We’re humbled and thankful to all of the new friends, content creators, and publications, who’ve taken the time to share our story. It still feels a little surprising that so many people really seem to resonate with what we’re doing, but our little community keeps growing, the more our story reaches a wider audience. I’m naturally inclined to be private or shy about our lives, but knowing this information is helpful to others gives me the confidence to continue sharing our process, step by step.
I’ve created a playlist on our YouTube channel, where you can see our interviews, podcasts, videos, and television episodes, all in one place! Keep scrolling to see additional articles and publications.
Mizobuchi-san earns 2025 President’s Award: JF-CMCA (Japan) » January 2026
Today I’d like to highlight an achievement earned by our business consultant: Mizobuchi-sensei. He is part of the ‘team of professionals’ who help us with immigration logistics. Mizobuchi-san is a member of JF-CMCA: Japan Federation of Certified Management Consultants’ Association. He wrote an article to detail his role in supporting our fledgeling business, Benton Homestead. Mizobuchi-san received the President’s Award! He was invited to present the case study at the annual symposium in Tokyo. It’s uncertain, but we suspect this is the first time in the history of JF-CMCA that the President’s Award has been received by a consultant guiding a foreign-owned and operated business.
You can read the full article here, in Japanese. Or you can read the article translated into English, in my blog post. Thank you , Mizobuchi-san, for all of your support and friendship the past three years! We look forward to working together for many more years to come. We couldn’t imagine the past three years without your guidance.
Network Television Feature: NHK World Japan’s ‘Workpedia’ (Global) » August 2025
We’ve been waiting very patiently to share our citrus honey harvest on NHK! The segment is called Workpedia, which is part of a show called Where We Call Home. Workpedia is designed to introduce foreigners living and working in Japan, their profession, and an interview with their Japanese colleagues. So for our segment, we took the NHK film crew to our apiary to harvest honey, to our workshop to extract the honey, and to a local market to sell the honey.
It was broadcast on the channel NHK WORLD JAPAN, throughout Japan, and globally! Wow!
UPDATE 1: You can now view the episode for free on-demand on NHK’s website, here. Please note that our Workpedia segment begins at the 20-minute mark (the last 7 minutes of the episode).
UPDATE 2: You can now also view the episode for free on-demand on Workpedia‘s YouTube channel, here.
Thank you to the NHK film crew, and to our Ōmishima neighbors! We look forward to more opportunities in the future, not only to share our own business, but also to help share all of Ōmishima and the Shimanami Kaido small businesses. Our small island economy is very much tourism-based, so the more visitors to the islands, the more we can all continue to grow and succeed together.
Feature Article Interview: Escape Artist Magazine (Global) » July 2025
Escape Artist is the longest-running and “number one source for expats, digital nomads, and dreamers.” Their associate editor reached out to ask for an interview, which became her article entitled, The Couple Restoring Lost Homes in Japan; Guesthouse dreams, retro treasures, and honeybees in Ōmishima. I could not have asked for a better interview experience, as she was so kind, and her words so beautifully written .
Article Excerpt: “Dani and Evan Benton didn’t set out to become innkeepers or beekeepers on a small Japanese island. Their journey began in New Orleans with an urban farm, a few chickens, and a growing sense that something quieter and more grounded was calling. After over a year of house-sitting across 21 Mexican states, they turned their attention to Japan—specifically, to Ōmishima, a cherry-blossom-lined island linked by bridges off the coast of Shikoku. There, they purchased two akiyas—abandoned traditional homes—each layered with the belongings and memories of previous lives, and began the meticulous process of restoration.
But this isn’t just a story of restoration and hard work. It’s about building something meaningful in a place that, like them, is rediscovering its own purpose. From navigating Japan’s Startup visa to raising bees among wild boars, and welcoming guests to their restored inn, the Bentons are crafting more than a livelihood—they’re shaping a life that feels entirely their own.”
