Meaning and Value of
Inheriting JAPANESE HOUSESWritten by the "Inherited Housing " Research & Investigation Committee of JUSOKEN
Translated by Takayuki Ichikawa and Carole Forster-Ichikawa

Sibusawa House

Ｈｏｕｓｉｎｇ Ｒｅｓｅａｒｃｈ Foundation JUSOKEN
2018

Preface

Seizo Uchida (Professor, Kanagawa University)

Short lifespan of Japanese houses
When we compare modern houses in Japan and in other countries, one of the
major differences is their average lifespan. According to Yukio Komatsu’s
Tatemono-ha Nannen Motsuka (How long do buildings remain?), a report based on
the White Paper On Land Construction in 1996, the average lifespan of buildings inJapan is only 26 years, while it’s 44 years in the US and 75 years in the UK.
There seems to be several different reasons: Japanese houses are made ofwood, which is more combustible than stone and brick; the quality of buildings islow; and the market for used houses is underdeveloped. The biggest reason,
however, must be our entrenched perception of age-life depreciation, whichassumes the highest value for the newly built building and degradation throughaging. It does not mean Japanese houses are destined for short lifespan from the
beginning, but their owners or users demolish these buildings deliberately. Such a
notion to promote a culture to reconstruct livable buildings clearly manifests itself
at the Ministerial Ordinance concerning the Useful Life, etc. of Depreciable Assets.
According to this revised ministerial ordinance of 1998, the “useful life” of areinforced concrete house is 47 years and that of a wooden house is 22 years. It
indicates that the value of the new wooden house will be zero in 22 years after its
construction. Naturally, such a regulation creates a large impact on buildings. For areal estate transaction, the value of some useful buildings is appraised as zero andreal estate is regularly traded simply for the land price of the plot. Therefore, even
if an existing building is still useful, it’s regarded as “an obstacle” for a plot anddemolished. Such a procedure has been called “Scrap-and-build”. This procedure
has played a major role in the effort to modernize Japanese society and develop astrong economy. However, times are greatly changing.
When a wooden house finishes the 22 years of its “useful life”, the formerly
new house has been damaged by weather and looks old. Even if the house does
not depreciate to zero, it may be natural that the value degrades. But is it an
accurate evaluation of a house? For example, if the resident has taken care of thehouse and provided adequate maintenance, the house can sustain its charm after
22 years and become an indispensable part of the local townscape. If an architect
designed the house, the architect may become famous and the value of the housemight rise as a unique work of the architect, possibly rising even higher than thevalue of a new house. Some people love older houses that express their history.
For those people, old houses are valuable, even if the appraised value is zero.
By carefully following this line of thinking, we come to realize that we havecreated a strange situation for a consumer society. We have appraised no value on
adequately useful buildings and repeatedly demolished useful buildings. At the riskof exaggeration, we have been suffering from a modern disease that has made us
forget a natural thing, that is the inheritance of houses. Such a disease needs to be
cured.

2

Older buildings have more value in the US
Approximately 15 years ago, I had the opportunity to review an American
housing survey in Seattle, Washington. Among the documents was basic data
relating to houses built before the Second World War, including their construction
year, simple floor plan, floor area, plot area, and prices of building and plot. Whatsurprised me is that the price of both building and plot had risen over time.
In Japan the price of buildings generally declines and only the price of plotsrises. In the US, however, the price of buildings also rises. In the other words, theolder a building, the higher the value. This is one reason that the average life spanof buildings in the US is about 1.7 times as long as in Japan. This also indicates anattitude toward the value of being “old”, that of a history that can only be acquired
through “time”.

From “Scrap-and-build” to “Keep-and-change”
Based on learnings from the Seattle case, we should revise our mindset toapply uniform age-life depreciation based on “useful life”, and try to complete thereal lifespan of each building through maintenance. I would like to propose a newconcept, that of “Keep-and-change”, instead of “Scrap-and-build”. We should
move on to a new era in which we either sustain each building as long as we can(“Keep”), or in the event we cannot sustain it, hand it over to others or convert its
functionality (“Change”).
To achieve this transition, it’s necessary to create a new perception of value
regarding houses. Instead of using its age as a single criterion to define its value,
we should aim for creating a culture-oriented perception of value. This perception
will include various criteria such as usability, comfort of living, materials andconstruction technologies used for the building, maintenance history, historicaland cultural value of the building, and its relationship with its neighborhood(locality).

Leverage it for each era
Many people must think, “Precious, valuable, and historical buildings areprotected by the government as a cultural property”. Indeed, either the central
government or each prefectural government preserves historical buildings as acultural property. However, administration around cultural properties focuses on
shrines and temples built in the ancient or medieval periods and respects
academic importance and rarity. When it comes to residential buildings, it’sdifficult to understand their importance simply through academic importance andrarity. We require many and varied criteria for evaluation. To reflect this, Cultural
Property Protection Law was revised in 1996, and the Registered Tangible Cultural
Property has been newly introduced into the protection system.

3

This installment of the “Registered Tangible Cultural Property” system becamea strong incentive to inherit old houses as much as possible, instead of replacing
them with new houses. Certain historical buildings had not been protected underthe existing Designated Cultural Property system, despite their importance for the
local people and community. Under the revised system, such historical buildings
can now be registered and widely recognized as a potential recipient ofpreservation and protection. As this system spread, people gradually started
becoming interested in their house and its surrounding environment. Instead ofdestroying and renewing houses as a matter of course, people started to explore
the importance of inheriting their history and what their predecessors had created.
The word inherit may leave a conservative and nostalgic impression. However, I
do not mean to insist that we should keep historical buildings or entire landscapesand environments by “freeze-drying” them. Just as a heterogeneous society withvarious age groups and genders tends to be more active and attractive than ahomogeneous society, a sound town should have an integrated mix of old
buildings and new buildings. As some elderly people enjoy wearing jeans and usinga smartphone, it is natural that old houses adjust to the current period andtransform. The true meaning of inherit is to create a society that naturally adopts
old things, including houses and lifestyles, to each era and makes use of them,instead of discarding them.
Additionally, some may think it’s difficult to alter any Registered Tangible
Cultural Property, as it’s still a type of cultural property. Indeed, we cannot alter
Important Cultural Properties and National Treasures designated by thegovernment, while it’s permitted to alter the interior of Registered Tangible
Cultural Properties as far as their original external appearance is respected. This
regulation is based on an attitude that values the townscape, however retaining
the complete original external appearance is not mandated. This regulation has
been intentionally loosened somewhat to curb demolition of old buildings, to ask
for continuous use through inheriting the advantages of the old buildings, and toreflect the opinions of residents and owners.
From this we should not conclude that this Registered Tangible Cultural
Property system is perfect already. Currently, to inherit a building, its ownerusually has to shoulder necessary costs for maintenance and repair, even if thebuilding is registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. Therefore, there
must be sufficient financial resources. The owner may have strong reasons toinherit the building, such as “I want to sustain the building inherited from mygrandfather”, “I want to inherit such a comfortable space”, or “I would like toprotect this building for the sake of preserving local history for people to enjoy”,
but they cannot be realized without the budget. Yet despite these various
concerns, the number of cases of inherited houses is gradually increasing.

Various methods of inheritance
To illustrate this increase, we will introduce nine case studies in Chapter One.

4

Segawa House, Sasaki House, and Former Tadatsugu Honda House are now
Registered Tangible Cultural Properties that were originally private houses. Segawa
House and Sasaki House were inherited by the owner from the previous
generation, and their owners maintain, manage and preserve these buildings
through their own initiatives. The Segawa House is owned by a company to reduce
the financial burden on an individual. The family of Sasaki House and the local
community intend to make a non-profit organization to maintain the building. The
Former Honda House was once set for demolition in order to sell the plot, but wasgiven a reprieve as a result of requests from local residents and architects. The plot
was sold, but the owner responded to the entreaties of the community. The ownerprovided the budget to disassemble the building and then donated it to thehometown of Tadatsugu Honda, Okazaki City, Aichi. The building was recently
reconstructed by Okazaki City. This is a case of a house that was rescued andpreserved through the passion of locals and architects.
Former Shigebumi Suzuki House is a Designated Cultural Property of Toshima
ward, Tokyo, and Former Kusuo Yasuda House is a Designated Cultural Property ofTokyo prefecture. In each case, the owner aimed for preservation of the building.
The Former Suzuki House was donated to Toshima ward as a former house of
Shintaro Suzuki, the leading authority on French literature in Japan. The Former
Yasuda House was donated to the Japan National Trust as a precious example of a
prewar mansion in Sendagi area. After the donations the buildings were
designated as cultural properties. Few public organizations accept such donationsof valuable buildings due to the accompanying labor and maintenance costs. In thecase of the two Tokyo buildings, they could be preserved thanks to theconvergence of three fortunate factors: the strong determination of the owner, theobvious value of the house, and a welcoming recipient for the donation.
Cases of such convergence are unique. To illustrate this, we present threesomewhat different cases: Toyosaki Nagaya (Registered Tangible Cultural Property),
Ueno Sakuragi Atari, and Kyudo Gakusha. While keeping the exterior appearanceof the old building, these buildings have been adapted to modern life thoughchanges of some floor plans and interior design. As a way to inherit oldarchitecture, these buildings were transformed to a modern house or a shop,
which in some cases necessitated an accompanying conversion of the use of thebuilding. In principle, it’s essential for a Designated Cultural Property to sustain the
figure of the original building. When we seek to inherit a traditional lifestyle andsurrounding environment while still using a building as a place for modern lifestyleand uses, it is necessary to alter the building moderately by sustaining the external
appearance and changing internal features. Most houses would be used as a placefor daily life, so there will be a greater need to make a moderate alterations toleverage the oldness.
Itoh House (Former Takahiro Sonoda House) is the example of a building
designed by a famous architect. In this case, the owner was looking for a person toinherit to find a suitable candidate, which indicates an opportunity for a type of
auction system for used houses.

5For creating a new system
Certainly, there is growing momentum to leave the “Scrap-and-build” methodthat has existed since the prewar period in favor of a “Keep-and-change” method
to show the mindset of the new age. An increasing number of people think weshould re-evaluate the houses and the lifestyles created by our ancestors and thensustain the unique way of living they encapsulate.
It’s neither easy nor simple to sustain houses and lifestyles of previous
generations, mainly due to social and financial limitations. Because of theselimitations, we are less likely to achieve the goal of “Keep-and-change” by personaleffort alone. We may be able to adapt an old house to a modern lifestyle throughrenovations, but it’s almost impossible to inherit such a house and a way of living
across generations. In the other words, for the key phrase of the new age toactually function, “Keep-and-change” requires essential measures for “change”.
For example, we need to create a new system to provide solutions for people
who want to, but cannot, sustain a traditional valuable house due to financial
reasons or issues surrounding the official inheritance of property and finding a
successor. Another measure is the development of a market for trading usedhouses. We should also consider making a system to inherit a house throughadoption.
In order to implement and spread the concept of “Keep-and-change”, it’snecessary be mindful of the values required to respect culture instead of
economical rationality. To this end, it is also important to provide fundamental
education to nurture awareness towards inheritance of traditional houses andbeautiful lifestyles. I hope this book will be of some assistance and value toward
this goal.

6

Table of Contents

Preface [Seizo Uchida]

Chapter 1----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2

Experts in Inheriting Houses – Various Experiments for Inheritance-------------------10

Former Shigebumi Suzuki House (Shintaro Suzuki’s Former House) [Wataru Mitsui] ---11
Segawa House [Masateru Segawa] ------------------------------------------------------------------13
Sasaki House: Dojunkai Ekoda Wooden Built-For-Sale House [Masako Notoji] ----------16
Former Kusuo Yasuda House [Yoshinobu Igo]--------------------------------------------------19

Former Tadatsugu Honda House [Seizo Uchida] -------------------------------------------------22
Toyosaki Row House [Shihoko Koike]--------------------------------------------------------------25

Ueno Sakuragi Atari [Akiko Shiihara]--------------------------------------------------------------28

Ito House (Former Takahiro Sonoda House) [Toshiko Kinosita] ------------------------------31
Kyudo-Gakusha [Shin’ichi Chikazumi]

Chapter 2-------------------------------------------------------------34

Traditional Houses Revived as a Cultural Heritage ----- Meaning of Inheritance----38

1

Meanings, Roles, and Challenges to Conserve as a Cultural Property [Osamu Goto] ---41

2

Sociological Meaning to Preserve Remains of the Past [Shisei Kimura]

3

What I Considered to Inherit My Grandfather’s House [Natsuko Murakawa] ------------54

4

Current Housing Education and its Challenges [Tomoko Usuda]

5

Conditions that Allow “Sumai” to “be Inherited” [Yasushi Sukenari] -----------------------70-------------------48----------------------------61

Chapter 3

Japanese “Waza” and “Pride” in Houses ----- Inherited Housing Culture

6

Japanese Houses in the Emerging Process of “Japanese-Western Eclectic Style”
Between the Meiji and Prewar Period [Seizo Uchida]------------76-----------------------------------------79

7

Japanese Elements Remaining in Home Life in the Suburbs [Maiko Umemoto] ----------90

8“Pride” in a House Starts with the “Japanese Standard” [Yoshiji Takehara] -------------100

9Degradation of Traditional Technology and Inheritance of the “Genuine Techniques”[Tadanori Kimura]

10-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------105

Japanese Lifestyle and Manners We Should Inherit [Nobuko Matsumoto] --------------110

7

Chapter 4
11

Making a Platform ----- Social System for Inheritance

A System to Inherit the Lifestyle of Yanaka Area and Traditional Architecture[Akiko Shiihara]

12---------------------------------118----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------121

The System of the Housing Heritage Trust for Inheritance and Use [Toshiko Kinoshita]----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------131

13“Soft Regeneration” of the Vertical Kyoto-style Townhouse, Horikawa Housing
Complex [Mitsuo Takada]---------------------------------------------------------------------------138

14

Kyudo-Gakusha: Challenge to Revive It as an Apartment [Shin’ichi Chikazumi] --------150

15

Creation of the “Housing Résumé” to Verify the Value of Buildings [Seizo Uchida] ----157

Appendix --- Preservation and Continuous Use of Buildings Through Trusts: Potential andChallenges [Masakuni Tamura]--------------------------------------------------------------------162

Afterword ─ Why Do We Inherit Old Houses? [Hideki Kobayashi]

Acknowledgements
Index--------------------------------------179-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------185---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------188

Note: Content in square brackets, ”[ ]”, and footnotes starting with “Ed. Note” are editor’s notes.

89Chapter 1
Experts of Inheriting Houses– Various Experiments for Inheritance10

First floor of the study: It features tallbookshelves and western design elements
such as a fireplace. This part was undamaged
during the air raid. Shigebumi Suzuki is
pictured.
(Photo: Daiki Horibe)

Façade of the study: The current
façade reflects repairs made in 1976.
However, the unique small eaves, withclay tiles arranged in the curve of the
kara hafu (cusped gable), are the sameas the original 1928 design.
(Photo: Wataru Mitsui)

Former Shigebumi Suzuki House (Shintaro Suzuki’s Former House)
Wataru Mitsui (Professor, Tokyo University of the Arts)

Stained glass in the study: The
motif is taken from a poem by
Stéphane Mallarmé, a 19th
century French poet. Shintaro
reportedly participated in thedesign.
(Photo: Daiki Horibe)

Shintaro Suzuki (1885-1970), a scholar of French
literature, and his son, Shigebumi Suzuki (1927-2010),
a scholar of architecture, lived on the outskirts ofTokyo. The residence consists of three buildings thathave been built, relocated, and repaired since thebeginning of the Showa era. The oldest one is the study,
built in 1928. While studying in Europe, Shintaro had
sent important books by ship to Japan, but they weredestroyed in a fire on the vessel. Based on thisexperience, he decided to construct the study withreinforced concrete for greater fire resistance,
although such material was rarely used at the time. A
second floor was added in 1931, and while the study
was severely damaged by an air raid in April 1945, it
had been continually used throughout successive
repairs. The cha-no-ma (living-dining-room) and thehall, built in 1946, were small structures intended for
day to day use, and were built under the post WorldWar II construction restriction. The zashiki (receptionroom), relocated from Kasukabe, Saitama, in 1948, is a
traditional architectural design in the Shoin-Zukuri style.

11

Zashiki: This zashiki has a eight-tatami-mat
room with toko-no-ma (built-in recessed
space) and a six-tatami-mat tsugi-no-ma(adjoining room), surrounded by engawa(Japanese style verandah). These rooms havea complete set of typical design elements of Cha-no-ma: This is a six-tatami-mat room
shoin-zukuri: toko (decorative alcove), tanacontaining true Japanese style elements,(shelf), ten-bukuro (storage attached tosuch as Uchinori-nageshi (horizontal piececeiling), ji-bukuro (storage attached to floor), of timber above openings), Saobuchi-tenjo
and saobuchi-tenjo.
(battened ceiling), and glass windows with
(Photo: Daiki Horibe)shoji (translucent paper sliding doors).
While it was built during the impoverishedpost-war period, its uniqueness lies in the
thick columns and wooden panel doors
Location
Toshima, Tokyo
with high quality finish.
(Photo: Daiki Horibe)First floor of the study: 1928
Year ofcompletion

Second floor of the study: 1931
Zashiki: around 1890 (relocatedin 1948)
Cha-no-ma and hall: 1946

Structure

First floor of the study: Reinforced
concrete
Second floor of the study: steel
Zashiki: wood
Cha-no-ma and hall: wood

ArchitectStudy: Yasushi Otsuka, Junji
Awaya
Zashiki: unknown
Cha-no-ma and hall: Junji Awaya

Main use

House → Open to the public

Owner

Suzuki family → Toshima ward

Plot area

595.04 m2

Floor area

296.46 m2

Designation
as a culturalproperty

Designated Tangible Cultural
Property of Toshima Ward

Repairhistory

1931, 1946, 1948, 1956, 1965,
1976

①

②

③
④

Ⓐ

⑤

Ⓐ “平面図”=”Plan”①“書斎２階”=”Second floor of the study”②“座敷”=”Zashiki (reception room)”③“茶の間およびホール”=”Chanoma (living-dining-room) and hall”④“書斎”=”Study”⑤“道路”=”Street”

12Reception room (Photo: Jo Shimizu)

Segawa House
Masateru Segawa（Shohei Institute of Real Estate Inc.）

Main entrance (Photo: Jo Shimizu)

Note: All pictures and the floor plan
are reprinted from Uketsugareta
Sumai – Ima ni ikiru Bunkyo no
Kindai Kenchiku (2013), edited by
Bunkyo Furusato Rekishikan, issued
by Bunkyo ward.

