History and Potential
An impressive six-story building, located near an idyllic lake in Akabira, Hokkaido prefecture, is available on the market for ten million yen, approximately 61,602 euros. This castle, built of reinforced concrete and steel in 1991, belonged to the owner of a factory of traditional Japanese toys.
The owner was dedicated to creating toys especially for Girls’ Day and Children’s Day in the Japanese calendar, but faced difficulties when the birth rate began to fall and competition from Chinese toy manufacturers grew. The estate agent handling the sale, Stephen Underwood of Century21 Niseko HouseBank, suggests the castle could now be converted into a boutique hotel, theme park or designer cafe.
Financial Planning
The necessary repairs to the building, which amount to eight million yen (49,302 euros), could increase its final price considerably. Other costs such as annual property tax and brokerage fees should be considered by potential buyers.
The total extent of the land is 5,045 square meters, with the castle occupying 1,571 of these. The location 108 kilometers from Chitose International Airport, 95.5 kilometers from Sapporo Train Station and 3.1 kilometers from Akabira Station makes this property a strategic investment.
Demographic Challenges in Japan
Japan has experienced a worrying decline in the number of births, with numbers continuing to fall. The report by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has revealed that the number of births in 2023 was 758,631, marking a historic low.
This downward trend has placed the country in a delicate situation, with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida describing it as a crisis of great magnitude. To address this issue, support measures and subsidies have been introduced to encourage birth rates and help Japanese families.
