# I Went Akiya Hunting in Tokyo’s Billion Dollar Neighborhood Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB33arpXcvY Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/lB33arpXcvY Generated: 2025-11-12T12:34:35.025+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The search for vacant homes (Akiya) in Chiyoda-ku, one of Tokyo's wealthiest districts, yielded only three visibly empty properties after an hour of running, demonstrating the extreme scarcity of such properties in central, highly commercialized areas despite Japan's overall 9 million vacant homes issue. The properties found ranged from a tiny, leasehold structure costing ¥99.8 million (with high monthly land fees) to a modern commercial/residential corner building priced at ¥428 million, highlighting that even dilapidated structures in prime locations demand high prices. **Key Points:** - The video documents an 'Akiya Marathon' in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, attempting to find visibly vacant homes (Akiya). - In one hour of running, the creator only identified 3 properties that looked like Akiya, emphasizing the rarity of vacant homes in this central district. - The first Akiya found (an old wooden structure) was leasehold, priced at ¥99.8 million (approx. $647,000) with a 12-year lease remaining, requiring a ¥95,000 monthly land fee. - The second property found was a modern, four-story corner building listed for ¥428 million (approx. $2.7 million), featuring commercial space downstairs and residential upstairs. - Chiyoda-ku has an extremely low residential population (67,000) compared to total Tokyo residents (12-13 million), making the discovery of vacant homes unlikely. - The creator noted that the area is highly commercial, featuring many restaurants and bookshops (like in Jinbocho, which they briefly visited/referenced). ![Screenshot at 00:02: The creator points to Chiyoda-ku on a map of Tokyo, highlighting its central location amidst the city's wards, setting the stage for the search in this prime, yet expectedly dense, area.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lB33arpXcvY/00-00-02.png) **Context:** The video follows a creator, Shu Matsuo Post (Co-Founder of AkiyaHub), on the second leg of his 'Tokyo Akiya Marathon' series, specifically focusing on Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo's richest and most central ward, which is home to the Imperial Palace. The goal is to see how many genuinely vacant, owner-occupied homes (Akiya) can be found in this prime, highly developed area, contrasting it with the broader national issue of 9 million vacant homes. ## Detailed Analysis The creator ran for one hour around the Imperial Palace loop in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, to search for Akiya (vacant homes), expecting few due to the area's high commercial density and extremely high real estate values. Chiyoda-ku houses only 67,000 residents out of Tokyo's 12-13 million, representing a very small percentage of the population. Despite the difficulty, the creator found three properties fitting the 'Akiya-looking' description. The first found was a dilapidated wooden structure, counted as Akiya #1, but it was leasehold, requiring a ¥95,000 ($616) monthly fee for the land, making the total investment risky. The second property found was a modern corner building, listed for ¥428 million ($2.7 million), which was mixed-use (commercial ground floor, residential upstairs). The third property found was also a small, old house, which the creator counted as Akiya #3, despite having lights on inside. The creator concluded that running in central Tokyo is difficult due to constant traffic lights, and advised viewers training for the Tokyo Marathon 2026 (which the creator is training for) to stick to the Imperial Palace loop for uninterrupted running. The overall finding confirms that finding truly vacant, full-ownership homes in prime central Tokyo is extremely rare. ### Akiya Hunting in Chiyoda-ku - The search was conducted in Chiyoda-ku, one of Tokyo's wealthiest wards, focusing on the area around the Imperial Palace loop - The creator found only 3 potentially vacant properties in one hour of running, emphasizing the scarcity in this core district. ### Property 1 Details (Leasehold) - This property was very dilapidated and listed for ¥99.8 million (approx. $647,000) with a 12-year lease remaining, requiring a ¥95,000 monthly land fee, which the creator strongly advised against due to lack of control. ### Property 2 Details (Modern Mixed-Use) - This corner building was priced at ¥428 million (approx. $2.7 million), featuring 59 sqm land space and 179 sqm living space, built in 1995, with commercial use on the first floor and residential above. ### Environmental Observations - Chiyoda-ku is characterized by skyscrapers, high commercial activity (restaurants, bookshops like those in Jinbocho), and excellent proximity to major stations like Tokyo Station and Hanzomon Station (9 min walk). ### Marathon Training Context - The creator is training for the Tokyo Marathon 2026 (March 1st) and used the run to scout for Akiya; the Imperial Palace loop is recommended for training due to its continuous path without traffic lights. ![Screenshot at 00:01: The creator standing in front of Tokyo Station, introducing the video's focus on Chiyoda-ku.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lB33arpXcvY/00-00-01.png) ![Screenshot at 00:15: Visual contrast showing modern skyscrapers against an image of a dilapidated vacant home in Japan, illustrating the core theme of Akiya.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lB33arpXcvY/00-00-15.png) ![Screenshot at 00:49: Map highlighting Chiyoda-ku's central location among Tokyo's 23 wards, emphasizing its high value.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lB33arpXcvY/00-00-49.png) ![Screenshot at 00:58: Runners on the Imperial Palace Koukyo Run path, illustrating the favored running route in the area.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lB33arpXcvY/00-00-58.png) ![Screenshot at 01:16: The narrow alleyway where the creator found the first potentially vacant property, highlighting the tight urban environment.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lB33arpXcvY/00-01-16.png) ![Screenshot at 01:41: Graphic overlay showing the low residential population \(67,000\) of Chiyoda Ward compared to the total Tokyo population \(12-13 Million\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lB33arpXcvY/00-01-41.png) ![Screenshot at 03:06: The creator by the Imperial Palace loop, noting the 5K/3-mile circumference and popularity for running.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lB33arpXcvY/00-03-06.png) ![Screenshot at 07:17: The first actual rundown property found, which the creator eventually counts as Akiya #1.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lB33arpXcvY/00-07-17.png) ![Screenshot at 09:33: Graphic overlay displaying the asking price for the first found Akiya: ¥99.8 million / $647,000 \(for structure only\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/lB33arpXcvY/00-09-33.png)