Koui Furuichi, a scholar of civil engineering, lived
in this house from 1894, and his daughter, Yoshiko,and son-in-law, Masayo Segawa, a doctor of
medicine, inherited it after the Great Kanto
Earthquake. This house has fabulous elements: ashiki-butai (a low noh stage) placed in a reception
room for Furuichi to perform noh, his hobby; aJapanese tea room built by the Segawa family in
the Showa era; and a moss garden. The house has
been gradually modified to reflect the preferencesof each successive generation of owners. In 1984,
the Segawa family made the decision to preserve
the building, after which they rented part of its
plot and constructed a building to raise its
maintenance costs. Currently, Shohei Institute ofReal Estate Inc. owns this house, and the company
relocated its office to the house and operates
from it. The company performs the maintenanceand management of the house. In 2003, thisbuilding was designated as a National Registered
Tangible Cultural Property.

13Hiroen (broad veranda) in front of
the large reception hall
(Photo: Jo Shimizu)

View from the Buddhist altar room to the
mizuya (preparation room) of Isshi-an, aJapanese tea room
(Photo: Jo Shimizu)

View from the large reception hallthrough the middle six-tatami-mat room
to the reception room
(Photo: Jo Shimizu)

Location

Bunkyo, Tokyo

Year ofcompletion

Around 1890s

Structure

Wood, two stories

Main use

House → Open to the public,
Management office

Owner

Furuichi family → Segawa family →Shohei Institute of Real Estate Inc.

Floor area

270 m2

Designation
as a culturalproperty

National Registered Tangible
Cultural Property

Reconstruction in Showa era(Buddhist altar room, Japanese tea
Repair history room, storehouse, entrance,(Addition
second floor)/Repair)
Landscaping and extension ofJapanese tea room around 1959
Partial demolition in 1984

14

③
①

⑪

②

⑤
⑥
⑦

⑧

⑨
⑩
⑬

⑭

④

⑫

⑯
⑰
⑮

⑱

Ⓑ

Floor plan (created by Jiyu Architects)Ⓑ “瀬川邸 平面図” = “Segawa House Floor Plan”①“洗面所” = “Sink”②“便所” = “Toilet”③“台所” = “Kitchen”④“蔵” = “Storehouse”⑤“水屋” = “Mizuya (preparation room)”⑥“床” = “Toko (decorative alcove)”⑦“一指庵” = “Isshi-an, a Japanese tea room”⑧“仏間” = “Buddhist altar room”⑨“畳廊下” = “Tatami-floored corridor”⑩“玄関の間” = “Entrance hall”⑪“大玄関” = “Main entrance”⑫“大広間” = “Large reception hall”⑬“中六畳” = “Middle six-tatami-mat room”⑭“応接間” = “Reception room”⑮“寄付” = “Yoritsuki (anteroom)”⑯“内玄関” = “Private entrance”⑰“倉庫” = “Storage”⑱“苔庵” = “Koke-an, a Japanese tea room”

15

South façade from the garden(Photo: Taizo Furukawa)

Sasaki House: Dojunkai Ekoda Wooden Built-For-Sale House

Masako Notoji (President, Sasaki House Preservation Society)

Engawa (veranda) and extended
section, from the garden(Photo: Taizo Furukawa)

Since my grandparent’s generation, my family had
lived in this house and all of us felt an attachment
to it. We didn’t have the idea to preserve thehouse until we invited an expert of housing history
in 2006. Through open house events, more people,
including those in the field of architecture, visited
this house, and its value had been graduallyacknowledged as a space that conveys the historyof the early Showa era: an archetypical wooden
built-for-sale house with a garden, the lifestyle ofa suburban middle-class household, and thecommunity around it. This acknowledgment has
led to a big push for preservation. In 2011, theSasaki House, the Former Dojunkai Ekoda BuiltFor-Sale House, Preservation Society wasestablished to discuss long-term preservation
methods from various perspectives, with input
from the family, experts, and local people. Bymaking the Society into a non-profit organization,
we seek to achieve more full-scale preservation
and utilization and to pass the house on to thenext generation.
*Cooperated with Gallery A416

Entrance(Photo: Taizo Furukawa)
Location
Year of completion
Structure

Guest room of eight tatami-mats(Photo: Taizo Furukawa)
Nerima, Tokyo
1934
Wood, single-story

Architectural Design

Dojunkai

Main use

Residence

Owner

Sasaki family

Plot area

485.32 m2

Floor area

103.70 m2

Designation as acultural property

National Registered Tangible Culture Property

Repair history

1935, 1973, 2012, 2016

Hiroen (broad veranda) from thewestern room side
(Photo: Taizo Furukawa)

Western room, used as a reception
room and a study(Photo: Taizo Furukawa)

17

②
①

④

③

⑤
⑪
⑦

⑩

⑥
⑧

⑨

⑫

Floor plan (created by Uchida Lab., Kanagawa University)①“女中室” = “maid’s room”②“風呂” = “bathroom”③“台所” = “kitchen”④“玄関” = “entrance”⑤“広間” = “hall”⑥“洋間 8畳” = “8 tatami-mat western room”⑦“客間 8畳” = “8 tatami-mat guest room”⑧“広縁” = “hiroen (broad veranda)”⑨“縁側” = “engawa (veranda)”⑩“居間 6畳” = “6 tatami-mat living room”⑪“茶の間 6畳” = “6 tatami-mat living-dining room”⑫“4.5 畳” = “4.5 tatami mats”

18⑫

Central part: rooms are aligned in an echelon formation(Photo: Yoshihiko Ono)

Former Kusuo Yasuda House

Yoshinobu Igo (President, Jiyu Architects; Lecturer, College of Industrial
Technology, Nihon University)

Tsuke-shoin (built-in table) of theguest room on the second floor.
Note the beautiful shoin ranma(openwork transom window
above a shoin) with hanazama(flower-like pattern)(Photo: Yoshihiko Ono)

This house was built by Kozaburo Fujita in 1919, andpurchased in 1923 after the Great Kanto Earthquake
by Zenshiro Yasuda, a son-in-law of Zenjiro Yasuda of
the Yasuda Zaibatsu conglomerate. After owner
Kusuo Yasuda passed away in 1995, Japan National
Trust acquired the building through an arrangement
initiated by a citizen group, The Bunkyo Link forArchitectural Preservation. Yukiko Yasuda, wife of
Kusuo, donated the vast plot and the building for
public use. This was a rare example of a donation to a
private tax-exempt organization, which is recognized
as one of the methods to preserve historical buildings.
The current management is entrusted to The Bunkyo
Link for Architectural Preservation, and the building is
open to the public. The citizen group led thispreservation campaign in order to preserve thebuilding and its operation and management. Thisbuilding conveys the elegant life of the upper classand allows us to experience the beauty of a Japanese
residential building.

19The single western room with a fireplace.
The carpet has been restored.
(Photo: Yoshihiko Ono)

Location
Year of completion
Structure
Architectural design

Lofty entrance with a large step stone,
shikidai (wooden platform), and mairado(a panel door with crosspieces)(Photo: Yoshihiko Ono)

Bunkyo, Tokyo
1919
Wood, two stories
Shimizu Gumi, Ltd, Design Department (current Shimizu Corporation)

Main use

Residence → Public use

Owner
Plot area

Fujita family → Yasuda family → Japan National Trust
1486.03 m2

Floor area

598.39 m2

Designation as a culturalproperty
Funding
Repair history

Tokyo Metropolis Designated Site of Scenic Beauty
Owner’s expense (Japan National Trust), Financial support from Tokyo
Metropolis and Bunkyo Ward, Other source, Personal benefactor
2003 to 2005: Architectural repair
2010 to 2013: Landscape repair

Toko (raised space) and tsukeshoin (built-in table) of the
Zangetsu-no-ma on the first floor.
There is a nice view of the main
garden through the glass window.
(Photo: Yoshihiko Ono)

20

①
Ⓔ

③ ②
⑩

⑤ ⑥
⑦

④
⑪⑫⑭

⑮ ⑯

⑧

⑬
(21) ⑲ ⑰
⑱
(22)
⑳
(23)

⑨

(25)
(29)

(24)
(26) (27)

Ⓓ

(45)

(28)
(31)
(30)
(32)

(33)

(34) (37)
(38)

(35)
(36)

(39)

Ⓒ

(42)

(43)

(40)
(41)

(44)

Ⓒ“平面図” = “Floor Plan”Ⓓ“配置図兼一階平面図” =“Layout and floor plan of the first floor”Ⓔ“二階平面図” =“Floor plan of the second floor”①“水屋” = “Mizuya”②“床” = “Toko”③“予備室” = “Spare room”④“書院” = “Tsukeshoin”⑤“客間” = “Guest room”⑥“次の間” = “Adjoining room”⑦“縁側” = “Engawa”⑧“板倉” =
“Itakura (depository and food storehouse)”⑨“子供室” = “Kid’s room”⑩“坪庭” = “Tsuboniwa (spot garden)”⑪“井戸” = “Well”⑫“洗濯室” = “Laundry room”⑬“焚口” = “Fuel hole”⑭“台所土間” = “Earth floor kitchen”⑮“流し” = “Sink”⑯“物置” = “Storage”⑰“台所” = “Kitchen”⑱“女中部屋” = “Maid’s room”⑲“ボイラー置き場” = “Boiler”⑳“納戸” = “Storeroom”

21（21）“浴室” = “Bathroom”（22）“仏間” = “Buddhist altar room”（23）“化粧室” = “Toilet”（24）“中庭” = “Courtyard”（25）“茶の間” = “Living-dining-room”（26）“次の間” = “Adjoining room”（27）“床” = “Raised space”（28）“残月の間” = “Zangetsu-no-ma”（29）“防空壕” = “Air-raid shelter”（30）“縁側” = “Engawa”（31）“書院” = “Tsukeshoin”（32）“主庭” = “Main garden”（33）“サンルーム” = “Sunroom”（34）“応接室” = “Reception room”（35）“内玄関” = “Private entrance”（36）“書生室” = “Houseboy’s room”（37）“電話室” = “Telephone room”（38）“寄付” = “Yoritsuki (Anteroom)”（39）“控室” = “Waiting room”（40）“玄関” = “Entrance”（41）“前庭” = “Front garden”（42）“車庫” = “Garage”（43）“供待” = “Waiting space”（44）“売却部分” = “Sold plot”（45）“安田家所有部分” =“Yasuda family’s plot”

South façade: Bay windows and verandah with three consecutive
arches. Scratched tiles cover the edge of the arches.
(Photo: Seizo Uchida)

Former Tadatsugu Honda House

Seizo Uchida (Professor, Kanagawa University)

Parlor(Photo: Seizo Uchida)

I received an invitation to an open house event from agroup of architects who conducted a survey on theremains of historical houses in Setagaya, Tokyo. I was
greatly surprised by these houses, which were built in
the early Showa era and were targeted for demolition.
Despite some damage, the original buildings and fixtures
were sustained. In the case of the Former Tadatsugu
Honda House, there were architectural drawings and acomplete set of notes and relevant documents
explaining why the original owner built this house. To
take action for preservation, I immediately created asurvey team with the spotters. Our goal was to survey
the building with the main focus on measurements.
Since the plot had already been sold, we concurrently
looked for a relocation destination with the ward office
and related organizations. In desperation, we also madecontact with Okazaki city, the hometown of the original
owner. Happily we received a reply that the city would
accept relocation. However, this raised another problem,as the city didn’t have the budget to disassemble andrelocate the house. Luckily, the owner told us, “I’mpleased that a lot of people appreciate the house somuch. I would like to pay the disassembly cost.” When I
visit the reassembled Honda House, I remember how
gratefully we received the news from Okazaki city andthe owner.
22

Porch of the entrance using
Tudor arch
(Photo: Seizo Uchida)

Location

Setagaya, Tokyo→ Okazaki, Aichi

Year ofcompletion

1932

Structure

Wood, two stories, partial use ofsteel

Architect

Hakuhosha Co., Ltd.
Restoration/repair: Cooperative
Organization for the Study of theTraditional Building Techniques

Main use

Residence → Open to the public

Owner

Honda family → Okazaki city

Plot area

Original: 7100 m2
Current: 2280 m2

Floor area

522 m2

Funding

Owner and Okazaki city

Designation as acultural property

Registered
Property

Year of relocation

2012

Staircase located in the front entrance
hall. The handrails are steel.
(Photo: Seizo Uchida)

Tangible

CulturalTasteful Japanese roomwith toko (decorative
alcove) in the middle andchigai-dana (staggered
shelves) and tsuke-shoin(built-in table) on eachside. The walls are coatedwith sand mixed with ironore dust, called Ginkujaku (literally, silver
peacock). For the chigaidana, plywood planked
with maple veneer sheet
was used to prevent
warping.
(Photo: Seizo Uchida)

23

①

⑩

⑨

②

⑧
③

④

⑤
⑥

⑦

(25)
(24)

⑫
⑪
⑬

⑭

(26)

⑮

⑲

⑰

(23)
⑳

(21)

⑯
(22)

⑱

Ⓕ 移築後平面図（作成：伝統技法研究会）Ⓕ Floor plan after relocation(Created by Dento Giho Kenkyukai)①“バルコニー” = “Balcony”②“納戸” = “Storeroom”③“客間” = “Guest room”④“次の間” = “Adjoining room”⑤“控室” = “Waiting room”⑥“茶室” = “Tea room”⑦“書斎” = “Study”⑧“寝室” = “Bed room”⑨“浴室” = “Bathroom”⑩“化粧室” = “Toilet”⑪“車寄” = “Porch”⑫“使者の間” = “Messenger’s room”⑬“玄関” = “Entrance”⑭“広間” = “Hall”

(27)
(28)

⑮“元応接室” = “Former reception room”⑯“団欒室” = “Parlor”⑰“食堂” = “Dining room”⑱“ベランダ” = “Verandah”⑲“配膳室” = “Service room”⑳“衣装室” = “Dressing room”（21）“夫人室” = “Wife’s room”（22）“日光室” = “Sunroom”（23）“化粧室” = “Toilet”（24）“湯殿” = “Bathroom”（25）“元暖房・洗濯室” =“Former heating and laundry room”（26）“元台所” = “Former kitchen”（27）“新しく建てた所” = “Newly built rooms”（28）“室内を復元していない所” =“Converted rooms”

24Here we can see the daily interactions ofpeople.
(Photo: Yutaka Kinumaki)

View of Toyosaki Row House fromabove: six row house buildings with
Omoya (main building) in the middle

Toyosaki Row House

Shihoko Koike (Associate Professor, Osaka City University)

Second floor of the Minami
Nagaya(Photo: Yutaka Kinumaki)

Toyosaki Row House is a project to sustain a modern
row house (nagaya) in Osaka, built in the Meiji andTaisho eras. The 6 row houses containing 20 units arelocated a 10-minute walk from Umeda, in central
Osaka. Unpaved paths run between the buildings,
which are arranged around a main building. Since theEdo era, Osaka has had a culture of row house living,
but row houses are regularly demolished due todeterioration and low disaster resistance. Because ofthis tendency to demolish them, this ongoing project
to preserve and use the Toyosaki row houses as
dwellings in Osaka requires the cooperation of therow house’s owner, Osaka City University, residents,and experts. The main objectives are: to respect thetradition and uniqueness of Osaka’s row houses, toimprove earthquake resistance, and to utilize Toyosaki
as a modern residence.

25

First floor of the Kitahate Nagaya is used as a Saori
Weaving school.
(Photo: Yutaka Kinumaki)

View from the front garden of
the Futo Nagaya: Note theearthquake-resistant rib frames
in the room.
(Photo: Yutaka Kinumaki)

Fusha Nagaya: Latticed projecting door after
restoration(Photo: Yutaka Kinumaki)
Location
Year of completion

Kita, Osaka city
1897 - 1925

Structure

Wood, two stories

Architect

Existing buildings: Unknown
Repair planning: Naoki Tani, Yoshiji, Takehara
Repair design: Yoshiji Takehara, Shihoko Koike

Main use

Rental house (10 out of 20 units repaired)

Owner
Plot area

Plot/building: individual owner
1457㎡

Floor area
Designation as acultural property
Funding

39.94～86.63m²
Registered Tangible Cultural Property

Repair history

May 2008 – March 2012

Research fund of Osaka City University Urban Research Plaza

26

③

②

①

⑤

④

Ⓖ 全体配置図⑥Ⓖ Layout of buildings①“北終長屋” = “Kitahate Nagaya”②“風東長屋” = “Futo Nagaya”③“風南長屋” = “Minami Nagaya”④“風西長屋” = “Fusha Nagaya”⑤“主屋” = “Omoya”⑥“銀舎長屋” = “Ginsha Nagaya”

27

View from the front of the alley and Atari 1 during the market event,
Minna-no-Marché (Everyone’s market)

Ueno Sakuragi Atari

Akiko Shiihara（Vice Chair, NPO Taito Cultural & Historical Society）

Atari 2 (right) and Atari 3 (left):
Restored buildings preserve theatmosphere of the Showa era.

