Soar Into The Unknown
Cheryl
I arrived in Tokyo July 2009 from Melbourne, Australia without a plan nor any Japanese language ability. I worked as an English teacher then in 2012 launched my own fashion label. Unexpectedly the collection was picked up by a big store and was stocked in several stores around Japan which secured my plan to stay in Japan. After meeting Tomoya we decided to move to Awaji Island in 2015, then in 2018 found God and quit fashion and our label altogether making house renovations our new hobby and lives. Being true to yourself is something that is very important to me. I can’t say that I have any hobbies (they all turn into jobs) but I love seeing the potential of discarded items and the challenge of turning them into creations.
The Challenge of a Lifetime
In 2018, we decided to entrust our entire lives to God, and that was when we gave up fashion. After that we both worked part-time shifts at a sushi restaurant, and even though we’d never done any renovation work before, we tried to fix up that dilapidated $1000 abandoned house we’d bought before coming to this island. The only tool we had at that time was a cheap $30 jigsaw cutter we’d bought at a hardware store.
Out of the blue one day a carpenter who happened to live a few doors away happened to pass by, and over the course of three days, he showed us how to install diagonal bracing, replace posts, and ‘laying floor joists’ in just three days. He couldn’t help us anymore after that so it became just the two of us again. Researching, demolishing, building, asking for advice, working part-time, and simply building away with no specific goal in mind.
When we were in fashion we created our pieces out of a desire to make things, but after starting house renovations, building houses became our way of expressing ourselves. We were absolute beginners who knew absolutely nothing about house building when we fully renovated ‘AKIYA nehemiah’ and began renting it out in July 2020.
We were first timers to the hospitality industry and it was through running ‘AKIYA nehemiah’ that we got to know our guests and realised the need for a place where people could escape their daily lives and recharge. We had now gained house building skills through several other self-renovation projects and knowledge of our customers through repeated interactions with guests, so we decided to build another vacation rental. This time we wanted to outdo ourselves and build the ultimate work without any compromise, and also regardless of location that would our guests would truly love.
That house became ‘AKIYA cornerstone’. Like the first one, it was a very cheap derelict abandoned house that nobody else wanted, but this time we spent a year and a half fully renovating it. We were able to start renting it out from March 2023.
Tomoya
I entered the world of fashion because I wanted to be able to make my own clothes, but once I was in the industry I found there was little room for creativity. It was a world swirling with business, mass production, connections and interpersonal politics. I grew to hate the fashion industry that had absolutely nothing in common with who I was. Then I met Cheryl and we instantly hit it off. After that I met God and was able to find a way of life that truly felt like me. I’m not good at planning ahead, so I’ve just been diving in and doing whatever takes my fancy. I want to continue walking our own unique path with Cheryl, a partner who can join me in such endeavours without a moment’s hesitation. I’m a bit of a penny-pincher and very conscious of what I spend my money on. I’ve never really had many things I wanted to spend money on, but I feel most happy when I’m coming up with new ideas or using my hands to make things. I feel like those are the moments when I can truly be myself. Chestnut is the first dog I’ve ever owned, and I adore her very much. At the moment because I am married to Cheryl I have to work hard on my English.
In fashion trends and sales seemed to take more precedence than the actual creation itself, but with a house, once you’ve created it as a work of art, guests can simply look at it and enjoy it in their own way.
It’s because of our guests who stay with us and enjoy themselves that we’ve been given the opportunity to create these works of art, and we are truly grateful to everyone.
Both of us prefer the aesthetic and character of antiques rather than shiny new mass produced items, so it truly saddens us to see old houses that are no longer in use being demolished one after another and replaced with new builds.
From the time we arrived on this island we have renovated 5 abandoned houses, four of which were complete renovations of derelict buildings. We don’t have the physical strength, time or money to restore every single house, but we are grateful to have spent the last 8 years seeing the potential of all these homes and giving them a second life. The past 8 years of renovations were fun at the start but the final years were to be honest excruciatingly tiring and exhausting.
We completed our final house renovation in early 2026, and now we’re preparing to open our vintage clothing shop. Anyone familiar with this industry knows that building a successful shop or fashion brand takes significant resources, strong connections, or both. We didn’t have either of those at the start nor do we now so owning our own shop and fashion brand has always been the goal but a goal we could never fully attain.
Eight years later, we’re proud to own two vacation rentals, our home, and now our own shop and fashion brand. The journey wasn’t easy, but determination and persistence carried us forward. Above all, we’re grateful for God’s blessings, this island we call home, and the encouragement and support from our guests, which kept us motivated every step of the way.
We want to turn what was once discarded into something beautiful again.
Chestnut
I’m Chestnut, born in the town of Gunma in Japan on 1st December 2015!
I like most people but if I happen to find someone really special I’ll shower them with kisses. I’m the most sociable member of the family and I have absolutely no interest in home renovations or clothes.
I’m pretty feisty and my hobby is going for walks – long walks. My record is 17 km.
But recently, I’ve learnt that if I act tired my mama picks me up, so I’ve discovered a way to make walking easier.
I’m a Christian who goes to church occasionally.
