Short answer: Fukuoka Prefecture points house-hunters to two coordinated akiya banks, Akiya DE Kurasu (空き家DE暮らす) and the Rabbynet Fukuoka akiya bank, and funds a free support centre called Iekatsu. All of them are in Japanese, so search with browser translation and the words 空き家バンク, 売買 and 賃貸. The relocation fund covers Kitakyushu, Kurume and other towns but, according to the prefecture, not Fukuoka City. Fukuoka's distinctive hazards are the Kego fault running across the Fukuoka plain, the extreme rain of July 2017 around Asakura, and ground subsidence on the Chikugo plain.
The prefecture's vacant-house measures page sets the context: about 340,000 vacant homes in the 2023 Housing and Land Survey, of which around 210,000 are for rent or sale or are second homes and around 130,000 are other vacant houses. For finding one it names:
The prefecture's relocation portal, Fukuoka Kurashigoto, has a Tokyo office and a Fukuoka office for relocation consultation, a section of akiya-utilisation case studies and links, and subsidy information for every municipality. It is in Japanese. The national banks of At Home and LIFULL HOME'S also carry Fukuoka listings. Whatever the source, the rule is the same: the listing is an introduction, and the conditions are on the municipality's page (see akiya bank conditions for foreigners).
| Goal | Japanese to use |
|---|---|
| Prefecture-level listings | 福岡県 空き家バンク; or go to akiyabank.f-takken.com and Rabbynet directly |
| Sale or rental | 売買 / 賃貸 |
| A town's own bank | [town] 空き家バンク, for example 八女市, 朝倉市, 久留米市 |
| Renovation or demolition subsidy | [town] 空き家 改修 補助金 / 除却 補助金 |
| Fault and flood risk | ハザードマップ plus the town name |
Fukuoka listings can range from urban used houses to rural farmhouses, so read the land category (宅地, 農地), the road frontage (接道) and the heating and water arrangements on every listing, and use the kanji glossary for the rest. The agent question list is Japanese ready to paste.
The prefecture's relocation support page lists ¥600,000 for a single person, ¥1,000,000 for a household and up to ¥1,000,000 per child under 18. The origin condition follows the national scheme (Cabinet Office): five of the last ten years in the Tokyo area (the 23 wards, or commuting to them) and one continuous year immediately before moving, plus a qualifying job, telework or business, or recognition as a "related population" member by the destination municipality. You apply within a year of moving; if you move away within three years you repay in full, between three and five years half, with exceptions for bankruptcy, disaster or illness.
The most useful detail is the destination list. As of 1 April 2026, Fukuoka City is not included. The eligible cities are Kitakyushu, Omuta, Kurume, Iizuka, Tagawa, Yanagawa, Yame, Chikugo, Okawa, Buzen, Munakata, Koga, Ukiha, Kama and Miyama, together with 16 towns and villages. The page does not mention foreign nationals, and the Tokyo-origin condition means a buyer coming from overseas would not meet it as written.
On renovation and demolition, the prefecture's page says more than 30 cities and towns, including Kitakyushu, Kurume, Omuta, Yanagawa and Yame, offer subsidies that typically target either rehabilitation or removal of dangerous structures. It gives no amounts, because they are municipal and change each year. Ask each town three questions: Must the house be registered on the akiya bank? Must I live there? Is a local contractor required?
Comparing a Fukuoka suburb with a Chikugo farmhouse? An Akiya Check report brings together the flood depth, landslide, elevation and zoning data for each exact address in one English report (emailed; PDF on request). Compare 3 puts three candidates side by side.
Single report $49 · Compare 3 $99 Free 12-point checklistThe Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion's Kego fault zone evaluation describes a fault about 55 km long running from the Genkai Sea through Hakata Bay and across the Fukuoka plain to Chikushino. Its north-west segment is where the 2005 Fukuoka offshore earthquake (M7.0) occurred. For the south-east segment the evaluation gives a 0.3 to 6 percent probability of rupture within 30 years, which places it in the "high group" among Japan's major active faults. A single-digit percentage sounds small; the evaluation's point is that it is high relative to other faults. For a buyer this means paying attention to the structure: build year, foundation and wall condition (pre-1981 houses), and what earthquake cover an insurer will offer for the address. Reclaimed ground around the bay also calls for the liquefaction check in our liquefaction guide.
The Cabinet Office's summary of the July 2017 northern Kyushu heavy rain (disaster report) says total rainfall on 5 and 6 July exceeded 500 mm in the worst areas, and that 24-hour rainfall at Asakura in Fukuoka and Hita in Oita set records for the observation history. The event is the reference case for mountain and river-valley akiya in northern Fukuoka. Check the landslide and flood layers for the address on the national hazard map, ask whether the house or lot was affected, and read the retaining wall guide for slope lots.
The Ministry of the Environment's ground environment page says the Chikugo-Saga plain lies on soft, water-rich Ariake clay that subsides when groundwater levels fall. Kurume, Yanagawa, Chikugo, Okawa and Miyama cities and Oki town are monitoring areas. Cumulative subsidence reached up to 88.4 cm between March 1985 and February 2025, with a maximum of 11.8 cm a year in February 1987, and the ministry says that some areas have recently turned to slight uplift and ground movement is small at present. For a farmhouse there, the practical questions are old settlement cracks and floors that are not level, plus flood depth for a low plain; see the inspection guide.
JMA's 1991 to 2020 normals count 3.8 typhoon approaches a year for northern Kyushu against 5.8 for the whole mainland (JMA). Treat roof and window condition as a normal inspection item.
The prefecture's vacant-house page names two coordinated platforms: Akiya DE Kurasu, run with the Fukuoka Real Estate Association (akiyabank.f-takken.com), and the Rabbynet Fukuoka akiya bank run with the All Japan Real Estate Association Fukuoka headquarters. Rabbynet lets you search by lifestyle such as seaside, rural or suburban.
Iekatsu is the Fukuoka Prefecture Akiya Utilisation Support Center in Tenjin, Fukuoka City, which offers free consultation and matches people with professional providers. It is mainly set up for owners, but it is a useful contact for questions about how akiya are handled locally. Hours and the phone number are on the prefecture's page.
No. The prefecture's page says Fukuoka City is not included. Eligible destinations as of 1 April 2026 are Kitakyushu, Omuta, Kurume, Iizuka, Tagawa, Yanagawa, Yame, Chikugo, Okawa, Buzen, Munakata, Koga, Ukiha, Kama and Miyama plus 16 towns and villages. Amounts are ¥600,000 single, ¥1,000,000 household and up to ¥1,000,000 per child, with repayment if you leave within five years.
The Kego fault zone runs about 55 km from the Genkai Sea through Hakata Bay and across the Fukuoka plain. The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion gives its south-east section a 0.3 to 6 percent chance of rupture in 30 years and puts it in the high group among Japan's major active faults; the north-west section last ruptured in the 2005 Fukuoka offshore earthquake.
The Ministry of the Environment reports subsidence on the Chikugo-Saga plain, which sits on soft Ariake clay, with cumulative maximum subsidence of 88.4 cm between March 1985 and February 2025. Kurume, Yanagawa, Chikugo, Okawa, Miyama and Oki are monitoring areas, and the ministry says movement is currently small.
Have a specific listing in mind? Get the official zoning, hazard and transaction data for that exact lot — plus the questions to send the agent — in one report.
Get a $49 risk report Free 12-point checklistThis guide is general information based on public sources cited above. It is not legal, tax, or real-estate brokerage advice. Confirm every item for a specific property with the agent, the municipality, and licensed professionals.