Ueno Sakuragi Atari is a compound facility restored
in 2015. Tsukakoshi Co. Ltd., founded in
Nihonbashi in the Meiji era, built three houses in
Ueno Sakuragi in the early Showa era. Ueno
Sakuragi had been a high-class residential area
since Meiji era. Taito Cultural and Historical Society
converted these houses into a facility including
shops, a residence, and an office. The three houses
from the early Showa era, each equipped with aJapanese room, a Western room and a garden, hadbeen vacant for a time. Before we initiated therestoration project, we first recruited tenants who
wished to respect the origin and features of thebuildings as well as their connection to theneighborhood. The rental space “Your Zashiki(Everyone’s reception room)/Your Roji (Everyone’s
alley)”, the courtyard, and a modern well connect
the shops and the residence with neighborhood.
This connection creates a space for interaction
among people of all age ranges and from neighbors
to international travellers. We sometimes holdmarket events to introduce the local food and thecultures of various areas in order to connect Tokyo
with other areas in Japan. This project received theGood Design Award in 2015 for “Efforts for local
revitalization”.

28

Rental community space, “Your Zashiki”

The courtyard connects shops.

“Yanaka-no-Inaka-Marché” (Rural
products market at Yanaka) in “YourRoji”

People gather in the alley at a
newly placed modern but
nostalgic-looking well.

29

Location
Year of completion

Taito, Tokyo
1938

Structure

Wood, two stories (3 buildings)

Architect

Original architect is unknown.

Project owner

Tsukakoshi Co., Ltd.

Planning/Design/Man
agement of therenovation

Planning/management: NPO Taito Cultural & Historical Society
Supervision on renovation design: kurashiffon Miki Takiuchi
Architect OfficePlanning for building preservation and repair: Naohiro
Kobayashi (Tokyo University of the Arts)
Landscape design: Anzai Design Studio
Architectural construction: Hiro Kikaku Jutaku Co., Ltd.
Landscape construction: Big Island Inc.

Main use

Residence → Residence, shop, office, rental community space

Real estate owner
Plot area
Floor area
Funding
Year of renovation

Tsukakoshi Co., Ltd.
409.07㎡
Building No. 1 113.06㎡, Building No.2 150.64㎡, Building No.3
138.05㎡
Basic construction/Landscape construction: Owner
Shop interior: Each tenant
2015

30

Living room: view from the east looking west
(Photo: Sadamu Saito)

Ito House (Former Takahiro Sonoda House)

Toshiko Kinoshita (Heritage Houses Trust)South façade(Photo: Sadamu Saito)

When Takahiro Sonoda was 26 years old, he asked
Junzo Yoshimura (46), to design a house. The
result was this small wooden two-story house
built in 1955. The house has a floor area of 77m2
and was built in the garden of his wife Haruko’s
parents’ house. Sonoda was a pianist who had an
active international career performing in Europe,
mainly in Germany. When he shifted the base of
his performances to Japan, he asked Hiroshi
Ogawa, a disciple of Junzo Yoshimura, to design afurther extension of the building, which wascompleted in 1987. The house was inherited by
the Ito family from the Sonoda family, whocurrently cherish the house dearly. Heritage
Houses Trust, a general incorporated association
created for the opportunity to inherit Sonoda
House, currently preserves and utilizes the
structure and architecture with consent of theowner. We have held the event “Ongaku to
Kenchiku no Hibikiau Tsudoi” on more thantwenty occasions, which consists of a concert,usually piano, and a talk on architecture.

31

Living room: view from the north looking
south(Photo: Sadamu Saito)

The event “Ongaku to Kenchiku no
Hibikiau Tsudoi”(Photo: Sadamu Saito)

An event to show gratitude from Mrs. Sonoda (left)
to Mr. Ito (right)

Location
Year of completion
Structure

Meguro, Tokyo
Original part: 1955, Extension: 1987

Architect

Original part: Wood, two stories
Extension: Wood, two stories (part of the basement has areinforced concrete structure)
Original part: Junzo Yoshimura/Extension: Hiroshi Ogawa

Main use

Residence

Owner
Plot area

Sonoda family → Ito family
486.77m2

Floor area
Designation as a cultural property

Original part: 77m2/Extension: 306m2
Registered Tangible Cultural Property

32

①

④

②

⑤
③
⑧

⑦

⑥

⑨

Ⓘ

Ⓙ
⑩
⑪

⑧

Ⓗ 平面図

Ⓗ Floor plan (created by Heritage Houses Trust)Ⓘ“1階平面図” = “Floor plan of the first floor”Ⓙ“2階平面図” = “Floor plan of the second floor”①“クローゼット” = “Closet”②“吹抜” = “Empty space”③“寝室” = “Bed room”④“サロン” = “Salon”⑤“玄関” = “Entrance”⑥“寝室” = “Bed room”⑦“食堂” = “Dining room”⑧“道路境界線” = “Boundary line of street”⑨“煙突” = “Chimney”⑩“吉村順三設計部分” = “Original building designed by Junzo Yoshimura”⑪“小川洋増築部分” = “Extension designed by Hiroshi Ogawa”

33East façade

Kyudo-Gakusha

Shin’ichi Chikazumi(President, Shu-Koh-Sha Architectural Urban Design Studio)

A reception room with ahigh ceiling and tall archedwindows. The plasteredwalls, nageshi (horizontal
piece of timber), andwainscoting panels aremainly original.

The original building was built in 1926. It is predated by
the wooden dormitory that withstood the Great Kanto
Earthquake of 1923. Architect Goichi Takeda
reconstructed the building with a reinforced concrete
structure and using the latest earthquake resistancedesign methods. This student dormitory in thedormitory town of Hongo was once praised as being“just like a hotel”, but it closed in 1999 due todeterioration and changing population needs. Shin’ichi
Chikazumi, a grandson of the founder, Jokan Chikazumi,
planned the preservation and utilization of the historicalbuilding through a cooperative scheme using fixed term
land leasehold. It has been converted to a 10 unit
apartment. Its skeleton was reinforced to improve
earthquake resistance and to maintain durability.
Residents oversaw installation of the newest interior
finishing and fixtures, and they incurred all of therenovation costs for the residential units. This is theoldest reinforced concrete structure apartment in Japanthat is still used as a residence. (Further information in
Section 14 of Chapter 4.)

34

Interior of the common area

This long corridor with arches is also
used as book storage
Location
Year ofcompletion
Structure
Architect

Main use
Owner

Plot area
Floor area
Building
area
Size of aresidential
unit
Funding
plan
Year ofrenovation

Bunkyo, Tokyo
1926
Reinforced concrete, three stories
Original building: Goichi Takeda
Renovation: Yoko Chikazumi Architect
Office, Shu-Koh-Sha architectural urban
design studioDormitory → Apartment
Building: a corporation → Section owner
Plot: Owned by a corporation → Fixedterm land lease rights were established852.01m2
768.01m2
336.80m2

View from an entrance to anarched window in a bathroom

26.66 m2 to 161.89 m2

Fixed term land lease rights, Sale ofsection ownership rights
2006

35

West façade

Ⓚ
Ⓝ

Ⓜ

①

Ⓛ 1階平面図Ⓚ“PH階平面図” = “Floor plan of the penthouse”Ⓛ“1階平面図” = “Floor plan of the first floor”Ⓜ“2階平面図” = “Floor plan of the second floor”Ⓝ“3階平面図” = “Floor plan of the third floor”①“求道会館” = “Kyudo-Kaikan”

36

37

Chapter 2
Traditional Houses Revived as a Cultural
Heritage-Meaning of Inheritance38

When I listen to a story about or visit a traditional house, for some reason
I sometimes feel a lot of sense of nostalgia. In addition, I sometimes
experience deja vu about architecture I’ve never visited before. While I thinksuch sensations are awkward, I personally interpret these sensations as pastshared experiences and memories encoded in the genes of Japanese people,
which in turn have been passed down to the current generation.
Regardless of the legitimacy of this interpretation, I acknowledge that it isodd, but natural, to feel such nostalgia and intimacy. Yet at the same time I
feel worried. When the number of historical houses decreases and wecannot enjoy encounters with architecture and witness continuation of
traditional lifestyles, the continuity of memories may be disrupted and we
may feel nothing from specific types of open spaces or tatami mats.
I have a reason for confessing such personal emotions. These odd feelings
allow me to feel a deep linear connection between myself and the past,present and future. Perhaps it is an exaggeration to say, but such a momentwith historical buildings entails not only a moment with architecture, butalso triggers a moment of collective memory as a Japanese person.
Our memories can be generally grouped into two categories: personal
memories based on personal experience, and objective memories based on
sharing the milieu, the history, and the time of Japan. Perhaps what isinherited across generations are these objective memories, which work as asource of nostalgic feelings toward a so-called Japanese traditional lifestyle.
Sharing such objective memories must be what creates and sustains a stablesociety and culture.
It follows then that when historical buildings and traditional lifestyles,
which remind us of objective memories, are discarded, we have discarded
our past as well as our future. Going forward, we should stop discarding
existing houses and lifestyles, or the local communities and local
environments that are familiar to us. Instead, we should build a society
based on moderate change and inherited buildings and lifestyles harmonizedwith new lifestyles. I believe that the act of inheritance is reasonable and themost humane way of life.
The present demands that we reconsider the meaning of this simple act,
that of inheritance. For example, consider the familiar existing system with adirect connection to inheritance, the system of Cultural Property Designation.
The Japanese government and each municipality have their own culturalproperty system, and historical buildings are designated as a part of culturalproperties. It’s certain that the act of preservation is connected to our future.
However, some basic questions arise. What is the purpose of preserving
cultural properties? Is it successful as an act of inheritance?
While the meaning of inheritance varies depending on context andperspective, it is necessary to re-examine the meaning of our actions, in39

order to create a perception of values respecting culture. At the very least,
various questions arise from a sociological perspective. How can we explain
the motivation and meaning that drives us to place value on the inheritanceof traditional houses and lifestyle? What kind of relationship should exist
between the act of inheritance and our daily life? In this chapter, authors
from different perspectives share their diverse stories about this essential
question, the meaning of inheritance. I hope the reader will take theirarguments as a personal starting point and platform to consider thisquestion further.
(Seizo Uchida)40１Meanings, Roles, and Challenges to
Save Houses as a Cultural Property

Osamu Goto (Professor, Kogakuin University)

Passionate actions of municipalities
Recently, we can observe a dramatic increase in the need for preservation
and utilization of historical buildings. As of 2003, the central government had
selected 62 districts according to the Preservation District for Groups ofHistoric Buildings System, established in 1975 by amendment of the Act on
Protection of Cultural Properties. This means two districts had been selected
every year on average for the last 30 years since the introduction of thesystem. In addition, in the twelve years from 2003 to 2015, the number ofpreservation districts has almost doubled to 110 districts in 90 municipalities.
The more districts to be preserved, the more expense the central
government potentially incurs, and the stricter its examination naturally
becomes. Yet the number of selected districts has been increasing, whichshows how committed municipalities are to preserving each district.
A similar trend can be observed for the Registered Tangible Cultural
Property System started in 1996. Initially its goal was to register 500
properties each year. There has been no difficulty achieving this, as morethan 10 000 properties have been registered as of fiscal year 2015.
Considering that the Important Cultural Property System has designated only
4232 properties in its more than 100 year history, it’s obvious the Registered
Tangible Cultural Property System is working at a much more rapid pace. This
pace is mainly due to a strong push from municipalities, not due to active
registration by the central government.
In addition to these systems, according to the Act on Maintenance andImprovement of Traditional Scenery in Certain Districts created in 2008, 49
municipalities have already set up a plan for implementation by 2018. While
it’s difficult and time-consuming to create a plan based on the act, the paceof action is faster than that under the Preservation District for Groups ofHistoric Buildings System. We can affirm that more and more municipalities
take energetic actions for various preservation systems and show great
enthusiasm about the preservation and utilization of historical buildings.
Systems and situations around residential buildings
Concerning residential buildings, we should consider how a culturalproperty protection system is relevant to them. In addition to theaforementioned National Treasures, Important Cultural Properties,
41

Registered Tangible Cultural Properties, and Preservation Districts for Groupsof Historic Buildings, the Act on Protection of Cultural Properties covers thefollowing systems: the Tangible Folk Cultural Property System that features
livelihoods and culture of everyday life, including residential buildings; andthe Intangible Folk Cultural Property System that protects what has been
produced and inherited in a daily life, such as clothing, food, housing,
livelihoods, manners and customs. Some houses are preserved as a Historic
Site or a Site Of Scenic Beauty. Residential buildings are protected as acultural property in a different format.
Preservation of “minka (vernacular house) architecture” had alreadystarted before the Second World War. Sumiya1 in Kyoto and Watanabe-ke
Jutaku (Watanabe Family House2) in Niigata were certified as Art Treasures3in 1949. The Mingei (folk art) movement was behind this selection. Between
1955 and 1964, however, local minkas were methodically demolished against
a background of rapid economic growth, At the same time however, thecentral government requested that each prefecture conduct an emergent
minka survey, which resulted in an increase and acceleration in thedesignation of minka as an Important Cultural Property. Nihon Minkaen/Japan Open Air Folk House Museum4 also opened in 1967.
On the other hand, “Western architecture” was increasingly designatedas an Important Cultural Property after 1961. Buildings under thisdesignation in this period include Former Iwasaki House5. For the 100th
anniversary of the Meiji Restoration, more attention was focused on thepreservation of modern Western architecture. Some Western architecturefrom Meiji era was donated and relocated, and The Museum Meiji-Mura6
opened in 1965.
The Preservation District for Groups of Historic Buildings System wasintroduced by an amendment in 1975, which led to area-wide efforts toward
preservation of many settlements and townscapes. These efforts were
supported by the concurrent popularity of the word Environment infashionable circle. The central government created the Environmental
Agency, and discussions surrounding the concept of Historical Environment
were in vogue. Additionally, people began to pay more attention to what was
about to disappear in rural areas, an awareness reflected by the use of thephrase “Discover Japan” in tourism marketing.
In the same period the preservation of cityscapes had started indeveloped countries around the world. In 1960s and 70s, people started
promoting preservation all over the world in order to counterbalance
development. Japanese acts and systems were also influenced by this global
trend.

42

The Act on Protection of Cultural Properties as a housing policy
Japanese housing policy also has great influence on the inheritance ofhouses, not only on cultural preservation policy. Here I outline therelationship between these concepts.
First of all, due to farmland reform after the Second World War, owners ofa large minka such as village leaders and wealthy people in rural areas
suffered from several serious crises. They lost financial resources, which
made it difficult to sustain and manage each house. Meanwhile, former
tenant farmers became independent and acquired more power. They
modified or reconstructed their small houses, and management of paddy
fields and farmlands shifted. Thus the landscape of rural villages was altered.
When we consider the minka preservation movement between 1955 and1964, we cannot ignore the impact of this land reform policy. When the
period of rapid growth began, it turned out to be the period of migration tocities and increase of population concentration. To make use of land
intensively and effectively, especially in the city center, taller buildings wereconstructed. In this period, the central government favored homeownershipfriendly housing policy, and offered huge support for house acquisition. This
support included tax deductions based on housing loan balances andfinancing services offered by the Housing Loan Corporation. As a result of
this policy, residential areas were developed in suburbs, and farmlands wereconverted to residential areas. In urban areas, land for housing was divided
further, and each building became taller. Under such a policy designed topromote new acquisition of new houses, a personal effort was the only way
to successfully sustain and inherit houses.
Even when it’s not a historical building, older buildings tend to have larger
plots and fewer stories. These plots are not fully utilized to the limit ofvolume or coverage, so their owners must shoulder a relatively larger burdenof property tax and inheritance tax. There is an implicit pressure of this age
that landowners should provide their land to a developer and let them use it
to the maximum, and the national policy supports it.
In the face of this pressure, the Act on Protection of Cultural Properties
has been somewhat effective as a counterbalance to development and more
intensive and efficient use of land. For those who lived in a large minka, theAct was one of the very few public supports that allowed them to sustain
and inherit their house. If a building is a National Treasure or an Important
Cultural Property, property tax is charged for neither the building nor its land,
and appraised value of land is reduced for the calculation of inheritance tax.
We cannot overlook that this system has worked as a real help for
inheritance of houses. At the same time, we should realize that its reach isquite limited. The standards of the Important Cultural Property are strict andonly very few residential buildings are designated.
43

The Registered Tangible Cultural Property System was introduced in 1996
under these circumstances. This system has fewer restrictions, but offers
hardly any tax benefits. In addition, the sustaining and inheritance of houses
is not the main purpose of the Act on Protection of Cultural Properties.
Rather, the Act recommends that such a property should be owned by apublic body, instead of being a dwelling for individuals. Specifically, theImportant Cultural Property System doesn’t legally support the situation that
residents keep living in the property, as shown in Table 1. A managing
organization is designated for each property. If the property is transferred tothe public, the original owner can receive income tax incentives for theproperty transfer. However, there are systems in other countries that support
the sustained use of dwellings. For example, a German state law pertaining
to cultural properties clearly states “Preservation of cultural properties
means continuous use of them”. There is a legal mechanism and support tosustain a house as a house.
The preservation of buildings in urban areas remains an even more
complicated issue than in rural areas. While intensive and efficient use ofland is prioritized, measures to harmonize deregulation policy, such as
approval of additions to floor area ratio, and building preservation fallbehind modern expectations. However, we can finally find some encouraging
special cases in the city center: the Special Specified Block System For
Important Cultural Property8 is used for Mitsui-Honkan9 and MeijiSeimeikan10; and the Exceptional Floor Area Ratio Districts System11 wasused for Tokyo Station12. Still, applications for residential buildings fall far
behind.
To support “keep living there”
Japan is behind in terms of the preservation of buildings, but it is advanced inother areas, such as the notion of “keep living” in a remaining building.
For example, the National Trust is one of the few bodies and policies that
support people to keep living in a building. In Europe, to prioritize the preservationof buildings as a container of life, it is generally common to convert the use ofbuildings or change their residents. Many preserved districts don’t have residents.
On the other hand, in Japan, people tend to think it’s important that the samefamily lives in the same building over generations. Culturally, Japanese people cling
to land ownership, which results in a situation where landowners don’t sell a ploteven along a devastated commercial street in an urban area. In an aging society,these landowners don’t have a successor for their business, and as a result the
number of vacant houses and vacant shops keeps increasing. In the near future,
Japan should also adopt the European-style preservation strategies.
In the midst of global competition, strong pressure for development continues
in urban areas. If property taxes rise, it will be even more difficult for residents to44

continue living in the same house, especially in the city center. Systems that
actually support residents to “keeping living there” are those for building repair
under the Housing Performance Indication System13, such as seismic repair orbarrier-free repair. Yet these are not appropriate for historical buildings.
To stop this trend, each municipality has to make the commitment to create
original systems. In fact, some municipalities have created an original bylaw for
deregulation of the Building Standard Act, and other municipalities have started an
original supporting system for the restoration of vacant houses.
In the current situation, the only way we can resist the pressure ofreconstruction is for municipalities to have a strong will, go against the larger
national trends, and blaze their own way. The situation would be further improved
if the central government supported original plans of each municipality on a
Registered Cultural Property designated by the central government.
In conclusion, I would like to propose a tax system that deducts costs for repair
extending lifespan of a house when the house is inherited. By creating tax benefits,
repairs of old buildings should increase. If some people willingly invest in a vacanthouse and use it, inheritance tax should be deducted. In addition, if we take thefurther step of granting tax benefits before the owner’s death, the current
situation of society would change dramatically, and more people would certainly
be eager to keep living in existing old houses.

