Anton Wormann, a Swedish model, has turned a 100-year-old abandoned house in a Tokyo suburb into a real gem on the Japanese rental market. This unique project has become not only his personal dream but also a source of additional income.

The Road to Tokyo

Anton Wormann first came to Japan in 2015 while modeling. He quickly fell in love with the country and soon moved there permanently. He started gradually buying cheap real estate in the country and renting it out.

Wormann, a Swedish model, is renovating her Japanese home.

Finding and buying an akiya

His most ambitious project was buying a century-old house that had been standing empty for over a decade. The previous owners didn't know what to do with this akiya (akiya is an unoccupied house in Japanese) and were skeptical of Wormann's idea. Nevertheless, he was determined and embarked on the project.

Renovation and transformation

Upon embarking on the renovation, Anton was immediately faced with some daunting challenges. He decided to demolish the interior walls on the first floor to allow for more space. On the second floor, he retained traditional Japanese design elements, including tatami mats and fusuma sliding panels (traditional Japanese sliding doors lined with paper). In the garden, he installed a rotenburo (outdoor bathtub), adding a touch of luxury to the apartment.

an abandoned house in Japan before the transformation

Challenges and lessons learned

Repairing the akia turned out to be more complicated and costly than Wormann expected. He encountered termites in the beams, mountains of debris, and contractors who weren't always reliable. But he didn't give up and learned from his own mistakes, sometimes solving unexpected problems.

Local authorities in Japan showed interest in an initiative to rehabilitate abandoned akiyas, which helped Wormann with some of the issues. Personal connections and acquaintances in the real estate industry were also important factors in the success of the project.

Wormann tore down the walls on the first floor of the house

What came out in the end?

Anton Wormann spent about 1,500 hours of his time and about $50,000 on the project. The remodeling took a year, and within a month of completion, the first guests rented his home through Airbnb.

It is now a spacious 80 square meter house with high ceilings in a cozy Scandinavian style. The rent per night is £380 ($476).

from an abandoned house to a luxury apartment

transforming an old house in Japan into a modern apartment

Anton's tips for those wishing to follow his example:

  • Don't buy the first available property; do your research.
  • Stay calm and be prepared to deal with unexpected problems.

There are a huge number of abandoned houses in Japan, and as this story shows, investing in their restoration can bring not only financial rewards but also the satisfaction of making a dream come true.

Photos: Anton Wormann.

In Japan, abandoned houses are for sale. There are even options for $500