Shared heritage

Curated architecture

Kessaku is saving Japan’s historic houses from demolition while offering everyone the chance to own a piece of their architectural heritage.

On a prominent corner of the historic Japanese town Yakage, a grand residence has stood for about 100 years. Built by the descendants of samurai, Yakage is the first project from Kessaku, a collaborative platform dedicated to preserving architecture in Japan with lasting historic and cultural value. The company’s goal is to restore, update and maintain unique properties through the creation of a community of shareholders. Anyone can become a shareholder with a one-time purchase from $45 and annual usage rights depend on the number of shares held. In between visits, shareholders can relax knowing that all maintenance and repairs are handled by Kessaku. Shareholders also have voting rights on decisions about the house, as well as having the option to resell shares or usage rights (and potentially make a profit) on Kessaku’s secondary market, offering an exciting investment opportunity as heritage travel is expected to grow. Japan’s Ministry for Culture reported that almost 200 registered cultural properties have been demolished since 2015, often due to the cost and complexity of maintenance. As the clock ticks for these buildings, Kessaku offers the chance to join a community that will protect these treasures for centuries to come.

Kessaku Yakage
Kessaku’s first property is a merchant’s residence in Yakage, an Edo-era post town two hours from Osaka.

Location:
1930 Yakage, Yakage-cho, Oda-gun, Okayama, Japan

Property:
Two-storey wooden house plus annex. Land area: 698 sq m

Price:
365 shares, $4,500 per share. Minimum purchase: 0.01 share