Jeff Layfield and his wife, Mamiko, chose a very different retirement path after finding Hawaii too expensive. Instead of staying in the islands, the couple moved to Suo-Oshima, a rural island in Japan, where they purchased a home and settled into retirement.
Their new property is described as an akiya, the term used in Japan for a vacant home. These properties have drawn attention in recent years because they can offer a far cheaper alternative to housing in expensive markets, especially for buyers willing to move to smaller towns or rural communities.
The Layfields' move highlights a growing contrast between high housing costs in places like Hawaii and the lower entry prices sometimes available in parts of Japan. For retirees and remote buyers, that price gap can make overseas relocation feel more realistic than staying in a familiar but costly market.
By leaving Hawaii and buying an akiya on Suo-Oshima, the couple turned a housing affordability problem into a retirement plan built around a quieter setting and a different pace of life.
