While I try to share as much information as I can via our Photo Journal and YouTube channel, we still get contacted regularly by folks who have additional questions. We’re happy to help, and love the opportunity to connect with y’all.
Are you looking to immigrate to Japan via the Startup visa or the Business Manager visa? Would you like some one-on-one time to discuss your proposed business idea? We’re one of only approximately 350 people (according to statistics from 2024) who have successfully completed the Startup visa program, and the first to complete the program in Imabari city.
We also have personal experience with incorporating a ‘kabushiki gaisha’ business, operating our guesthouse and honeybee farm business, opening a personal and business Japanese bank account, selling honey and vegetables at Michinoeki farmer’s market, obtaining both a ‘minpaku license and a ‘ryokan’ license, working with Japanese professionals, and navigating life in the Japanese countryside.
- Immigration Experience Video Consultation: $250
- Answer your initial questions, for up to 90 minutes
- Discuss general Startup Visa or Business Manager Visa logistics
- Discuss general business requirements and income expectations
- Share all of our experience, to help you avoid potential pitfalls
- Point you in the direction of other professional guidance!
Are you in the market to purchase property in Japan? Interested in purchasing an ‘akiya’ abandoned house, and bringing it back to life? Real estate and translation assistance has been (by far) our biggest request. So after a lot of thought and careful planning, along with the encouragement and guidance of our local realtor, we’ve come up with a number of services that you can mix and match, based on your needs.
- Real Estate Video Consultation (the first step): $250
- Answer your initial questions, for up to 90 minutes
- Develop an initial understanding of your specific situation
- Discuss general Japanese real estate logistics
- Discuss the properties you’re interested in
- Discuss any specific difficulties (farmland, inheritance, etc.)
- Discuss what documents you will need, based on residency
- Create strategy for your next steps
- Real Estate Representation and Translation (the second step; the complete process): $850
- Emails and Phone Calls with Realtor or other Japanese professional
- May include 1 or 2 in-person meetings on your behalf, if needed
- A La Carte: Live Video Tour + Photography: $300
- Live video tour (up to 60 minutes)
- Photo gallery delivered within 48 hours
- Clients can view, share, and download high-resolution images
- A La Carte: Representation and Translation (in-person meeting): $250
- Meeting a Realtor or other Japanese professional on your behalf, or along with you
- May include email and/or phone calls to arrange the meeting time
- A La Carte: Representation of Buyer as their “Domestic Contact” within Japan: $200
- It is now required for non-residents of Japan to delegate an official contact person within Japan, when purchasing property. In the event that Japan’s government could not reach you, we would be responsible for helping them to get in contact with you.
- A La Carte: Local Utility Bill Payment: $200 per utility company setup + $100 per year
- If you purchase property in the Shimanami Kaido area, but you will not be in Japan to pay your utilities, we can make arrangements for you. Please ask about further details.
- House-Hunting: Rate negotiable
- Searching 20+ real estate sites, based on your specifications
- Provide you with links to all listings that meet your criteria
- Please note: Most of the websites are in Japanese
Rates listed are for locations within the Shimanami Kaido area. Tolls and travel time are included between Onomichi, Hiroshima and Imabari, Ehime. For travel outside of this area, our rate is negotiable, based on distance and availability.
Rates are listed in US Dollar amount for your reference. If paying in Japanese Yen, which is preferred, but not obligatory, the rate would be based on the exchange rate at that time.
Note about purchasing property in Japan: Foreigners can purchase property in Japan, with or without Japanese residency. We purchased our first ‘akiya’ house while in Japan as tourists, and our second ‘akiya’ house after receiving Japanese visas and residency, so we’re familiar with both situations.
For those of you looking to buy a home in the Shimanami Kaido area: We’re happy to work alongside local realtor Shimanami Property, to assist his English-speaking foreign buyers. We’d love to have you as a new neighbor in the Shimanami Kaido area!
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