オーナーズメッセージ

More than just a house, this is the realization of a lifelong dream of art and design.

Born in Hokkaido, the owner attended university in Kyoto during the student uprisings of the late 1960s. During that time, he frequently walked the Philospher’s Path and visited Zen temples and gardens. These experiences sparked his interest in interior design, architecture, and the Japanese aesthetics of Wabi-Sabi. He found beauty in unadorned tatami rooms, in the weathered wood of Zen temples, and in the different shades of moss on worn out pebbles in the rain. Like rocks in a Zen garden, he discovered that a combination of things when placed at the right place can create value out of no value.
After moving to New York, where he was drawn to Bauhaus-American Modernism, he dreamt of returning to Kyoto to design a house that reflected the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic within the context of modern design.

In 2015, he found this small house located in the northeast part of the city where he lived as a student. The flat house, converted by Japanese architect Shigenori Uoya, offers a neutral backdrop that evokes wabi-sabi by juxtaposing a dark interior with the natural light from the garden. The owner modified the interior layouts and incorporated a small zen garden, creating an intimate space where he carefully selected and placed his cherished furniture, lighting fixtures, and art works.
In the garden, the aging wood, fading bamboo shades, and fallen tree trunk found from the nearby Takano river are some examples of Wabi-sabi. Inside, focusing on Bauhaus functionality and precision, the furniture is kept low and counter surfaces sparse, highlighting the artwork on surrounding walls. The interior’s darker palette allows the user to fully appreciate the natural light from the garden, and to experience the different moods of the day, the quiet passage of time, and the peace and harmony of nature.