An akiya (空き家) is simply a house nobody lives in. Many belong to families who inherited them, or to owners overseas who use them a few weeks a year. A lived-in Japanese house looks after itself without anyone noticing — windows open, water runs, someone sees the first leak. An empty one doesn't, and in Japan's humid climate the decline can be quick.

This guide covers what caring for an akiya actually involves, whether you do it yourself, ask family, or pay someone.

Why empty houses decline so fast

  • Humidity. Summer humidity is high across most of Japan. In a closed house, damp air settles on tatami, futons, wood and walls, and mould follows. See mould and humidity in empty Japanese homes.
  • Standing water and dry traps. When taps aren't used, the water seals in drain traps evaporate and sewer smells and insects come up. Pipes that sit full can freeze in winter.
  • Small leaks that nobody sees. A slipped roof tile or blocked gutter becomes a stained ceiling, then rotten timber.
  • Pests. Termites, rodents, and in some areas animals like masked palm civets (ハクビシン) move into quiet houses. See termites in old Japanese houses.
  • Gardens. Weeds and trees grow over boundaries within one summer — the most common reason neighbours complain to the town.

What to do on every visit

  1. Air the house. Open windows, storm shutters (雨戸) and closets for at least an hour on a dry day.
  2. Run every tap and flush every toilet for a minute or two to refill the drain traps and clear stale water.
  3. Look for water. Ceilings, the tops of walls, under sinks, around the bath and toilet, and the floor below the water heater.
  4. Walk round the outside. Roof and ridge tiles, gutters and downpipes, external walls, foundations, fences and retaining walls.
  5. Check for pests. Droppings, chewed material, termite mud tubes on foundations, wings on window sills in spring.
  6. Deal with the garden. Cut back anything crossing the boundary or touching the roof, wires or walls.
  7. Clear the mailbox. A full mailbox tells everyone the house is empty — and official letters about tax or the house itself can be missed.
  8. Check locks, windows and meters. A meter that moves when everything is off can mean a leak.
  9. Take dated photos of each room and each side of the house. They show changes over time and help with insurance claims.

Print it: our closing-up and opening-up checklists cover the same ground step by step.

How often should someone visit?

There's no legal minimum, but a common rule of thumb is at least once a month for airing and running water, and more often in the rainy season and after storms. Many owners can't manage that, so they combine less frequent full visits with a check after every typhoon, heavy snow or earthquake that hits the area. What matters most is that problems are found early and that you have a record that the house is looked after.

Season by season

  • Spring. Look for winter damage, check for termite swarms (April–June), and start on the garden before it takes off.
  • Rainy season (June–July in most of Japan). The worst time for mould. Air the house whenever there's a dry day, leave closet doors open, and consider dehumidifiers set to drain continuously. Rainy season checklist.
  • Typhoon season (roughly July–October). Secure loose items, clear gutters, check shutters before; check roof and windows after. Protecting an empty house in typhoon season and the typhoon checklist.
  • Autumn. Clear leaves from gutters, cut back the garden, and prepare for winter.
  • Winter. In cold regions, drain the water system (水抜き) so pipes don't freeze and burst; in snow country, arrange roof snow clearing. Winterizing a vacant house and the winter checklist.

The seasonal care calendar puts all of this on one page.

After an earthquake

Even a moderate quake can crack walls, shift roof tiles, or break a water pipe. Check from outside first, then inside for cracks, sticking doors, leaks and the smell of gas. See checking an empty house after an earthquake and the after-an-earthquake checklist.

Utilities: keep them on or turn them off?

  • Electricity. Most owners keep a basic contract so visitors have light, dehumidifiers can run, and any cameras or sensors work. Switch off circuits you don't need at the breaker.
  • Water. Keeping the supply makes visits and airing possible. In freezing areas, drain the system between visits.
  • Gas. Often stopped between visits and reconnected by the gas company on request. Propane (LP gas) is common outside cities and is handled by the local supplier.

Basic charges are usually modest compared with the cost of a burst pipe or a mouldy house.

Neighbours and the town

Tell the neighbours who to contact about the house, and give the town hall a reachable address. Neighbours are often the first to notice a problem — and the first to complain if the garden or roof is neglected.

The legal and tax risk of neglect

Since 13 December 2023, towns can designate a house as a poorly managed vacant house (管理不全空家), as well as the existing specified vacant house (特定空家). If the town issues a formal recommendation for either, the land can lose its residential fixed-asset tax reduction — so the tax on the land can rise several times over. Full details: Japan's rules on neglected vacant houses.

Two more obligations for owners:

Insurance for an empty house

Japanese fire insurance (火災保険) normally covers fire and wind damage, with flood often optional. Some insurers treat an empty house differently from a lived-in one, so tell them the house is vacant and check what the policy requires. See akiya home insurance for foreign owners.

Who can look after it?

  • You, or family nearby. Cheapest, if someone can go regularly and knows what to look for.
  • Local services. Many towns have a Silver Human Resources Centre (シルバー人材センター) that can do gardening and simple tasks at modest rates. Some towns also run akiya advice desks. These usually work in Japanese.
  • A vacant-house management service (空き家管理サービス). Visits on a schedule with a report each time. Some are run by local estate agents, some by national companies.
  • A manager who works in English. If you live abroad, you'll also need someone to read official mail, deal with contractors and the town, and report back in your language.

What akiya care costs with MonoHaus

Our akiya management plans are priced by how often we visit:

  • Essential — ¥14,000 a month, 4 visits a year (once per quarter).
  • Standard — ¥26,000 a month, 6 visits a year (every other month).
  • Premium — ¥42,000 a month, 12 visits a year (every month).

Every visit ends with a photo report in English. Repairs are quoted separately and only go ahead when you approve them. You can start with a first inspection (¥55,000), which gives you a full picture of the house before you choose a plan. Compare plans on the pricing page, or read what property management costs in Japan.

Summary

Air it, run the water, look for leaks, keep the garden back, clear the mail, check after storms — and keep a record. Do that regularly and an akiya stays sound, insurable and clear of the town's attention. If you can't be there, make sure someone is.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and every case is different — for decisions about your own property, speak to a licensed judicial scrivener (司法書士), tax accountant (税理士) or lawyer. We can find one for you and coordinate them in English.