ENCORE EDIT / Nakano of 1000 Empty Houses: In Search of Solutions to Japan's Akiya Problem

Outland Japan

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Snow Country Stories Japan remains on a break between Season 1 and Season 2. This is the second upload of two previous episodes - an edit of what was Episode 04 / Nakano of 100 Empty Houses: In Search of Solutions to Japan's Akiya Problem. The original episode was around 1 hour in length whereas this edit is just over 20 minutes.
Another of my most rewarding chats from Season 1, in this episode I speak with Murai Shota about his work in Nakano - a small town outside of Nagano City - and his work in finding solutions for the estimated 1000 empty homes. It's reflective of the situation across Japan in which a huge number of homes are unoccupied or abandoned. The topic is especially relevant to the snow country which is experiencing ageing and depopulation. As a result, homes can be exceptionally cheap to buy, if you can just get them listed for sale... I hope you enjoy!
You can follow Shota's work on Instagram and for more information about the podcast and your host, visit our website.

Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.