobacco smoke. I learned something new today.
Have to correct myself. Its not due to air but due to UV light from sunlight knocking the bromium out of the binding
After Googling, isn't it called bromine? Thanks though. I always wondered about browning plastic.
This is true
Thank you! 😊
I still love how Chris makes movie quality videos, free for the public.
I'm just bloody lucky to get to do what I enjoy - even if it means staying up until 5am regularly 😅
Glad to have amazing viewers and folks on the Abroad in Japan Patreon. This whole community gives me strength through thick and thin!
Free for the unwashed masses!
Mate, what you have done here, is commented on a random British man's comment, making him feel very proud about himself and just give him the slight hope that he can relate with other members of society.
Also the Patreon features are just the best.
im suprised chris doesnt have his own tv series
i want a shirt that says 'smells like lemons'
What's upsetting is the second house looks comfy to me, at first glance. Many small rooms to utilize, authentic and nostalgic feel. It's the awareness of how everything is degraded and about to break that makes it an awful place to move in.
Especially the nostalgic feeling. Like, you can actually imagine your grandparents having lived there.
@@hickknightmakes my heart break
It's not necessarily that it's "about to break", but that it will need repairs to keep problems from getting worse.
kinda felt the same, also wondering why its so expensive if there isn't much demand for it, you would think the reasonable thing to do would be drop the price to make it more likely to sell, a lower price would make up for the cost of renovations.
i rather liked the look myself, the view of the garden area from the first shot made it seem like there wasn't much you could do but the second shot of it showed much more potential there.
@@tuseroni6085 It is weird. I can't imagine it's doing anything for the current owner and they would be willing to drop the price drastically to offload it.
I had been considering buying an old house in my area, but my wife (who is Japanese) said “absolutely not”. So we ended up building a new house instead. Can’t say I regret it at this point. (Of course it costs more to build a new place, but land is pretty cheap rural Japan. And then there are those zero interest bank loans… 😆)
Did you build your house in the traditional style, or modern?
@@shiromochi-kun The house itself it’s mostly modern, but we had it built by a local carpenter who uses a traditional approach to building. It was a fascinating process. (Which I video blogged, if you’re interested.) 🍻
I would expect that most Japanese people who have lived or stay in an old house would never want to own one due to the drafts, cold, lack of insulation, super steep stairs, etc. I have romanticised the idea of living in an old Japanese house myself but having visited friends who do, and having stayed in some (renovated) ones, the reality can be pretty uncomfortable
@@megand6233 Exactly.
@@Jordan-inJapan Yes please!
Tbh, i like the second one more, though the state and price of the building is terrible, i would merge some of the rooms together, and thicken/soundproof the walls to the neighbors, and make sure all the walls are properly insulated for winter to, i think a bigger kitchen would do wonders.
same here. besides the sketch stuff like mold, foundation issues and insulation/soundproofing it looks really nice and comfortable
With a lot of old, yellowed, previously white electronics, it's actually light exposure that yellows it, and not necessarily cigarette smoke.
I feel like it would be great if even if some of these houses were demolished, that the new ones could be made with a similar visual style, even if they weren't made exactly the same way.
This. In America some cities do impose some regulation of street view aesthetics in historic areas when new building is being done.
That would increase property prices, which is one of the things Japanese real estate laws and regulations discourage. It's maybe the only rich country in the world where real estate laws have not been changed to "preserve the character" of a neighborhood. That's why most Japanese neighborhoods are so hideous--anyone can build any old ugly thing on their plot of land. But that keeps prices low since "preserving character" is an expensive undertaking.
forcing new buildings to keep the outside style the same, would be a great solution.
@@pdruiz2005 I would not say ugly, it has its own charm, but yeah I can say people who do not like cyperbunkesque concrete blocks wont like it that much. But at least its easy to walk inside the city
@@pdruiz2005 umm their neighborhoods are no were NEAR hideous; FOOL
Another youtuber named Anton (Anton in Japan) bought a abandoned house ("Akiya") in Tokyo for virtually free and renovating it. It was abandoned for 10+ years and still had all the belongings of the former owner. His channel is super interesting if anyone wants to see how to renovate an Akiya.
yes and he stated how insane and ridiculous it is for anyone to do so. There are so many restrictions when throwing away old wood/garbage in japan its stupid.
