English · 00:13:14
Sep 25, 2025 8:43 AM

Akiya Renovation » Step One: Cleaning the Garage » Omishima, Imabari, Ehime, Japan

Benton Homestead Japan @bentonhomestead

SUMMARY

Dani and Evan Benton, American expats in Japan, document day-by-day cleaning of their soon-to-purchase abandoned akiya's garage in Omishima, uncovering tools amid dirt, pests, and surprises while preparing for homestead renovations.

STATEMENTS

  • The cleaning process begins with dismantling dirty shelving units in the garage to remove accumulated grime, animal remnants, and potential pest habitats before reorganizing.
  • Initial efforts focus on sorting items into combustible and non-combustible waste, resisting the temptation to examine intriguing objects like a sushi rice mixer or massage chair.
  • Cardboard boxes from the garage are viewed positively as compact material ideal for future sheet mulching in garden projects.
  • The back shelving area reveals rotting wood, animal droppings up to six inches deep, and spider infestations, necessitating full disassembly and thorough bleaching.
  • Discovered items include usable tools such as axes, shovels, hammers, tire pumps, vintage radios, cookware, and a pickling crock, which are cleaned and stored for homestead use.
  • The garage dust, originating from traditional Japanese plaster, behaves unusually by forming heavy clouds that resettle and cling to surfaces during sweeping.
  • A swallow attempts to nest in the garage or house, requiring vigilant monitoring to prevent establishment.
  • Progress creates a clean storage zone for appliances and future workshop activities, including building beehives and storing renovation materials like kitchen cupboards.

IDEAS

  • Cleaning projects often appear messier initially as items are dismantled and relocated, revealing hidden layers of neglect like rotting shelves and animal nests.
  • Abandoned spaces harbor unexpected treasures, such as vintage tools and cultural artifacts, turning waste into resources for self-sufficient living.
  • Cardboard accumulation from clutter can be repurposed creatively for eco-friendly gardening techniques like sheet mulching, promoting sustainability.
  • Traditional building materials like Japanese plaster create dust with unique adhesive properties, complicating cleanup in historic structures.
  • Aftermarket shelving in old garages indicates past DIY adaptations, offering flexible opportunities for reconfiguration without structural concerns.
  • Wildlife intrusions, from medium-sized mammals to birds like swallows, highlight the need for proactive pest management in rural renovations.
  • Bleaching and scrubbing after deep cleaning ensures hygiene in areas previously contaminated by animal waste, preventing health risks.
  • Jury-rigging temporary shelves from salvaged materials accelerates progress by providing immediate organization during ongoing work.
  • Daily routines blending labor with local experiences, like onsen visits, maintain motivation in physically demanding projects.
  • Systematic sorting of found items—into usable, repairable, or discardable—maximizes value extraction from abandonment while minimizing landfill waste.

INSIGHTS

  • Embracing the "messier before cleaner" phase in renovations fosters patience and uncovers hidden potentials in neglected spaces.
  • Repurposing waste like cardboard into mulching material integrates environmental stewardship directly into homesteading practices.
  • Unique regional materials, such as plaster-derived dust, demand adaptive cleaning strategies that respect cultural architecture's quirks.
  • Salvaging tools from abandonment not only saves costs but reconnects renovators with historical craftsmanship for future self-reliance.
  • Vigilance against invasive wildlife during cleanups preserves the sanctuary-like quality of rural homesteads.
  • Temporary adaptations, like improvised shelving, enable sustained momentum in long-term projects by balancing order and efficiency.

QUOTES

  • "It has to get Messier before it can get cleaner."
  • "I look at that and see it as very convenient sheet mulch so it's it's nice that it's all Compact and all the boxes are the same size."
  • "This is the um dirtiest part of the garage so by cleaning this and then creating a shelf space for us to organize things on um is uh really necessary."
  • "The layers of stacked wood on each shelf is basically the perfect breeding ground for you know not only um the medium-sized mammal to live in but this is where all the spiders are living and uh procreating."
  • "It's just different from any other dust that I've cleaned before when you're sweeping up the garage if you do it forcefully or if you do it very lightly it just turns into a giant dust cloud and then resettles everywhere."

HABITS

  • Dismantle and fully clean storage units before reorganizing to address underlying dirt and pests thoroughly.
  • Sort discovered items immediately into categories like usable, fixable, or garbage to maintain workflow efficiency.
  • Take structured breaks during intensive cleaning to avoid burnout and resist distractions from intriguing finds.
  • Incorporate local relaxation rituals, such as onsen visits, after productive workdays to recharge.
  • Monitor for wildlife intrusions daily during renovations to prevent nesting and ensure a pest-free environment.

FACTS

  • Japan has an estimated 10-12 million abandoned akiya homes nationwide.
  • The Bentons purchased their first akiya for ¥1 million (about $7,500 USD), abandoned for 10 years.
  • Their second akiya, a former ryokan inn, was abandoned for around 40 years and includes adjacent farm and forest land.
  • Foreigners can secure long-term residency in Japan via a Startup Business Visa leading to a Business Manager Visa for self-sponsored ventures.
  • Traditional Japanese homes often feature plaster walls that produce heavy, sticky dust during cleaning.

