RetireJapan

Hi,

I'm considering buying a small house which I would use for holidays, whenever else I can get there, and then possibly moving to later. I currently live and work in Tokyo and can't afford anything here, but would like a place to escape to. Anyway, just wondering what the basic costs would be like while I'm away - electricity, gas, water, property tax, etc. I wouldn't be using these while away, but I'm sure there would be minimal charges, even if, say, no electricity was actually used for a couple of months. Please forgive my noob-ness.

Basic utilities (electricity, water, gas) for a place not being occupied will be around 4-5,000/mth, depending a little on your electricity plan and the minimum rates that go with that. One wildcard is whether you want the internet to be hooked up year-round, as it can be mendokusai to try and connect only for certain times of the year. If you do, add another 3,000-5,000/mth.
Otherwise, the major expense will be the annual property tax, the amount which will depend on the value of the house/land. But if it's a cheap place, likely no more than 100,000/yr max.
If you're buying a holiday home that is in a besso area, there will be additional monthly and/or annual upkeep fees, onsen fees, and the like. The actual amounts will obviously vary based on the locale, but should be clearly included in any listing.
You mentioned "house", but some houses (e.g. terrace houses) do have monthly kanri-hi and shuzentsumitate-kin just like a manshon, so just check for that as well.

Thank you.