Free and cheap houses in Japan (with a catch) episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 8, 2026 · 15 MIN

Free and cheap houses in Japan (with a catch)

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Today's story: Japan has millions of vacant homes, especially in rural areas where populations are shrinking. Some of these properties, known as akiya, are sold for surprisingly low prices or even given away for free. While they attract adventurous buyers from around the world, many require extensive repairs, complicated paperwork, and a willingness to adapt to life in rural Japan. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/871Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/871--Plain English helps you improve your English:Learn about the world and improve your EnglishClear, natural English at a speed you can understandNew stories every weekLearn even more at PlainEnglish.comMentioned in this episode:Hard words? No problemNever be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases from English to your language. Each episode transcript includes built-in translations into Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, and Turkish. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com

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Free and cheap houses in Japan (with a catch)

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