Japan's Digital Nomad Visa and Real Estate: Can You Buy Property on a 6-Month Stay?

Every few weeks I get a version of the same message. Someone has spent two or three winters skiing Hakuba or Nozawa Onsen, they've fallen in love with the place, and they've just read about Japan's Digital Nomad Visa. The question is always some variation of: "I could work remotely from Japan for six months. Could I actually buy property while I'm there?"

The honest answer is yes, with some caveats. Buying property in Japan while on a Digital Nomad Visa is legally possible. The practical reality is more nuanced, and anyone who tells you otherwise, in either direction, probably hasn't worked through the actual details.

I've spent my whole life in Nagano. I grew up here, went to school here, and have spent the last decade helping people, many of them foreign buyers, navigate the mountain property market. I've watched the Hakuba and Nozawa Onsen markets transform from relative obscurity to something that made national headlines when Hakuba commercial land recorded a 30.2% year-on-year price increase in 2024, ranking fourth nationally in Japan. I've also watched a lot of buyers make expensive mistakes because they misunderstood what a visa does and doesn't allow them to do.

This article is an attempt to lay out what you actually need to know, clearly and honestly, if you're thinking about combining Japan's Digital Nomad Visa with a property purchase in the Japanese mountains.

What Japan's Digital Nomad Visa Actually Is

Japan launched the Digital Nomad Visa in March 2024. It's officially called the "Designated Activities" visa, and it allows foreign nationals who earn income from overseas employers or clients to live in Japan for up to six months.

The visa targets people who are genuinely employed by or contracted with companies or clients outside Japan, working remotely. It is not a visa for people who intend to work for Japanese companies, do business in Japan, or earn income from Japanese sources. That last point matters more than most people realize, and I'll come back to it when we talk about rental income.

The six-month period is not extendable under the current rules. You cannot renew it or chain multiple Digital Nomad Visas together. When your six months are up, you leave, or you apply for a different visa category entirely.

Japan has no restrictions on foreign nationals owning property. Anyone, regardless of nationality or visa status, can purchase real estate in Japan. This is one of the genuinely unique aspects of the Japanese market compared to some other countries, and it's worth stating clearly: your visa type has no bearing whatsoever on your right to own property here.

What your visa does affect is how long you can physically be in Japan, what income you can legally earn while here, and your path, if any, toward longer-term residency.

Eligibility: What the Digital Nomad Visa Actually Requires

Before we talk about property, it's worth being clear about who qualifies for the Digital Nomad Visa, because I've spoken to buyers who assumed they would be eligible and found out later they weren't.

Income requirement: you need to demonstrate annual income of at least approximately 10,000,000 yen, which at current exchange rates is roughly USD 65,000, or AUD 100,000, or GBP 52,000. For many Australian, British, and European skiers who've been considering a Hakuba or Nozawa purchase, this threshold is not a barrier. For others it is. The income must come from outside Japan.

Valid health insurance: you need private health insurance that covers you in Japan. This is non-negotiable. Japan won't admit DNV holders to the national health insurance system, so you need comprehensive private cover. For most buyers I work with from Australia, the UK, or Europe, this is something they either already have through their employer or can arrange through a private insurer without much difficulty.

No Japan-source income: this is the condition that catches people out most often. While on a Digital Nomad Visa, you cannot legally earn income from Japanese sources. This creates an interesting wrinkle when you own a rental property, which I'll address in detail below.

Nationality requirements: the Digital Nomad Visa is available to nationals of 49 countries. Australia, the UK, most EU member states, and New Zealand are all on the list. If you're reading this as a skier from one of those countries, you're eligible.

Here is a comparison of the key visa specifications across the main categories relevant to foreign property buyers.

For the Digital Nomad Visa: maximum stay is 6 months, it is not renewable or extendable, income must be from overseas only, you cannot work for a Japanese employer, the minimum income threshold is approximately 10,000,000 yen per year, private health insurance is required, and property ownership rights are unrestricted.

For a tourist (short-term stay): maximum stay is 90 days, it is not renewable per visit, income source is not applicable, you cannot work for a Japanese employer, there is no minimum income threshold, health insurance is recommended but not required, and property ownership rights are unrestricted.

For a working holiday: maximum stay is 1 year, it is not renewable, income can be from Japan or overseas, you can work for Japanese employers with restrictions, minimum income threshold varies by country, health insurance requirements vary, and property ownership rights are unrestricted.

