Crowdfunding to save a Bond filming location in Japan

A crowdfunding campaign is trying to save "Kissy's House," a filming location from the James Bond movie You Only Live Twice.

To donate, visit the Campfire crowdfunding page

Akime, Bozu-cho, Minamisatsuma City, Kagoshima Prefecture, is a small village with a population of 50 people and was used as a location for the filming of the fifth James Bond film, "You Only Live Twice," released in 1967.

Kissy Suzuki and James Bond arrive at the house in You Only Live Twice (screenshot from the film)

The house of Kissy Suzuki (Mie Hama) and James Bond (Sean Connery) is the only building remaining as it was when the film was shot and is a valuable historical document of the film.

Kissy (Mie Hama) and James Bond (Sean Connery) enter the house in You Only Live Twice (screenshot from the film)

The house today

The goal in revitalizing it is to maintain the beauty of Akime and to restart it as a small museum.

Kissy and James Bond in the house in You Only Live Twice (screenshot from the film)

The number of people who participated in the filming is decreasing, but the organisation is hoping to preserve the existing historical materials and sites related to the film for future generations and to continue to be a place where people from all over the world can visit and interact with each other.

After the filming took place in 1967, a 007 monument was erected, and the old house where the filming took place (nicknamed the Kissy & Bond House) has been protected together with local residents, movie fans, and the government.

Local resident and leader Ichiro Miyauchi giving a tour in the area

Events related to the film have been held, but the old house, 58 years after filming, has deteriorated significantly, to the point where it might not even survive this year's rainy season. Furthermore, this spring, Akime lost a leader who had been enlivening the area through the film. The remaining members tried to rebuild the team and set out to establish a general incorporated association in order to realize the preservation of the old house as a film historical material and a valuable local resource.

The final goal of the crowdfunding is to open the small museum, hand it over to the next generation, and continue to maintain it, but the old house must be dealt with as soon as possible, as it is on the verge of collapse.

A building that looks like it might collapse at any moment

First aid to get through the rainy season

The crowdfunding is supported by Bond fans including Martijn Mulder from On The Tracks of 007 who was fortunate enough to visit the house a few times, most notably during his 'YOLT50 Tour of Japan' in 2017 and recently with a new group in 2023.

The monetary goal is 3,500,000 yen (approx $25,000).

To donate, visit the crowdfunding page at Campfire, Japan's largest crowdfunding platform (the page is in Japanese, but you can right-click the page and select Translate to English). Or follow the Akime 007 Instagram page for updates.