Winter has suddenly arrived here on Ikuchijima.
The beautiful autumn leaves have mostly fallen, and after leaving my former life as an office worker—where I spent my days indoors from morning until night—I can now feel the changing seasons directly. It’s one of the small but meaningful joys of island life.
Lately, my days have been pleasantly balanced.
On sunny days, I go out to photograph and film properties that we’ve received inquiries about. On rainy days, I stay in the office, studying real estate books and Japan’s unique property laws and regulations. Every day feels productive and enjoyable.
As a short break during the day, I often take Ren-chan, the beloved poodle and “signboard dog” of Shiomachi Shopping Street, for a walk. Chatting with local residents during these walks reminds me again and again how glad I am that we chose to move here.
At the same time, I’ve recently made a new Swedish friend—someone who, just a few days ago, purchased a large traditional Japanese house (kominka) right here on Ikuchijima. Since then, we’ve been supporting him as he adjusts to life in Japan and on the island.
Our meeting was completely unexpected.
One evening around 9 p.m., a sudden reservation came into one of the guesthouses I manage. Normally, same-day or last-minute bookings are disabled, but due to a system error, the reservation somehow went through. About 30 minutes later, he arrived.
He showed up unusually energetic for such a late hour—stylish, charismatic, and bursting with excitement.
“The best thing just happened!” he said. “I bought a house today! The best purchase of my life!”
Caught up in his enthusiasm, I found myself equally excited. We ended up chatting at the guesthouse entrance for over an hour and quickly became close friends.
He’s a long-time Japan enthusiast who visits every year. Initially, he had focused on vacant houses in Ehime Prefecture after researching online, but after visiting in person, something didn’t quite click, and he decided not to buy there. When he later arrived in Hiroshima, he met a woman who runs an Indian curry restaurant and speaks English. She casually invited him, saying, “I’m going to look at a property on Ikuchijima tomorrow—want to come?”
Not even knowing where Ikuchijima was, he decided to join on a whim.
That decision changed everything.
The scenery of the Shimanami Kaido and the overall potential of Ikuchijima immediately captured his heart.
“This is it. This is the place,” he felt.
After viewing several properties, he found a traditional house far beyond his expectations. True to his bold personality, he made a same-day decision—viewing, signing the contract, and completing the purchase all in one day.
Of course, his spontaneous European-style approach came with some challenges. He hadn’t arranged accommodation, and since the house wasn’t yet livable, he ended up staying at my guesthouse—quite by chance, the only place available. He later stayed at our home for about four days, and now he’s set up a simple sleeping space with a futon in a small, cleaned-up area near the bath.
Interestingly, before coming to Ikuchijima, he had spent about a month in Kyoto in much the same way—arriving with no concrete plan, staying at a guesthouse, becoming close friends with the owner, and extending his stay until the next guests arrived. That owner is still a close friend, and they even FaceTime from time to time.
While he is extremely sociable and open, island life in Japan has its own customs and unspoken rules. We are doing our best to support him so he can integrate smoothly into the local community. What’s truly impressive is his deep respect for Japanese culture and the way he genuinely tries to understand local values and traditions.
Watching him makes me reflect and learn as well.
I believe he will become a wonderful role model for future overseas buyers considering a move to Japan—and possibly the first foreign-born resident to purchase and live in his own home on Ikuchijima.
He runs a company in Sweden and plans to return there briefly in late December, but we’re very happy to welcome him as a new neighbor and look forward to building a long-term relationship.
Thinking that his experience may be helpful for others considering a move to Ikuchijima, we filmed an interview with him.
Please take a moment to watch the video below—we hope you enjoy it!