Higashi-Ogawa 2-9-9, Ogawa, Saitama
List Price: ¥6,000,000
Real Estate Agent Brokerage Fee: 3% + ¥66,000 + JCT (10%)
Akiya & Inaka Support Fee: ¥300,000 + JCT (10%)
Ogawa: The slow life, just 1 hour from Tokyo
The Higashi-Ogawa District of Ogawa, Saitama is so convenient, we opened an office there! In the welcoming community in the Ogawa Park Hill development, which consists of 1,400 homes built in the 1980’s during the peak of Japan’s economic miracle, you can live the inaka lifestyle without too much isolation.
Ogawa’s idyllic location offers a harmonious blend of tranquility, nature, and cultural richness. The lifestyle benefits of living in such an area are countless, providing residents with ample opportunities to connect with the surrounding beauty and indulge in local customs.
Activities abound for outdoor enthusiasts, with camping and hiking high on the list. The verdant landscapes, lush forests, and undulating hills invite adventure-seekers to explore and appreciate the natural wonders of the region. Seasonal changes only add to the allure, as the vivid hues of autumn leaves and the delicate blossoms of spring attest to.
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Going, going, gone!
Properties in Ogawa are in high demand, and this one in particular is a fine opportunity given its low price and high convenience. New on the market as of June 17, this piece of turnkey real estate will soon catch the attention of the ever-growing number of people who want the comfort of the countryside while also being 1 hour from Ikebukuro Station via the Tobu Tojo Line.
If this property meets your requirements, we recommend acting quickly.
Delight in Ogawa’s Unique Local Cuisine
The local cuisine is a testament to the area’s rich culinary heritage. From unagi fresh eel to local rice, organic fruit and vegetables, locally-made udon, and a wealth of farm-to-table restaurants, you will not go hungry in Ogawa. In fact, the diversity of Ogawa’s restaurants from traditional Japanese kaiseki cuisine to sushi bars, Italian and French, burgers, and charming cafes rivals if not exceeds the variety available in urban Tokyo neighborhoods.
Matsuoka Sake Brewery
Established in 1851, Matsuoka Brewery produces its award-winning Mikadomatsu sake, just beside the Tsuki River. By our taste buds it’s the best sake in town, and the key to their success is a combination of fresh underground water and carefully selected rice. It is a popular tourist destination with a particularly good restaurant, built inside of an old sake warehouse.
Ogawamachi: The once-boomtown that is ripe for another boom
Before the days of expressways, freight rail was the backbone of Japan’s industrial revolution in the Meiji Era. Once a bustling city with a population of nearly 100,000, Ogawamachi was known as, “The town of CEOs,” and was the birthplace of major clothing store chain Shimamura and supermarket chain Yaoko.
Unfortunately, like so many rail boomtowns across Japan, the shift to road transport made Ogawamachi less attractive and population decline ensued. Now with a population of 28,000 people, Ogawamachi is in need of revitalization.
However, there is a silver lining. The pandemic brought droves of people to Ogawamachi, which is now known as a prime day trip destination for individuals and families who want to experience natural beauty without spending hours stuck in weekend traffic.
Locals and transplants alike have opened restaurants, cafes, bars, and other destinations, and business is brisk. Ogawamachi’s tourism economy has continued to grow, and the local government in addition to local private-sector stakeholders have been proactive in supporting these efforts.
Of the thousands of municipalities across Japan that need to revitalize their local economy, Ogawamachi is an outlier in being quick to move towards reinventing itself to become a place for visitors to enjoy natural beauty and enjoy the slow life while boasting the conveniences of the big city.