I Went Akiya Hunting in Tokyo’s Ultra Rich Neighborhood

Quick Overview

The creator ran for one hour through Tokyo's Minato-ku, documenting 13 visibly abandoned houses (akiya) despite it being one of the wealthiest and fanciest wards, contrasting this with the low count found in Chiyoda and Shinjuku, and showcasing the high real estate values in the area, such as a 56 sqm house listed for ¥119 million ($765,000) and another for ¥198 million ($1.3 million).

Key Points: The creator completed a 6-mile run in one hour through Minato-ku specifically to find visibly abandoned houses (akiya). The run resulted in finding 13 akiya, which the creator considered a surprisingly high number for such a wealthy and exclusive area, noting that Minato-ku has approximately 270,000 residents. The creator compared this count to previous runs, noting Minato-ku had more akiya than Chiyoda but slightly less than Shinjuku. One specific abandoned house found in Shirokane (Minato-ku) was listed for sale at ¥119 million ($765,000) with 56 sqm of living space, built in 1987. Another property in Roppongi, listed for ¥198 million ($1.3 million), was highlighted for its prime location near Roppongi Hills and Roppongi Station. The video briefly showed a prior expensive condo unit in the area listed for $5 million and mentioned the creator previously lived in Shirokane, which was very expensive. The video concluded with the creator having found 12 akiya in Minato-ku during the 60-minute run, planning to cover another ward for 60 minutes in the next episode.

Context: The video documents the third episode of a series called the "Tokyo Akiya Marathon," where the creator runs for 60 minutes in a specific Tokyo ward to count how many visibly abandoned houses (akiya) they can find. This episode focuses on Minato-ku, described as one of Tokyo's richest and fanciest neighborhoods, home to areas like Roppongi and Shirokane. The creator also uses this opportunity to show the contrast between these expensive areas and the presence of neglected properties, while also sharing personal history regarding living in Shirokane.