1890s wood house in Isa, Kagoshima
Isa, Kagoshima
- Year built
- 1891
- Building size
- 120 sqm
- Land size
- 661 sqm
- Structure
- Wood
Saved homes live in this browser. View your saved homes
From the listing
"Bathe immediately from the living room." A must-see property for old folk-house enthusiasts with a cast-iron ofuro (traditional bath) built 130 years ago. Entrance area with an earthen-floor entry. A charming, nostalgic kitchen. A shelf could be constructed in the bay window to display favorite condiments and kitchen items. The brick wall visible on the left side of the shelf is the firebox. While such fireboxes are usually located outside the house, this one allows firewood to be fed in from indoors. A beautifully maintained cast-iron ofuro ready for immediate use. This bath is adjacent to an 8-tatami traditional Japanese room on the right side of the earthen entry, separated only by a glass door. A curtain rail suggests a curtain was used for privacy during bathing. The floor of the Japanese room shows some sagging; you may need to lift the tatami and inspect the underfloor. Please check the extent of sagging on-site during a viewing. An 8-tatami Japanese room with light from the veranda. Even without electric lighting, daylight from the veranda gently illuminates the interior. With four Japanese rooms in a simple cross-layout, this seems an ideal property for those wanting to renovate a tastefully-sized old folk house. The atmosphere unique to old houses should be preserved. The ceiling edge of the veranda shows stains that appear to be water damage, but the owner confirmed the leak above the bath and veranda has been repaired. Simply replacing ceiling and floorboards creates dramatic atmosphere changes. Even without DIY experience, painting or laying floor tiles is a relatively approachable renovation, highly recommended! Beyond the veranda are charming glass fittings. Opening these reveals an external wall directly. Was this added for insulation? The glass fittings could be removed, insulation installed from inside, and the charming fittings reused elsewhere. Next to the ofuro is a wash basin and toilet. The combined septic tank (5-person capacity) was installed recently, saving significantly on water works costs. The adjoining storage building appears deeper than the external view suggests, with room for farm equipment, DIY materials, and power tools. Some window warping may require repair and reinforcement, but a roofed storage space is, frankly, never excessive. The large garden includes persimmon trees, with ample space to create vegetable beds for seasonal crops. Fireflies have been seen on the nearby waterway. For those considering old folk-house living, please visit in person. We await your interest.
Specifications
- Land size
- 661 sqm
- Building size
- 120 sqm
- Year built
- 1891
- Structure
- Wood
- Floors
- 1
- Rooms
- 1F: 4DK
- Gas
- Propane (LPG)
- Water
- City water
- Sewer
- Septic (combined)
Where a detail is not shown, the source listing did not state it. We leave it out rather than guess.
The price in context
The nearest official land-price benchmark is about 3,500 yen per sqm, down about 15% over five years (4,100 to 3,500), which the survey classes as declining.
The asking price works out at about 1,210 yen per sqm of land, 65% below the nearest residential benchmark of about 3,500 yen per sqm. The benchmark is for bare land; akiya prices usually bundle a worn building, so a large gap is normal and does not by itself mean a bargain.
Source: Japan's Ministry of Land land-price survey. A benchmark for the area, not a valuation of this home.
Area and hazard data
6 checks clear, 2 to know about. Each check is against a government map for this exact point. Where a map is missing or we can't use it, we say so; that never means there's no risk.
- Earthquake code Checked, clear
- Built after the 1981 earthquake code
- Strong-earthquake chance Checked, clear
- About 3% chance of a strong quake (shindo 6-lower or above) in 30 years, low for Japan, where most places sit between 3% and 26%
- Landslide risk Checked, clear
- Checked: no designated landslide zone at this location. Zone edges are approximate, and this is not a legal property disclosure document.
- Flood risk Checked, clear
- Checked: outside a mapped flood area. The maps cover designated rivers only, so this is not a promise of no flooding.
- Tsunami risk Checked, clear
- Checked: no designated tsunami inundation zone at this location
- Liquefaction Checked, clear
- Low liquefaction susceptibility for the ground here
- Volcanic hazard Note
- In Sakurajima's ashfall band, about 44 km from the crater. Ash is a nuisance for roofs, cars and laundry rather than a danger to the house.