The key comparison here isn't really between visa types. It's this: every single visa type gives you the same property ownership rights. None. Zero restrictions.

Can You Buy Property While on a Digital Nomad Visa?

Yes. Full stop.

Japan's property ownership laws make no distinction based on visa status. A tourist who spends 90 days here can buy a property. A Digital Nomad Visa holder can buy a property. A person with no visa and no connection to Japan at all can buy a property, if they're a foreign national. The purchase right is universal.

What has changed recently, and what you need to know regardless of your visa status, is the FEFTA notification requirement. Since April 2026, foreign nationals purchasing real estate in Japan are required to file a notification under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, submitted via the Bank of Japan to the Minister of Finance, within 20 days of completing the purchase. This is an administrative requirement, not a restriction on purchasing. Your real estate agent or a lawyer will handle this as part of the settlement process. I mention it here because some buyers have read about it and misinterpreted it as a new barrier to foreign ownership. It isn't.

So the legal answer to "can I buy property on a Digital Nomad Visa?" is simple. The more interesting question is whether it's practically achievable within six months, and whether the DNV is the right framework for your situation.

The Practical Challenge: Six Months Is Tight but Doable

Here's where I want to be honest with you, because the timeline is genuinely the hardest part.

Buying property in Japan, particularly rural mountain property in Nagano Prefecture, is not a fast process. A typical transaction from initial search to settlement takes between three and six months if everything goes smoothly. That's for a buyer who speaks Japanese, understands the local market, has financing in place, and has a trusted agent working for them. For an overseas buyer doing this for the first time, the process can run longer.

A realistic timeline looks like this. Market education, viewing trips, and shortlisting typically take 4-8 weeks, during which you visit Hakuba or Nozawa, understand the different areas, and identify target property type and budget. Making an offer and reaching preliminary agreement typically takes 1-2 weeks, covering negotiation and signing of a purchase agreement in principle. Due diligence typically takes 3-6 weeks, covering title search, building inspection, structural assessment, and legal checks. Arranging financing or international wire transfer typically takes 2-4 weeks; for cash buyers this means setting up international wire transfer, while financed purchases require Japanese mortgage approval, which is difficult for non-residents. Settlement and registration typically take 1-2 weeks, covering final payment, title transfer, FEFTA notification, and registration of ownership. In total the best case is roughly 3 months and the realistic average is 4-5 months.

If you arrive in Japan on day one of your Digital Nomad Visa and immediately start the property search, a best-case scenario gets you settled just within the six-month window. A more realistic scenario might see you reach the settlement stage just as your DNV expires, or slightly after.

This is not a reason to give up on the idea. It is a reason to arrive prepared.

The buyers I've seen succeed in this compressed timeframe share a few characteristics. They've done their research before arriving. They know which area they want (Hakuba vs. Nozawa Onsen vs. Shiga Kogen, for example) and roughly what they're looking for. They've had preliminary conversations with a local agent, which you can absolutely do remotely. They have their financing sorted in advance, whether that means a cash purchase with international wire transfer capability or, in rare cases, a Japanese mortgage secured before arrival. And they have a lawyer or judicial scrivener (shiho-shoshi) identified and briefed.

The buyers who struggle are the ones who spend the first three months of their DNV deciding what they want, then realize they have 90 days left to actually buy something.

The Power of Attorney Solution

Even if you don't finish settlement within your six months, that doesn't mean you've failed. The Japanese property system has a mechanism that foreign buyers use regularly: the power of attorney (委任状, inin-jo).

Before you leave Japan, you can formally designate a trusted representative, typically your lawyer or a licensed real estate agent, to sign documents and complete settlement on your behalf after you've returned home. This is entirely legal and relatively common in foreign property purchases.

What this means practically is that your six-month DNV gives you time to find the property, negotiate the purchase, conduct due diligence, and get everything lined up for settlement. If you haven't crossed the finish line by the time you need to fly home, a properly executed power of attorney lets your representative complete the transaction while you're back in Australia, the UK, or wherever you're based.

I'd strongly recommend using this approach as your default plan rather than as a backup. If you structure your DNV stay with the intent of reaching the "everything is in order, just needs signing" stage by the time you leave, you give yourself flexibility without feeling rushed. Rushed due diligence is how buyers end up with properties that have undisclosed structural issues or unresolved boundary disputes, and those are expensive problems to discover after settlement.

