Lantern House, Shinano
Shinano-machi, Nagano, Japan
Why We Selected It
Most houses at this price ask for a full renovation before anyone can sleep in them. This one does not. The water areas — kitchen, bath, washroom, toilet — were renewed in May 2024, and the rest of the house is lined in cedar that has aged well rather than badly. What you are really buying is the volume: a two-storey open ceiling that lifts the living space and pulls forest light down into it, with a wood stove at the centre of the room. Near Shinano-machi IC, with a garden and parking for more than three cars, it works as a mountain base from day one and as a lodging property later.
The Home
Two-storey timber house, freehold · Renovated May 2024 — approximately 29 years old
A 29-year-old two-storey cedar house in Shinano-machi with a double-height open ceiling, a wood stove, and water areas renewed in 2024. Large garden, mountain views, parking for three cars. €16,000.
- Two-storey wooden house of approximately 29 years, around 130 m² of interior space.
- Open ceiling over the living space, giving a double-height volume with cedar lining throughout.
- Water areas — kitchen, bathroom, washroom and toilet — fully renewed in May 2024.
- Wood stove set against a brick chimney breast in the main living room.
- A 3-tatami bedroom plus further sleeping rooms, living room, dining room and kitchen.
- Large garden with parking for more than three cars.
- Mountain views, close to Shinano-machi IC.
Life Here
The room
The open ceiling is the house: one tall cedar-lined volume with a wood stove, glazed to the trees on two sides.
The setting
Woodland and mountain views around Lake Nojiri and the Myoko range — green through summer, deep snow through winter.
Getting here
Shinano-machi IC is minutes away, putting Nagano city, Myoko and the Hokuriku Shinkansen within easy reach.
The use
Suited to lodging: the 2024 water areas, the parking and the garden make short-stay use straightforward.
The work
Little urgent. Expect cosmetic updates and ongoing timber maintenance rather than a full renovation.
Our Perspective
Why it works
A renovated two-storey timber house with a double-height living room and a wood stove, at €16,000.
Ownership case
Recent water-area works remove the largest single cost in a Japanese country house, and the lodging suitability opens a rental path in a four-season area.
What makes it special
The open ceiling and the cedar lining — warmth and height together, which is unusual at this size and price.
Best suited for
Buyers who want a mountain house that is usable now: a second home, a winter base, or a small lodging project.
Homes with a similar character
Interested in this home?
Speak with a YOIN specialistLooking for something similar? Browse homes.