AkiyaMart is now Mokomoko

There were a few reasons.

First, we aren't an akiya-only website. We haven't been for a long time. We wanted a name that could grow with us as we expanded beyond cheap and abandoned homes.

Second, "akiya" isn't necessarily a positive word in Japan. For someone overseas, an abandoned house in Japan might look like an incredible opportunity. But locally, akiya are also connected to depopulation, neglected properties, and communities in decline. We didn't want our entire identity tied to that.

Finally, we wanted to build a brand that was actually our own. There are now a lot of Japan real estate websites with "akiya" in their names, and even our customers occasionally confused us with other sites.

So we decided it was time for something new.

Mokomoko is a Japanese onomatopoeia. Japanese is full of these short, often repeated words that can describe how something looks, feels, sounds, or moves. They're playful, expressive, and full of life. We've always loved them.

When we started looking for a new name, we knew we wanted one of those words. Something distinctly Japanese, fun to say, easy to remember, and completely our own.

Mokomoko describes something fluffy, fuzzy, or puffy, like a cloud or a big fleece jacket. It felt like us.

The name and look have changed. The mission has gotten bigger.

Finding a house in Japan is only the beginning. We want to make it easier to understand what you're buying, make a confident decision, get through the purchase, and actually own the place afterward.

That means better property information before you buy, bilingual support through the purchase, and help with the practical realities of owning a home in Japan afterward.

If you had an AkiyaMart account, subscription, or saved properties, you're still in the right place. AkiyaMart simply became Mokomoko.