Can You Own Property and Hold a Digital Nomad Visa at the Same Time?

Yes, and this is actually the more elegant use case.

The Digital Nomad Visa assesses your eligibility based on income source and health insurance. It doesn't care whether you own property in Japan. You could own a chalet in Hakuba worth 80,000,000 yen and still be perfectly eligible for a Digital Nomad Visa, as long as you meet the income and insurance requirements.

This opens up an interesting scenario for buyers who've already purchased: owning a mountain property in Nagano and using the Digital Nomad Visa to spend six months there each year, skiing the season, working remotely, and enjoying the property. For a Hakuba or Nozawa enthusiast who works remotely, this is genuinely attractive.

The constraint is the six-month limit. You can be in Japan for six months under the DNV. You then need to leave. If you want to come back for a second visit within the same year, you'd be doing so on a tourist visa, which gives you 90 days. The combination of a six-month DNV stay and one or more 90-day tourist visits could theoretically give you a significant portion of the year in Japan, but you'd need proper advice from an immigration lawyer about how to structure this, and the rules can change.

What owning property doesn't do is strengthen your visa application or give you extended rights to stay. I've had buyers ask whether owning real estate helps you get residency in Japan. It doesn't. Japan has no investor visa or property ownership pathway to permanent residency equivalent to what some European countries offer. Property ownership is independent of immigration status. Full stop.

Renting Your Property While on a Digital Nomad Visa: The Complicated Part

This is where I want to be especially careful, because I've seen conflicting information circulating online, and I don't want you to make an expensive mistake.

The short-term rental registration question is separate from your visa status. To legally rent your Japanese property short-term (typically defined as under 30 days), you need to register under the Minpaku Law (民泊新法) or obtain a Ryokan Business License. Whether you have a DNV, a tourist visa, or no visa at all doesn't affect this registration requirement. It's a property and business registration issue, not an immigration issue. If you own a Hakuba chalet and want to rent it on Airbnb when you're not there, you need the appropriate registration regardless of your personal visa situation.

Where the DNV creates a complication is around on-site management. The Digital Nomad Visa prohibits you from earning income from Japanese sources. If you're physically present in Japan on a DNV and you're actively managing your rental property, collecting payments, dealing with guests, maintaining the property commercially, you're arguably generating Japan-source income from a Japanese business. Whether this constitutes a visa violation depends on the specifics and, frankly, on how the authorities view the arrangement. The line is not completely clear in the current rules.

My strong advice: if you intend to operate a short-term rental property and be present in Japan on a DNV simultaneously, speak to an immigration lawyer before you set anything up. The cost of a proper consultation, typically 30,000 to 60,000 yen for a straightforward session with an experienced practitioner, is trivial compared to the potential complications if you inadvertently violate the terms of your visa.

When you're not in Japan, the rental operation is simpler. Your property management company handles everything, guests come and go, and rental income flows back to your overseas account. The DNV restrictions only apply to what you do while physically present in Japan on that visa.

To put some numbers to the rental opportunity: a quality 4-bedroom property in Hakuba, professionally managed and listed on the major platforms, can generate 6,000,000 to 10,000,000 yen in gross rental income annually. Peak ski season nightly rates for a quality 4-bedroom run from 65,000 to 150,000 yen per night, and occupancy during peak weeks is extremely high. These are the numbers that make the math on a Hakuba property genuinely attractive, even after management fees, cleaning, and annual holding costs.

Three scenarios for gross annual income on a quality 4-bedroom property, these figures applying when you're not in Japan or have handed management fully to a professional operator:

• Conservative (low occupancy): 6,000,000 yen gross, 1,200,000 to 1,500,000 yen management fee at 20-25%, 4,500,000 to 4,800,000 yen net before tax
• Mid-range: 8,000,000 yen gross, 1,600,000 to 2,000,000 yen management fee at 20-25%, 6,000,000 to 6,400,000 yen net before tax
• Strong performance: 10,000,000 yen gross, 2,000,000 to 2,500,000 yen management fee at 20-25%, 7,500,000 to 8,000,000 yen net before tax

The complication only arises if you're on-site and personally running the operation while on a DNV.