Anton is the PewDiePie of Akiya TH-cam content 🔥😂
It says a lot about the houses in my country that the unrenovated one looked kinda cozy to me, except for the price 😅
Of course it wasn't pretty, but it looked like fine enough. Do some repairs and you could live there if you are content with simple necessities. But that price...
Having grown up in the rural American South, I've seen a plethora of abandoned homes/trailer houses. The state of the unrenovated town house is probably the best case scenario for an abandoned/uninhabited house. Especially for being 100 years old
Seriously. PA resident here, and every time they complained I was like "You people truly have no idea. Come to me after you've seen a COMPANY HOUSE."...
Not sure about the layout, but the aesthetics of the "running garden" kitchen were really nice. I loved the combo of terracotta tiles with wood framing. And a stainless steel countertop is pretty cool as well. The skylight though seemed like a really unique and beautiful architectural feature.. If only the house weren't falling apart lol
honestly it didn't seem like it was falling that much apart, the floors aren't that big of aa deal to replace and they looked at a slanted door. I've seen way worse things.
The weekly content has truly been a blessing! The high quality production, the sheer fun of your videos, it's a good time to be an Abroad in Japan fan (and Patreon)!
It’s been a great few months! And it’s about to get better. Thanks for watching and for your support! 🙏
@AbroadinJapan I look forward to it sir!
In Australia, we could buy and renovate 2 or 3 of these machiya for the average cost of a decent home in inner Melbourne or Sydney. Funny how Chris scoffs at the cost, whereas I would love to pay that little for a house in the middle of Kyoto and live there. I'd still be about a million dollars better off than Melbourne!
If it weren't for the decrepit state, I would totally prefer the second machiya over the first. The second has a warmer feel and personality to it versus the first's modern uniformity.
Yeah, I didn't like ether of them. First one was so sterile and modern that it might as well be a whole new building. Second one is in really bad shape and the floorplan in not conducive to modern lifestyles. I've seen vids about macchias that were renovated to accommodate modern needs but preserved more of the original aesthetics. That second one might not even be viable due to wood rot it seems it might have and how thin the framing is on it.
totally agree. The first one was virtually featureless just like a hotel at any airport in the world, given some minimum price point. Who would want that for a home? Not only had the second one more personality but even some actually distinguishable style - like it or not.
God yes. First one looked like an IKEA product manager was let loose in the place.
The second one has a warmer feel, if you are after the warm embrace of death
Hard disagree. Much prefer modern.
As someone who grew up very poor this really didn't look that bad to me, I was a bit confused why they kept talking about how horrible it was haha
That's exactly what my wife and I were talking about.
snobby people who have never cleaned before are horrified by dust and dirt.
@@cheekyjebus5559 Mold is a legitimate concern as is the potential for structural failure.
At one time japanese buildings were often constructed of carefully cut, fitted wood parts without the use of nails.
It's very elegant, but every construction method has pros and cons.
@@jnharton you can clearly see the wood is treated, just clean the bloody mold and quit whinin' about muh $250k
@@cheekyjebus5559Can't wait for the "treated" Wood to collapse on me after I clean the VISABLE mold, but can't repair the obvious structural issues😂 Also no one cares about how hard you had it, its not an Olympic sport and if it was you'd lose, it's especially funny when you're commenting on your Iphone
Living in Munich, definitely one of the notoriously expensive cities in Europe, $400K for the house and another $200 for renovating the place actually - and unfortunately - doesn't seem too shocking. A completely standard apartment with 70m² starts at roundabout 600k€ if you want to buy it. And that's not even the places in the popular areas.
Not saying it's not a lot of money, I just wasn't as shocked by the price as I expected to be.
I also live in a german city, a smaller one and the prices for houses went up so much over the last years that something like this would be possible inside the city core and pricy for the outter parts of the city, but not absolutelly unreasonable
@@TaradoxxiI live here too and I'm surprised a house on my street recently sold for $850k and I'm in a more reasonable suburb.
