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A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs

nytimes.com

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Re: A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs

#11

Post by notahacker »

stcredzero wrote: post #7

How about a program where foreign artists and craftsmen are allowed to sped a summer (or a quarter) in a suburban Japanese house in exchange for fixing it up? Perhaps airfares could be subsidized or discounted through government or corporate programs? Or, how about something akin to AirBNB for municipalities around the world to offer quarterly or half-year leases in exchange for maintenance and light renovation?

Aren't the homes likely to be even less attractive to foreigners [normally eligible for Japanese visas] than to the Japanese people that have abandoned them?

Re: A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs

#12

Post by stcredzero »

notahacker wrote: post #11
stcredzero wrote: post #7

How about a program where foreign artists and craftsmen are allowed to sped a summer (or a quarter) in a suburban Japanese house in exchange for fixing it up? Perhaps airfares could be subsidized or discounted through government or corporate programs? Or, how about something akin to AirBNB for municipalities around the world to offer quarterly or half-year leases in exchange for maintenance and light renovation?

Aren't the homes likely to be even less attractive to foreigners [normally eligible for Japanese visas] than to the Japanese people that have abandoned them?

Aren't the homes likely to be even less attractive to foreigners

Hence the proposal to market them to non-mainstream foreigners, like artists looking for inexpensive retreats.

Re: A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs

#13

Post by oh_sigh »

stcredzero wrote: post #6
oh_sigh wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Life is impermanent, so should buildings. That seems to be some very silly reasoning. Should we build our roads and bridges to be impermanent, because life is? I'm not arguing with your first sentence, about it not being surprising that unmaintained structures tend to deteriorate.

That seems to be some very silly reasoning. It's not so silly when your culture is situated right on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" as is the case for Japan. In times past, you wanted to make your houses light, so that if there is an earthquake, less stuff falls on you and your family. Imagine what it would be like if the entire culture was constantly metaphorically whispering to you from the moment of your birth about t…

> Imagine what it would be like if the entire culture was constantly metaphorically whispering to you from the moment of your birth about the temporary nature of life?

Are you implying that people think the world ends when they die? If I'm going to do useful work, why not do useful work that will help out people even after I'm dead? Right now I'm living in a building that was built in the 1880s. I'm happy that they built it to last.

Re: A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs

#14

Post by 6t6t6 »

stcredzero wrote: post #7

How about a program where foreign artists and craftsmen are allowed to sped a summer (or a quarter) in a suburban Japanese house in exchange for fixing it up? Perhaps airfares could be subsidized or discounted through government or corporate programs? Or, how about something akin to AirBNB for municipalities around the world to offer quarterly or half-year leases in exchange for maintenance and light renovation?

The way Japanese houses are made, it is cheaper to rebuild than to refurbish.

The most expensive part of a Japanese house is the concrete foundation, and this is reused sometimes. The rest of the house is just cheap wood and plastic (yes, many times, the exterior wall is just plastic that imitates bricks or stone).

Also, the new houses are build according to the updated anti-seismic regulations so, obviously, people always prefer living there.

Re: A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs

#15

Post by stcredzero »

oh_sigh wrote: post #13
stcredzero wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems to be some very silly reasoning. It's not so silly when your culture is situated right on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" as is the case for Japan. In times past, you wanted to make your houses light, so that if there is an earthquake, less stuff falls on you and your family. Imagine what it would be like if the entire culture was constantly metaphorically whispering to you from the moment of your birth about t…

> Imagine what it would be like if the entire culture was constantly metaphorically whispering to you from the moment of your birth about the temporary nature of life? Are you implying that people think the world ends when they die? If I'm going to do useful work, why not do useful work that will help out people even after I'm dead? Right now I'm living in a building that was built in the 1880s. I'm happy that they b…

Are you implying that people think the world ends when they die?

Non-sequitur!

Re: A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs

#16

Post by oh_sigh »

stcredzero wrote: post #15
oh_sigh wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Imagine what it would be like if the entire culture was constantly metaphorically whispering to you from the moment of your birth about the temporary nature of life? Are you implying that people think the world ends when they die? If I'm going to do useful work, why not do useful work that will help out people even after I'm dead? Right now I'm living in a building that was built in the 1880s. I'm happy that they b…

Are you implying that people think the world ends when they die? Non-sequitur!

Then what were you trying to say? How or why have the Japanese built temples, shrines, and castles that that have lasted thousands of years if they are constantly told how transient life is?

Re: A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs

#17

Post by stcredzero »

oh_sigh wrote: post #16
stcredzero wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you implying that people think the world ends when they die? Non-sequitur!

Then what were you trying to say? How or why have the Japanese built temples, shrines, and castles that that have lasted thousands of years if they are constantly told how transient life is?

There's different messages for the common folk and the ruling elites.

Re: A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs

#18

Post by oh_sigh »

stcredzero wrote: post #17
oh_sigh wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then what were you trying to say? How or why have the Japanese built temples, shrines, and castles that that have lasted thousands of years if they are constantly told how transient life is?

There's different messages for the common folk and the ruling elites.

It sounds like you're just making up facts to fit your theory.

Re: A Sprawl of Ghost Homes in Aging Tokyo Suburbs

#19

Post by [deleted] »

stcredzero wrote: post #17
oh_sigh wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then what were you trying to say? How or why have the Japanese built temples, shrines, and castles that that have lasted thousands of years if they are constantly told how transient life is?

There's different messages for the common folk and the ruling elites.

[deleted]
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