1Ed. Note: An ageya (high-class brothel) operated at the Shimabara hanamachi(courtesan’s district) in current Shimogyo ward. Completed in 1641. Designated as
an Important Cultural Property in 1952.
2Ed. Note: A house of a wealthy farmer at Sekikawa village: Completed in 1667.
Designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1954.
3Ed. Note: Artworks of the semi-national treasure quality, certified by the law
promulgated in 1933. Repealed by enactment of the Act on Protection of Cultural
Properties in 1950.
4Ed. Note: An open-air museum that displays 25 relocated buildings designated asa cultural property, including minkas from the Edo era.
5Ed. Note: A house at Taito, Tokyo: Comprised of a western building, a billiard room,
and a Japanese building. Completed in 1896. Designated as an Important Cultural
Property in 1961 and 1969. The western building and the billiard room were
designed by Josiah Conder in accordance with a request of Hisaya Iwasaki, thethird head of Mitsubishi Zaibatsu.
6Ed. Note: An open-air museum in Inuyama, Aichi
7Ed. Note: Reform of farmland ownership system performed from 1947 to 1950
based on a command of GHQ
8Ed. Note: A system to prompt deregulation on floor area ratio and building height
9Ed. Note: An office building at Nihonbashi, Tokyo: Constructed as headquarters of
Mitsui Zaibatsu. Completed in 1929. Designated as an Important Cultural Property
in 1998.

45

10Ed. Note: Headquarters of Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company located at

Marunouchi, Tokyo. Completed in 1934. Designated as an Important Cultural
Property in 1997.
11Ed. Note: A system to approve transfer of floor area ratio in a district that
requires intensive development, from a plot that doesn’t use the full capacity offloor area ratio to a plot that needs more floors.
12Ed. Note: Completed in 1914 with design of Kingo Tatsuno. Designated as an
Important Cultural Property in 2003. Restoration work to the original form wascompleted in 2012.
13Ed. Note: A system established by the Housing Quality Assurance Act enforced in
2000. A third party evaluates quality of new houses by a consistent standard.

46

47

Regulation,
penalty, etc.

50% of repair cost needed for preservation is paid by the central government.

Financial support for
repair(major ones only)

Advise from the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs on opening to public

Criminal punishment, Administrative penalty

Open topublicPenalty

Permission of the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs is required.

Property tax: tax-exempt (for building and land)
Inheritance tax: 70% reduction of its appraisal value

2456(4825 buildings, including National
Treasures, 2016)

Designation

Central government

Tax benefit(Property tax,
Inheritance tax)

223 (282 buildings, 2016)

Designation

Designation orregistration

Change thecurrent
state

1975

Designated Tangible Cultural
Property(Building)
1996

Registered Tangible Cultural
Property(Building)
1975

Historic buildings in an Important
Preservation District for Groups ofHistoric Buildings

Property tax: tax-exempt for aresidential building; reduction up to
50% by municipality
Inheritance tax: 30% reduction of its
appraisal value.
Property tax: 50% for a residentialbuilding
Inheritance tax: 30% reduction of its
appraisal value.

No regulation

Guidance and advice of theCommissioner for Cultural Affairs on
opening to public organized by its
owner or management organization.
Administrative penalty

Depending on each municipality

Administrative penalty (Depending oneach municipality)

Administrative penalty

Permission of a superintendent ofeducation is required.

A part of repair cost for preservation is
50% of design and supervision cost
paid by each municipality under its
needed for preservation and utilization
own rule.
is paid by the central government. Half of the cost paid by the municipality
is paid by the central government.

112 districts(in 2016)

Designation(Selected by the central government)

Municipality

10691(in 2016)

Registration

Central government

Application for the Commissioner for
Cultural Affairs is required.

Permission of a superintendent ofeducation is required. (Depending oneach municipality)

Depending on each municipality

Property tax: depending on eachmunicipality

11879(in 2015)

Designation

Prefecture, Municipality

Act on Protection of Cultural
Act on Protection of Cultural
Properties,
Properties, Article 57
Act on Protection of Cultural
Article 27, Paragraph 1“Among tangible cultural properties
Properties, Article 144
Act on Protection of Cultural"Minister of Education, Culture, Sports,
Act on Protection of Culturalthat are neither an Important Cultural“Based on an application from a
Properties,
Science, and Technology can designate Properties, Article 182, Paragraph 2
Property nor what is designated bymunicipality, the entire, or a part of,
Article 27, Paragraph 2
an important item of Tangible Cultural “Among cultural properties that are notmunicipalities according to Paragraph 2 Preservation District for Groups of“Highly valuable from the perspective
Properties as an Important Culturalan Important Cultural Property andof Article 182, a cultural property that
Historic Buildings with extremelyof global culture and an incomparable
Property.”
located in the territory of the pertaining
requires special measures forimportant value for this nation can betreasure of the nation” among
municipality, important ones arepreservation and utilization in view of selected for an Important Preservation“Important Cultural Properties”
Article 2, Paragraph 1
designated.”
its value as a cultural property can be
District for Groups of Historic“a tangible cultural property with highregistered on the cultural property
Buildings”
historical or artistic value for our
register.”country”

Central government

Number of properties

Important Cultural Property(Building)

Law for the Preservation of Old Shrines and Temples (1897)
Law for the Preservation of National Treasures (1929)
Act on Protection of Cultural Properties (1950)

Licensor

Legal grounds

Year of enactment

National Treasure(Building)

Table 1. Comparison of preservation system for each cultural property

２Sociological Meaning to Preserve
Remains of the Past

Shisei Kimura (Associate Professor, Konan Women’s University)

Cultural heritage is “a reflection of the society”
Cultural heritage can be regarded as a reflection of ideas, lifestyle, andsense of values of the social group of the age: i.e. “a reflection of the society”.
As times and society constantly changes, how do we pinpoint cultural
heritage, and how do we protect and inherit its different forms? This inquiry
will address meanings of preserving remains of the past from a sociologicalperspective.
The concept and value of cultural heritage emerged after the modern
society had evolved. In Japan, there was a tradition that the aristocracy,
temples, and shrines would protect and inherit historically valuable objects
as houmotsu, treasure. Yet these objects were neither exhibited to the public,
nor were their values disclosed, until modern times. Western European
society also reflects this philosophy; indeed it created the current cultural
heritage system. The interest and necessary systems to share collections
were created with the emergence of civil society and the nation state.
“Ruins fascination” in 18th century Europe is an interesting lens throughwhich to study social influence in the Western Europe. During this period,
many artists chose to depict ruins rather than other landscapes. These works
were admired as “picturesque1” and dominated popular taste at the time.
What kind of meaning did they hold for Europeans of this period?
Judging them as picturesque led many toacknowledge that remains of the past were
worthy of attention. There was also
recognition of the reality that the historicalpast and the present were continuous, notmythically separated. (Figure 1) In European
societies where civilization was accelerated,these feelings toward ruins reflected ayearning and nostalgia for pastoral times. At
the same time, as a way to share thehistorical artifacts of past great civilizations,ruins and remains were exploited for the
purpose of encouraging a public sense of
belonging to the modern nation. Beyond[Figure 1] Hubert Robert,
these functions, current cultural heritage
Landscape With The Ruins Of The
has started to take on new forms of
Temple Of The Sibyl At Tivoli (1779)
significance.
48

New paths of cultural heritage
In the 1970s and 1980s, developed countries faced the transition ofindustrial structures. In Western Europe, where industries declined, bluecollar workers faced waves of unemployment, and industrial cities slid
toward recession. Industrial heritage emerged as a possible solution to stall acorresponding social decline.
“Industrial heritage” is generally defined as the “remains of industrial
culture with historical, technical, social, architectural, or scientific value”. Thisdefinition includes houses, schools, and community centers for workers. It isinnovative in that it places value on the daily life of the anonymous people
who supported industries, as well as technical and productive features ofindustry. Since the 1990s, the establishment and preservation of industrial
heritage has been actively pursued mainly in Western European countries.
Some industrial heritage sites have been listed as World Heritage sites.
Cultural heritage now includes the category of industrial heritage as a way tocommercialize sites and to generate tourist revenue. This categorization also
works to strengthen unity and cooperation among local social groups. These
modern functions have gained new significance. (Figure 2 and 3)
From the four sources of new forms of heritage2 presented by sociologist
John Urry in the UK3, I would like to focus on the area of “A proliferation ofsocial groups who have sought through their enthusiasm to preserve aspectsof ‘their’ history”. For future cultural heritages, the effort of individuals whowant to protect and communicate “our history” will play a essential role in
the preservation process, beginning with evaluation of heritages andincluding maintenance and utilization. Responsibility for action will no longer
reside with administrative bodies and companies. Let’s consider theimportance of individuals by looking at the example of Hashima, Nagasaki,
popularly known as Gunkan-jima.

[Figure 3] Blaenavon Industrial
Landscape (UK, designated as a
World Heritage site in 2000)[Figure 2] Völklingen
Ironworks (Germany,
designated as a World
Heritage site in 1994)
49

World Heritage site, Gunkan-jima
Hashima (located on the southeast of Nagasaki Port, formerly in
Takashima-cho, currently Nagasaki city) is an island which once hosted athriving mine for extracting underwater coal deposits. The tall reinforced
concrete buildings lend the island its alternate name, Gunkan-jima, or“Battleship Island”. In 2015, 23 heavy industry facilities from the end of theEdo era and the Meiji era were registered as World Heritage sites under thecollective name “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution”.
Hashima was developed as a settlement owned by a single company,
Mitsubishi. At its peak in 1960, the settlement exceeded five thousandpeople with a population density higher than that of the special wards ofTokyo. In addition to mine facilities, the island housed accommodation fortransplanted workers and their families, schools, a hospital, recreational
facilities such as a movie theater, and religious facilities such as a shrine anda temple. The city-like settlement is shown in Figure 4.
The unique protocols developed for life on the island are highly notable.
For example, there was a system that allowed people to move to a dwellingwith more desirable features, such as larger rooms and more sunlight,
depending on ones length of service and performance. Each district on theisland had a facility called the station, with staff to monitor and supervise thedaily lives of workers. Station staff often functioned as advisors on the daily
affairs of residents. The island residents were meant to interact as a family.
However, the coal mine closed in 1974, and the settlement was subsequently
abandoned. As a result, the island became a rare industrial heritage time
capsule (Figure 5) that preserves the lifestyle and area of the mining
settlement as it was in the 1970s.
However, as a World Heritage site, Hashima was merely appreciated as
one of the twenty-three “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution”. This
classification does not explicitly highlight and include the iconic namesake
symbols of Gunkan-jima, the residential buildings from the Taisho era largely
made of reinforced concrete. The evaluation documents by ICOMOS, theadvisory organization of UNESCO, clearly specify that the nomination is only
for buildings dating from 1869 to 1910. How can we account for thissituation?
[Figure 4] Scenery of Gunkan-jima before
closure of the coal mine [Source: Sekitan,
Iwanami Shashin Bunko, 1951]

50

[Figure 5] The settlement owned by a single company was abandoned and left to ruin
after the closure of the coal mine.
[Created by the author, based on basic population surveys (at the end of each fiscal year)
for Takashima and Hashima, (national censuses for Takashima town (village), resident
register for Hashima)]

Whom is a World Heritage site for?
After the closure of the coal mine, Hashima sat as a ruined and largely
forgotten island for about 30 years. Only a small group of people wereinterested in or aware of its existence. In 2001, the island was transferred forfree to the local municipality, Takashima-cho. However, conditions on theisland were decaying and hazardous, and it did not offer any immediate clear
tourism uses. Landing was strictly prohibited by the municipality. Actual
utilization of the islands was not discussed until Takashima-cho merged into
Nagasaki city, part of the mass mergers of the Heisei Era. However, newindividual movements had begun. Former island residents established theorganization The Way to World Heritage Gunkanjima. At Nomozaki shore
opposite the island, volunteers from the youth division of the Chamber ofCommerce and Industry created a museum. This author stayed at Takashima,on the north of Hashima, for a month in the summer of 2007, and conductedsurveys while assisting a tour guide service around the island. Unfortunately,at that time a lot of area residents didn’t appreciate these actions torecognize the island.
In 2005, Kagoshima Statement was created for the preservation andutilization of modern heritages in Kyushu region. In 2006, six prefectures andeight cities jointly proposed a public call for the Agency for Cultural Affairs to
submit “A Group of Modern Industry Heritages in Kyushu and Yamaguchi” as51

a candidate for World Heritage designation. In 2009, the submission was
included on the tentative selection list for designation. After these motions,
the Battleship Island was finally recognized as a tourist attraction by
Nagasaki city. The island was prepared for tours and landing was permitted.
(Figure 6)
However, during the application process for World Heritage designation,
the official submission name was changed from “A Group of Modern Industry
Heritages in Kyushu and Yamaguchi” to “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial
Revolution”. This change added a clear definition of time period, and the coalmine at Hashima was positioned as a part of the success story of prominent
individuals and bodies who led Japanese modernization at the end of theEdo period. This author can appreciate that the island became a World
Heritage site, but the meaning of the designation may be different, hadworkers’ residences been taken into consideration when positioning the site
for classification.
Returning to the idea, “Cultural heritage is ‘a reflection of the society’,”this author must inquire whose society is connected through the twentythree “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution”. Are they just tourist
attractions for their respective regions? Are they devices for national
ideology? Based on the abovementioned definition, industrial heritage is
supposed to be valuable because it finds value in the daily lives ofanonymous people. In the evaluation and designation of the 23 sites as
World Heritage sites, the elements of workers’ lives and houses have been
totally excluded. This author finds the exclusion very unfortunate and mustquestion the role of World Heritage site inscription.
[Figure 6] A tour
around Gunkan-jima(right top) and alanding tour (rightbottom)Workers’ houses and lives are often overlooked
While some industrial heritage sites such as Hashima are appreciated and52

preserved, other are being demolished. The number of remaining houses ofcoal mine workers in the Chikuho area of Fukuoka prefecture continues todecrease due to demolition. When the coal industry declined, the Japanese
government promoted worker relocation to other areas through its
workforce mobilization policy. It is this author’s belief that such mobilization
and relocation made it very difficult to preserve workers’ culture. For thisand other reasons, the lifestyle and culture of workers are not inherited.
Fortunately, there are some exceptions. Tagawa city in Chikuho area isregarded as the origin of Tanko Bushi, a Japanese folk song, and has a large
coal mine district with a remarkable Japanese chimney and mining shaft
scaffold. While these features were excluded from the application for World
Heritage designation, the annotated paintings of Sakubei Yamamoto, an area
coal miner, are dedicated as “Memory of the World” items of documentary
heritage. This dedication was not achieved through the Agency of Cultural
Affairs or the central government, but rather on the basis of arecommendation from the local municipality, Tagawa city, and Fukuoka
Prefectural University.
In this case, individuals rediscovered local history by themselves, andproudly recognized the value, both locally and in a wider context. These
annotated paintings form part of a cultural heritage. Through such
documentation and inclusion, we can inherit housing culture as an event,and we can also protect and deliver them as inherited ideas and culture.
Inheritance is not limited to tangibles or objects. Rather, we should inherit
our living with both objects and events.

