REAL DATA · REAL RECEIPTS · TOKYO 2024–2025
I bought a Tokyo akiya for $257K and
renovated it for $103K.
Here's every receipt.
The exact spreadsheet I used to cut ¥7,113,000 (30.8%) off my contractor's first quote — plus the 9-play negotiation playbook that made it work.
Instant download · Lifetime access · One-time payment
8 sheets · 27 categories · 100 days of construction documented
Renovating a Tokyo akiya? You’re flying blind on cost.
No transparency.
Tokyo contractors hand you a single number and resist itemizing. You sign your akiya renovation contract without knowing what’s negotiable.
No comparables.
English-language akiya renovation guides give vague "¥10–30M" ranges. Specifics about brand, model, labor, overhead? Nonexistent.
No playbook.
Even fluent Japanese speakers renovating in Tokyo get markups they can’t see — list-price discount theater, padded overhead, scope creep.
I was about to overpay by ¥7,000,000.
In February 2024 I bought a 1980s detached house in Setagaya-ku for ¥39,800,000 — full asking price. Five minutes from Komazawa-Daigaku station. A real Tokyo akiya.
Five months later the renovation quote arrived: ¥23,100,000. It looked professional. It also looked padded — vague line items, a "10% off list" discount on every fixture, ¥2.2M of "general management" overhead. I’d never renovated in Japan. I had no comparables. I almost signed.
Instead I went line-by-line. Four revisions, three months of negotiation, two contractors competing, dozens of items I supplied myself. The signed contract: ¥15,000,000. With change orders during construction, the final paid was ¥15,987,000.
That’s ¥7,113,000 (30.8%) off the original. About $46,000 USD.
“After we moved in, friends and other expats kept asking the same question: "How much did it actually cost?" I’d open the spreadsheet and walk them through it. After the fifth time, I realized — this shouldn’t be a private conversation. So I’m releasing it.”
What’s inside
The Spreadsheet · 8 sheets
Summary
Total invested, savings story, key highlights
Property Purchase
¥39.8M acquisition + ¥1.9M fees breakdown
Cost Comparison
27 categories: original quote vs. final paid
Original Quote Detail
Every line item from the ¥23.1M quote
Final Paid Detail
Every line item from the signed contract
Change Orders
4 mid-build additions with full detail
If I Redid It
11 specific lessons (priority-coded)
What I’d Do Again
10 highest-ROI decisions
The Negotiation Playbook · 6 pages, .docx + .pdf
Play 1
Become Your Own Materials Supplier
Play 2
Challenge the "List Price -55%" Theater
Play 3
Audit the Overhead Line
Play 4
Defer Non-Critical Exterior Work
Play 5
Spec-Shop Major Appliances
Play 6
Drop Outer Sashes, Keep Inserts
Play 7
Get Multiple Revisions
Play 8
Decode 「別途」
Play 9
Record Everything (the meta-play)
+ Owner-Supply Checklist · Change Order rules · Cheat Sheet
“A thoughtful and valuable visit. You can see how much care and vision went into transforming this house — and the tour walks through every renovation choice with photos.”
“If you want to see inside a renovated Japanese home, there's nowhere better. We left with a deeper respect for the use of space and the fusion of modern and traditional design.”
Real timeline.
Nov 2024 – Apr 2025, 100 days of construction documented.
A NOTE FROM MINSEON
I’m Minseon. I documented every yen so you don’t have to make the same mistakes I almost did. If this saves you even ¥500,000, the investment paid itself back 8×.
Choose your tier
The Spreadsheet
Budgeting your own renovation
$59
- All 8 sheets, fully editable
- 27 categories, every line item
- "If I Redid It" + "What I’d Do Again" lessons
- Instant download (.xlsx)
Instant download · Lifetime access · One-time payment
The Blueprint
Anyone seriously considering an akiya
$99
Save $19 vs. buying separately
- Everything in The Spreadsheet, plus:
- The Negotiation Playbook (.docx + .pdf, 6 pages)
- 9 negotiation plays with specific yen savings
- Owner-supply checklist (11 items, ¥3M+ potential save)
- Pre-quote / pre-signing / during-build cheat sheets
- 20–30 before/after photos (every room)
- 30 days of email support
Instant download · Lifetime access · One-time payment
Questions
Is this in English or Japanese?
The spreadsheet and playbook are both in English. Japanese construction terms are translated with the original Japanese shown for cross-reference with quotes you receive.
I’m not renovating in Setagaya — is this still useful?
Yes. Pricing in Setagaya is mid-to-upper for Tokyo wards; if anything your numbers will be lower. The categories, negotiation plays, and owner-supply strategies apply to any Japanese renovation (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, anywhere).
How is this different from a free blog post?
Blog posts give you vague ranges. This gives you 200+ line items with brand names, model numbers, unit prices, and what was negotiable. It’s the difference between "houses cost money" and a closing statement.
Can I share this with my contractor?
Yes. It’s licensed for personal use including showing it to your own contractor as a reference. Resale or republishing is not permitted.
I don’t have Excel — does it work in Google Sheets / Numbers?
Yes. The file opens cleanly in Google Sheets, Apple Numbers, and LibreOffice Calc. Some advanced formatting may render slightly differently outside of Excel.
How quickly will I get it?
Instantly. The download link appears immediately after purchase and is also emailed to you.
Still have questions? Email [email protected]
Stop guessing. Start with the numbers I actually paid.
One purchase. Lifetime access. Instant download.