REFERENCES

HOW TO APPLY

  • Assess the dirtiest areas first, like back corners of garages, by dismantling shelves completely to expose and remove hidden grime, animal waste, and pests before any reorganization.
  • Sort all loose items into clear categories—usable tools, repairable goods, burnable trash, and non-burnable waste—while cleaning surfaces with bleach to ensure hygiene and prevent contamination.
  • Repurpose practical waste materials, such as uniform cardboard boxes, by flattening and storing them compactly for future uses like garden sheet mulching to support sustainable landscaping.
  • Use salvaged wood and tables to jury-rig temporary shelving, creating immediate clean zones for storing appliances and tools, which facilitates ongoing work without halting progress.
  • Monitor for wildlife signs daily, such as nests from birds like swallows, and gently deter them to maintain a secure renovation space, integrating this check into end-of-day routines.

ONE-SENTENCE TAKEAWAY

Cleaning an abandoned garage reveals hidden homestead treasures while demanding adaptive strategies for mess, pests, and unique regional challenges.

RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Start renovations in the most contaminated areas to build momentum with quick wins and establish clean workspaces early.
  • Document daily progress through photos or videos to track achievements and share for community support or funding.
  • Invest in local experiences like onsen soaks to balance physical labor with cultural immersion for sustained well-being.
  • Prioritize salvaging functional items to reduce costs and foster a connection to the property's history.
  • Collaborate with local authorities for visa pathways if pursuing expat homesteading in restrictive countries like Japan.

MEMO

In the rural quiet of Omishima, an island off Japan's Ehime Prefecture, American expats Dani and Evan Benton are breathing new life into an abandoned akiya—a vacant home emblematic of Japan's demographic crisis. With 10 to 12 million such properties dotting the archipelago, many left to decay amid a shrinking population, the couple has seized the opportunity to purchase two: one a former inn silent for 40 years, complete with overgrown farm and forest land, and another transformed into their Benton Guesthouse. As they await final paperwork from the U.S., they've been granted early access to their latest acquisition, diving straight into the gritty task of garage cleanup. What begins as a simple decluttering mission quickly unfolds into a ritual of discovery, unearthing layers of forgotten history beneath dust and debris.

Day one sets the tone for the endeavor, a deliberate assault on the garage's back shelving units, where cobwebs cloak relics like a wooden sushi rice mixer and a dusty massage chair. The Bentons resist the allure of these curiosities, focusing instead on evacuation: hurling items into piles of combustible and non-combustible waste. "It has to get messier before it can get cleaner," Dani notes, as they haul lumber outside, revealing a surprisingly positive byproduct—piles of uniform cardboard boxes primed for sheet mulching in future gardens. The evening reward? A inaugural soak at the local onsen, blending labor with Japan's restorative hot spring tradition. By day's end, the space looks chaotic, but the framework for transformation is laid.

Progress accelerates on day two, targeting the garage's filthiest recesses. What they initially mistook for seashell inlays prove to be mere wood planks, stacked haphazardly and harboring a former resident: evidence of a medium-sized mammal in six inches of droppings, plus thriving spider colonies. Full disassembly ensues, unearthing rotting footings sunk into concrete—no structural loss, just aftermarket improvisation from past owners. Bleaching follows sweeping, combating the peculiar dust from traditional Japanese plaster that billows like smoke and clings relentlessly. Temporary shelves rigged from remnants create a sanitized corner, a foothold amid the disorder, as appliances are relocated to free up the main area.

By day three, the tone shifts to treasure hunting amid the toil. Sifting through boxes yields gems: axes for chopping wood, shovels for tilling soil, ball-peen hammers, tire pumps from old Kei trucks, and even boxed vintage radios evoking Osaka's 1990 International Garden Expo. A five-gallon pickling crock, reminiscent of their Louisiana homestead days, promises utility for preserves, while ceramic cookware and charcoal hibachi heaters nod to Japan's resourceful past. Not all finds endure—chewed ceiling tiles head to the dump—but the haul inspires, cleaned and crate-organized for the workshop ahead, where beehives and kitchen cabinetry will take shape. A swallow's nest attempt adds urgency, a reminder that nature reclaims quickly in these rural idylls.

As day four dawns, optimism fuels the final push: clearing the remaining clutter, from scattered ceramics to enigmatic water heaters. The garage, once a crypt of neglect, emerges as a versatile hub—shelter for renovations, storage for salvaged bounty, and launchpad for homesteading dreams. The Bentons' journey, fueled by startup visas earned through Imabari city partnerships, underscores a broader narrative: foreigners revitalizing Japan's empty homes, one swept corner at a time. Their story, shared via blogs and social glimpses, invites others to envision similar rebirths, where abandonment yields abundance.

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