1Ed. Note: Aesthetic concept to admire picturesque atmosphere of pastoral

scenery and exotic taste, originated from late 18th century
2Four “sources of new forms of heritage” by John Urry, British sociologist: 1.
“Extraordinarily rapid restructuring of the economy which has generated
derelict areas and buildings which have nevertheless occupied a distinct
place in the history of a given place or industry”; 2. “The capital, skills andexpertise to re-represent buildings, areas and places and their often hidden
histories” developed by “a number of companies”; 3. “A tourism (rather thana leisure) strategy in order to find sources of new employment” developedby “many local authorities”; 4. “A proliferation of social groups who havesought through their enthusiasm to preserve aspects of ‘their’ history”.
Source: Urry, John, 1996, “How Societies Remember the Past,” Sharon
Macdonald and Gordon Fyfe eds., Theorizing Museums, Oxford; Cambridge,
Mass.: Blackwell, 45-68.
3Ed. Note: 1946-2016. Internationally known for work in the sociology of
tourism and the book, “mobilities”.
53

３

What I Considered To Inherit My
Grandfather’s House

Natsuko Murakawa (Granddaughter of Keigo Murakawa)

The Murakawa Family’s House islocated at Mejiro-dai of Bunkyo ward
(formerly Zoshigaya town of
Koishikawa ward), Tokyo, and its
main building is a Japanese style
two-storied wooden house built in
1911. This building is one of theearliest examples of the middlecorridor type house1 that prevailedin Japan until the Second World War.
This is also a Japanese-Westerneclectic style house with a Western
style building attached on thesouthwest side of the main building.
On the lot of approximately athousand square meters, there isalso a storehouse and an annex.
Among these buildings of a typical
historical house in Bunkyo ward, themain building, the Western stylebuilding (both 1911), the storehouse(1920), and the gate (1911) wereregistered as a Registered Tangible
Cultural Property selected by thecentral government. (Figure 1 to 3)
What is unique about Murakawa
Family’s House is that our family still
lives there, as well as protects andactively inherits the house. As thecurrent owner, I will explain how I
inherited this house and what
systems were involved for
inheritance. I will also give some
opinions from the perspective of an
inheritor in terms of requirements
and the meaning of inheriting ahouse.

[Figure 1] Murakawa Family’s House
from the north: its main building,Western building, and storehouse[Figure 2] In the gate: the storehouseon the right side looks like a fort

[Figure 3] A view of zashiki (receptionroom) from the adjoining room54Thoughts of Kengo Murakawa and his house
Murakawa Family’s House was built by Kengo Murakawa, a professor ofTokyo Imperial University and a scholar of Western history. Kengo Murakawa
advocated “the shelter first principle” rather than the common principle ofbasic needs, “food, clothing, and shelter”. He resolutely believed in theprinciple and claimed that, “Our lifestyle should put a house first, and it’s
important that the house has a certain area and a big tree.” Applying thisprinciple to his own life, he built, in addition to the main house at Zoshigaya,
a succession of four holiday houses at Katsuura (Chiba), Abiko (Chiba), andKugenuma (Fujisawa). Simply by looking at the series of these constructions,
we can perceive an interesting transition in his view towards a house. It isalso unusual that these buildings still exist, having survived the Great Kanto
Earthquake and the Great Tokyo Air Raid. They are precious historicalarchitectures that represent a view on the house and family of a member ofthe urban intellectual class in the prewar period.
Another unique aspect is that Murakawa family members preserved
many records from the Edo period, such as housing related documents likedeeds, drawings, specification forms, and billing details. One specificexample is the account book kept by Fusa, Kengo Murakawa’s wife, from1908 to 1955. The documents are valuable historical records that inform usof the family’s life in detail. Having a house built by Kengo Murakawa,records of the family’s life, and an ongoing life inherited in the same house, I
can claim that Murakawa Family’s House is indeed a rare case.
I am a granddaughter of Kengo Murakawa. At present, the main house at
Zoshigaya has twice experienced inheritance. In its first inheritance, hiseldest son, Kentaro, sold some properties in neighboring prefectures andinherited three properties: the main house, one in Abiko, and one in
Kugenuma. He held these properties for the next forty-five years. For thesecond inheritance, we parted with the holiday houses in Abiko andKugenuma as payment in kind, and my husband and I inherited the mainhouse at Mejiro-dai. We sustain it now, as shown in Figure 4 to 6.
The first inheritance was the inheritance of a family estate under theformer civil code. But the second one was an inheritance with even
distribution between all the inheritors, and in this way we somewhat
managed to keep the main house by paying tax in kind with other properties.
However, for the next inheritance, there is no way of paying the inheritancetax without selling the main house. Therefore, inheritance of the 100-yearold house within the immediate family would seem to end with mygeneration.

55

[Figure 4] The main building of theholiday house at Abiko (Built by relocationin 1921)[Figure 5] The holiday house at Abikobecame a Designated Cultural Property of
Abiko city in 2007

[Figure 6] The holiday house at
Kugenuma became Kugenuma
Matsugaoka Park of Fujisawa City in 1996

Burden of property tax
As of now, the Murakawa
Family’s House has faced fivecrises of inheritance. The first four
were The Great Kanto Earthquake,
The Great Tokyo Air Raid, and thetwo aforementioned inheritancesof properties. The impending fifth
crisis, the increase of property tax,
has been the main factor
preventing us from sustaining thehouse. (Figure 7)
With the increase of land
prices in the post World War Two
economic boom, the burden of
property tax increased, and it
continues to increase. My father
Kentaro, the eldest son who
inherited the houses from Kengo
Murakawa, was a scholar ofWestern history, and he earned[Figure 7] Five crises

56regular royalties from world history textbook sales. He said he spent theseroyalties on the upkeep of plots. However, around 1975, property taxes
exceeded the royalty payments. He said he would need to sell part of theplot of the holiday house at Kugenuma.
Meanwhile, I happened to find an advertisement by Fujisawa city
“looking for a plot for ‘Green Square’”. It stated that property tax would be
exempted for a plot designated as a civic green space. When I proposed thatmy father take advantage of this system, he willingly accepted the plan. The
holiday house at Kugenuma lot is almost six thousand square meters. A
portion of the lot had already been designated as a preservation forest.
Property tax exemption resulting from both designation systems enabled us
to sustain the house. If we had sold part of the lot, we would not have had
enough property left to offer payment in kind for the second inheritance,
and therefore would have been unable to sustain the main house at Mejirodai.

Sentiment of the local people
With its designation as a preservation forest, the pine grove and the“Green Square” of the holiday house at Kugenuma became Kugenuma
Matsugaoka Park of Fujisawa city in 1996. The holiday house at Abikobecame a Designated Cultural Property of Abiko city as “Former Murakawa[Figure 8] Systems that enabled this “inheritance”

57

Holiday House” in 2007. Each property has become a place that local people
can visit and enjoy.
When I reflect on how we were able to maintain the holiday houses at
Kugenuma and Abiko in such a positive fashion as a resource for the local
community, I recall that there was substantial support for our plans fromthose local people who knew these holiday houses very well. Because of this,I thought it was also necessary to let the local people in Mejiro-dai know
how we managed to sustain the main house. It was at this time that I wasinterested the new Registered Tangible Cultural Property system. I thought I
couldn’t expect much financial support for the main house from this system,
nevertheless I hoped we could use the system to acknowledge theimportance of the house’s existence as a cultural resource of theneighborhood. We decided to apply, and the house became a Registered
Tangible Cultural Property in 1998. (Figure 8)
Opinion as an owner of a Registered Tangible Cultural Property
Eighteen years have passed since the registration of Murakawa Family’sHouse, and I often rethink the meaning of the registration from theperspective as an owner. The Registered Tangible Cultural Property system isa system with neither a carrot nor a stick. One benefit of registration is a 50%
exemption of property tax on the residential building. But in Japan theappraisal value of an old house is low. For The Murakawa Family’s House, thetax exemption only amounts to 7500 yen. Appraisal value reduced by 30% isused for calculation of inheritance tax, but that’s not enough to pass thishouse to the next generation. Registration is a toothless measure to ensure
inheritance for the next generation, and we need another scheme to ensure
this. I feel registration as a cultural property was a start, but the challenge is
not over.
In light of this situation, what is the benefit of the Registered Tangible
Cultural Property system? I think the nature of the system is only “torecognize the value”. Constant, lonely effort is required from each owner. But,
by inheriting a house, I can feel that we can be connected to and contributeto the society around us. That cheers me greatly. I also feel that culturalproperties are getting closer to people due to the increase in number ofcultural properties. I’m really happy that we registered the house. However,twenty years after the enactment of the system, more and more owners
from the next generation have taken over registered properties, and it has
become evident that the Registered Tangible Cultural Property system is not
sufficient for the inheritance of some properties.

58

Meaning of inheritance – challenges going forward
When I inherited this house, I was told I was the youngest owner of a
Registered Tangible Cultural Property. But, 18 years after the registration, I
feel that the time is coming that I must give up this house. If either myhusband or I suddenly lost our health, it would be impossible to sustain sucha large house. The house may not be able to survive a large earthquake.
There are always some concerns.
However, if we have to give up the house for financial reasons, theprimary factor would still be property taxes, as I mentioned before. Unlike
inheritance tax, property tax must be paid every year. It is a heavy burden for
a Registered Cultural Property that occupies prime real estate in central
Tokyo, as the Murakawa Family’s House does. The land appraisal system ofproperty tax is equivalent to asking us to sell the house and build a tallapartment building. Naturally, we are understandably furious with thissystem.
I often hear about cases in which some house owners use a portion of
their retirement income for the payment of property taxes and repairs. In
other cases, some owners must forgo repairs in order to pay property tax.
Every owner of an old building struggles with the common problems of
maintenance in terms of taxation and funding. I would like to state thatexemption from property tax is essential for the inheritance of houses.
Repair costs are another substantial burden. For example, minor repair costs
for a rental house can be claimed on taxes as a necessary expense, yet wehave to pay the entire amount to repair the cultural property house we live
in. Repairs to the roof, floors, and walls are crucial to keep up the good
appearance required of a cultural property. Why aren’t these repairs
regarded as a necessary expense like repairs made to a rental house? I hopethe situation will be improved through a new taxation system and a newlegal system that will support the maintenance of these buildings.
In addition, it is also vital to distribute information to owners and the
public about knowledgeable consultants who will discuss with owners thesystems and measures for inheritance. Another important requirement is asystem to support owners’ lives after their donation of the building. It is
predicted that some owners will no longer have a place to live after donating
their current residence.
In 2018, an amendment of the Act on Charitable Trusts was submitted to
the Congress. It was reported that it would lead to the protection ofhistorical buildings. Such a new system offers hope for us. I hope we will havemore inheritance measures to help pass on these buildings to the next
generation. As owners age, we need some methods to make the next step assoon as possible.
For the inheritance of houses, the system should not only sustain the59building itself, but also the mentality and atmosphere of the lived space
attached to it. Inheritance of houses is not easy, as various challenged suchas funding and change of living environment are intertwined. However,
hopefully, small children who hold the future will also feel the seasonaltransition of woods and the atmosphere of old houses. They may grow up
surrounded by the warmth of people and knowing the importance of taking
care of things and using them continuously.
1Ed. Note: A house having a corridor placed between some rooms60

４

Current Housing Education and its
Challenges

Tomoko Usuda (Professor, Osaka Kyoiku University)

Expanding distance between modern lifestyle and the “Japanese style
house”
One day, as I was reading an article in Sankei Shimbun, I was shocked to
discover that Japanese tatami culture may disappear soon. The article beganwith the case of a third-generation owner of a tatami shop that had been inbusiness more than 50 years. When he delivered tatami mats to a family inan apartment unit, he heard the junior high school age daughter remarked,“it’s stinky”, and he realized that times had changed. The rest of the article
focused on the future of tatami industry and sought some ways to revive it.
The article traced the trend of young people's taste turning from tatami matsand toward the use of mainly wood flooring in apartments. The newspaper
article intended to explore some methods to revive the tatami industry2.
The article was very shocking for a person of the generation that believes
soft rush grass smells good. It details the recent and dramatic decline oftatami industry. According to the article, while domestic demand of tatami
facing was 45 million sheets in 1993, it fell to 14.9 million sheets in 2012,
about one-third of demand 20 years ago2. Production of tatami facing in the
major producing prefectures of Fukuoka and Kumamoto decreased from 7.8
million sheets in 2004 to less than half, only 3.43 million sheets in 20133. In
addition, the amount of imported tatami exceeds domestic production.
Currently, about 80% of tatami facing is imported from China.
This change in demand for tatami poignantly and clearly highlights
changes in Japanese people’s house. Looking at changes in houses from 1957
to 2013, the proportion of wooden houses decreased from more than 80% in
1978 to about 57% in 2013. (Figure 1) Additionally, there has been a clear
and remarkable shift from detached houses to apartments, especially inurban areas. The percentage of apartment among total dwellings in Osaka
city exceeds 70%4. (Figure 2) In addition to these shifts in housing structure
and types, there has been a rapid rise in the number of houses with separate
rooms, western rooms in a house, and a westernization of lifestyle.
These numbers indicate that Japanese style houses are moving away froma central role in our daily life and experiences, and this distancing is
especially prominent in metropolitan areas. If we address this situation froman educational perspective, the current main challenge must be “How todeliver Japanese housing culture to children of the next generation”.

61

[Figure 1] Transition of structure of houses (Source: Statistics Bureau,
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, “House & Land Statistic
Survey”)[Figure 2] Transition of housing type (Source: Statistics Bureau, Ministry ofInternal Affairs and Communications, “House & Land Statistic Survey”)

Reality of Education on Housing Culture
We must first ask, how do children actually learn about housing culture?
Learning about Japanese style houses and housing culture is promoted as“education on tradition and housing” in the current curriculum. To coexist
with people from different cultural and historical backgrounds in the global
society, children need to acquire a deep understanding of the traditional
culture of their own country.
62

There are many opportunities to learn housing culture from various
perspectives using textbooks devoted to the topic. In the third and fourth
grade social studies course in elementary school, there is a teaching unit
called “lifestyles in the past”. Students learn about the development of oldhousehold tools. They also learn about the houses and lifestyles of theirparents and grandparents through direct conversation with family members.
The sixth grade social studies unit covers Japanese history, with textbook
presenting a Shinden-zukuri house, a residence of samurais, and thecityscape of Kyoto.
Home economics in junior and senior high school is another subject
where students can learn about houses and housing culture in more
systematic manner. Home economics has been taught to both male andfemale students, starting in 1993 at the junior level and in 1994 at the seniorhigh school level. All students have the opportunity to learn about housing.
In junior high school, the textbook covers “functional difference between
Western rooms and Japanese rooms” and the “convertibility of Japaneserooms”. In the section covering “names in a traditional house”, students
learn basic names and functions such as tatami, fusuma (paper sliding door),shoji (translucent paper sliding door), irori (hearth sunk in the floor), andtoko-no-ma (decorative alcove). In high school, the text covers more
specialized topics, such as the unique layout of each unit of machiya(townhouse) and the names and functions of equipment in a zashiki(reception room). (Figure 3)
While housing education is enriched by a textbook, I cannot ignore thewidening gap between current lifestyles and Japanese style housing culture.
In the past, shoji, fusuma, and toko-no-ma could be seen in everyone’s house,and children learned these names naturally. Now they have to see shoji andfusuma only in a school textbook, and remember the names as facts to bememorized.
Modern children’s understanding and experience with Japanese stylehousing
In reality, modern children have far less contact with a Japanese room
than we would expect. I conducted a survey to find out how modern
university students and elementary school students understand andexperience Japanese houses and the way of life in such spaces. For the firstpart of the survey, I asked 141 students at Osaka Kyoiku University to answer
questions about their parent’s house. Overall, the ratio of detached houses
to apartments was 2 to 1. Surprisingly, only 10% of students questioned lived
in a house without any Japanese rooms.
Initially, I collected some starting data by asking them if their parent’s
63

⑨

⑤

①

④

②
⑧

⑫
⑩

⑥
③
⑦

⑪
Ⓐ

[Figure 3]Ⓐ和室の各部名称=Names of each parts of Japanese room
①長押=Nageshi (horizontal piece of timber above openings)②鴨居=Kamoi (head track)③床柱=Toko-bashira (alcove pillar)④天袋=Ten-bukuro (storage at the top of the alcove)⑤欄間=Ranma (transom window)⑥障子=Shoji (translucent paper sliding door)⑦敷居=Shikii (sill track)⑧書院=Shoin (built-in table)⑨床の間=Toko-no-ma (decorative alcove)⑩ふすま=Fusuma (paper sliding door)⑪畳=Tatami⑫違い棚=Chigai-dana(staggered shelves)64house had the basic elements of a Japanese room. For example, more than
50% answered, “There is shikii (sill track)”, while only about 10% of them
responded, “There is kamoi (head track)”. Of course, shikii and kamoi arepaired. This result shows that students didn’t have an actual understandingof what kamoi is.
Next, in order to determine how much students understood of the basic
equipment of a Japanese room, I asked them if they felt they could explain
certain equipment to their friends. Their choices were “I can explain that”,“I’m not confident”, and “I don’t know what that is”. Seventy percent ofstudents answered, “I don’t know what kamoi is”, and 60 % of themanswered, “I don’t know what ranma (transom window) is”. In fact, an
increasing number of students in classes have difficulty reading kanjis forthese names. Some read toko-no-ma as “yuka-no-ma”, some read nando(storeroom) as “nouto”, and some could not accurately read “hari (beam)” or“dozou (storehouse with earthen wall)”. (Figure 4 and 5)
For the second phase of research, I conducted a survey of experiences ofJapanese dwelling lifestyle with about 300 elementary school students in Yao
city, a suburb of Osaka. Most elementary school students in this area live in a
detached house, so a relatively large proportion of them had experienced
activities such as “sweep an entrance or a garden” and “change floor covers
and decorations according to season”. However, quite a lot of them has“never seen nor done” activities like “replace paper, or repair some tear, of
shoji or fusuma”, “detach shoji or fusuma”, and “clean up under tatami mat”.
(Figure 6)[Figure 4] Is there this equipment at your parent’s house?