Using the DNV as a Bridge Strategy

The most practical way I've seen buyers approach the DNV-plus-property idea is to treat the six-month stay explicitly as a bridge, a focused period of time with a specific property acquisition goal.

Here's what that looks like in practice.

Before you arrive: research the market thoroughly. Read everything you can find about Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen, and the specific areas within each resort. Identify three or four properties you want to inspect. Make contact with a local agent you trust. Get a sense of current pricing (in Hakuba, quality 4-bedroom properties in good locations are now typically in the 30,000,000 to 60,000,000 yen range, with renovation potential properties often adding 17,000,000 to 43,000,000 yen in renovation costs on top of the purchase price). Ensure your international wire transfer capability is set up and tested. If you're using any form of financing, get pre-approved before you board the plane.

Months one and two: arrive during the ski season if the timing works. Inspect properties seriously. Don't treat this as an extended holiday with some property visits sprinkled in. The ski season is actually good timing because you can assess snowfall, access, proximity to lifts, and the general atmosphere of each area, but use your time deliberately.

Month three: make an offer on your preferred property. Get your lawyer or scrivener engaged. Begin due diligence.

Months four and five: due diligence runs its course. Negotiate any issues that arise. Confirm settlement timeline. If settlement will fall after your departure, execute a power of attorney.

Month six: either complete settlement before you leave, or leave with everything signed and your representative in place to finalize.

After you leave: if using power of attorney, settlement completes. You receive title documentation. You arrange property management for the rental season.

This approach treats the DNV for what it is: a six-month window of presence in Japan that happens to coincide with a property purchase. It doesn't pretend the six months is more than it is, and it has a clear exit strategy if settlement runs over.

What the Digital Nomad Visa Doesn't Give You

I want to be explicit about this because I think some buyers arrive with expectations that the visa can't fulfill.

The DNV does not lead to residency. Japan does not offer a property investment visa or a pathway from DNV to long-term residency. If you want to spend more than six months per year in Japan, you need a different visa category entirely, which typically means either a long-term business visa, a spouse visa, or in some cases the highly-skilled professional visa. None of these are straightforward for someone whose primary connection to Japan is a ski property.

The DNV does not extend your property rights. You have the same property rights on a DNV as you do on a tourist visa or no visa at all. The visa gives you presence, not additional ownership privileges.

The DNV cannot be renewed or extended. When six months are up, they're up. There's no administrative process to extend it or convert it to another category without leaving Japan.

The DNV doesn't solve the mortgage problem. Getting a Japanese mortgage as a non-resident foreign national is genuinely difficult. Most Japanese banks won't lend to non-residents, and those that will typically require a different visa status, higher deposits, or other conditions. Most foreign buyers I work with in the mountain property market are purchasing with cash or using financing from their home country secured against other assets. A DNV doesn't change this reality.

The Property-Plus-DNV Lifestyle Scenario

Let me describe what I think is actually the most compelling use case for the combination of Japanese mountain property and a Digital Nomad Visa, because I've watched this scenario play out successfully for several buyers.

You purchase a property in Hakuba or Nozawa Onsen. It's a quality 4-bedroom property, well-located, with a good ski-in, ski-out or short boot-to-slope situation. Total acquisition cost, including the purchase price, acquisition costs of roughly 5-8% of purchase price, and any renovation, comes in somewhere between 40,000,000 and 75,000,000 yen, comfortably within the 30,000,000 to 80,000,000 yen range that most serious buyers in this market are working with.

You set up professional short-term rental management. Your property generates meaningful gross rental income during the ski season and some income in shoulder seasons. Your annual holding costs, covering property tax, fixed asset tax, strata fees if applicable, utilities on standby, and property management retainers, run somewhere between 600,000 and 1,300,000 yen depending on the property.

Each winter, you apply for a Digital Nomad Visa. You arrive in Hakuba in December or January. You ski. You work remotely from your own property when you're not on the mountain. You enjoy the winters of your childhood dreams. You leave in May or June.

While you're there, your property isn't renting, because you're living in it. When you're gone for the other six months, it's generating income. The math on this varies a lot depending on the specific property and the seasonality of your personal use, but the basic structure makes intuitive sense.

This is not a scheme. It's a legitimate lifestyle choice that happens to intersect neatly with what the Digital Nomad Visa was designed for. You're working remotely. You're earning overseas income. You have private health insurance. You happen to own the property you're staying in rather than renting it.

