Restored akiya exterior in Setagaya, Tokyo — traditional Japanese wooden house
Coming April 2026

Setagaya City, Tokyo — Architecture Experience

The Soul of the Akiya

A Wabi-Sabi Restoration

Step into my restored Akiya, a forgotten home now breathing again. Explore the antiques, stories, and heart behind giving this old soul a second life.

Get NotifiedOur Story
Restored akiya living room with exposed wooden beams and wabi-sabi decor

About Misaki

I am a Japanese Akiya (空き家) enthusiast who successfully managed and executed the full restoration of a 1980s Tokyo wooden home. I personally completed traditional Shikkui (lime plaster) application for a full Washitsu room and handled all interior wallpapering.

I directed specialized builders to ensure 2026 seismic compliance while personally sourcing all vintage furniture and kitchen components through Japanese auctions. This house was once abandoned and forgotten, but I saw something beautiful still living inside it.

On this tour, you will meet me at Komazawa Daigaku station and walk together to our home. Get a rare, firsthand look at daily life inside a beautifully preserved 1980s Japanese home. I want to share my personal journey as honestly as I can — the details, lessons, and feelings behind the restoration process.

The Restoration Journey

From abandoned akiya to a home full of soul — highlights from the restoration process.

Original dated kitchen in abandoned akiya before restorationKitchen — Before
Beautifully restored kitchen with sage green cabinets and stone wallKitchen — After
Original living area with sliding doors before akiya restorationLiving area — Before
Restored living and dining room with paper lantern and vintage artLiving area — After
Overgrown exterior of abandoned akiya before restorationExterior — Before
Restored akiya exterior with clean pathway and landscaping in Setagaya TokyoExterior — After
Original dated bathroom in abandoned akiya before restorationBathroom — Before
Restored bathroom in akiya with modern fixturesBathroom — After

The Design Vision

Architectural vision of akiya living space with exposed X-bracing and skylights
Design render of washitsu Japanese room with sage green walls and shoji screens
Hallway design with skylights, exposed beams and glass light fixtures

The Process

Stripped room with exposed beams during akiya demolitionDemolition
Rotted wooden foundation exposed during akiya restorationFoundation repair
Stripped wooden frame of akiya during structural restorationExposed frame
Seismic X-bracing installed during akiya structural reinforcementSeismic bracing
Insulation being installed in akiya walls during restorationInsulation
Ceiling drywall with exposed wooden beams during akiya finishingCeiling work
Misaki cutting tiles by hand during akiya bathroom restorationMisaki tiling
Painting walls during akiya interior finishingWall finishing
Bathroom tile layout with laser level during akiya renovationTile layout
Plastering ceiling in protective suit during akiya restorationCeiling plastering
New wooden floor framing during akiya restorationFloor framing
Misaki surveying progress in newly drywalled roomChecking progress

The Finished Spaces

Dining area with antique portrait and vintage glass cabinet in restored akiya
Vintage Japanese tansu chest with Buddha sculpture in restored akiya
Vintage Japanese coffee table with flower arrangement inside restored akiya
Curated art collection on wabi-sabi textured wall in akiya home
Wooden bookshelf in traditional Japanese house with natural light
Traditional tatami room with hanging scrolls in restored akiya Tokyo
Restored akiya entrance with hanging scroll and vintage tansu
Exposed wooden beams with globe pendant lights in restored akiya ceiling

Who This Is For

I know many people dream of finding an old house in Japan, but do not know where to begin. How do you find one? How do you restore it? How do you keep its spirit while making it livable again?

This experience is for people who feel something when they step into an old home. For people who love quiet beauty, aged wood, soft light, old objects, and the stories hidden in worn walls. For people who believe these homes deserve to be saved.

This experience is hosted in English, Italian, Japanese, and Korean.

I am opening my home because I want to share that feeling with others who understand.

Coming April 2026

Be the First to Know

Tours are available for small groups of up to 6 guests. Ages 20 and up. Free cancellation up to 1 day before.

¥10,000 per person

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