House in Nara

From the listing

This house is just off the main bus road. It has undergone two extensions over the years; examining the building inside and out reveals differences in the materials used, beams, external walls, and more. The front garden offers a moderate-sized planting space. The entrance has a high ceiling and a passageway floor (doma) that extends deep into the property. The building was once used for commercial purposes, so the entrance is spacious. A fine transom bar (called sashigamoi) sits above the sliding doors, which prevents the house from becoming slightly tilted and making doors difficult to open and close, a common problem in vacant homes. As you move deeper into the building, you discover small yet charming rooms with distinct character. The kitchen is compact in a good way, divided into separate zones for cooking, eating, and relaxing rather than a modern integrated LDK space. In cold places like Soni, this compartmentalized layout is common, as it allows heating only where people are rather than the entire house. The toilet features light-blue tiles and fixtures, giving a refreshing impression, and the seat has a washing-bidet function. The bath has been renovated with a unit bath. The second floor has two rooms: a 6-mat room and a 4-mat room. The attic room was previously used for storage but could be made into a comfortable room through DIY. On the north side of the main house is a large garage. The building once housed a lumberyard, and tall timber for posts and columns remains. It's spacious enough for large trucks, offering potential uses beyond its past purpose, farming work, woodworking, an atelier/gallery, or a small shop depending on renovation. The main house has undergone repeated extensions and modifications, so electrical wiring should be carefully inspected, but it is a house where one can move in almost immediately. Since becoming vacant, it has been regularly aired and cleaned, and has served as a gathering place for family during summer fireworks and BBQs.