Wood house in Nara (5f)
Wood house in Nara
Soni, Nara
Saved homes live in this browser. View your saved homes
Location
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.
Full description
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.
Specifications
Where a detail is not shown, the source listing did not state it. We leave it out rather than guess.
Area and hazard data
- About 125.7 km from the coast
- About 29.7 km to the nearest primary school
A pre-1981 build predates Japan's current earthquake code, which can matter for insurance and renovation. We flag the era from the year built where we have it.
Work with us
Every message gets a reply from one of the founders. We can talk through the home, help you think about a renovation, and connect you with our Japan partner for buying help. Clear flat-fee pricing, nothing to pay until you decide to go ahead.
Where this data comes from
- Earthquake-hazard forecast, from the national J-SHIS model (2024).
- Stations, coastline and schools, from Japan's Ministry of Land mapping data.
Checked against the town's listing: 2026-08-25
Source listing last changed: 2024-12-19
We re-check listings against their sources through the week.
Original listing: https://sonisummit.com/property/026
Where a fact is missing, we say so rather than guess. Data from the source listing plus official government records.