Feature Podcast: Nippon Tradings International Japan Real Estate Podcast (Japan) » April 2025
If you’re interested in Japanese real estate, you have probably heard of Nippon Tradings International. We were so pleased for the opportunity to speak with Ziv Nakajima-Magen on his very popular real estate podcast. This was a fun interview, and a great opportunity to give a wrap-up of our whole story, from the US, through Mexico, to Japan, Startup visa, akiya renovation, ‘ryokan’ license, and now, operating our guesthouse and honeybee farm.
Feature Videos: Nature’s Always Right + Steven Cornett YouTube Channels (US) » January 2025
We had the opportunity last summer to meet Steven Cornett, the friendly man behind the popular YouTube channel Nature’s Always Right. I honestly mean it when I say we’ve been watching his videos for many years. He was one of my first inspirations for chicken coop designs, back when we first started experimenting with homesteading. It was sort of like meeting a friend!
While Steven was visiting, he made two videos, one for each of his channels. This video is a tour of Benton Guesthouse, discussing the purchase, renovation process, and how we host in Japan.
This video is more focused on our growing honeybee farm, what we’ve learned as our first year of beekeepers in Japan, and our experience building our small-scale farm on formerly abandoned land.
Spotlight Interview: Minka Preservation Society (Japan) » January 2025
From their website, the Minka Preservation Society “is a dynamic, community-focused organization dedicated to safeguarding Japan’s built-heritage treasures. These include minka, traditional Japanese farmhouses, and machiya, historical townhouses, which embody the architectural and cultural essence of Japan’s past. Minka works tirelessly to ensure the survival of these iconic structures, many of which are at risk due to urbanization, neglect, or modernization.”
Of course we were thrilled to be included in their monthly spotlight, called Beyond Minka, which “takes a closer look at the many interesting and innovative ways that minka and other heritage structures are being given second lives as restaurants & cafes, accommodations, shops, businesses, artisan studios, galleries, factories, and more.”
Video Shout-out: Nick with Japan Remotely on Unpacking Japan Podcast (Japan) » January 2025
This was a fun surprise! Unpacking Japan‘s YouTube channel “explores Japanese arts, culture, and business through the lives of foreigners who have made this amazing country their home.” In this interview with guest Nick of Japan Remotely, he gives an example of our business Benton Homestead as “the poster children” of the Startup visa. Thanks for the shout-out, Nick!
Feature Podcast: Just Japan Podcast (Japan) » January 2025
We were happy to be invited back to chat with Kevin on his Just Japan Podcast. Our first conversation with him was about one year ago. I was a nice opportunity to talk about how much has changed, and how much we’ve accomplished since then.
“Show Notes: In this episode, we revisit Evan and Dani Benton from the Benton Homestead on Omishima Island in Ehime, Japan. They have purchased two akiya (abandoned homes) and turned one into the Benton Guesthouse. We first met them in episode 219. They have done so much since then. We chatted about their farming on the island, how their abandoned home renovations are going, beekeeping, appearing on American television and much more. This is another great episode for anyone dreaming of buying and renovating an old home in Japan.”
Feature Article: Business Insider (America) » November 2024
One year after our first international publication, we were again featured in Business Insider! This article tells a different aspect of our story, focusing on Benton Guesthouse renovation as part of the Business Manager visa, and being embraced by our local community. You can read the full article here, entitled They bought an abandoned house in rural Japan for $6,500. Now, they’re renting it out on Airbnb for $130 a night. Please note that, at the time of purchase, the exchange rate was $7,500.
This article was also translated and re-published for Japanese readers, on the Business Insider Japan website: 日本の田舎の廃屋を、約100万円で買ったアメリカ人夫婦。エアビーにて1泊2万円で貸し出す.