It's the same in big cities in New Zealand and Australia. I am always shocked by how affordable property is in Japan, including rents. That said, wages are low.
I live in NYC and $1M is pretty much the average price for a single family home in my neighborhood. Absolutely ridiculous prices.
I saw an ad for a barista at blue bottle coffee in Kyoto. They were offering $6.50 per hour! No wonder this machiya seems like a lot of money to people in Japan!
Renovations aside, I think one advantage of traditional Japanese house is how little furnishing you need to do. You can just buy futon instead of full beds, sitting pillow instead of chairs, the wardrobes are built-in and even the tables are smaller.
it's a shame it can be that expensive to renovate these houses. I would love more content on Kyoto's debt and how it came about, that took me by surprise, with how much tourism the city has had (covid time excluded). Thank you for the content Chris!
The debt situation makes me scoff all the harder that Japan was so obstinate to reopen the country after the pandemic, using every stupid carrot on a stick trick to only allow a few people to come in (such as being limited to guided tours). Kyoto thrives on tourism and I don't know if the government wanted the business owners to show some form of outdated Japanese pride by dying on the vine instead of accepting the financial benefits of tourism/foreigners or what, but that delay of reopening when most of the world already had reopened couldn't have helped things.
As long as the basic structure is solid, renovations don't need to be as expensive as claimed in the video. One of my friends bought and renovated a property last year just outside Kyoto and paid about US$250,000 in total, including the house purchase. There was also a Japanlife Redditor a few years ago who bought a 2-story 10-room 1955 house for $90k and then completely renovated the interior for something like $110,000. It really depend on the location.
@@dgmt1 Countryside houses are cheep and plentiful because so many younger people prefer the type of jobs and lifestyles of the cities, so the city proper is much more expensive. Cities also tend to have a lot more regulation and paperwork.
@@dgmt1Yeah, outside Kyoto. That's a very important point you just glossed over.
The reason this decrepit old thing is worth so much is because of the land value. Any patch of land within the city is gold dust.
@@MrManBuzz property costs are based on location, renovation costs are not. Renovating a house that is a 10-minute commute from Kyoto station is not going to cost particular more than renovating an old house located within the city.
I might be odd but i much like the second unrenovated one! If it was restored to just its prior glory I think it's quite a comfortable and cozy space that I'd love to spend time in!
I agree. In my opinion it is VERY nice compared to some horrible places I've come across where I live in the USA. The wood flooring in the kitchen and the walls are in my opinion exquisite.
Instead in the USA we have vinyl flooring, fake wood, and depressing drywall. Many houses in the USA are painted nearly the same depressing shade of white and are in FAR worse shape than that second home. I've seen houses that literally have several inches of rat and mice feces all over the floor.
While generally in better structural shape due to the better construction, there really is usually nothing worth keeping of the original home during renovations.
honestly i think the unrenovated one looks better; it has a variety of textures its not just wood. I’m assuming no rebuilding means you’re not allowed to make a completely identical house but with steel supports? But i’m unsure how you would repair it without taking out the support beams…
the renovated house had the feel of an sleek ultra-modern deluxe... matches box. the old one actually looked like a home, but very dingy
I came to the comments to say the exact same thing.
the old one has a soul, the new one is just square flat walls with no trimming, it's awful.
I'm glad you document things like this. Architecture might not be the first thing that comes to mind when people discuss the culture of a given society, but it's a a massively important way to distinguish one culture from another...or at least it was before the globalization/westernization of a number of countries.
The extreme yellowing of the intercom plastic likely has nothing to do with the cigarette smoke - all of it could be due to the bromine added to the plastic which makes it degrade and turn yellow with time when exposed to the sunlight and oxygen.
Was looking for this comment.
It is definitely the result of bakelite plastic reacting to UV over an extended period.
Plus Kyoto is hot and humid in summer; this could contribute to the yellowing process.
