On this first Dear Diary episode of 2026, Take and Joey get together to reminisce about their days studying abroad together in Tokyo and to talk about just how far the two have come since then. The guys give us a rundown of what happens at AkiyaMart and introduce us to two new products that the team hopes will remove some headaches from the purchase process and even make akiya buying just a bit more accessible.

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Buying a House in Japan is a production of AkiyaMart. Find your Japan dream home at akiya-mart.com.

Hosts are Take Kurosawa and Joey Stockermans. The AkiyaMart Production Team is Carlos G., Devin S., and Lukas F.

Chapters:

00:40 Welcome Back: Dear Diary 2026

01:30 Who We Are: AkiyaMart Origin Story

08:09 How the Filthy Dorm Prepared Us for Akiyas

09:43 What We Do at AkiyaMart

10:29 AkiyaMart Direct: Our Paid Buying Program

12:14 Introducing AkiyaMart Care: Post-Purchase Utilities, Taxes, and Contractors

15:39 Mail Digitization + Pricing Breakdown: What AkiyaMart Care Costs

18:48 Introducing AkiyaMart Viewing: $250 Virtual Tours Starting in Tokyo

25:00 Why Viewings Are Hard in Japan: No Lockboxes, Seller Agents, and Low Commissions

27:51 2026 Plans: Visa Progress, Sakura Tree Dreams, and Closing Thanks

29:35 Outro: Ratings, Links, and Where to Find Us