Network Television Feature Episode: CNBC’s Make It (America) » October 2024
We’re very excited to be featured on an episode of CNBC’s Make It! The home tour series Unlocked is focused on how much people across the globe spend on their housing, what they get for the money and what they had to sacrifice to make it happen. In our episode, we discuss why we chose Japan, our experience renovating our first ‘akiya’ into Benton Guesthouse, the cost breakdown, and revenue. This is our first major media appearance, as their YouTube channel has over 1.5 million subscribers!
In addition to the video CNBC published two accompanying articles. The first one, entitled Millennial couple left New Orleans to buy an abandoned home in Japan for $7500: Take a look inside, focuses on the business aspect and Benton Guesthouse. The second article, entitled, 40-year-old left the U.S. to live on a ‘stunning island’ in Japan for $710/month: ‘We’re so excited about our future here’, looks at our life and future we’re building in a Japanese island village. We’re super happy with both articles!
News Article Publication: The i News (UK) » October 2024
This article takes a look at three different abandoned Akiya-to-AirBnB transformations throughout Japan. We’re happy to be included alongside our friends Lawrence and Chiyoko from CocoLencho Japan (check out their excellent YouTube channel!), and Tokyo-based Anton from Anton in Japan. The article, entitled We bought abandoned Akiya houses in Japan from £5k each – now we Airbnb them, can be read on The i News のウェブサイト。
News Article Publication: The Guardian » October 2024
We were happy to be included in The Guardian’s article covering five examples of abandoned house renovations around the world. It’s a really interesting look at some super ambitious projects! The article is entitled, Rot, romance and renovations: the reality of buying a cheap old house on Instagram. We didn’t technically purchase our houses on Instagram, but we did discover one of our two houses from Cheap Houses Japan. We purchased our house with the guidance of local realtor Shimanami Property. Both of which, we highly recommend!
News Article Publication: The Japan Times (Japan) » September 2024
We were interviewed for an article in The Japan Times, entitled First lesson of Japan’s akiya gold rush: No such thing as a free house. Most of the article talks about the hidden costs, increasing expenses, and sometimes costly reality of renovating an abandoned house, but, then casually mentions that our purchase, renovation, rental license, and furnishing, was only $38,000 total. It is possible to do this affordably! It seems like the writer did a lot of research, because it’s more well-rounded than most trending or sensational “akiya” articles. We’re only mentioned in a few paragraphs near the end of the article, but they even included a cute photo of Evan during renovation.
Article Excerpt: “Dani and Evan Benton started researching akiya properties before moving to Japan. By the time they arrived in 2023, they already had a business plan and a building picked out. They now operate an akiya guesthouse and honeybee farm on Ōmishima Island, Ehime Prefecture…Working with a local real estate agent, they chose to renovate an older akiya, maintaining traditional Showa Era details and documenting the renovation process on YouTube. “We like older things and we wanted to do the renovation. We weren’t really tempted by anything else,” Dani Benton said, noting that some beautiful move-in-ready akiya are on the market for those who don’t want to renovate.”
Journal Article Publication: Modus Journal (UK) » June 2024
Some of our abandoned house restoration photos were shared in a Modus journal article discussing Japan’s complex ‘akiya’ and aging population issue. The article, entitled Hollowing out: the scourge of Japan’s empty homes, is really interesting and well-written. They only mention our house renovation in the photo descriptions, but it was nice to be included. Their journalist reached out to us with questions and a photo request. Our friends over at the Coco Lencho Japan YouTube channel had their photos featured, too! The Modus journal is published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, covering content on the built environment around the world.
Article Excerpt: “The causes of empty homes in Japan are complex and interwoven. In many ways akiya, in particular, are the memorials of huge social and cultural change…The government has acknowledged that empty and abandoned homes are a growing problem – a further jump in numbers is expected when it releases its quinquennial housing stock survey later this year. In an effort to tackle the problem, it has introduced new legislative changes.”
