280-yr old Inn to be demolished
The owner of a 280-year old Inn in Muko City, Kyoto, has made an inevitable but unfortunate decision to demolish the historic property as maintenance becomes too costly.
91-yr old machiya in Nihonbashi converted into event space
A Tokyo-based real estate company has acquired a 91-year old townhouse in Tokyo’s Nihonbashi district with plans to refurbish it into an event space. Reservations will start from April 15.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Yodoko Guest House re-opens after 2-year restoration
The Yodoko Guest House in Ashiya, Hyogo, reopened to the public on February 16 after undergoing two years of intensive repairs and restoration work.
This is the only surviving Wright-designed residence in Japan that has remained in largely original condition. The house has a total floor area of 542 sqm (5,832 sq.ft) and sits on over an acre of land.
Kyoto may have no surviving machiya townhouses by 2066
Kyoto’s traditional merchant townhouses (machiya, or kyo-machiya) form an integral part of the historic city’s charming streetscapes and culture, yet are being demolished at a shockingly fast pace.
Boutique hotel to open in 88-yr old building in Otaru
This month, Tokyo-based developer, Global Agents, will open a boutique hotel in a historic 1930s building in Otaru, Hokkaido. The UNWIND HOTEL & BAR Otaru will have hotel rooms ranging from 15 ~ 40 sqm (161 ~ 430 sq.ft), along with a banquet / dining hall. This is the company’s second UNWIND-branded hotel, with the first located nearby in Sapporo.
New owner for long-abandoned temple in Kyoto
On December 7, 2018, the Shinshu Otani-ha Buddhist movement announced that they were acquiring the former Ryotoku-ji temple in Kyoto City free of charge, and looking to find a new use for the property with the cooperation of Kyoto Prefecture.
One of Shibuya's oldest homes hits the market
A traditional Japanese house in the heart of Shibuya is currently on the market for 2.27 billion Yen (approx. 20.3 million USD).