Report #14: Tokigawa
Take a trip and a dip into a conveniently located quant river town just 1.5 hours from Tokyo
A&I News
Featured on Australia’s SBS Dateline
Akiya & Inaka made our Australian debut on SBS Dateline. Follow our journey traversing Chiba, Saitama, Gunma, and Nagano with Australia’s national broadcaster.
And it’s not just us! SBS went out and interviewed Tokyo Llama, who kindly featured us previously on his popular YouTube channel, akiya owners, and Australians looking to purchase homes in rural Japan. If you’re looking for a comprehensive overview of Japan’s akiya issue, SBS did an excellent job of putting this program together. As a bonus, at the 20 minute mark there is a ¥5,000,000 property near Kujukurihama Beach that is an upcoming listing exclusive to Akiya & Inaka. That is, unless you decide to buy it before we take it live on the website!
The End of An Era, and onto The Next Adventure
To our clients, fans, and colleagues,
Today, co-founder Matt Ketchum has announced his departure from Akiya & Inaka, effective September 8, 2023.
First, a message from Matt to the Akiya & Inaka community:
Over the past 3 years, working alongside Parker to build Akiya & Inaka has been an outstandingly inspiring journey. Together, we embarked on what many considered mission impossible: to meaningfully reshape the relationship between rural Japan and the world. That mission extended beyond mere financial motivations, and has, at its heart, always been one to support the rejuvenation of Japan's inaka.
We assisted clients in uncovering previously undiscoverable properties across the country, and in doing so, helped breathe new life into these areas. Through our stalwart efforts, we created content that was both entertaining and enlightening, and which led to equitable financial transactions supporting these communities. The recognition we received, including features in domestic and international publications such as the New York Times, Nikkei, and the Toronto Star, was a much appreciated - and surprising - acknowledgment of our efforts.
It is my firm belief that A&I did, and still does, walk the talk of rural revitalization.
However, every professional journey sees its paths fork and evolve. With a mix of gratitude and reflection, I wish to announce my decision to depart from the Akiya & Inaka venture for personal and professional reasons.
Given the admittedly gargantuan magnitude of our aspirations with A&I, it's astounding to reflect upon how much we've accomplished in such a short span. The sense of pride I feel for our collective efforts is greater than I can easily convey through words.
As I commence this new chapter, I am accompanied by a great sense of gratitude and motivation. The ethos and drive of A&I remains a great source of inspiration, and I wholeheartedly believe in its mission. I'm excited and optimistic about the venture's future trajectory and look forward to seeing the heights it will achieve based on these foundational efforts.
We will miss Matt’s presence from Akiya & Inaka. I would like to thank Matt for his partnership over the past three years, being relentless in our constant search for the best deals in rural real estate, and being an integral part of getting A&I to where we are today. You can follow Matt on Instagram at @matthewbketchum or stay on top of his adventures through his newsletter.
Looking forward, Akiya & Inaka’s adventure continues. We are expanding our akiya team and establishing deeper partnerships with rural communities, as we continue to fulfill our mission of bringing you the best of what inaka has to offer and helping our clients find homes, investments, and business opportunities in the Japanese countryside.
Thank you for being a part of this ongoing journey
With regards,
Parker Allen
Co-founder, Akiya & Inaka
As Akiya & Inaka transitions into the next phase, rest assured that you will still get timely updates on our activities, exclusive property information, and there will be some new faces joining our ranks in the coming weeks.
River Livin’ in Tokigawa
One common request from clients is whether there are viable properties that aren’t that far away from Japan’s megacities, Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. Most of the time, you’re looking at a 2+ hour travel time from a central metro area to get to the good stuff.
However, Tokigawa Town in Saitama Prefecture offers the charm of inaka without the accompanying long travel time. Named for the Tokigawa River that winds through the town, this place ticks a lot of the boxes that most of our clients want to see:
Beautiful mountain scenery? Yes
Crystal clear rivers throughout the town? Yes
Great local food? Yes
Fishing, camping, and endless outdoor activities? Yes
Local onsen hot springs? Yes
Craft brewery? Yes
Can you pay ¥200 to get a tankful of onsen water for your bath at home? Yes
With our new office in the adjacent town, Ogawamachi, we have spent quite a lot of time in Tokigawa, and each time we find new cool things to do. On Parker’s most recent visit, he stumbled across Teenage Brewing, where some pretty sublime suds are on tap, and literally brewed on the other side of a glass wall. Built in what sure does look like a formerly abandoned warehouse, hats off to them for not just establishing a brewery, but also establishing an adjacent taproom where you can enjoy some tasty grub and suds.
Are you sold on Tokigawa yet? If so, you’re going to love this month’s property! If you’re already a paid subscriber, it’s right below! If not, you can access what you’re missing out on by clicking through the button below - we’d love to have you along for the ride!
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