- Farmland rules Note
- Inside an outer farmland zone. The plot itself may or may not be classed as farmland; ask the town before you commit.
Source: Estimated from year built
Source: National earthquake-hazard model
Source: Government hazard map
Source: Government hazard map
Source: Government hazard map
Source: National landform survey
Source: Volcano hazard map
Source: Government land-use records
- Nearest station
- Kurino station, about 10.2 km away (Hisatsu Line)
- Setting
- About 26.2 km to the nearest built-up town area (population about 12,000)
- Coast
- About 29.2 km from the coast
- Schools
- primary 0.6 km, junior high 2.2 km, high school 6.2 km
- Clinic
- About 33 min walk
Location
- Area
- Isa, Kagoshima
- Nearest station
- Kurino station, about 10.2 km away (Hisatsu Line)
- Setting
- About 26.2 km to the nearest built-up town area (population about 12,000)
- Coast
- About 29.2 km from the coast
- Schools
- primary 0.6 km, junior high 2.2 km, high school 6.2 km
This marks an approximate area, not the exact building. The circle is a rough radius from the listing's published address, so you can see the neighbourhood without us guessing at a precise spot. The published address only names the neighbourhood.
Rules of this akiya bank
These are the bank's published eligibility rules, not confirmation that your intended use of this home is allowed. Check with the municipality and owner.
We have not established these rules for this listing. Unknown does not mean permitted.
Grants and rules
9 programmes in our data could apply to this home, all with conditions you would have to meet first. Amounts change every year. Always confirm with the town before you rely on a figure.
-
Isa City Wooden Housing Seismic Diagnosis & Retrofit Subsidy ConditionalUp to 1,150,000 yen
What you would need
Seismic diagnosis: 2/3 subsidy rate, max 60,000 yen. Retrofit work: 8/10 subsidy rate, max 1,150,000 yen (changed July 2025).
- Must be resident or owner of the wooden house. If owner and resident differ, both must consent. Must not be in default on municipal taxes.
- Plus 2 more conditions on the town's page.
-
Migration Support Payment Program ConditionalUp to 1,000,000 yen
What you would need
Base payment for 2+ household members; additional payments available
- Must have resided cumulatively 5+ years in Tokyo 23 wards within the 10 years before transfer, or resided in Tokyo metropolitan area (excluding designated disadvantaged areas) and commuted to Tokyo 23 wards
- Plus 2 more conditions on the town's page.
Official source for Migration Support Payment Program (opens in a new tab)
-
Regional Revitalization Migration Support Program (Household) ConditionalUp to 1,000,000 yen
What you would need
Base amount for household migration: up to 1 million yen. Additional 1 million yen per child under 18 may be added (stackable add-on, not included in base cap).
- Resident of Tokyo 23 wards or commuting to Tokyo 23 wards from Tokyo Metropolitan Area (excluding disadvantaged regions)
- Plus 3 more conditions on the town's page.
-
Tokyo-Area Migration Support Subsidy ConditionalUp to 1,000,000 yen
What you would need
Multi-person household: 1,000,000 yen. Single person: 600,000 yen. Additional 1,000,000 yen per minor (under 18) brought along after 1 April 2023.
- In 10 years before moving to Isa, spent cumulative 5+ years in Tokyo 23 wards or non-disadvantaged Tokyo metro areas, AND commuted to Tokyo 23 wards
- Plus 2 more conditions on the town's page.
Official source for Tokyo-Area Migration Support Subsidy (opens in a new tab)
-
Regional Revitalization Migration Support Program (Single) ConditionalUp to 600,000 yen
What you would need
Base amount for single migration: up to 600,000 yen.
- Resident of Tokyo 23 wards or commuting to Tokyo 23 wards from Tokyo Metropolitan Area (excluding disadvantaged regions)
- Plus 3 more conditions on the town's page.