My wife and I lived on the East coast of the US and when it was time to consider buying a house the market was just shocking. We love Japan and discovered we could move to Japan, do 2 years of language school, buy a 40 year old house in a Tokyo suburb and renovate it for significantly less than we could get a run down house where we were living. Also with all the natural disasters Japan has we are significantly safer now than we were living in the US. Money well spent in our eyes.
We were in Japan in March and stayed in a renovated traditional house in Kyoto....It was quite fun and I am so glad we got to experience it. We really wanted Sharla's place in Tokyo but sadly it was booked out.....I know it would have been much better than the sketch airbnb in Tokyo, LOL.
Just watched Tokyo Llamas restoration work and docus as well and would have to agree with everything here. Buying old houses in Japan is not for the faint of heart. It will take you years to finish up renovation, not to mention expenses (especially transporting trash apparently) . There's a reason why even the Japanese prefer to buy new.
I think that cities like Kyoto need to have a competition for architects to come up with in part standardised, affordable and buildable modern, functional and energy efficient but still tradionalish looking home and house designs and to give tax cuts and other incentives for home owners/builders to persue those kind of homes.
Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how affordable it when people, like the owner of the house(s) in this video, buy the properties for the purpose of renting them out to tourists for short-term stays. Can absolutely dry up the local economy because tourists don't contribute even close to the level like actual residents do.
@@saitodosan9377true; also, the (young) locals don't want to live in Kyoto because of their financial situation and the rising taxes. There's a lot of mismanagement with the city finances, zoning, and city planning. Right now, unless some MAJOR foundational changes happen in Kyoto, their best bet may be to encourage more of the tourism/rental/hospitality-related real estate game. Though, over reliance on that sector is a major part of what got them where they are. They need to make changes; but they probably won't---politics.
@@5217tuberthere's little reason not to do both. It breaks my heart to see the beautiful machia replaced with ugly, non-descript boxes (often with few windows). The old house could be rebuilt with modern techniques, materials, and insulation. Keep the aesthetic; but rethink the thermal profile and throw in some heated floors, enhanced ventilation, and ethernet. If they make sure the outside still looks like a machia (even if a modern re-imagining) the feel of the city could be preserved. It just takes a few less grey-haired leaders who can't adapt and instead default to the alternative through inaction.
The young people are fed up and many are just working on their exit strategy to Tokyo or overseas.
it's a shame.
There’s no reason why modern houses can’t be built in the traditional fashions. It would be the best of both worlds.
@@Val.Kyrie. I mean, this is the same country that tore down the entire Shuri castle and Meiji Jingu, built it to the same architectural drawings, then called the resulting rebuild no different from the building they tore down, so you'd think they wouldn't be that attached to the concept of preserving the exact original materials as long as the spirit is there in terms of the building styles and methods.
I've heard that in Japan is actually common to just abandon a house, simply because financially it doesn't worth the money to maintain... The houses actually loose value overtime
I believe the average lifespan for a house in Japan is 20 years
@@johnrivers3813 Surreal... Here where I live, unless the surrounding area goes rock bottom, the house actually increases value over time... Japan is actually the opposite, the houses lose value, almost like a car thru the years...
You also have to keep in mind the "natural disasters" in the area. You risk flood or earthquakes depending on where you live. Newer houses are build to be more sturdy. Makes older houses less appealing. Can also impact the cost of your insurance, so old house can become more expensive that way as well.
@@karlijns4816 True; it would make more sense to build such a home in a geologically stable area that doesn't get too hot, like Tasmania.
@@johnrivers3813 This is mostly due to older homes not being built with modern things like air conditioning, proper electrical and plumbing, and insulation. Even in the 80s and 90s it was common to simply build without these elements - or as cheaply as possible. It's cheaper to just bulldoze it and start over with something that will last. So you see 20-30 year old cheap housing being torn down left and right. Anything that is actual quality is still there.
The sad tragedy of any traditional or historical building is that even if you are willing to pay a second mortgage to keep it from falling apart, it's hard to make them as comfortable as modern homes given that they often lack decent ventilation.