65[Figure 5] Can you explain to your friends what they are?

[Figure 6] Elementary school pupil’s “Japanese dwelling life” experience at home66

By analyzing the trend of these experiences, we discover that those living
in a house with Japanese rooms, especially serial rooms, have moreexperiences of these activities. Similarly, those living with, or having frequentcontact with, grandparents have relatively more experiences of Japanesedwelling lifestyle. However, not a lot of families are in such a situation. A
Japanese house and Japanese dwelling lifestyle are no longer likely to bepassed on to the next generation through natural family life. To pass them on,
we need to take some action.

From experience to inheritanceTo address this situation and to take some action, we started a practicalactivity to lessen the distance from a Japanese house. Five year ago, we
opened the Isa Family’s House, a National Designated Important Cultural
Property located in Yawata city, Kyoto, to the public. The opening was aneffort to enhance public understanding of Japanese dwelling life throughsharing various seasonal events with neighbors of the house.
Isa Family’s House was a minka (vernacular house) of a village leader, andthe inheriting family is still living here. According to interview surveys onlifestyle around wartime, there was certain number of monthly houseworktasks required to manage the house and plot. In May, they do pest control of
its nagakura (long storehouse). In June, they switched fixtures and floor
covers for summer ones. In August, they cleaned up its well and waterway,
and trimmed trees. In September, they switched fixtures and floor covers
back to winter ones. In December, they did general house cleaning and susuharai (traditional ritual cleaning for the new year) to wrap up the year.
(Figure 7) Through these seasonal tasks, the Isa Family’s House has been
maintained for more than 200 years. We should also acknowledge help fromneighbors who regularly visited the house.
We hold events and create opportunities for local people to know the Isa
Family’s House. We also deliver short lectures about unique features of thebuildings and transition of chores, housework, and dwelling life on a regularbasis. (Figure 8) We believe that these activities will lead to a sharedcommunity desire to preserve and extend the life of the minka throughImportant Cultural Property designation.
In terms of practical action for housing education, we can see efforts fromvarious angles for children who are not familiar with Japanese dwelling life.
At the same time, I believe it’s important to understand that our current
houses are also based on deep-rooted history, culture, and architectural
technology. Even if our house is in the Western style, the style is actually
modified for Japanese people. Instead of understanding a minka with67

Important Cultural Property designation as something totally apart from ourown house, we need to perceive them as different parts of the same history.
That can be how children will continue to care for the culture and admire
those who inherit it. I would also like to impress upon children in some way
how important it is to perform maintenance for a house, and that such
maintenance can help secure inheritance by the next generation.
MonthAnnual events related to management of the plot and buildings

May

Pest control of the nagakura (long storehouse)

June

Switching fixtures and floor covers to summer ones (on 17th)

April

Cleaning of the well and waterway, Tree trimming, Kakiyui(maintenance of fence around bamboo thicket), General cleaning

September

Switching fixtures and floor covers to winter ones (on 15th), Cutting
bamboo trees

October

Kisukashi (trimming of useless trees), Shiba-zukuri (making bundles offirewood)

NovemberToi-kake (renewal of bamboo gutters)

December

Cleaning of rice bran shed (around 13th), Sasa-soroe (sorting of
bamboo leaf), Susu-harai (on 23rd, traditional cleaning ritual for newyear), Creating shimenawa (sacred straw rope, on 25th), Repaintingof ookamado (kitchen stove)

No event from January to April and in July
[Figure 7] Seasonal management of the plot and buildings of the Isa Family’s House(Interview survey with Setsuko and Ritsu Isa)
Note: The interviewer was Reiko Machida, a professor emeritus of Kyoto Prefectural
University. Source: “Zutto Konoie de Kurasu - Sumai no Kanri ga Tsumugu Utsukushii
Seikatsu (Keep living in this house – beautiful life created through house management)”,
edited by Yoko Hikita, Enzukiya Shobo, 20091“Igusa wo ‘kusai’ to iu joshi-chugakusei. Nihon-no tatami bunka washoumetsu shite simaunoka…Gyoukai kikikan, tatami ‘fukken’ e ‘Tatami Bizu’‘Tokyo Gorin Sakusen’” (A junior high school student calling soft rush grass‘stinky’: Will Japanese tatami culture disappear? – A sense of crisis in theindustry; ‘tatami biz’ and ‘the mission for Tokyo Olympics’ for “rehabilitation”
of tatami), Sankei Shimbun, May 17th, 2014
2Source: Kumamoto Soft Rush Industry Production, Sales, and Promotion
Association (Kumamoto Igyo Seisan Hanbai Shinko Kyokai)
3Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries
4Source: Housing & Land Statistical Survey (Jutaku/Tochi Tokei Chosa)
68

②

①

③

④

⑤

⑥

[Figure 8] Efforts to open the Isa Family’s House to public and utilize (Since February
2013)①座敷でひな祭り（２月）= Hinamatsuri (Girl’s doll festival) at zashiki (reception room)(February)②土間のかまどで炊飯（２月・６月）=Cooking rice with the stove at the earth floor(February and June)③竹明かりの展示（６月）=Display of bamboo light (June)④ミニ講演会（７月）=Short lecture (July)⑤見学会での解説（９月）=Explanation at a visiting event (September)⑥歴史研究会と連携した講演会（９月）=
Lecture in cooperation with a history study group69

５

Conditions that Allow “Sumai” to be“Inherited”

Yasushi Sukenari (Associate Professor, University of Tokyo)

With the phrase “Uketsugareru Sumai (Inherited home)”, many readers
must imagine “a house preserved close to its newly constructed condition”.
In fact, these houses are located at the center of the subjects indicated bythis phrase. However, there is quite a wide range of interpretation for thesewords, “Inherited” and “Sumai (home)”. In this article, from the perspectiveof sociology located at the periphery of housing studies, the author would
like to consider the potential scope of the meaning of the phrase “Inherited
Sumai”.

“Sumai”
The word sumai focuses more on the “event” of living in than the“object” of a house. When we examine it closely, we find that the verb “live”
has interesting characteristics. For example, out of three verbs, “wear”, “eat”,
and “live”, “live” doesn’t take a direct object. We can say “wear clothes” or“eat bread”, but we cannot say “live a house”. Clearly the relationshipbetween living in and a house is different from the relationship between
eating and food and between wearing and clothes.
The act of eating cannot be realized without food. The act of wearing
cannot be understood without clothes. However, the action of living in canbe established without a house. The relationship between a house and living
in is actually quite loose. Theoretically, we can say “eat Osaka” or “wearJapan”, but it still sounds unnatural. Yet there is nothing strange about saying“live in a village”, “live in a city”, or “live on the earth”.
The relationship between a house and sumai is also loose. A “house” is asubject of legal restriction and a commodity to be bought and sold. In
principle, specific land and buildings are clearly defined if each of them is ahouse or not. There is a clear boundary between inside and outside. On theother hand, the boundary of sumai doesn’t correspond to the boundary of ahouse, because seeing a certain place as sumai or not depends on subjective
judgment.
The same plot or the same building may not have the same significanceas sumai for everyone. The value of a house is high for one person and low
for another. However the gap is not limited to such quantitative difference,but also includes qualitative difference. For example, even in the same
household, some person sees its limited area as sumai, another person sees70

a much larger area exceeding the house as sumai, and still another person
may not even see the house as sumai.
The judgment is more intuitive than logical. Sumai gives us feelings ofcomfort and safety, as well as feelings of oddity and discomfort. Thesefeelings include a lot of verbally indescribable elements. In a certain space, amemory is suddenly recalled, and some unexpected feeling may arise.
However, it doesn’t mean that such subjective and intuitive judgments
are made without context. They also have social factors. The manner ofthese judgments is somewhat common among people within a particulargroup. This is why the form of sumai is different between regions and it alsochanges over time.
When people don’t, or cannot, have some judgment in common, there
will be a conflict. If we have to live next to or share sumai with people having
totally different or unpredictable judgment criteria, we cannot avoid strong
tension there. To establish sumai, the very important divergent point is if we
can overcome the tension. It’s no coincidence that classical sociologicaltheories about housing were created through analysis of racial relationships.
Living in starts with acknowledging certain territory in the environment as
our own sumai. The sumai develops through arranging the territory as a safe
and comfortable place and maintaining it in cooperation with adjoining
spaces of others. What is invested here is not just a cost that can bemonetized. Some elements of management and investment are also
included in the daily life of a resident.
Therefore, living in is not just using environment. Living in also has somecreative aspects to alter and create the environment. Food is digested byeating, but a house turns into sumai by living in it. Living in is not only
consumption of a house, but also production of sumai.
In the direction of the action of “living in”, we are also subjects of theaction. Living in is not just a process of using or altering environment, butalso a process of adjusting ourselves to the environment. In this case, weturn our attention and action inward rather than toward our external
environment. Just as sumai is established for residents, we adapt ourselves
to our sumai.
In conclusion, living in is an action toward the environment and our own
body, and sumai is a space created by repeating that action. If we accept thisidea, it’s clear that sumai cannot be separated from time. A house doesn’t
become a house when it’s completed as a building.
People invest time and effort and create sumai. It means that weaccumulate value and store it in a space called sumai. It should be alsomentioned that taking out the accumulated value is another important
aspect of living in. Typical examples of this are sleep and rest. We sleep for alarge proportion of time we spend in sumai. We also rest, release tension, or
hang around without any specific purpose. In these moments, we lean on71sumai, instead of being an active subject. Sleep and rest are the mostimportant function of sumai. They are essential for people because they
allow us to pause our self-discipline.
“Inherit”
Accepting the above-mentioned characteristics of sumai, the question“how can we inherit ‘sumai’?” is far more complicated than “how can we
preserve a house?”
There are some houses that are relocated from the original plot to amuseum and preserved. Should we call them “inherited sumai”? Somehouses are still on their original plot, but not used as a house. Some houses
are used as a house but go through multiple alterations. How should weconsider these cases?
It may be best to start by establishing agreed upon ideal conditions underwhich we call a house as “inherited sumai”. I submit the following criteria forconsideration:
1. No modification to its shape and material
2. No modification to its plot
3. Relationship with its neighborhood
4. Continuity of its ownership and use
5. Continuity of memories
The first condition, no modification to its shape and material, is a basic
condition for the preservation of a house as a building. Construction method
is also related to this. But the building shouldn’t be the only object of theaction toward environment for establishment of sumai.
Thus the second condition, no modification to its plot, is included. In thiscase, it’s important if the function is sustained or not, rather than the same
location and shape of the plot. For example, if all the greenery was cut down,
we cannot claim that the plot is not modified. However, when its
surrounding area is modified on a large scale, characteristics of the plot may
not remain the same despite their being no direct modification to the plot.
The third condition, relationship with its neighborhood, is deeply
connected to the second condition concerning the plot. A house as sumai isrooted on a plot and cannot be released from its relationship with thesurrounding natural or man-made environment. For example, if tall buildings
are constructed around a plot and its original scenery is lost, the significanceof sumai is heavily damaged, even if said house is on the same plot and in
the same form.

72

When it comes to “preservation”, the fourth condition (continuity of its
ownership and use) is not always necessary. To achieve preservation in thehouse’s original condition, it would be easiest if the original owner justleaves the house and stops using it as a house. However, the action of“inheritance” overlaps the interaction of living in. That’s the major difference
between the possession of houses and that of artworks such as paintingsand carvings.
Considering what establishes continuity between the former residents ofa house and its inheritor, blood relationships and territorial connection areeasy to understand. From these relationships, the fifth condition, continuityof memories, emerges. Memories are not just reinforced consciously, butalso maintained unconsciously. At the same time, memories are not always
retained personally but also shared collectively. Using the verb “inherit” in a
passive sense indicates that customs and sensations are unconsciously
inherited and inheritance can take various forms.
In fact, hardly any case meets all five conditions listed above. Someconditions may contradict others, and some conditions are greatly influenced
by social situation and systems. Therefore, it is very rare to realize the“inherited sumai” under perfect conditions. But it is not as difficult to meetsome of these five conditions.
If we apply the strict condition that all the criteria must be met, it leads toa pessimistic conclusion that inherited sumai “no longer exists”. If we apply
the contrary condition that just one of the criteria must be met, we can
optimistically say that inherited sumai “already exists everywhere”.
There are two main paths to finding a middle ground between these two
extremes. One path is to focus on the first and second conditions, thepreservation of houses. The other is to partially realize the ideal by satisfying
as many conditions as possible.
These two paths reflect different approaches to preservation. Let’s callthe former the “substantialistic” approach and the latter the “relationalistic”
approach. These two approaches match when all the five conditions are
perfectly satisfied. Yet it’s impossible to achieve this match in reality, anddifferences quickly emerge.
Substantialism regards the target of preservation as what can bedisassembled to elements and reassembled from them. Specifically,preservation is achieved by sustaining the shape and material of the building
and greenery and orientation of the plot. However, it becomes difficult toreconcile the third to fifth conditions, because these elements have somecharacteristics that are hard to disassemble.
On the other hand, relationalism regards sumai as elements that exist in a
relationship with inheritance of skills, history of land, relationship withneighborhood, transportation routes, and memories of people. It’s obviously73impossible to preserve all of these. However, according to this approach, ifeach fragment has key traces of a relationship, it’s possible to reassemble
them and restore the former shape of sumai.
Each approach demands different expertise. The former requires theability to compose architecture and scenery, while the latter asks for theability to analyze history and culture. In the long-term wider view, theseapproaches compliment each other. However, in the short term, they may
contradict each other on finer points.

Multi-layered connections“Sumai” may appear to be a simple concept, but it’s actually quite
complicated. In addition, every individual has a unique experience of living in,and each understands this experience in their own way. Therefore, different
people put emphasis on various different points in the whole of sumai. It
may be unsurprising to find it’s difficult to locate common ground or sharedperspectives when we discuss on sumai.
When the word “inherit” with its multiple meanings is connected to“sumai”, the discussion becomes even more complex. Discussion the subjectof “inherited sumai” is no longer limited to the closed ranks of experts, but is
now open to examination by people from a broader range of backgrounds.
Residents create sumai themselves. Additionally, we should include in thecreation the visiting children and grandchildren of a family who visit thehouse in their hometown only for Obon and New Year periods. Nominal nonresidents, or potential residents, may also take part in the production of
sumai.
Connections between people and sumai have been constantly changing
over time, but in the next few decades some unprecedented changes may
take place due to population decline and an excess of houses.
In 1963, one year before the Tokyo Olympics, the population of Japan was
96.16 million and the number of households was 21.82 million. The numberof houses was 21.09 million, so the number of households and the numberof houses were almost the same. In 2013, the population of Japan was 127.3
million, an increase of almost 30% in half a century. The number ofhouseholds increased even faster, reaching 52.46 million in 2013.
The number of houses in 2013 was 60.63 million. The number of houses
has increased almost 200% from 1963. The total floor area of houses with aresiding household reached 4.95 billion square meters. This is more thantriple the area of 1963, when it was 1.48 billion square meters. The floorarea per capita has also increased 2.5 times1. If about 8 million vacanthouses are included, the total floor area of houses exceeds 5 billion square74meters thus far.
The population in 2050 is estimated to be roughly 97 million2. This isalmost the same as the population in 1963. Housing stock has drasticallyincreased in the late 20th century and population numbers continue to fall inthe 21st century. This situation should be described as a “resident shortage”
instead of a “housing shortage”3.
When the workforce declines, the shortage of business successors and labor
becomes more serious in various industries. Competition for “humanresources” occurs not only between industries, but also among workplaces,
local communities and households. Debate gets more urgent about who
should provide how much effort to where. One of the sources of competitive
power is money. Competent people are attracted to a workplace providing
higher compensation. Sumai is also bound up in this competition. If labor at
the workplace is prioritized, it will be difficult to spend time and effort on
sumai. People will leave a house with low convenience index or low resale
value.
Yet sumai includes some elements that cannot be simply calculated basedon market forces. As previously stated, sumai belongs to the world of
subjective meanings. In addition to value that can be monetized, various“connections” also attract people. These connections are not limited toblood relations and territorial connections. Common preference, sympathy
with a principle, and a shared story can also become powerful
encouragements to inherit sumai. When multiple connections overlap, theirpower grows stronger. Whether we take the substantialistic approach or the
relationalistic approach, any action to create sumai becomes an opportunity
to create, or recreate, connections.
In general over time, connections will gradually be severed, and more andmore sumai will slip forgotten into cracks with no connections. However, wecannot just stand back and observe this loss as if it’s a natural phenomenon,
because the way we inherit sumai stems from what kind of society wechoose to create.

