You can buy this $5,500 house in Japan—and there are millions more like it

Japan has millions of ‘akiya’ (literally, empty houses) that have been abandoned. A new site aims to connect foreigners with these inexpensive properties.

On the coast of Japan, southwest of Tokyo, it’s possible to buy a little house with a view of the ocean for $37,000. In Kyoto, you can buy a house in walking distance from historic temples for $80,000. And near the city of Kitakyushu, you can buy a traditional house from 1868, surrounded by forests and a huge garden, for $5,500.