120-yr old Mitsui Besso in Karuizawa at risk of demolition

The recent sale of the original Karuizawa holiday home of Saburosuke Mitsui (1850-1912) to a buyer from an offshore tax haven has locals worried the historic house may soon be demolished.

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Novelist's house in Kyoto to be demolished

The former Kyoto residence of novelist Naoya Shiga (1883-1971) is in its final preparations for demolition and sale. The 100+ year old home is 1.5 kilometers south of Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion).

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Nakagin Capsule Tower could be spared from demolition

According to Jiji Press, the Nakagin Capsule Tower apartment building, a surviving icon of Japan’s metabolism movement in the 1970s, may soon have a savior in the form of a foreign corporation that is looking to acquire the land rights. 

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91-yr old bathhouse converted to shared office

A Yamagata-based construction company has refurbished a traditional 91-year old bathhouse near Ueno, Tokyo, into a shared office, cafe, and event space. 

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Two new luxury boathouse rentals surface in Ine, Kyoto

Two more traditional boathouses in Ine, Kyoto, have been refurbished into luxury overnight accommodation.

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Bauhaus villa in Atami to undergo restoration

The former Hyuga Villa annex in Atami is about to undergo a two-year restoration starting this July. The Bauhaus-style annex was built in 1936 and was designed by Bruno Taut (1880-1938), a renowned German architect. This is the only building Taut designed in Japan. 

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Construction Co to relocate 140-yr old house to Koto-ku

Construction giant Shimizu Corporation has acquired the historic home of Viscount Shibusawa Eiichi and will relocate it to an innovation center currently being developed on a manmade island in Tokyo Bay.

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