Official source for Regional Revitalization Migration Support Program (Single) (opens in a new tab)
-
Combined Wastewater Treatment Tank (Septic) Subsidy ConditionalUp to 548,000 yen
What you would need
Base: 332,000 yen (5-person), 414,000 yen (7-person), 548,000 yen (10-person tank). Add 50,000 yen if local contractor used. Additional up to 90,000 yen for removal or up to 150,000 yen for in-house plumbing when converting from septic or pit toilet.
- Must install combined treatment tank or convert from single-treatment septic or pit toilet
Official source for Combined Wastewater Treatment Tank (Septic) Subsidy (opens in a new tab)
-
Dangerous Vacant Building Demolition Subsidy ConditionalUp to 200,000 yen
What you would need
20% of eligible demolition costs, capped at 200,000 yen; amounts below 1,000 yen discarded.
- Must not be in default on city taxes. Must be owner of the dangerous building or delegated by owner to execute demolition.
- Plus 1 more condition on the town's page.
Official source for Dangerous Vacant Building Demolition Subsidy (opens in a new tab)
-
Hazard-Proximity Dangerous House Relocation Subsidy ConditionalDemolition/relocation: max 975,000 yen. Construction/purchase/renovation: interest subsidy on loans (max 8.5% annual rate). Land acquisition: max 2,060,000 yen. Site development: max 608,000 yen.
What you would need
- Must demolish and relocate, or construct/purchase/renovate replacement housing
- Plus 1 more condition on the town's page.
Official source for Hazard-Proximity Dangerous House Relocation Subsidy (opens in a new tab)
-
Migration & Home Exchange Promotion Subsidy Program ConditionalBase rate 1/5 of eligible costs capped at 500,000 yen for renovation; additional add-ons for migrants, age, families with children, and small settlements when base costs exceed 2.5 million yen.
What you would need
- Migrant: resided continuously outside the municipality for 10+ years AND transferred to Isa within 3 years before application or by end of the application fiscal year
- Plus 3 more conditions on the town's page.
Official source for Migration & Home Exchange Promotion Subsidy Program (opens in a new tab)
Interested in this house?
This prefecture has a licensed, English speaking agent on the ground. Send the form below and it reaches them and us together. Free to ask, and nothing to pay until you decide to go ahead.
- 1Tell us where you are and what you would use it for.
- 2We check the home and the town's rules with you, free.
- 3If you go ahead, Szuwen (Steven) Huang handles the purchase in Japan for a flat fee.
Szuwen (Steven) Huang
KORYOYA LLC
12 other homes currently listed in Isa.
Isa, Kagoshima
1970s wood house in Okuchiushio, Isa
3,000,000 yen
(approx. GBP 14,000)
Isa, Kagoshima
1970s wood house in Okuchimotomachi, Isa
10,000,000 yen
(approx. GBP 47,000)
Isa, Kagoshima
1970s wood house in Okuchi, Isa, farmland, approval needed
1,900,000 yen
(approx. GBP 9,000)
Before you buy
Where this data comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the town's own listing or an official government record, checked for this address. Where a fact is missing, we say so rather than guess.
- Landslide-risk areas, from Japan's Ministry of Land mapping data (KSJ A33).
- Flood-risk areas, from Japan's Ministry of Land mapping data (KSJ A31a).
- Tsunami-risk areas, from Japan's Ministry of Land mapping data (KSJ A40).
- Earthquake-hazard forecast, from the national J-SHIS model (2024).
- Farmland rules, from Japan's Ministry of Land mapping data (KSJ A12).
- Stations, coastline and schools, from Japan's Ministry of Land mapping data.
- Official land prices, from Japan's Ministry of Land land-price survey.
Map data: National Land Numerical Information (Kokudo Suchi Joho), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, processed by Engawa.
出典：「国土数値情報」（国土交通省）（https://nlftp.mlit.go.jp/ksj/）をEngawaが加工して作成
- Checked against the town's listing
- Checked against the town's listing: 2026-09-27
- Source listing last changed
- Source listing last changed: 2026-06-21
- Original listing
- www.city.isa.kagoshima.jp (opens in a new tab)
We re-check listings against their sources through the week. Where a fact is missing, we say so rather than guess. Data from the source listing plus official government records.