We built our dream home for the family we thought we'd have. Then we started over in rural Japan.
Sia and Mikael Lilja decided to start over in Japan after realizing children were no longer part of their future.
Sia and Mikael Lilja, a Swedish couple, made the decision to relocate from Sweden to rural Japan in pursuit of a fresh start and a dream home. The Liljas spent six years constructing their ideal family home in Sweden before realizing that their plans for children had changed. The couple decided to purchase a vacant house, known as an akiya, in Japan for $49,000.
They ventured to Japan without having set foot in the country, driven by their desire to find the perfect place to begin their next chapter. After a three-week trip, they chose a traditional Japanese home in a rural setting near Kyoto, complete with tatami mats and shoji screens. The Liljas decided to put their careers on hold and turned their attention to selling their house in Sweden, eventually relocating to Japan in May 2026.
They are currently focusing on settling in, cleaning the house, and planning renovations while also enjoying their experiences visiting family and their new rural surroundings.
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