Tokyo abandoned house renovation contest nears December deadline

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is accepting entries for its Abandoned (Akiya) House Renovation Contest 2025, an initiative aimed at promoting the reuse of unused residential properties as community assets.

Applications are open through December 19, 2025. Following an initial screening, shortlisted entries will advance to a public judging event on February 17, 2026, when winners will be announced.

Renovated abandoned home entranceway courtesy of Onoya.  Onoya is unrelated to the contest.

The contest highlights renovation projects and ideas that respond to local needs and support neighborhood revitalization. Two categories are open: Best Practice, which recognizes completed renovations of abandoned houses, and Renovation Idea, which is open to conceptual proposals.

Eligible applicants include property owners, tenants, architects, designers, builders, and other private sector stakeholders. Government bodies are excluded. Completed projects must involve an entire abandoned house, comply with current building regulations, and be based in Tokyo.

For the Renovation Idea category, proposals may reference properties outside Tokyo if the concepts are applicable to the capital’s abandoned housing challenges.

Buildings must have been constructed after the June 1981 revision to Japan’s Building Standards Act, and non-owner applicants must obtain the owner’s consent.

Projects will be evaluated based on intended use, design quality and functionality, community engagement, and their potential to serve as models for future abandoned house reuse.

Selected winners may also be eligible for financial support toward renovation work.

Further Reading:

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Contest Information Page (Japanese only; provides more details than that outlined above)

Source:

R.E. Port News (Japanese only)