When Lee Xian Jie first stepped foot within the conventional farmhouse situated in Ryujin-mura, a village in Japan’s Wakayama prefecture, it was “fairly rundown” — with flooring so rickety they shook beneath him with each step he took. 

In any case, the principle construction of the deserted house was 300 years outdated, Lee mentioned. However when he took a more in-depth look across the house, he may inform it was “correctly constructed.” 

“The pillars are all Sakura wooden, which is a particularly dense and exhausting wooden,” he instructed CNBC Make It. “It is also a thatch constructing, which could be very uncommon in Japan now … So it is a constructing with nice historic worth.” 

The property, which beforehand housed 4 generations, is one in every of Japan’s hundreds of thousands of vacant homes often called akiya, Japanese for “empty home.” 

However not like many akiya which are on the market, this was for lease as a result of it is on “good land,” and there are two household graves within the space, Lee defined. He was, nonetheless, given permission by its landlord to revive the premises. 

“My curiosity has at all times been in historical past. I wished to see what it was like for individuals again then to stay with out chemical fertilizers that we use proper now. How did individuals construct houses with simply wooden and joinery?” 

Covid-19 fast-tracked Lee’s desires of residing in rural Japan. He began his personal tour firm in Kyoto six years in the past, however moved to the village in the course of the pandemic when there was no work. 

He shortly fell in love with Ryujin-mura and determined to lease the farmhouse, together with one other akiya, which is now a co-working house for digital nomads. 

The 33-year-old runs a farm-to-table cafe on the farmhouse three days every week, utilizing substances he harvests from the farm, which he additionally makes use of totally free.   

However that is not all. He additionally purchased one other 100-year-old constructing subsequent door, which he’s changing right into a guesthouse.

Whereas akiya typically have low-cost worth tags, there are some things to think about earlier than transferring to Japan to buy one, mentioned Lee. 

“That is particularly for Japan: If you cannot communicate the language, you possibly can’t get alongside along with your neighbors … communication could be very tough,” he added. 

“Folks neglect that point invested within the language is plenty of time they’ll use elsewhere. It takes anybody no less than a naked minimal of 4 years to be fluent in Japanese, seven to eight years to be actually fluent.” 

Farm life is usually romanticized as quiet or peaceable in comparison with the town, however Lee says “no farmer right here has a sluggish life.”

“The farmers are the busiest individuals right here —  the one distinction is that you do not have to take a seat in entrance of a desk,” added Lee, who has virtually 16-hour lengthy days on the farm. 

There are additionally “social expectations” akin to sustaining the grass round your land, which requires extra time and power than one would think about. 

“I can not stress how a lot grass slicing goes on as a result of Japan has plenty of rain and crops develop very effectively. In the event you do not preserve it, it will look very messy and your weeds will have an effect on the neighbors’ crops.”  

“Life is sluggish should you pay to remain on the farm as a visitor. For my visitors, it will be a sluggish life as a result of they’d must do not one of the chores,” he added with amusing. 

Whereas it is plenty of exhausting work, it is all price it for Lee — who finds essentially the most achievement from figuring out what goes into the meals he serves at his cafe. 

“Essentially the most fulfilling a part of the expertise is that once I serve tea now, it is my very own tea that I made. Once I serve rice on this cafe, I do know that I’ve used no pesticides,” he mentioned. 

“I’ve made many native mates right here … it is the human connections I’ve right here which are actually priceless.” 

Residing in rural Japan is little question cheaper in comparison with the town. Lee mentioned that he pays “effectively below” $750 for the principle farmhouse and co-working house, measuring a complete of about 100,000 sq. ft.

“I did my math and realized that if I renovated a spot properly, I shall be paying the identical quantity I’d have if I lived in Kyoto for 5 years,” mentioned Lee. 

Nonetheless, he warned that renovation prices may be hefty, relying on the situation of the akiya. The flooring of the principle farmhouse for instance, have been weakened by the humidity and termites. 

“I believed I may substitute the ground [through] DIY however then I fell by the ground,” Lee recalled. “Then I simply employed the carpenter who lives about 10 minutes away.” 

For the guesthouse measuring 190,000 sq. ft., he spent about $97,000 with two mates to buy and renovate, with the majority of that going towards renovations. 

One other $37,000 was spent to show the principle home right into a residing house for himself and a purposeful cafe. 

Lee needed to contain himself within the demolishing work — partly due to a scarcity of manpower within the village. 

“Nevertheless it additionally means you possibly can lower your prices slightly, should you’re prepared to get your palms soiled,” he shared. “Lots of work went to {the electrical} work, pipes … Getting a correct flushing bathroom, earlier than that it was a gap within the floor.”

Having spent 5 figures on all of the work on the property, whether or not he can recoup these prices is a priority as a result of “there’s quite a bit much less work” to be present in rural Japan. 

“If you wish to do agriculture, you must be an skilled in agriculture, in any other case you’ll fail. There are fewer jobs right here additionally of any kind,” he defined. 

“Residing prices are decrease in rural Japan, however so is the revenue.” 

However the 33-year-old mentioned he was “by no means fearful,” as his expertise as a tour information since 2017 gave him a eager understanding in regards to the actions that may appeal to guests.

“There are going to be tea workshops organized right here for some Europeans later this October. And that was bought out inside an hour.” 

“There was curiosity on this. This yr we have had just a few teams are available to expertise that with me right here,” Lee mentioned. 

Whereas the guesthouse will solely open formally in June, he is already been getting some bookings. At full capability, he expects to make about $7,500 a month from the cafe, co-working house, excursions and guesthouse. 

“There’s plenty of curiosity on this space particularly as a result of we’re two hours from the closest airport … There are additionally plenty of cultural and historic issues to see right here — plus the character in fact,” Lee added. 

Do not miss: Listed here are the highest expertise you will have for an ‘A.I.-powered future,’ in line with new Microsoft knowledge
Like this story? Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube!