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For foreign buyers who are past "should I" and stuck on "how, exactly."
An akiya is cheap.
Buying the wrong one isn't.
"What you're missing is the detail: what each tax comes to, which office handles which step, the documents that matter, and the order to do them in."
Start with what most buyers find out too late.
A short decision tool that could save you $$$. No charge, no obligation.
The Flagship
The Akiya Guide
The complete walkthrough for foreign buyers who have stopped wondering if and started asking how. Everything from reading a listing to wiring the money yourself — written so you can act on it, not just nod along.
350+
pages of practical, step-by-step guidance — no filler, no fantasy.
29
chapters across the full purchase: search, due diligence, offer, paperwork, payment, post-closing.
30+
worksheets and checklists you actually use against real listings.
plus
glossary + index so you can find the answer the day you need it.
$199
One-time. Yours to keep. Instant download.
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For buyers actively moving toward a purchase
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Sourced to Japanese government primaries
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Updated for 2026 rule changes
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Written by Miso who lives in Japan
*Digital product. This is a downloadable PDF, not a physical book — nothing is shipped. You'll get an instant download link after purchase.
The Real Math
What you're sold vs. what you actually need
Here's what foreign-buyer consultants and "akiya services" advertise — and what each thing really takes once you know the steps.
THEY CHARGE
Foreign-buyer "consultation" and search support
¥50,000–¥120,000 a month, on a 3-month minimum— so ¥150,000–¥360,000 before you've bought anything. Done-for-you programs elsewhere run $5,000+.
THE REALITY
— Coordination and shortlisting bundled as expertise. Avoidable once you know which portals to read and what to look for.
THEY CHARGE
A single guided property viewing
¥100,000 per day for up to 3 houses, then ¥75,000 each additional day — plus travel.
THE REALITY
A trip you can make yourself once you've shortlisted. Your train fare, not a per-day service fee that repeats every time you want to look.
THEY CHARGE
Due Diligence on a property
¥150,000, one time, per property.
THE REALITY
Legal, tax, and ownership checks you can run yourself against free official sources. This guide shows you each one and where to look.
THEY CHARGE
Contract translation, negotiation, and signing support
¥150,000 per engagement. Translation is folded in — you can't buy it cheaply on its own.
THE REALITY
A translation app handles the large majority of listings for nothing. Pay only for the rare document that genuinely needs certifying.
THEY CHARGE
Curated or "members-only" listing access
$5–$30 a month, ongoing.
THE REALITY
Most of these services pull their listings straight from free public portals like SUUMO and at home. I checked — the photos match the originals. You're paying a subscription for translation, not for access you couldn't get yourself.
Add the published rates:
search + due diligence + one inspection day runs ¥400,000+ (about $2,700)
before closing costs.
The guide is $199 — once.
NO OVERPROMISING
What you still pay for
Some costs are real and unavoidable. The guide names every one, so nothing surprises you at the desk:
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Brokerage commission, if you use an agent — legally capped at 3% of the price + ¥60,000 + tax
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Judicial scrivener (shiho-shoshi) to register the transfer — a real, required cost
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Registration & license tax and property acquisition tax
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Stamp duty — typically ¥200–¥10,000
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All-in, closing costs usually run 8–15% of the purchase price
The point isn't "pay nothing."
It's "pay only for what's actually required — and not a yen more."
WHO'S BEHIND THIS?
Hello, I'm Miso
I'm Japanese, I live in Oita prefecture with my two teenage boys, seven cats, and a golden retriever — and I get a real kick out of working out the hard thing on my own. I won my U.S. green card through the diversity visa lottery, then handled the entire immigration process from the first form to approval without a lawyer, a consultant, or a single paid hand. Just me, the rules, and the patience to read them carefully.
Before Japan, I was a licensed real estate agent in California. I know how this industry works from the inside — which is exactly how I can tell you what's worth paying for and what isn't.
I started Hello Akiya because I watched foreign buyers get charged thousands for help they don't need — translation and form-filling sold as expertise. So I built this for people wired the way I am: the ones who'd rather learn the process than pay someone to gatekeep it. If that's you, the guide is for you. If you'd rather hand the whole thing to someone else, it isn't — and better you know that now.
— Miso
FREE DOWNLOAD
Should You Buy an Akiya?
Not ready to commit? Start here. Download a short decision tool-『Should You Buy an Akiya?』by Hello Akiya that walks you through whether an akiya makes sense for your situation — before you spend a single yen.
No charge, no obligation. It could save you a five-figure mistake.
Frequently asked questions