Source of all the statistical data: House & Land Statistical Survey, Ministry ofInternal Affairs and Communications.
2Source: Population Projections for Japan (January 2012), National Instituteof Population and Social Security Research
3Source: Yasushi Sukenari “Shukutai Jidai no Sumai no Arikata (How Sumai
should be like in the shrinking age)”, from New Germination of Japanese
Housing Complexes - Separate Volume of Shinkenchiku, August 2016
175

Chapter 3
Japanese “Waza” and “Pride” in Houses----- Inherited Housing Culture76

In general, a society seeking the inheritance of tradition may look like aconservative, changeless, and retrospective society. Japanese modern society,which began at the end of Tokugawa Shogunate, has continued to change
and progress with the slogan, “Datsu-a, Nyu-ou”, meaning, “Leave
undeveloped Asia and join developed Europe”. However, when I consider our
progress to the present, the ideal society we can see beyond change anddevelopment must in fact be the continuous and stable society we had
previously.
In present Japanese society, we are facing various incidents and struggles
around preservation and restoration of architecture or cityscape, which
seems like backlash against a society that has prioritized technology-reliantchanges and developments. Some people have pursued a mature civilsociety as the embodiment of this backlash. This mature society values theact of inheritance, which must be why those people are enthusiastic about
the preservation and restoration of historical buildings. In any case,inheritance is necessary and important, which also help us with transforming
our society into a new society beyond an economy-centric ideology.
On a related side note, I often conduct historical surveys of Japanesehouses, and during these surveys I sometimes receive pointed and specificquestions about inheritance. Researchers from foreign countries have often
asked me, “There are not many rooms with tatami mats in modern houses,
are they going to disappear?”
Foreigners, especially Westerners, see a tatami mat as the typical symbolof Japanese lifestyle. Tatami mat and floor-seating are two sides of the same
coin -- very different from Western chair-seating. Tatami uses natural
materials and enables us to walk barefoot and cherish the tactical sensations
and textures. Through their questions, it seems those researchers feel atatami mat represents and encapsulates the Japanese attitude towards
lifestyle.
Indeed, in 1930, Koichi Sato, an architect who played a major role inestablishing the department of architecture at Waseda University, noted in
the magazine, Jutaku Kenchiku (1930, included in ARS Kenchiku Daikoza,
Bound Volume 3), “Japan is the only country in the world where a sitting
style is united to a kneeling style, called seiza in Japan. The West is the only
region where a sitting style is united to a chair style,” and “As a sitting style,
Japan and the West are also on the both ends”.
Regardless of the accuracy of this interpretation, Sato, who led themodernization of houses in the prewar period, paid attention to thisdifference. It was believed that the difference between a Japanese houseand a Western house resided not only in the tangible environment, but also
in the lifestyle and seating style employed in each house. Above all, theseating style, including floor-seating and crouching, was a common physical77

motion that was mirrored in various daily movements. Japanese people knelt
in front of the kitchen sink and crouched to do laundry and to use the toilet.
Just after the Second World War, when the size limitation of houses
required the pursuit of a new lifestyle, many interior designers proposed
chairs with a low seating face. This was one attempt to integrate chairseating into floor-seating, our traditional seating style. Such a proposal
indicated that attempts toward integration had begun to extend beyond
architecture into interior design.
The aforementioned foreign researchers knew of traditional floor-seating,and inquired what will happen with tatami mats. In such instances, I always
reply that tatami mats won’t disappear. One illustrative example of thisbelief is the recent case where many young people wanted to live in a
townhouse in Kyoto. Townhouses were formerly regarded as a poor living
environment. And yet, these young people, who grew up in modern houses
and have no connection with traditional townhouse living, interacted withthis traditional house and living environment and found both appealing. If
traditional houses and lifestyles remain accessible, we can experience
nostalgia from such houses and lifestyles and appreciate the appeal. I think
we possess the ability to have these sensations.
For this to happen, it is necessary that we inherit historical buildings thatenable us to revisit tradition any time. It is often suggested that people stopusing Japanese-style rooms and abandon a floor-seating lifestyle, but wemust also consider how we should inherit other elements of Japanese-stylerooms. What should be done with fixtures such as fusuma (paper slidingdoor) and shoji (translucent paper sliding door)? What will become of special
features such as openness and connectivity between rooms and a garden?
There is also the issue of the state of the soft rush grass industry. Due to adecrease in demand for tatami mats, the soft rush industry has shrunk andthe use of artificial tatami mats has increased. At this point, my argument
bears repeating. Inheritance of tradition primarily means preserving the
traditional style, but at the same time there can be another way ofinheritance that allows us to change and develop traditional styles to keepthem alive. Therefore, in this chapter, we asked each author to look at theinheritance of housing culture from various perspectives.
(Seizo Uchida)78

６Japanese Houses in the Emerging
Process of “Japanese-Western Eclectic
Style” Between the Meiji and Prewar
PeriodSeizo Uchida (Professor, Kanagawa University)

What should we inherit now?
In Japan, when a historical building was in danger of demolition, however
active a movement for preservation became, it repeatedly ended up being
demolished and turned into a vacant plot. Under the current system in Japan,
it seems “newness” is more valuable than “oldness”, so it’s difficult for an old
building to remain. On the other hand, in Europe, buildings hundreds ofyears old are still appreciated as townscape. People are more eager for its
preservation and each country has established systems for this.
In Europe, many people take good care of old buildings and live there,
and they proudly show off the inside of their nice old buildings. In Japan,
however, the owner of an old building often refuses to show people theinside of the building, saying, “This house is old and I’m ashamed of that,” asthey probably think “being old is shameful”.
This difference always surprises me. At the same time, I still think that theJapanese preference for newness stems from a temporary sense of value inthe process of rapid modernization. We can see the attitude to protect andinherit traditional culture at “Japanese-Western eclectic style houses”. Thesehouses were built after the Meiji era, when Western culture flourished inJapan, and they carefully inherited our unique lifestyle and sustained thevalue to cherish oldness.
When Westernization became dominant in Japan, some architects of theperiod considered “what they should sustain from traditional culture andhow they should inherit it” and took up the challenge of making a house of a
new style. By exploring the concerns of those architects, I assume people inthis modern era can find a path to discover “what we should inherit now”.
Transition process of modern Japanese houses based on Western houses
Looking back at the transition from Japanese to Western, we can learn
about the emergence of modern Japanese houses based on Western houses.
In the Edo era (-1868), there were only so-called traditional Japanese houses(conventional houses). With the Meiji era (1868-1912), “a house of79

juxtaposed Japanese and Western buildings” appeared the ideal house of
the upper class. Such houses had a Western building next to a Japanesebuilding. (Figure 1) Thereafter, this style became a prototype for themansions of the Meiji era. At the same time, Westernization was also
promoted by the central government, so lifestyles were also westernizedgradually. In the process, while people were mainly living in “Japanesebuildings”, their daily life had shifted to “Western buildings”.
[Figure 1] A house with
juxtaposed Japanese andWestern buildings (FromKenchiku Sekai, September
1909)“第壹等” = “The first place”

The style of the upper class mansions, having a Western building next to a
Japanese building, soon began to influence houses of the middle class. A
Western-style reception room was made next to the entrance. This reduced
version of “a house of juxtaposed Japanese and Western buildings” started
to prevail.
At the end of the Meiji era, the Japanese building disappeared from themansion of “juxtaposed Japanese and Western buildings”, and instead “aJapanese room” emerged in a Western building. However, to achieve this “aJapanese room” in a Western building, initially they simply put some tatami
mats in a room of the Western building, equipped with double-hungwindows and Ookabe [a wall with hidden pillars]1. The style graduallychanged from a simple room with tatami mats to a reception-room-style
room with typical traditional decorations. After the late Taisho era (19121926), engawa (Japanese style veranda) were also attached to the room, as
well as toko-no-ma (decorative alcove) and chigai-dana [shelf with twoboards arranged side by side on a different level], and fusuma (paper slidingdoor) and shoji (translucent paper sliding door) were also used as fixtures.
With these additions, the room turned into “the Japanese room”2. The
façade of these buildings, initially, were consistently in a pure Western style,but gradually incorporated some traditional Japanese elements. When “theJapanese room” with traditional elements was prevalent inside thesebuildings, double sliding windows and hakidashi [an opening starting fromthe floor level] often appeared on their façade.

80

With the start of the Showa era (1926-1989), each building owner was
free to select Western style elements (chair-seating, Shinkabe [walls withcovered pillars], double-hung windows, and hinged doors) and Japanesestyle elements (floor-seating, walls with exposed pillars, double sliding
windows, and sliding doors). Thus a style with a mixture of “a Japaneseroom” and “a Western room” started to prevail3.
In this emerging process of “the eclectic style” created through mixing ofJapanese elements and Western elements, a unique style of Japanese house
was realized.

Architects’ challenges for the eclectic style
In the emergence of the eclectic style, how did architects reconcile it withtraditional architecture and what kind of trials and errors did theyexperience? Let’s focus on architects who took on the Japanese-Westerneclectic style and examine their challenges.
1) Japanizing a Western room and covering pillars of exterior walls –Katsuya Yasuoka (1877-1942)
Katsuya Yasuoka was one of the first architects to apply the eclectic style
to a middle or small-sized house for the middle class in the Taisho era. He
inserted a Western room into a traditional Japanese building and a Japaneseroom into a Western building. One of his methods was an ingenious
adjustment of Japanese elements and Western elements on the façade. For
example, when a Japanese-style house had a reception room or a guest
room in the Western style next to its entrance, he applied the Ookabe-style(hidden pillars) on the front façade, while using the Shinkabe-style (exposed
pillars) on the back façade. (Figure 2 and 3)
On the other hand, for a Western style building, he added a zashiki(reception room) in the Shinkabe-style as an annex. Using a more aggressive
eclectic method, he placed tatami mats in part of the Western-style livingroom and created space for a Japanese-style chest of drawers and a Buddhist
altar. At the entrance, he also placed an internal earthen floor room and ashoe box as a place to take off shoes. (Figure 4 and 5) For a more delicate
building, he integrated more Japanese elements into a tatami-mat room:
fixture such as fusuma and shoji, toko-no-ma, Shinkabe-style walls, andnageshi [horizontal timber between pillars].
2) Western style houses with Shinkabe-style walls – Setsuro Yamamoto(1890-1944)
Seturo Yamamoto, another architect of the Taisho era, stayed with
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[Figure 2, 3] Floor plan and exterior view of an eclectic Japanese house (from Wafu Secchu
Shojutaku (Small Eclectic Japanese House) by Katsuya Yasuoka, 1927)Ⓐ“第十八図の間取” = “Floor plan of the Figure 18”①“押入” = “Storage”②“床” = “Toko (decorative alcove)”③“主人居間（八）” = “Living room for master (8 tatami mats)”④“小供室（三）” = “Child’s room (3 tatami mats)”⑤“浴室” = “Bathroom”⑥“化粧室（二）” = “Dressing room (2 tatami mats)”⑦“茶ノ間（四半）” = “Cha-no-ma (dining room, 4.5 tatami mats)”⑧“台所” = “Kitchen”⑨“ベランダ” = “Veranda”⑩“客室” = “Guest room”⑪“女中室（三）” = “Maid’s room (3 tatami mats)”⑫“玄関” = “Entrance hall”⑬“入口” = “Entrance”⑭“マド” = “Window”⑮“ガラスセウジ” = “Glass sliding doors”⑯“ウスベリ敷” = “Thin tatami mat finishing”⑰“トタナ” = “Shelf with doors”⑱“イタト” = “Wooden door”⑲“ナガシ” = “Sink”⑳“リノリウム” = “Linoleum finishing”(21)“コルク” = “Cork finishing”(22)“ハキモノ入” = “Shoe box”
(23)“平家建” = “Single-storied building”(24)“二十八坪六合一勺” = “28 tsubo 6 gou 1 shaku (about 94.6 meter square)”

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[Figure 4, 5] Floor plan and exterior view of an eclectic Western house (from Yofu Secchu
Shojutaku (Small Eclectic Western House) by Katsuya Yasuoka, 1927)Ⓑ“第二図の間取” = “Floor plan of the Figure 2”①“畳敷（六）” = “Tatami room (6 tatami mats)”②“仏ダン” = “Buddhist altar”③“タンス二本入” = “Two chests of drawers”④“小供室” = “Child’s room (3 tatami mats)”⑤“押入” = “Storage”⑥“洋服掛” = “Clothes rack”⑦“ベランダ応接兼用” = “Veranda/Reception room”⑧“カマチ” = “Door frame”⑨“洋風居間” = “Western-style living room”⑩“浴室” = “Bathroom”⑪“化粧室” = “Dressing room”⑫“トタナ” = “Shelf with doors”⑬“台所” = “Kitchen”⑭“コルク敷” = “Cork finishing”⑮“ホール” = “Hall”⑯ “玄関” = “Entrance hall”⑰“ハキモノ入” = “Shoe box”⑱“平家建” = “Single-storied building”⑲“二十四坪六合四勺五” = “24 tsubo 6 gou 4 shaku 5 (about 81.5 meter square)”83

building a Western building with the traditional Shinkabe-style walls.
Yamamoto considered the Shinkabe-style the most appropriate building
method inherited through the long history of Japan, and insisted, “From now,a house should inherit traditional architectural styles, while accepting thechair-seating lifestyle (modernization).” Then he tested his claim in his own
house. He applied the Ookabe-style for exterior walls and the Shinkabe-style
for interior walls. He adopted double sliding windows as the best option forJapanese houses. Each room had either a wooden floor or a tatami-mat floor
according to daily use. Yamamoto viewed the style as the appropriate
Western building in Japan, and called it “Shinkabe-zukuri Yofu Jutaku”(Western style houses with Shinkabe-style walls). (Figure 6 and 7)
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[Figure 6, 7] Floor plan and exterior view of a Western style house with Shinkabe-stylewalls, Setsuro Yamamoto House (from Jutaku, March 1923)①“押入” = “Storage”②“床” = “Toko (decorative alcove)”③“縁側” = “Engawa (Japanese style veranda)”④“六帖” = “Six tatami mat room”⑤“ベランダ” = “Veranda”⑥“たんす” = “Chest of drawers”⑦“居間” = “Living room”⑧“食堂” = “Dining room”⑨“台所” = “Kitchen”⑩“土間” = “Earthen floor space”⑪“玄関” = “Entrance hall”⑫“女中室” = “Maid’s room”⑬“脱衣” = “Dressing room”⑭“浴室” = “Bath room”⑮“書斎” = “Study”⑯“四帖半” = “4.5 tatami mat room”⑰“寝室” = “Bed room”⑱“納戸” = “Storage”⑲“洗面” = “Sink”⑳“シート” = “Sheet”

843) “Healthy House” to prioritize ventilation and lighting – Jun Yamada(1884-1969)
Jun Yamada advocated the principle of “Healthy House” from the end of
the Taisho era to the beginning of the Showa era. Following the emergenceof the eclectic style, he incorporated the Western-style lifestyle with chairseating and focused on a housing style that prioritized ventilation andlighting. This was suitable for the Japanese climate, unlike enclosed Westernhouses.
Yamada sought a model for new housing styles among houses in othercountries, and noticed a similarity between half-timber work of the UK and
the Shinkabe-style of Japan. From a sense of familiarity from this similarity,
he adopted half-timber framing into his housing designs. However, for actual
designs, he added pillar-shaped timbers on the external wall in the Ookabestyle, and created the appearance of half-timber framing. In terms of floor
plans, to prioritize ventilation and lighting, he created a method todetermine length and height of eaves and the direction of a building. The
method was based on a sunlight projection map and the solar elevation
angle on the days of the summer and winter solstices. With this original
theory, he practiced his design activities. (Figure 8 and 9)[Figure 8, 9] Exterior view (left) and dining room (right) of a house designed by Jun
Yamada, Kan’in-no-miya Residence

4) An eclectic style from scientific perspectives – Koji Fujii (1888-1938)
Koji Fujii also created a house to suit the Japanese climate from scientificperspectives around the same time period as Jun Yamada’s work. His basic
claim was similar to Yamada’s, but his work was more inclined to modernity
respecting geometry.
Fujii was skeptical about the then-popular method of adopting a Westernbuilding style, based on the differences in climate and natural features
between Western countries and Japan. To scientifically pursue a housesuitable for Japan’s climate and natural features, he built an experimental
house as his own residence five times. As well as visualizing the designs of85

floor plan and façade, he studied changes in temperature and humidity
inside and outside of a house, designed ventilation holes under the floor andventilation windows in the attic, and proposed a house compatible with theJapanese climate and natural features. The fifth house, Chochikukyo (1928),
is regarded as the culmination of all of his experimental houses. Its exteriorwall was made in the Ookabe-style, while its interior wall was in the
Shinkabe-style. He attempted a new integration of chair-seating and floorseating in this house. It has a wooden floor and assumes a lifestyle of chairseating, but the floor level of the tatami zashiki (tatami floored seating area)
is raised to sustain a balance with other spaces for chair-seating. With thismodern design that doesn’t fully belong to either Japanese or Western style,he established a new style of original “Japanese taste”. (Figure 10 to 12)[Figure 10, 11] Interior and exterior views of Chochikukyo5) Eclecticism by converting Shinkabe to Ookabe – Isoya Yoshida (18941974)
The story goes that Le Corbusier visited the Katsura Imperial Villa and said,“there are too many lines”. Many architectural elements such as pillars andhead tracks are exposed on traditional Shinkabe walls, which may look
excessive. After the Meiji era under Westernization, many new houses had
both Ookabe and Shinkabe. Isoya Yoshida focused on the fact that pillars are
hidden in each wall for Ookabe-style architecture, and created his original
style. Against the excessive exposed features of Shinkabe, he intentionallyadded some Ookabe, and hid some structural elements, or exposed andemphasized them. His concept is illustrated in Figure 13, “Meirousei-no-zu”(drawing of clarity). This style was so brilliant that it released design from theconventional timber allocation and deleted the border between Ookabe andShinkabe. Thus the so-called “Isoya Yoshida’s Modern Sukiya Style4” wascreated.
In addition, various methods were developed such as: removal oftsurizuka [a strut to support a ceiling or a head track], replacing ranma(transom window) with a void, new designs for shoji, invention of Oshikomido (a type of a pocket door), and use of industrially produced materials.