Feature Podcast: Just Japan Podcast (Japan) » June 2024
We’re really excited about this one! We had such a fun chat with Kevin of the Just Japan Podcast, about renovating abandoned houses, farming, honeybees, sustainability, and adjusting to life in rural Japan. He did a great job keeping the conversation flowing, with all of our shared interests and hobbies. His (quite popular) podcast is available on YouTube as well as on all the streaming platforms. So nice to meet new friends through this adventure!
“Show Notes: In this episode, Kevin chats with Evan and Dani Benton who have renovated two Akiya (empty homes) on the island of Omishima in Ehime Prefecture in Japan. They have a wonderful website and YouTube channel called “Benton Homestead” that documents their journey. They have renovated these two buildings, turning one into a guesthouse and the other, their home. They are also diving into the world of natural agriculture and bee keeping. They discuss the process of buying and renovating these old homes as well as how they were able to get visas to stay in Japan to complete this project.”
Feature Video + Tour: Coco Lencho Japan YouTube Channel (Japan) » April 2024
Lawrence and Chiyoko from Coco Lencho Japan came to visit us at Benton Guesthouse for a weekend, and took the time to make a great little video! Join us for some conversation, and a walk around our guesthouse, our second ‘akiya’ abandoned house, our neighborhood, and one of our honeybee apiaries. It was so much fun to finally meet these two, and have some visitors! Please subscribe and follow his YouTube channel as well, for more ‘akiya’ and Japanese countryside content. He’s always got great videos discussing life as a foreigner in Japan, and their beautiful home and garden renovations continue.
“Show Notes: Join Evan + Dani Benton on their inspiring journey from an urban farm in New Orleans to the tranquil countryside of Ōmishima island, Japan. After traveling and house-sitting in Mexico, they received a Startup visa in Japan. Recently, they completed the renovation of two akiyas: one turned into a guesthouse listed on Airbnb, and the other into a ryokan (Japanese Inn). They also received a business manager visa, allowing them to embrace a homestead lifestyle while building a honeybee business. Explore the Benton Guesthouse, a lovingly renovated Shōwa-era vacation rental just minutes from the Shimanami Kaido. Experience slow life in the Japanese countryside, surrounded by traditional charm and modern comforts. Follow along as they share their journey of preserving traditional Japanese architecture and creating unique experiences for guests seeking an authentic countryside retreat.”
Feature Talkshow Podcast + Live Tour: Seek Sustainable Japan YouTube Channel (Japan) » February 2024
It was so fun to chat with JJ Walsh, a Hiroshima-based entrepreneur, guide, consultant, and writer. She does everything! Her live-broadcast YouTube talkshow podcast Seek Sustainable Japan features discussions about Japanese culture, travel, and traditions with insiders and experts across Japan.
Interview Video Chat: “Seek Sustainable Japan: Abandoned Houses & Farmland Renovation in Rural Japan – with Dani Benton”.
Live Tour of Benton Guesthouse: “Renovated Japanese house walk-thru with Dani & Evan at Benton Homestead”.
“Show Notes: Originally from the US, Dani & Evan Benton have bought properties and land to live and run a guest house and to do natural farming in rural Japan. They have been documenting and sharing a variety of useful information about how to get a Japan business and startup visa, buy a house, renovate old houses, get rid of junk, reuse things, and repair and reuse as well as honor the memory of the original owners as much as possible. Dani and Evan are doing a great service to their local community as well as all of their interested fans around the world with their informative posts and videos. They decided to settle in the area of OMISHIMA because it is a beautiful area that has a lot of AKIYA abandoned properties. They now run a guesthouse on AirBnb and aim is to run a farm stand to sell their fresh farm produce and honey. There will be a lot of great insights in this talk for anyone interested in Japan, Japanese culture, life in rural Japan, starting a business, natural farming, and renovating old houses in Japan.”
Feature Article: Cheap Houses Japan (Japan) » January 2024
With nearly 350,000 followers on their instagram page, Cheap Houses Japan is undoubtedly one of the most well-known and valuable resources for anyone looking to purchase a house in Japan. We were overjoyed when they offered to interview us for their blog! “Renovating an Old House into an AirBnB in Japan: An Interview with Dani & Evan Benton”.
