Spacious Traditional Japanese Home in Sakai City For Just $44k

In the heart of Fukui Prefecture, a spacious traditional Japanese home is currently on the market, offering a glimpse into residential life in a smaller Japanese city. Located in Sakai City’s Harue Town, this 33-year-old property showcases the blend of traditional and modern elements typical in Japanese housing.

Built in August 1991, the two-story wooden structure offers a generous living space of 161 square meters (1,740 square feet) on a 239 square meter (2,570 square feet) plot.

The home is priced at ¥6,980,000, which translates to about $44,000 USD, reflecting the more affordable real estate market in regional Japan compared to major metropolitan areas.

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Check out the listing here.

The property boasts a 7DK layout, which stands for seven rooms plus a dining-kitchen area. This layout is quite spacious by Japanese standards, especially in urban areas, and could comfortably accommodate a large family or those who enjoy having extra room for hobbies or home offices.

One of the most attractive features of this home is its proximity to public transportation. It’s located just a one-minute walk from the Nishi-Harue Heartpia Station on the Echizen Railway Mikuni Line. This convenience is particularly valuable in Japan, where many residents rely heavily on public transit for daily commuting.

The home has undergone recent renovations, with interior updates completed in May 2023. These improvements included new flooring, wall and ceiling treatments, updated lighting, and the conversion of some traditional tatami rooms to Western-style rooms. This modernization makes the home more appealing to contemporary lifestyles while maintaining some traditional elements.

For those interested in the surrounding area, the property is situated about 1.7 kilometers (roughly a mile) from a shopping center called Al Plaza Ami, which is about a 5-minute drive. This proximity to amenities is a significant convenience factor in daily life.

The home also features some desirable elements for Japanese housing:

• Parking for two or more cars
• South-facing orientation (highly valued for natural light)
• Located in a quiet residential area
• Equipped with a monitoring intercom system
• Two toilets
• Corner lot location

For potential residents, the nearby city of Fukui is accessible within a 20-minute train ride, offering additional urban amenities. Nature enthusiasts might be interested in the famous Tojinbo Cliffs, a dramatic coastal scenery spot, which is about 40 minutes away by train and bus.

It’s worth noting that while this property is significantly more affordable than similar-sized homes in Tokyo or other major cities, it represents a typical offering in regional Japan.

The lower price point reflects factors such as the age of the building, its location in a less densely populated area, and the general trend of lower real estate prices in regions facing population decline.

For those considering a move to Japan or simply curious about the housing market outside of major metropolitan areas, this listing provides an interesting case study. It illustrates how one can find spacious, recently renovated properties with good access to transportation and amenities at price points that might seem surprisingly low to those familiar with real estate markets in larger Japanese cities or other developed countries.