China has been buying a lot of old hotels, onsen and other stuff in Japan since covid made a lot of these places go bankrupt
It’s so nice to see the old townhouse and imagine it when it was full of kids and people with their trinkets and stuff and how they lived together
$350,000 to buy, and half that in renovations means $525,000 total costs. That's about what you'd pay for a house with that many bedrooms where I live.
One bathroom for 5/6 BR is an issue of the older style.
this style of architecture is top tier 😍
no u
removing the dislikes isn’t
cry about it lmao @@RT-qd8yl
TH-cam loves this channel
The thing about people renovating old buildings anywhere, is that they all feel like it has to look like a hotel inside. The decrepit building looks like it has way more character, if only it could be made to be safe.
Another favorite TH-camr, she can do her own renovations, just bought an investment property in Kyoto. Loved the place she bought. She was super straight up they need a lot of repair and these houses are like being made of paper.
Yet another AIJ video in so little time! And on the 4th of July too! I get to celebrate Independence Day with Chris Broad... what a great day!
Happy Independence Day!
@@AbroadinJapanre you sure you should wish people happy Independence Day? You did lose the Revolutionary War after all.
(I wonder if anyone still remembers that video lol)
Abroad's videos always nice to see. Quality makes all the difference. It doesn't feel like watching some random youtube video shot by a phone or something.
The "Oh, I didn't even see that" was the most estate agent thing to say by Alex, when Chris noticed the ashes in the cupboard. 🤣
The video quality is insane! Keep it up man :)
this is hard to comprehend as where I live in Victoria BC, we have dumps for $600k and most are in the $800k but new. To me the total sum isn't even off putting and you're in Kyoto. I would assume that before purchasing the buyer could see if the building would be able to rebuilt if it was a demo? Seems insane they would not be able to get that info seeing as its either a full reno or demo off the hop.
Honestly, the second house is a lot more appealing character wise than the first house. The retro touches in the kitchen, the brick, and the industrial anesthetic are awesome. If there was a way to preserve these while making it sound, that would be a wonderful renovation.
We lived in a beautiful house in Kyoto when I was a child not a real machiya. It stood in its own grounds with really nice little gardens and a big kura that had a lot of things that were left from the previous owner. Unfortunately it was riddled with termites. Since Japanese houses are usually built on wooden supports with only foundation stones between the ground and the wood of your house, if termites move in that’s the end. It’s probably the reason why there’s all that distortion, there are probably supports that are half eaten.
Termites and mold. Especially in Kyoto where the houses are so close together it just spreads so easily
@@johnrivers3813 Correct - basically you have to rebuild it from the ground up, starting with a proper modern foundation. Then new walls, because no ducting or insulation. And on and on.. massively harder than a normal home, even.
I live in Britain and my house is probably around 70-90 years old. My kitchen has the same design as the "Hashiri Niwa" in that it links the front and back door of the house together in one corridor. Found that quite interesting to notice the similarity. despite mine being a British house. I know my house was designed that way for the old washing days (before washing machines) so you could hang washing outside easier as well as being able to move items through the house to the large garden.
Compared to the 1.2 mil (CAD) houses where i live, $500k for a 6 bed sounds like a dream!
I think these old houses are absolutely beautiful.
Alex is getting noticeably more confident in every video he's in, great video!
Stayed at a friend's old house in Japan, the entire building was shaking when he and his wife was banging.
Can proudly say that he has heard me, and I have felt him...
I think the unrenovated one looks better because the old architectural interior and exterior style is more beautiful that minimalistic modern one. So i would try to keep the old style while repairing the house.
100% modern architecture is soul-destroying.
I actually liked the look of the older unit. Yes, it's run down and in serious need of repair, but it's also got a lot of character to that a the first one doesn't.
Wouldn't it be great if Abroad in Japan does buy one of these and make a series of videos renovating it? You can even do a collab with designers etc from your pool of viewers. Do a competition, get them paid with free trips to Japan to manage the job. Content for at least a year or more!
That hand popping up at 16:34 is a great touch
This is definitely one of my goals. But at the moment, its looking about as likely as natsuki speaking fluent english .
