Sadly a lot of the rural and suburban homes vacant are due to the demographics crisis in Japan. Older people simply died and either had no children to leave it too or the children do not want to live in the rural and suburban areas outside the urban night lifestyle. I would love one of those as a weekender stay in a tiny home sized place all week party in Shibuya then take the train Saturday morning to the countryside and chill for the weekend. Return Monday morning to the city.
It works great if you don’t have kids or pets.