We have Michael to thank for helping us come to the understanding that our dreams could be reality, as we ended up purchasing one of the akiya houses we saw on his page! He also recommended an immigration lawyer, who has proven to be an invaluable member of the professional team for our visa and Benton Homestead business incorporation.
Feature Podcast: Retire There with Gil & Gene (America) » January 2024
Our very first podcast! I’ll admit: I was pretty anxious about doing an interview like this, but Gil and Gene were so kind, and made the process fun and easy. Their weekly podcast interviews people who choose to retire or live in another country, with a focus on the logistics and realities of expatriating. You can listen on all the major podcast platforms! Episode 168 Retire on Ōmishima Island in Japan.
“Show Notes: Are you courageous enough to move across the world to start a new life on rural land? Dani and Evan Benton relocated to Omishima Island, Japan and seem to be loving the challenge. The industrious couple purchased two akiyas (abandoned or vacant houses in rural japan) for a total of approximately $30,000. For income, they remodeled one of the homes and are renting on airbnb. They plan to earn additional income by raising honey bees and from Dani’s photography. Learn more about the Benton’s enterprising move on Episode 168 of Retire There with Gil & Gene.”
Feature Article: The Sun US » November 2023
After the interest generated from their first article (which we didn’t even know had been written or published), The Sun US reached out to us for a second article, this time focusing on our ‘akiya’ purchase and remodel, as we were preparing to launch our Benton Guesthouse. The Sun US: “We bought 2 abandoned homes for less than $30k”.
Feature Article: Ehime Shimbun + Yahoo! Japan (Japan) » October 2023
Our very first article in Japan! The Ehime Shimbun is the largest newspaper in Ehime prefecture. It was pretty fun, as people we saw around Ōmishima would say, “we saw you in the paper!”. They put our photo on the front page, with a teaser of the article. Ehime Shimbun: “Mr. and Mrs. Benton moved to Imabari/Omishima from the US, renovated an old folk house, and opened a guest house in November.” The article was also picked up by Yahoo! Japan! So cool!!! Both articles are of course written in Japanese, but can be translated to English.
Feature Article: The Sun US » October 2023
This article seems to have been re-written from the Insider Business article below, for publication in The Sun US: “We left our rent-free life which could have continued indefinitely to buy home for $7,500 – both options are replicable”.
Feature Article: Insider Business + Yahoo! Finance (Japan) » October 2023
Our very first international article from a major news source! We discuss our life since leaving New Orleans (and America) in 2021. Insider Business: “An American couple left their rent-free life in Mexico and moved to a $7,500 abandoned home in Japan: ‘We feel overwhelmingly welcome'”. The article was also picked up by Yahoo! Finance.
Feature Video + Tour: SlowSteading YouTube Channel (Canada) » September 2023
It was so nice to have the opportunity to meet the family behind the Slowsteading YouTube channel, when they were visiting Ōmishima island. They were kind enough to document our progress restoring our ‘akiya’ abandoned house, while talking about logistics, hopes, and dreams. It feels a little funny to have a video made about what we’re doing, but, it also feels really great to share all of our hard work. I really admire their ability to take our rambling conversation, and turn it into a cohesive story with beautiful imagery from Ōmishima. It’s really fun to watch their post-homesteading world travels unfold through their YouTube videos, and we’re excited to see where they end up!
Video Shoutout: Coco Lencho Japan YouTube Channel (Japan) » August 2023
Coco Lencho Japan is a Mexican-American living in rural Japan, with his wife. His YouTube channel has been documenting every step of the way, as their ‘akiya’ abandoned house is renovated into an absolutely beautiful home. The two of them have put a lot of thought into everything, and it really shows! He also makes content about life in the countryside, and life as a foreigner in Japan.
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