National Vacant House & Land Bank (全国版空き家・空き地バンク)
Browse thousands of cheap rural Japanese houses in one place, often with local renovation…
Record checked Oct 21, 2026 · official source confirmed 10 Nov, 06:01 UTC
Summary
MLIT-backed national search of municipal akiya (vacant house) banks, run independently by LIFULL HOME'S and at home; about 1,153 municipalities & ~20,000 listings. Many listing towns pair them with their own purchase/renovation subsidies.
Dream spread
Browse thousands of cheap rural Japanese houses in one place, often with local renovation or move-in subsidies attached.
Relocation reality check
The bank itself pays nothing; subsidies are set town by town, usually reimburse part of renovation costs, often require you to register residence & stay several years, and some towns restrict use to people moving from outside the area. Houses often need heavy repairs.
Your fit signals
The real program is below — the 0–100 scoring is a paid feature.
Full match score — Solo / Household
The 0–100 move-match score, quality score, and would-stay breakdown — with confidence and full reasoning — unlock on Solo and Household.
See Solo & Household plansReality engine
Four lenses on whether this move fits you — tap a panel to see the logic behind each signal.
Eligibility
Anyone can search; purchase/lease terms and any subsidy are set by the listing municipality (some require prior municipal registration). Foreigners can legally buy property in Japan, but visas are separate.
The long game
If Japan becomes home, here is the road from first visa to a second passport.
Japan · residency → PR → citizenship
Curated- Y0ArriveYear zero
- Y5Citizenship eligible~5 years
- Y10Permanent residency~10 years
Costs & money
The amounts & terms on record from the official source. USD figures are estimates.
- Property purchase
- Not required
- Tax
- Property acquisition tax, registration tax & annual fixed asset tax apply to purchases.
True cost to move
Upfront cash, reimbursements, and net position after approval — not headline incentive amounts.
- Flights & logistics$1,200
- Temporary housing (90 days)$2,400
- Deposit / first month rent$2,000
- Visa & consular fees$500
- Health insurance$600
- Legal & translation$400
Application roadmap
A practical sequence — adjust for your consulate and timeline.
1. Confirm official eligibility
Read the primary government source.
2. Gather income & employment proof
Bank statements, contracts, or tax records.
3. Book consulate / immigration appointment
Slots vary by country and season.
4. Prepare health coverage
Meet minimum coverage rules before arrival.
Meet people before you go
Existing communities already talking about life in 🇯🇵 Japan. Lurk, ask, make a friend — before the flight.
- r/movingtojapan
Strictly moderated, extremely useful wiki — read it first.
- r/japanlife
Source trail
We could not fully confirm the key figures against the official source. Check it yourself before relying on them.
“各自治体が把握・提供している空き家等の情報について、自治体を横断して簡単に検索できるようにするため”
Primary official sourceLast checked Oct 21, 2026- Secondary referenceLast checked Oct 21, 2026
Rule changes
CasaSedora last checked the official source on 14 Nov 2026. Changes appear here once two independent automated checks agree on them, or a person confirms them.
No rule changes recorded since monitoring began.
Our summaries point you to what moved — always confirm details on the official source.