The main limitation, and it's worth being honest about this, is that six months per year is six months per year. If you want to spend more time in Japan, the DNV is not the answer on its own. But for a buyer whose goal is to own a winter bolt-hole that generates income when they're not there and gives them six months of ski-season living when they are, the DNV-plus-property combination is genuinely attractive.

Understanding the Full Costs Before You Commit

Since this article is aimed at buyers who are seriously considering the property side of this equation, let me be specific about costs, because I've found that buyers who understand the numbers upfront make better decisions.

Acquisition costs: budget approximately 5-8% of the purchase price for acquisition costs. On a 40,000,000 yen property, that's 2,000,000 to 3,200,000 yen covering stamp duty, registration fees, agent commission, notary costs, and related expenses.

Renovation costs: if you're buying an older Japanese property, particularly a traditional kominka farmhouse, renovation costs can be significant. A full kominka renovation in Nagano will typically run between 17,000,000 and 43,000,000 yen depending on scope and condition. This isn't automatically a deterrent. Some of the most desirable properties in Hakuba and Nozawa Onsen started as old farmhouses and are now exceptional ski accommodations worth considerably more than the land-plus-renovation investment. But go in with eyes open.

Annual holding costs: for a typical 4-bedroom mountain property in good condition, budget 600,000 to 1,300,000 yen per year covering fixed asset tax (固定資産税), property management fees on any retainer basis, utilities in standby mode, and basic maintenance. This figure rises if you have a pool, elevator, or complex mechanical systems.

FEFTA notification: this is an administrative process, not a cost per se, but you'll want a lawyer to handle it properly, and their time will cost something. Budget 50,000 to 100,000 yen for professional assistance with the notification.

A summary of the main cost categories:

• Purchase price for a quality 4-bedroom property in a good Hakuba location: 30,000,000 to 60,000,000 yen (quality varies significantly)
• Acquisition costs: 5-8% of purchase price, covering stamp duty, registration, agent, and legal fees
• Renovation if buying an older property: 17,000,000 to 43,000,000 yen for a full kominka renovation
• Annual holding costs: 600,000 to 1,300,000 yen covering tax, management, utilities, and maintenance
• Short-term rental setup: 500,000 to 1,500,000 yen for minpaku registration and guest fit-out
• FEFTA notification assistance: 50,000 to 100,000 yen as a one-time administrative cost

These numbers are based on what I see in the Nagano mountain market. The Hakuba market specifically has moved significantly in recent years, and quality property in the most sought-after areas (Wadano, Echoland, close to Happo-One lifts) commands prices at the upper end of these ranges.

Choosing Between Hakuba and Nozawa Onsen

This is slightly outside the core Digital Nomad Visa question, but since buyers considering a DNV stay are thinking about where to base themselves for six months, it's worth addressing.

Hakuba is larger, more internationally established, and has better infrastructure for remote workers. The village has reliable high-speed internet in most areas, a growing selection of cafes and coworking-friendly spaces, and a much larger English-speaking community than it had five or ten years ago. Ten linked ski resorts, including Happo-One which hosted events at the 1998 Winter Olympics, give you enormous variety on the mountain. The 30.2% commercial land price increase in 2024 tells you something about the market trajectory, but it also means the entry price is higher than it was.

Nozawa Onsen is smaller, more traditionally Japanese, and has a very specific charm that some buyers prefer precisely because it's less developed as an international destination. The onsen culture is genuine and deeply embedded in the village. Property prices are generally lower than Hakuba. The trade-off is a smaller English-speaking community and fewer amenities for someone working remotely full-time for six months.

Comparing the two locations across the main factors relevant to a DNV stay:

• Ski area size: Hakuba has ten linked resorts; Nozawa Onsen has 1 main area that is well-developed
• International community: Hakuba's is established and growing; Nozawa Onsen's is smaller and more traditional
• Remote work infrastructure: strong at Hakuba with cafes, coworking, and reliable internet; more limited at Nozawa Onsen
• Property prices for a quality 4-bedroom: 30,000,000 to 60,000,000 yen at Hakuba; 20,000,000 to 45,000,000 yen at Nozawa Onsen
• English-language services: good at Hakuba; limited at Nozawa Onsen
• Traditional Japanese character: moderate at Hakuba; strong at Nozawa Onsen
• Rental demand: very high at Hakuba; strong at Nozawa Onsen in ski season

For someone planning to spend six months working remotely, I'd lean toward Hakuba for practical reasons. The digital infrastructure is better. The English-speaking community means you'll find people who understand what you're doing. The market depth means more properties to choose from during your search.

