Japanese Idol Living in Haunted House for 4 Years Draws Attention... Rent 30% Cheaper

Spotted a man staring at her while viewing the home
"Ghosts should be respected, too, since they were once living people"
Low-cost rentals of homes where deaths occurred draw attention

The story of a female idol who has lived for four years in a house in Tokyo, Japan, rumored to be haunted has drawn attention. As housing costs rise in Japan, her story has attracted interest alongside cases of people renting and living in homes at low prices where deaths occurred in the past.

On October 29 (local time), the British broadcaster BBC reported on people living in homes known in Japan as “jiko bukken,” or stigmatized properties. Among them was the case of Ryu A, an idol who lives in a studio apartment in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo.

In an interview with the BBC, Ryu A said, “When I first went to see the apartment, I saw a man staring at me.” However, the real estate agent who went with her did not see the man, and Ryu A thought he was a ghost. She said that instead of getting frightened and leaving, she decided to become friends with the ghost who had been staring at her.

Idol Ryua, who has lived for four years in a house in Tokyo, Japan, rumored to be haunted. Screenshot from Ryua's Instagram.

Four years later, Ryu A still lives in the same home. She claimed that she hears footsteps every day, as well as sounds that seem to be someone speaking. The real estate agent told her when she signed the lease that the previous resident had died by suicide. Ryu A said she believes that “ghosts should also be treated with respect, since they were once living people.”

The home is a studio apartment of about 25 square meters, with monthly rent of 45,000 yen (about 390,000 won). That is about 30% less than the original rent of 62,000 yen (about 530,000 won).

In Japan, homes where deaths occurred in the past are called “jiko bukken.” These include properties where a suicide or murder took place, someone died in a fire, or a person died alone and their body was not discovered for a long time. Under guidelines established by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in 2021, real estate agents must disclose certain types of deaths for three years after they occur when signing rental agreements. For sales, they must disclose relevant information without any time limit.

Such homes can be difficult to rent or sell in Japan. However, as more people seek affordable housing, perceptions of stigmatized properties are also changing. In a survey conducted in 2025, more than half of respondents said they would be willing to live in one if the price were low enough.

The BBC also reported on Diane Tincher, an American woman who bought a home in Kagoshima Prefecture in southwestern Japan where a person had died alone, for about half its market value. She paid 20 million yen for the three-bedroom home, less than half the price of similar nearby homes, which can cost as much as 45 million yen. Tincher said she does not believe in ghosts and expressed satisfaction at finding a good home at a low price.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.