Japanese woman buys 3 houses, opens cat café by 34, spending just Rs 120 on food daily

The woman ate cheap dishes such as noodles to maintain her food budget. (Representational)

A 37-year-old Japanese woman has defied the norm by transforming her life through extraordinary frugality and now owns several houses and a cafe. Saki Tamogami, now dubbed “the most frugal girl in the country,” has not only achieved financial independence but also fulfilled her lifelong dream of opening a cat café—all within 15 years.

Tamogami first gained widespread attention in 2019 when she appeared on the popular Japanese television programme ‘Happy! Bomby Girl’, which highlights stories of young women who overcome challenges through grit and perseverance. Her story, however, stood out for its sheer uniqueness and the extreme measures she took to save money.

At the age of 19, Tamogami set herself an ambitious goal: to own three houses by the time she turned 34. What seemed like an improbable dream for many became a reality through her strict financial discipline.

Her journey to financial freedom was marked by an almost monastic lifestyle. After graduating from university and securing a job with a property agent, Tamogami lived on a meagre daily food budget of just 200 yen (approximately Rs 120).

She cooked all her meals at home, relying on simple, low-cost dishes such as toast, udon noodles, and discounted radishes. On rare occasions, she would indulge in small luxuries like jam on bread or a piece of salmon with rice, but her food expenditure seldom exceeded the limit.

She also avoided buying new clothes, relying instead on hand-me-downs from relatives. Her furniture was salvaged from rubbish, and she even sold her long, untreated hair for 3,100 yen (Rs 1,800) when it grew long enough, covering half a month’s living expenses.

By the age of 27, Tamogami had saved enough to purchase her first house in Saitama, Kanto region, for 10 million yen (Rs 61 lakh). She used the rental income from the property to cover the mortgage, which in turn allowed her to purchase a second house for 18 million yen (Rs 1.1 crore) just two years later. By 2019, she had achieved her goal of owning a third house, costing 37 million yen (Rs 2.3 crore).

Her motivation for leading such a frugal life stemmed from her deep love for animals. After adopting a stray cat as a child, which provided her with comfort during difficult times, she developed a desire to rescue more strays. This culminated in the opening of her cat café, Café Yuunagi, on the ground floor of her third house. The café also offers shelter and support to numerous stray cats, with the earnings used to care for more animals.

Despite achieving financial freedom, Tamogami continues to live sparsely and plans to use her rental income and salary to further expand her property portfolio.