Priced out of Hawaii, this couple bought a home in rural Japan instead
· Business Insider
Provided by Jaff Layfield.
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- Jeff Layfield and his wife, Mamiko, left Hawaii and retired on Suo-Oshima, an island in Japan.
- They bought one of Japan's vacant homes, known as an akiya, for about $25,000.
- "In most places in the US, we'd have to live in a very rural area for me to be able to afford a home," Layfield said.
Jeff Layfield spent years imagining where in the US he and his wife would retire after leaving Hawaii. Instead, they now live in a traditional home overlooking the sea in Japan.
Before retiring, the couple lived in an upstairs apartment at his parents' home on Oahu. Layfield worked in data management for the Marine Corps, while his wife, Mamiko, worked in retail.
Every time they traveled to Mamiko's hometown of Nara to visit her mother, the couple carved out time to explore other parts of the country.
In 2018, they visited Asuka, a rural town that was once the ancient capital of Japan. Captivated by the landscape, the visit cemented Layfield's desire to retire in Japan's countryside.
Back in Hawaii, the couple lived in the upstairs apartment of his parents' home.Provided by Jeff Layfield.
"I told Mamiko, this is where we're going to retire," Layfield, now 67, told Business Insider.
They returned to Hawaii, where life resumed much as it had before, but the idea of living in Japan lingered at the back of their minds.
In 2022, a series of life-changing events convinced Layfield it was time to make the leap.
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Over the course of a few months, he had a skin cancer scare, survived a minor shark attack while surfing, and lost his stepfather. As he was processing it all, his employer ended pandemic-era remote work and ordered him back to the office.
Several life-changing events convinced him it was time to stop putting off the retirement he had always envisioned.Provided by Jeff Layfield.
"The universe was talking to me. The universe showed me how short life can be," Layfield said.
He thought about how he wanted to spend the next chapter of his life. The next day, he called his boss and told him he was retiring.
Choosing Japan
With retirement underway, the couple began researching where in Japan they wanted to settle.
Drawn by its relatively mild climate and lower risk of natural disasters, they narrowed their search to the Seto Inland Sea.
They began browsing akiya banks — online databases of affordable, vacant homes in Japan. One listing caught their eye. However, it wasn't the house they noticed first, but the bright green bridge visible through one of its windows.
Oshima Bridge connects the main Honshu island of Japan to Suo-Oshima island.CHENG FENG CHIANG/Getty Images
They looked it up and discovered it led to Suo-Oshima, an island with long-standing ties to Hawaii after many of its residents emigrated there in the late 19th century.
The unexpected connection piqued their curiosity. Before long, they were browsing property and came across a two-story seaside house. They couldn't stop thinking about it.
They decided to visit the island, which is about an hour and a half by car from Hiroshima. When they stopped by the town office, they were met with employees wearing aloha shirts and Hawaiian-themed decorations.
They knew they had found what they were looking for.
Discovering Suo-Oshima's deep ties to Hawaii made the couple feel they'd found the right place.Provided by Jeff Layfield.
"I immediately fell in love with this place. The town office people took us all around, and everybody we met was just awesome," he said.
After buying the home for 4 million Japanese yen, or about $25,000, the couple packed up their lives in Hawaii and moved to Suo-Oshima in August 2022.
Their home is around 30 years old, and didn't require any major renovations. Both upstairs bedrooms face the sea, giving the couple front-row views of the sunset each evening.
"I wanted to live by some form of water since I'd spent most of my life near the ocean," Layfield said. "I was expecting a lake or a river, but instead we have the sea, which is incredible to me."
They bought their akiya for 4 million Japanese yen.Provided by Jeff Layfield.
There are plenty of restaurants and shops a short drive away, and the couple has become active members of the local community, joining neighborhood cleanups and other events.
"In Hawaii, I could never ever afford to buy a home, especially one with a view of the sea. In most places in the US, we'd have to live in a very rural area for me to be able to afford a home," Layfield said.
The lower cost of living has also helped stretch the couple's retirement savings.
In a typical month, the couple spends less than 200,000 Japanese yen, according to a spending breakdown they shared with Business Insider. That includes about ¥80,000 on food and daily necessities, ¥22,000 on utilities and internet, and roughly ¥30,000 on dining out, entertainment, and other social activities.
Layfield said he was initially concerned about being an outsider, but found it easy to settle into the local community.Provided by Jeff Layfield.
"Back in Hawaii, we couldn't go anywhere to enjoy or even dine out," Mamiko Layfield, 59, told Business Insider.
Finding his rhythm
There were 4.12 million foreign residents living in Japan at the end of 2025, including 69,787 Americans, per data from the Immigration Services Agency.
Several Americans who have moved to Japan previously told Business Insider that they were drawn by the country's safety and culture. Others were inspired by the opportunity to restore one of Japan's millions of vacant homes.
Many of the couple's neighbors have family in Hawaii, helping them maintain close ties to the place they once called home.Provided by Jeff Layfield.
While Layfield speaks some Japanese, he said settling into life on Suo-Oshima has been easier than expected. Many of the younger people he met on the island, especially those in hospitality, speak English.
Even his older neighbors have welcomed him with open arms.
"I've made more friends here in four years than I made in over 20 years living in Hawaii," Layfield said.
Moving to Japan hasn't meant leaving Hawaii behind.
"Some of our neighbors have family in Hawaii, and they still visit from time to time. When they do, Jeff and I help with translation," Mamiko said.
Mamiko's mother has since moved in with the couple, while Jeff's mother, a hula instructor from Hawaii, visits the island regularly to teach workshops for local schools and community groups.
Cycling along the island's coastal roads is one of Layfield's favorite ways to enjoy the ocean views.Provided by Jeff Layfield.
These days, Layfield spends much of his time tending to the garden, cycling along the island's coastal roads, and having a picnic lunch by the beach.
"I don't have stress anymore. I used to always have stress. I said before, this is the happiest I have ever been in my entire life," Layfield said.
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