What are you talking about, he speaks fluent Natsukigo.
@@starsgears9200 very true
I’ve definitely seen worse places for rent in America but they’re cheaper in a lot of places but you should see apartments in NYC for how they look they’re so expensive
The size of these places and the cost is still SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS cheaper after renovations than a 1 bedroom condo in Toronto, Vancouver, or NYC. The overall investment is so much cheaper than you guys think.
I was thinking the same thing 😅 $350,000 plus $150,000 in renovations is less than most first homes in Australia. It is definitely a cheaper option for many foreigners.
Well, you also have to think about it in terms of the country's local currency value, salary, expenses, etc. compared to your own. Is this cheap for someone who lives in the USA/Canada and can actually afford to live in those cities? Sure. Is it cheap for the average person actually living in Japan? Maybe not.
@@saitodosan9377 Fair point and I agree with you in regards to ex-pats in Japan or Japanese born locals. I would argue however that this channel's viewers are largely non-japanese foreigners in North America/Europe/Australia and assuming thats the case, this video doesn't drive home the 'expensive' cost to viewers at all.
None the less, you did make a great point. Cheers!
Honestly this still looks better than I expected. If you wanted to turn it into something like a traditional inn it would take a lot of money obviously but if you just wanted to make it livable for yourself much less work would be required. New tatami mats, sliding doors, better insulation, getting rid of the horrible 70s style (lamps, wallpapers, etc) and a good cleaning would go a long way already
That second one has some great salvageable elements; the art window, a few doors, some of the timber feature panelling…
Love it.
The first place isn't a machiya! That's a sauna!
Real though, there's a middle ground. I recently spent a month in a kyomachiya through Hachise, and it was only $60 per night and an actual livable place, neither run down nor, again, a sauna 😂
We like Alex! Very interesting new perspective on things as we age.
I enjoy watching you're videos and learning more about this magnificent country. It is unfortunate that these beautifully designed simply built homes can not stand the test of time, especially for being part of Japanese history and culture. It is great that you give your viewers insight and knowledge about Japanese life. Thank you!❤
No kidding! Just as you seem to have uploaded this two days ago I signed up for Anton in Japan channel - all about renovating old houses in Tokyo. Worth a look for anyone interested.
Another great video 🙌 Whether he's alive or haunting from the ethereal realm, Natsuki never ceases to makes us laugh. 😅
Looking healthier Mr. Affable! Thank you and Alex for this peek into Traditional Japanese Houses.
As a German, who lives in a very old "peasant house" we renovated/rebuild, i see this as a normal old house. The secret is to work with age not against it. If the floor is warped see if it because of damage or age. Fix it if needed otherwise let it be. Show age don't hide it. If you renovate a house do it yourself and take your time.
So the points are: Take your time, don't force it, be flexible and roll with the punches. 🙂
When i think of a PROPER traditional Japanese home, i think of the large wrap around front porch, the sliding doors, the high roof with exposed wooden beams, the traditional Japanese style arched roof with ceramic roof tiles and the garden with the bamboo rocking water fountain . THAT IS MY DREAM HOME, i want to live in a house that every day when i come home i feel like I'm in an episode of Rurouni Kenshin.....LMAO!!
You've told about Japanese ghost towns before and I'm really curious how big of a house you can get for cheap in one of those spooky towns.
That kitchen's shape and run-down nature reminded me a lot of my grandparents' house in Uzbekistan, out in the countryside. I kinda like it. And you could use the "garden" spot to make a tiny rock collection and put some hanging ferns on the sides. It looks like a cozy little place to hang out. Shame it's not structurally sound.
"So this is called decoration"
Beautifully deadpan delivery there Alex 😂
Honestly it makes me homesick for the first house I lived in when I first came to Japan. My place was pretty much like that old run down place. Lots of spiders and mice. Freezing in the winter. Boiling in the summer. No plumbing in the toilet. Just a big hole that had to be suctioned out every month. Good times...😂
I'm renting an older Japanese house in Kumagaya. I have a nice garden in the back and the house itself is in good shape. It does get hot in the summer, but I have AC. In the winter it gets cold, but I like the cold for sleeping.