That said, I grew up in Nagano and I have a personal affection for places that haven't been fully smoothed out for international visitors. Nozawa in January, snow deep on the roofs of the old buildings around the onsens, is genuinely beautiful. If you've spent time there and love it, the trade-offs are worth making.

Working with Professionals: Who You Need on Your Team

A Digital Nomad Visa property purchase, particularly one compressed into a six-month window, is not a do-it-yourself project. Here's who you need.

A local real estate agent who speaks English (or has strong English support): you need someone who knows the Hakuba or Nozawa market specifically, not a generalist agent in Tokyo who handles occasional mountain property inquiries. The difference matters enormously. Local agents know which properties have undisclosed issues, which sellers are motivated, and which areas are going to appreciate versus stagnate.

A shiho-shoshi (judicial scrivener) or lawyer for settlement: property title registration in Japan goes through a shiho-shoshi. You also want someone who can review your purchase contract for unusual conditions or risks. For foreign buyers, having a bilingual legal professional is valuable even if you're reasonably comfortable in Japanese, because property law terminology is specialized.

An immigration lawyer: if you have any questions about the interaction between your DNV and rental income, or about extending your time in Japan beyond the DNV period, talk to someone who specializes in Japanese immigration. Don't rely on forum posts or secondhand advice, including mine, for specific legal questions.

A property manager for rental operations: if you intend to rent the property when you're not there, engage a professional management company before you buy. Their experience with the local short-term rental market will also give you useful data about realistic rental income expectations for the specific property you're considering.

FAQ

Can I legally buy property in Japan while on a Digital Nomad Visa?

Yes. Japan places no restrictions on property ownership based on visa status. Any foreign national, regardless of whether they are on a tourist visa, a Digital Nomad Visa, or no visa at all, has the same right to purchase real estate in Japan. The Digital Nomad Visa gives you a six-month window of legal residence in Japan, during which you can search for, negotiate, and potentially complete a property purchase. Since April 2026, foreign buyers must file a FEFTA notification within 20 days of purchase, but this is an administrative requirement, not a restriction on purchasing.

What is the income requirement for Japan's Digital Nomad Visa?

The Digital Nomad Visa requires demonstrated annual income of approximately 10,000,000 yen from overseas sources. At current exchange rates that is roughly USD 65,000, AUD 100,000, or GBP 52,000. The income must come from an overseas employer or overseas clients. You also need valid private health insurance that covers you in Japan, and you cannot earn income from Japanese sources while on the visa. Your income level from your home country needs to be provable through documentation such as employment contracts, tax returns, or bank statements.

Can I complete a property purchase within the 6-month Digital Nomad Visa period?

A full property purchase in Japan, from initial search to settlement, typically takes 3 to 5 months. A 6-month DNV stay makes this possible if you arrive well-prepared. Key preparation steps include identifying target areas and property types before arriving, having financing or international wire transfer capability ready, and having a local agent and lawyer engaged before your stay begins. If settlement extends beyond your departure, a formally executed power of attorney allows your appointed representative to complete the transaction in your absence. This is a common arrangement for foreign buyers in Japan.

Does owning property in Japan help me get a longer-term visa or residency?

No. Japan does not have a property investment visa or a pathway from property ownership to long-term residency or permanent residency. Property ownership in Japan has no effect on your immigration status. If you want to stay in Japan for more than six months at a time, you would need to qualify for a different visa category such as a business manager visa, highly-skilled professional visa, or another designation based on your specific circumstances. An immigration lawyer can advise on what options might be available given your situation.

Can I rent my Japanese property on Airbnb while I'm on a Digital Nomad Visa?

The short-term rental registration (Minpaku Law registration or Ryokan Business License) is independent of your visa status. However, actively managing and operating a rental business while physically in Japan on a Digital Nomad Visa may create complications, since the DNV prohibits earning Japan-source income. If your property is managed entirely by a professional management company and you are not personally conducting business operations, the situation is different than if you are on-site acting as the operator. Seek advice from an immigration lawyer familiar with the DNV before setting up rental operations that you intend to run personally while present in Japan.

