Terms of Sale

Last updated: 30 September 2026

These terms apply when you buy The Mottainai House and its Reference Pack (together, "the book") from oldjapaneseway.com. By buying the book you agree to them. If anything here is unclear, write to contact@oldjapaneseway.com.

1. What you are buying

The book is a digital product: a PDF e-book of 229 pages and a 10-page printable PDF Reference Pack. There is no printed copy. You pay once. There is no subscription and nothing renews.

2. Payment and delivery

Checkout, payment and delivery are handled by Gumroad, Inc. When you click a buy button you leave this site and buy through Gumroad, and Gumroad's own terms and privacy policy apply to that part. Gumroad may add sales tax or VAT depending on where you live.

After payment, the files are available to download straight away, and Gumroad emails you a link so you can download them again later. If you lose the link, write to us and we will send it again.

3. The 7-day guarantee

If the book is not for you, email contact@oldjapaneseway.com within 7 days of your purchase, with the email address you used at checkout, and we will refund the full price. You do not need to give a reason, and you may keep the files. Refunds go back to your original payment method through Gumroad; how long they take to appear depends on your bank or card provider.

This guarantee is in addition to any rights you have under the consumer law of your country, and does not reduce them.

4. Your licence to use the book

You may read the book on any of your own devices and print it, including the Reference Pack pages, for use in your own household. Please do not share the files, upload them anywhere, resell them, or copy large parts of the text into other publications. The text, design and images belong to oldjapaneseway.com and are protected by copyright.

5. About the advice in the book

The book is general household advice for everyday frugality: food, cleaning, clothes, energy, storage, repair and budgeting. It is not professional, financial, medical, legal, electrical or structural advice. Use common sense with food, heat, tools and cleaning products; follow the instructions that came with your appliances and products; and ask a qualified professional about anything involving gas, electrical wiring, the structure of your home or your finances. Rules about money in the book cover household budgeting only and are not investment advice.

The rules describe the habits of one household and homes the author knows; they do not describe every home in Japan.

6. Our responsibility

We have written the book carefully, but we cannot guarantee that every rule suits every home, or any particular saving. To the extent the law allows, our total responsibility to you for anything to do with the book is limited to the price you paid for it. Nothing in these terms limits responsibility that cannot be limited by law.

7. Changes

We may correct or improve the book and update these terms from time to time. The version of the terms shown when you bought the book applies to your purchase.

8. Contact

Questions, refunds or a lost download link: contact@oldjapaneseway.com.