With Japanese vacancies predicted to hit 30% in the next 10yrs, this is a very relevant video 👍
The small town properties under 200,000 yen might be more our budget though 😆
Depending on the location there are still a lot of older Kyoto properties in good condition that are selling quite cheaply. I know of two properties (one bought by a friend, the other described in detail by a Redditor) that were bought and had major renovations done to them for around US$200-250k total within the last few years with fairly impressive final results. These were in less popular areas of Kyoto and the 250k typical renovation price mentioned in the video may be referring more to certain neighborhoods and people going to for more chic renovation styles.
Keep in mind those often come with the requirement to bring them up to date with current earthquake proofing regulations.
200,000 yen is only 2000 dollars us
30%...? Really? That seems a little high even for Japan...
@@mysterioanonymous3206 Study was just released, I read it on Mainichi. It's at about 15% now.
Should have saved the page, because I'm searching for it now and all I'm finding are real estate sites 😩
I've stayed in a traditional, non renovated house when i was in Kyoto. I'm 5'11, and had to use the toilet with the door open. I couldn't close it because my knees were in the way! Lucky i was with a partner then, but with friends it would've been a funny experience. The toilet door opened to the kitchen area. I just out of curiosity looked it up, and now it's renovated and completely different ): It was old, creaky, slightly smelly, with stairs that were narrow, tiny, but incredibly steep, and each step was huge! A suicide mission to even attempt to go up there after a few drinks! I loved all of it.
Tbh the first one kinda sucks. The small garden takes up all that room when u could just walk to a park or outside. And while the 2nd needs alot of touch up it has more personality and doesn't feel like I'm in a hotel room.
Haha, it certainly has personality all right. Stuff staying in there at night though.
@AbroadinJapan I'm a sucker for wooden interiors and the "rustic/retro" look. Idk in Australia all our old houses are brick town houses, colonial style buildings or your classic farmers house, think English but u live in a country that has 30 degree summers and u own a yute. Idk how else to describe that style
5:25 Chris has the dad stance down to a science
This was such a good video! So interesting, I lived walking around in Kyoto, seeing all the old buildings. It’s a shame to hear many won’t be saved. Understandable though now I’ve watched this. The metal bath made made laugh, the place I stayed in Osaka had one, wasn’t my most comfortable bath ever 😅
I’m not overly a fun of the metal baths either. Hinoki wood all the way!
@@AbroadinJapan I have yet to experience that, that’s on the list for my next visit!
Chris' narration is so good.
What’s scary to me is if the houses next to you are in shambles. That’s what could bring down your home even if it’s rebuilt correctly.
Just remember houses in Japan do not appreciate , they devalue just like a new car in America. They represent a beautiful culture from by gone years but it’s not a good investment at least not for me. To many rules and regulations for Americans that don’t know the language or the protocols.I would go bankrupt within a year if I bought one, unless you have millions to spend and do it as a hobby 😅
You got me with the jumpscare at 10:27, that was too good!
My brother is renting a home in Japan. It’s not a Machiya, but it’s still pretty old. The inside was traditional layout with tatami mats. It 2 stories and it has its own Grudge like stairway. But it’s actually not bad. My brother has been doing minor renovations to the outside garden in front and sides of house. Mostly planting plants and removing rocks and debris. He added fake grass because caring for real grass is too much work. Inside they been cleaning and reorganizing things. He mentioned he was thinking about repainting the inside and the land lord is allowing them to do it. Not sure if he did or not. The house has very large windows that lead to the outside garden which is not good for privacy and makes winters really cold. Right now it’s really hot in summer and the only AC he got is downstairs near the kitchen. His and his partner’s bed is on 2nd floor.
He only pays $700 US per month for rent. Plus whatever he spends for utilities and his renovations. Still way cheaper than renting a small shotty apartment back home in US where rent is $1600 per month or higher.
Haha😂 fake grass. Can he touch the grass when he goes outside!?