What are the annual costs of owning a property in Hakuba or Nozawa Onsen?

For a quality 4-bedroom mountain property, annual holding costs typically run between 600,000 and 1,300,000 yen. This covers fixed asset tax and city planning tax (which are based on assessed value rather than market value, so often modest by comparison to the purchase price), property management retainer fees if you use a management company, utility costs for standby power, water, and basic maintenance. Properties with additional features such as pools, elevators, or complex heating systems will be at the higher end. Snow removal and specific maintenance requirements in mountain areas can also add to annual costs.

How much can a 4-bedroom Hakuba property earn from short-term rentals?

A quality 4-bedroom property in a good Hakuba location, professionally managed and listed on major platforms, can generate between 6,000,000 and 10,000,000 yen in gross annual rental income. Peak ski season nightly rates for quality 4-bedroom properties range from 65,000 to 150,000 yen, and occupancy during peak weeks (late December through early March) is very strong. After management fees of roughly 20 to 25%, net income before tax ranges from approximately 4,500,000 to 8,000,000 yen. These figures assume the property is available for rental during the peak ski season rather than being used personally.

Can I use a Power of Attorney to complete my property purchase after my Digital Nomad Visa expires?

Yes. The power of attorney (inin-jo) is a recognized mechanism in Japanese property law that allows you to appoint a representative, typically your lawyer or a licensed real estate agent, to sign settlement documents and complete the transaction on your behalf. This means you can conduct your property search, negotiate the purchase, complete due diligence, and arrange everything during your six-month DNV stay, then have your representative finalize settlement after you return home if the timing requires it. The power of attorney must be properly executed, often requiring notarization or apostille depending on where you sign it, so engage your lawyer on this before you leave Japan.

Does Japan's Digital Nomad Visa have any restrictions on what country you're from?

The Digital Nomad Visa is currently available to nationals of 49 countries. The list includes Australia, the United Kingdom, most European Union member states, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, and a range of other countries. If you're a skier visiting from Australia, the UK, or most of Europe, you're almost certainly from an eligible country. The full list is available on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan website. Visa requirements, processing times, and documentation requirements vary by country of origin, so check the current requirements for your specific nationality rather than relying on general descriptions.

What's the FEFTA notification and do I need to worry about it?

The Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act (FEFTA) notification requirement for real estate purchases by foreign nationals came into effect in April 2026. It requires foreign buyers to file a notification, submitted via the Bank of Japan to the Minister of Finance, within 20 days of completing a property purchase. This is an administrative notification process, not a restriction on your right to buy. Your lawyer, shiho-shoshi, or real estate agent will handle this as part of the settlement process. The notification itself is not complex, but doing it correctly requires knowledge of the current form requirements and submission process, which is another reason to have a professional team handling your settlement.

What's the realistic timeline if I arrive on a Digital Nomad Visa intending to buy property?

Assuming you arrive prepared, with an area shortlisted, an agent engaged, and financing ready, a realistic timeline looks like this: months one and two for serious property search and inspection, month three for offer and negotiation, months three through five for due diligence and preparation for settlement, month five or six for settlement or execution of power of attorney if settlement extends beyond departure. The compressed timeline is possible but unforgiving. Buyers who arrive without preparation and spend the first two or three months deciding what they want often find themselves rushed at the back end, which is exactly when you don't want to be making rushed decisions about due diligence.

Should I use my Digital Nomad Visa period to buy property, or should I buy remotely?

Both approaches work. The advantage of being present in Japan during the purchase process is significant: you can inspect properties yourself, meet your agent and lawyer in person, visit the areas in different conditions, and generally make better-informed decisions. The mountain property market, particularly in Hakuba and Nozawa Onsen, has enough nuance that specific locations vary enormously even within a small village, so being there in person gives you an edge. If the DNV timing works with your life and you can structure six months around a property search, I'd recommend using it that way. If your circumstances make a DNV stay impractical, buying through a trusted agent with remote due diligence and power of attorney is a well-established alternative.

If you're thinking seriously about combining a Digital Nomad Visa stay with a property purchase in the Japanese mountains, the best next step is a conversation with someone who knows the market. Browse current listings at Japan Resort Estate, or get in touch directly. There's no obligation and no sales pressure. If you're genuinely considering this, you should be talking to people who will give you an honest picture of both the opportunity and the risks.