Yoshihisa Maeda lives frugally despite owning $2 million in property

Yoshihisa Maeda, a 78-year-old resident of Japan, has gained international attention for his extreme minimalist lifestyle despite possessing significant inherited wealth. Maeda, who worked for only two and a half years before quitting due to workplace pressure and criticism, owns land in the Yoyogi area valued at approximately 300 million JPY (nearly 2 million USD).

Despite this asset, Maeda lives in a state of extreme frugality. He resides in a large home that lacks a gas system to save costs and maintains a diet consisting primarily of inexpensive bean sprouts and natto. His living expenses are supported by monthly allowances from his nephew and two annual payments.

Maeda has also shared details regarding his past legal troubles, including a two-week detention by Harajuku police about ten years ago for stealing bananas from a supermarket, as well as instances of dining without paying. Regarding his health, he claims to have avoided hospitals for nearly 40 years, attributing his physical resilience to regular walking and climbing seven flights of stairs daily.