Wow! I love the idea of renovating one but that's because I'm a project junkie 😅. I'd love to see the process of someone renovating one and the steps that have to be taken etc including the laws that might keep you from doing things originally in the project plan. It's sad that these homes are dying off. Thanks for this awesome video!
Such a shame when people "renovate" a century old building but make it look like some modern IKEA place.
The history of a house is what makes it interesting.
A house without history isn't a home.
I'd move into the unrenovated home without hesitation, compared to the modernised one.
On a side note, that's a smashing coat mr. Shapiro has on.
Agreed. That first one might as well be a new building.
Yeah I feel like the renovated one completely lost the charm that makes traditional homes appealing for me.
"A house without history isn't a home." 100%
@@TheHekateristhat’s why we have done minimal redecoration or carpet changes in our house. We respect the history of people who lived and hopefully lived here before. The older style wallpapers and the raised wallpaper we paint on is so much nicer and homelier than the restored place next door. Softer.
@@TheHekateris That is nonsense. Every house had a time when it was new. Home is what you make of it.
Idk if its the lighting but Chris got visibly more fit over the span of this year, like quite a diffrence. Great to see it!
Yay! Another video on Japanese housing with Alex, I don't know why but I'm a real sucker for these types of videos lol
Haha. I know this feeling. I am currently reforming and living in a 35 year old house that was built well and taken care of. However the reform process is nuts.
Best Moments in Life-
First Child
Marriage
First House
A new Abroad in Japan video
Can’t agree more
You know it's funny. In Italy for example when like old historical towns and buildings are empty and falling apart, the country nationalizes them and then lets people purchase em for free if they pledge specific money to renovate using local companies and materials. That way the costs for the person purchasing it are only the renovations, not another 400k for the house itself when it's basically falling apart.
Well, in some european countries there is an incentive to keep the original architecture of the houses, specially for touristic reasons, because the houses are part of the landscape. I hope Japan goes that way too
(In cases in which it is impossible to fix the house, they should be able to at least rebuild it)
You saved me a lot of money Chris, I was just about to buy an old japanese house.
Don´t be scared. Just check the wooden beams and the roof. If these are in good shape go for it. In worst case you can still hire an architect.
After hearing Chris say $550k was a lot, I almost cried when the cheapest (livable) house in my city is like $1.5 mill.
Where the layout of the 1920s house is concerned, I love it.
If I were a millionaire, I'd buy a machiya to renovate in Kyoto in a heartbeat to eventually live in, though I'd aim for a renovation that stays a truer to the general aesthetics of traditional machiya even if it is more expensive; that first place looked too modern and kind of defeats the purpose of renovating a machiya to begin with. It's one thing to have modern conveniences and benefits like double glazing and a modern kitchen, but quite another to remove the whole traditional Japanese interior aesthetic!
i haven't checked in in a while but i have to say your weightloss looks *great!* (tbh i was just feeling so sad tuning in, and seeing all that incredible effort from the biking lost. idk if it was just the covid thing, i know that hit a lot of people that way, esp being cooped up.) amazing cheekbones!
in know it's $$$ to reno old properties pretty much anywhere but it's so sad to think of them being torn down. history, lost. i think if people had kept on in them and put money in little by little they would have lasted well.
good to hear your voice/delivery again. always so engaging.
Still one of my favorite channels on TH-cam! Keep up the great work, Chris!
The intercom at 9:28 is one of the awesome things. It has a monochrome cathode ray tube with a curved screen.
Unrelated but that cat about to sit down next to the guy in the intro was cute even though it's short but I would watch that for 10 hours
I enjoy seeing Alex on the channel had a good chuckle at seeing him just smiling while sitting in the baths
The extra layers of windows are more likely for sound insullation, though they would help with thermals as well (unclear if the walls are properly insullated, which would be a bigger factor).
I really enjoyed seeing the run down house, please make more videos like this, I'd happily watch you explore old houses
9:10 love that old "Sony Watchman" style CRT display on the video door bell
World class editing. High quality videos. Love the vids, Chris!
Another great video/documentary that rivals the quality of the BBC. Chris you should be proud!!!