- Matt Guy moved to Japan in 2023 and bought a traditional home in a ski town for $6,000.
- He lives with his Japanese partner in the two-storey house, built in the 1960s.
- He hopes people won’t buy real estate in Japan just because it’s cheap or trendy.
Matt Guy first visited Japan on a six-week trip in 2010. Half of the visit was spent snowboarding, while the other half was spent exploring the country.
Guy – born in Australia – had already traveled to thirty different countries and lived in different places, but Japan aroused his curiosity.
“I left the country with a completely different feeling,” Guy, 40, told Business Insider.
Matt Guy first visited Japan in 2010. Matt Guy.
He knew he wanted to explore and understand the country more deeply, which led him to move to Japan in 2014 and enroll in a one-year course to learn the language.
Slowly the idea of moving to Japan began to take root. In 2016 he returned as an English teacher and stayed there for two years. But he longed to see the world again, so he left.
It wasn’t until 2023 that he returned to Japan – and this time for good.
“By the time I decided to make Japan my home, it wasn’t on a whim. I came with knowledge, experience and respect for a place I had come to love deeply,” he said.
House hunting in Japan
Guy, who has a construction background, was looking for a permanent place to live at the time.
He had spent the last few years looking at the offers in Japan and exploring different areas where he wouldn’t mind living.
“I would still search even if I was abroad,” Guy said. “I have spent all this time shaping what is most desirable for me and what satisfies me.”
As someone who loves the outdoors and enjoys activities like hiking, backcountry skiing and snowboarding, he has always wanted to live in a ski town.
The exterior of the Japanese house at Myoko Kogen ski resort, before it was painted. Matt Guy.
In a stroke of luck, a friend who owns a ski lodge near Myoko Kogen – a popular ski resort in Niigata Prefecture – had invited Guy to spend the summer.
By the end of the season, Guy finally found his forever home.
“I came here with no intention of buying anything, but I just wanted this house to become available,” he said.
He came across the ad online after looking for real estate in the area.
The traditional two-storey house, built in the 1960s, was owned by a couple in their 80s, who were happy to show him around.
The interior of the house before he renovated it. Matt Guy.
“He said, ‘Come in, I’ll show you the good points of my house. If you open this window and that window in the summer, you get cross ventilation. This window gets the best sunshine,'” Guy said. , recalling the words of the previous owner. “It was incredible.”
Guy says he bought the property for just under 1 million Japanese yen, or about $6,000.
“One of the things I wanted was to live in a ski town high up on the hill. I want the ski lift and the chairlift to be there,” Guy said. “But as I spent more time in the mountains, I realized that if I moved down a bit, away from the more popular area, I could save money and enjoy other benefits as well.”
For example, where he is, it doesn’t snow very hard.
“I don’t have to shovel snow. Some of my neighbors on the hill do,” he said. “There are fewer bugs; there are fewer woodpeckers destroying your house. There are no bears here.”
Rural but convenient
Guy – now a content creator who makes videos about off-the-beaten-path destinations in Japan – lives in the house with his partner, who is Japanese.
Guy now lives with his Japanese partner. Matt Guy.
The house was mostly move-in ready, except for the bathroom, which had some termites, he said.
“Everything else could have been left as it was. There really wasn’t any renovation needed,” Guy said.
However, he had his own idea of what he wanted the place to look like, so he made some changes to the interior.
“I recently renovated my bathroom and my shower room and I made them from Japanese Hinoki wood, and now that has become one of my favorite places in the house,” he added.
From his window he can see the ski slopes. Matt Guy.
Although the area he lives in is considered rural, there are still plenty of amenities nearby.
“For example, my neighbor is a sushi restaurant. Two doors down is a soba restaurant. My local hospital is about a 35 second walk away. The pharmacy is right across the street. The post office is a 15 second walk away,” said Guy. “So it’s all very convenient.”
To reach Tokyo, he just needs to board the Shinkansen bullet train, and he will be there in about two hours, he said.
A more present and purposeful life
Since moving to Japan, Guy says he has lived a life more connected to the present.
For example, the way Japanese culture celebrates the changing seasons has encouraged him to focus less on the future and more on what’s happening now.
“This shift has led to a deeper sense of gratitude for everyday moments, whether enjoying a seasonal meal or participating in a local tradition,” he said.
Living in Japan has taught him to be more patient. Matt Guy.
He has also become more patient since Japanese culture emphasizes politeness and respect in daily interactions.
“Whether you’re waiting your turn to speak, listening intently, or queuing for a train or a popular restaurant, patience becomes second nature,” says Guy. “The value placed on maintaining harmony also means that situations are often handled calmly and thoughtfully, which has taught me the value of slowing down and being considerate of others.”
Japanese society also views people as equals regardless of their jobs, he said.
“Whether you are a bus driver or a doctor, you are treated with the same respect as anyone else,” Guy said. “People know you are needed to operate. You are still part of the system needed to keep everything running smoothly.”
Playing a role in the community
Guy says one of the most important things people should consider is that buying a house in Japan means participating in the local community.
“I think it’s important to think about how you contribute to the community,” Guy said. “It can’t be a completely selfish approach of ‘I just want a cheap ski house in Japan.'”
Guy says he always wanted to live in a ski town. Matt Guy.
For example, Guy and his neighbors meet every three months to perform community service, such as cleaning the streets together.
“I think the first question is, ‘How can I be valuable to the community in which I live?’ And it has to go beyond teaching English to people who never have to use English in this community. It has to go beyond cooking things or baking cookies,” Guy said.
It’s important that people consider their decision carefully before buying a home here, especially as it’s quite a trend at the moment, says Guy, who also does property consultancy.
According to Japan Ministry of JusticeIn 2023, 2,604 Americans moved to the country, bringing the total number of American expats in Japan to 63,408.
Four Americans previously told BI that safety standards and the country’s relative affordability were cited as reasons for the move. Some even buy and renovate one of the country’s 8 million cheap abandoned houses.
He hopes that people who buy property in Japan do so because they genuinely love the country and its culture and want to contribute to it – not just because they like the aesthetics of owning a home there.
“Buying a home in Japan is not just a financial transaction; it is a cultural exchange that affects both the buyer and the environment,” Guy said. “My hope is that Japan retains its unique character and charm, rather than houses being bought just because they are cheap.”
Have you recently moved to a new country and found your dream home? If you have a story to share, please contact this reporter at agoh@businessinsider.com.