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[Figure 12] Floor plan of Chochikukyo from “Chochikukyo Zuanshu” (Drawings of
Chochikukyo) by Koji Fujii①“寝室” = “Bed room”②“寝台” = “Bed”③“たな” = “Shelf”④“納戸” = “Storage”⑤“ひぢかけ” = “armrest”⑥“押入” = “Storage”⑦“廊下” = “Corridor”⑧“便所” = “Toilet”⑨“だい” = “Rack”⑩“洗面用ながし” = “Sink for washing the face”⑪“脱衣所” = “Dressing room”⑫“浴室” = “Bathroom”⑬“せんたく用ながし” = “Sink for laundry”⑭“湯沸” = “Boiler”⑮“浴槽” = “Bath tub”⑯“下女室” = “Maid’s room”⑰“土間” = “Earthen floor space”⑱“ながし” = “Sink”⑲“料理台” = “Cooking table”⑳“配膳台” = “Serving table”

87(21)“調理室” = “Kitchen”(22)“冷蔵庫” = “Refrigerator”(23)“戸棚” = “Shelf with doors”(24)“でんわ” = “telephone”(25)“地袋” = “Shelf on the floor level”(26)“たたみ” = “Tatami floor seating area”(27)“読書室” = “Reading room”(28)“机” = “Table”(29)“縁側” = “Engawa (veranda)”(30)“居室” = “Living room”(31)“こしかけ” = “Bench”(32)“かさ入” = “Umbrella stand”(33)“玄関” = “Entrance hall”(34)“腰掛” = “Chair”(35)“げたくつ入” = “Shoe rack”(36)“客室” = “Guest room”(37)“床” = “Toko (decorative alcove)”

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[Figure 13] “Meirousei-no-zu” (drawing of clarity) by Isoya Yoshida①“第２図” = “Drawing No.2”②“第３図” = “Drawing No.3”③“第４図” = “Drawing No.4”④“第５図” = “Drawing No.5”

Looking back at the history of architects who grappled with Japanese styles
and Western styles from the prewar period, there has always been a dividing
line between the two architectural expressions, Shinkabe of Japanese styleand Ookabe of Western style. Isoya Yoshida’s method, which largely deleted
the boundary, became, through experimentation, the ideal eclectic style forhousing design to strive for in the prewar period. An example of his work,
Kishi House, is shown in Figure 14 and 15.

[Figure 14, 15] Exterior and interior views of Kishi House (Pictures were taken by theauthor)88

Direction of the eclectic style in the modern era
After the Second World War, while challenges for the Japanese-Westerneclectic style continued, there were few major changes in terms ofarchitecture. Essentially, various challenges from the prewar period wererefined. For example, fixtures around openings were reorganized aroundtraditional double sliding doors. In a new movement, some furniture
designers invented furniture for low level like floor-seating, and proposed
designs to integrate Japanese style and Western style as a lifestyle. On theother hand, Kiyoshi Seike, an architect, focused on the concept of “Shiturae(arrangement)” seen in traditional houses. He proposed integration ofJapanese style and Western style through movable furniture covered bytatami mats, and tried eclecticism of these pieces through furniture thatmoved and changed the living spaces, instead of architecture itself.
Our current houses and lifestyles are the result of various challenges andexperimentation before and after the war. As a result, the size of each houseis smaller in Japan than in Western countries, but the quality of each housemust be nearer to that of houses in Western countries. Therefore, we must
be in the moment currently when we should rethink the direction of ourhouses for the future. We should look back at these previous challenges andtheir meanings, and reconsider the boundaries of Japanese style andWestern style, as well as what we have gained and lost through the processof the emerging eclectic style.

1A house in this style is called “the early type of the Western-building-onlyJapanese-room-incorporating house”.

2A house in this style is called “the Western-building-only Japanese-room-

incorporating house”.

3A house in such a style is called “the Western-exterior and Japanese-

Western-mixed-interior house”.
4Translator’s note: Sukiya style is usually applied to a Japanese teahouse.

89７Japanese Elements Remaining inHome Life in the Suburbs

Maiko Umemoto (Chiba University; Fellow, Japan Society for the
Promotion of Science)

Japanese elements in the home life of a nuclear-family household of awhite-collar worker
From the Meiji era to the prewar period, a house for most ordinary
people consisted of “Japanese rooms” floored by tatami mats. Among them,“Zashiki”, a reception room with toko-no-ma (decorative alcove), had strong
formality, and it was clearly distinguished from other rooms and placed at
the best location. In daily life, it was used as a living room for the master ofthe family. When many guests came to the house for celebrations, to givecondolences, or for religious services, it was used and connected to Tsugi-noma, an adjoining room of zashiki.
Recently, however, wedding ceremonies and memorial services areusually held at a separate outside facility, and we often entertain guests at abanquet hall, restaurant, or café, instead of inviting them to our homes. In
each house, there are pieces of furniture for chair-seating, such as a set ofsofas and a dining table, and a Western-style living room with wood flooring.
In this kind of modern lifestyle, are there any “Japanese” elements left?
In this article, I would like to explore the future of the Japanese room andJapanese home life, based on a survey of residents of detached houses built
after the 1980s1. The subjects of this survey are new houses mainly built inthe suburbs of a city, and the corresponding nuclear-family households ofwhite-collar workers. It is assumed that most of them have moved fromother regions, so they tend not to inherit the tradition of house construction
through kinship or local connection.
Drastically changing status of “a Japanese room”
Upon examining the survey data, it is immediately clear that the numberof Japanese rooms has decreased significantly. In the 1980s, most houses
had at least one Japanese room on the second floor, but such a situation
wasn’t discovered by the survey in the 2000s. Regarding a Japanese room on
the first floor, in the 1980s, about 30% of houses had more than two
Japanese rooms, including connected zashiki and an adjoining room, butmore than 25% of houses have no Japanese room now. (Figure 1) Concerning
toko-no-ma, 85% of houses had toko-no-ma in the 1980s, while only 15% donow. The size of toko-no-ma has shifted from ikken-doko, the former
90

[Figure 1] The number of Japanese rooms (Source: Reference no.8)

standard of 1.8 meters wide, to half the standard size currently.
Comparing a current house with “at most one Japanese room” to a housein the prewar period, it is notable that there was a reversal of Japaneseelements and Western elements. In the past, the sole Western room was a
reception room next to the entrance, while a Japanese room was the only
remaining space with tatami mats. It was firmly recognized as a space ofHare. As kimono has shifted from everyday clothing to clothing for special
occasions, or a day of Hare, a Japanese room is currently treated like clothing
for special occasions, so-called “Haregi”2.
Interestingly, the location of the Japanese room has moved next to theliving room. In the 1980s, most Japanese rooms were isolated next to an
entrance, but now, 60% of Japanese rooms are connected to a living room.
Furthermore, there has been an increase in use of a specific type of floor
layout that enables access to the Japanese room only from the living room.
(Figure 2) A staircase to the second floor also tends to be incorporated into
the living room. (Figure 3) This is a “living-room-centered” layout thatconcentrates paths to major rooms converging in the living room. The author
and research partners have found that popularity of the “living-roomcentered” type has increased across Japan from the beginning of the 2000s,
regardless of the size of each house. The current number is shown in Figure 4.

[Figure 2] Location of a Japanese room (Source: Reference no.8)
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[Figure 3] An example of the central corridor type (Left) and the living-room-centeredtype (Source: an advertisement of a house-for-sale distributed in a newspaper in 2007)①“和室：リビング連続・双方向型” =“Japanese room: connected to a living room,
multi-direction type”②“階段：廊下にある” = “Location of astaircase: corridor”⑰“和室：リビング連続・一方向型” =“Japanese room: connected to a living room,
single-direction type”⑱“階段：リビングにある” = “Location of astaircase: living room”③“浴室” = “Bathroom”④“洗” = “Washing machine”⑤“洗面所” = “Dressing room”⑥“収納” = “Storage”⑦“トイレ” = “Toilet”⑧“ホール” = “Hall”⑨“玄関” = “Entrance”⑩“床の間” = “Toko-no-ma”⑪“和室（6.0帖）” = “Japanese room (6tatami mats)”⑫“ポーチ” = “Porch”⑬“押入” = “Japanese style storage”⑭“冷” = “Refrigerator”⑮“台所（6.0帖）” = “Kitchen (6-tatami-matsize)”⑯“居間・食堂（12.0帖）” = “Living anddining room (12-tatami-mat size)”⑲“収納” = “Storage”⑳“玄関” = “Entrance”(21)“ホール” = “Hall”(22)“ポーチ” = “Porch”(23)“和室（6.0帖）” = “Japanese room (6tatami mats)”(24)“押入” = “Japanese style storage”(25)“床の間” = “Toko-no-ma”(26)“食堂・居間（17.0帖）” = “Living anddining room (17-tatami-mat size)”(27)“上部吹き抜け” = “Void above theroom”(28)“トイレ” = “Toilet”(29) “洗” = “Washing machine”(30)“洗面所” = “Dressing room”(31)“浴室” = “Bathroom”(32)“冷” = “Refrigerator”(33)“台所（3.7帖）” = “Kitchen (3.7-tatamimat size)”92[Figure 4]

Route planning (Source: reference no.4)

This “living-room-centered” type emerged from a proposal made byarchitects and other experts in 1922. The layout intends to convert a guestcentered model based on a feudalistic patriarchal society into a familycentered model. However, the layout wasn’t widespread until recently.
Instead, the “central corridor” type has been the preferred standard in Japan.
This type grants access to the living room directly from a corridor3. The rapid
increase of the former type after 80 years is based on two factors:
improvement of air conditioning technology that allows creation of astaircase in the living room; and re-evaluation of the “family-centered”
model. The gradual decrease of Japanese rooms and their relocation next tothe living room is expected to be especially evident in apartment buildings.
Underlying changes in reception style
An underlying reason for the changing conditions around “a Japaneseroom” is the reality that interactions with others in daily home life havedrastically decreased. Nowadays, very few households hold a memorialservice or an auspicious event at home, and the type of “guests” has alsochanged. In the data from the 1980s, we see that almost all households
experienced the visit of a formal guest, but it has fallen to only 40% in the
2000s. Visitors of the latter period are mainly people with close relationships
to the household, such as parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. Frequencyof guests is once or twice a year for half of these households. In the 1980s,
75% of households actually used a Japanese room for the reception of aguest, while it’s currently only 30% of households.
Evidently, the decline in significance of a Japanese room as a reception
space is the underlying reason for the decrease of a Japanese room with
toko-no-ma and coupling with a living room, a common space for family use.
Considering that the central corridor type layout was established in the late
Meiji era for separating the living space of a family from the operation routefor a maid or a path for guests, the rapid increase of the93living-room-centered type must illustrate the opposite trend. There is a
declining need for the preparation of an operation route or a path for a guest.
What has changed and what has been inherited
On a related side note, the current decline in the number of Japaneserooms does not necessarily reflect the actual needs of residents. In a survey
conducted with residents after acquiring a house, they expressed clear
desires such as “I should have made a Japanese room” or “I wanted to create
toko-no-ma”. (Figure 5)[Figure 5] Preference for a Japanese room asked after moving in (Source: reference no.3
and recent survey results)

Why do these respondents feel they need a Japanese room? Evidently
there is still a strong desire to use it for reception purposes. However, thedesire for the image of formality has largely declined. (Figure 6) On the other
hand, it is remarkable that in a recent survey, a Japanese room was seen bysome respondents as a flexible space that can be used for various purposes.
Traditionally, Tsugi-no-ma was a Japanese room in the house used for both
reception and family purposes. As each modern house has only one
Japanese room and this room’s reception role has declined, a premium isplaced on flexibility more so than before.
One quality of a Japanese room that demonstrates its flexibility is its use
as sleeping quarters. Twenty to thirty percent of households use a Japaneseroom on the first floor as a bedroom, depending on the varying stages offamily members’ lives. For example, parents sleep with a small child, adultoffspring sleeps separately from parents on the second floor, or a husband
and wife sleep in different rooms. (Figure 7)
This is deeply related to the fluid sleeping style of Japanese people. Whenchildren are young, parent-child bonding, especially between the motherand child, is prioritized. Until a child begins junior high school, both parents
and the child, or just the mother and the child, may sleep together, in the94[Figure 6]

Impression of a Japanese room (Source: reference no.5)[Figure 7] Breakdown of sleeping uses of a Japanese room on the first floor(Source: reference no.6)[Figure 8] Relationship between age of a child/children living together andsleeping style (Source: reference no.6)
95

case of some households. (Figure 8) Even after a child has left the house, in
20 to 30% of households the husband and wife sleep separately rather than
together. As a result, only 65% of married couples continue to sleep together
from the time they are married to the time their children leave the house.
(Figure 9) If we surveyed households of middle-aged married couples with nochildren living at home, we can expect this number to be even lower. Even if
they live together, they may use different rooms as sleeping quarters.
Such sleeping styles, where mother-child bonding is prioritized, married
couples don’t always sleep together, or sleeping location is flexible, areclearly enabled by the action of sleeping on a futon placed on the floor.
There is the added convenience of having the Japanese room on the firstfloor close to the living room, dining room, and kitchen.
The flexible lifestyle is reflected in seating style. Seventy percent ofhouses surveyed have Western style seating, meaning in the living/dining
rooms there is furniture such as chairs, sofas, and reception tables. As it isoften pointed out, it’s peculiar that Japanese people sit on the floor, using
the sofa as a backrest. (Figure 10) Thirty percent of households also use
floor-seating furniture such as a low table with kotatsu (foot warmer). While
Western style seating is present at home, people still find ways to sit on thefloor.
Will a Japanese room disappear?
The form of housing is changing. The number of Japanese rooms has
decreased, or they’ve moved next to the living room, and the number of[Figure 9 ] Chronological change of sleeping style of a married couple (Source: reference
no.6)

96

[Figure 10] Sitting on the floor, using asofa, chair-seating furniture, as a backrest[Figure 11]room

Laying futons on a wood-floor

houses without a central corridor has rapidly increased. However, sometraditional Japanese household practices have been passed on to modern life,
such as the flexible functionality of rooms, the fluid sleeping system thatprioritizes mother-child bonding, and the floor-seating style.
Why has this happened? Possibly because Japanese people retain thepreference to spend time on the floor after taking off their shoes at theentrance. Perhaps they wish to continue traditional group-oriented behavior
in their current modern lifestyle4. Therefore, even if “a Japanese rooms”
disappears, elements of the Japanese home life and households willcontinue to be passed on for future generations to practice. For example,
even if a room is wooden floored rather than tatami, it’s still common thatyoung children sleep on a futon alongside their parents. (Figure 11)
On the other hand, a Japanese room may disappear from the lifestyle ofpeople who frequently move and are less likely to inherit traditions. We haveseen that a Japanese room that is only accessible from a living room, while
increasing in number, doesn’t have the actual flexibility desired for a
Japanese room5. Once people find that they cannot enjoy the flexibility inday to day household activities, it will be less important to have a Japaneseroom in a house, and more likely these rooms disappear.
Japanese elements to be re-evaluated – Making a house with a responsive
nature to its neighborhood
So is it acceptable if a Japanese room disappears? The author thinks thatthe desire behind the need for a Japanese room to serve as a reception
space should be reflected in the effort to make a house open to the local
community.
Due to the shrinkage of each household and the prevalence of twoincome families, there are more opportunities and necessity to ask for third
parties to provide elder care or child care, rather than looking to a family97member. Additionally, for seniors with reduced mobility, the advantage of ahousehold and lifestyle with visiting guests should be re-evaluated. There is a
growing need to redesign based on interaction with others.
However, this redesign doesn’t mean there should be a luxurious
Japanese-style reception room. It’s more of a restructuring of the spatiallayout of a modern house from an exclusive space for a family, to a layoutthat can be opened up to others. One example is to review the location of
the Japanese room, zashiki, to make it adaptable and flexible both for family
use and public use, including reception. Another example is to re-evaluate
spatial elements of old Japanese houses that can be adjusted to strengthen
neighborhood connections, such as engawa (veranda), an earthen floor
space, and an entrance with sliding doors.
Traditional Japanese spatial elements have the potential for establishingrich living environments with responsive connections to neighborhoods andmoving beyond closed living environments with limited interaction withneighbors.

References:
1: Aoki Laboratory, Kyushu University, “A Study on the Plans for Middle-class
Housing pt. 3”, Jutaku Kenchiku Kenkyujoho, 1985, pp. 111 – 126
2: Toshie Oka, Terukazu Takeshita, Masao Aoki, “A Study of Typification and
Ground Plans for Index of Space for Receiving Guests and Living Space –AStudy on the Plans for Japanese Contemporary Middle-class Housing–”,
Journal of Architecture and Planning, Issue 383, pp. 64-73
3: Maiko Kirihara, Yoshihiro Suzuki, Toshie Oka, “A Study on the Needs for“Zashiki” from the View of the Plan Type and Function”, Journal ofArchitecture and Planning, Issue 633, 2008 (11), pp. 2301-2308
4: Yoshihiro Suzuki, Toshie Oka, Maiko Kirihara, “Popularization and Issues ofPlanning on ‘Center-living room’ type housing”, Jutaku Sogo Kenkyu Zaidan
Kenkyu Ronbun Shu, 35, 2009 (3), pp. 143-154
5: Maiko Kirihara, Yoshihiro Suzuki, Toshie Oka, “The Utilization and
Significance of ‘Zashiki’ in Contemporary Detached House –A Research ofRelations between Plan-Types and Function for Contemporary House
Planning Part 2–”, Journal of Architecture and Planning, Issue 643, 2009 (9),pp. 1951-1960
6: Maiko Kirihara, Yoshihiro Suzuki, Toshie Oka, “Issues of Planning on Master
Bedroom and Private Territory from the View of Sleeping Arrangement of
Couple –A Research of Relations between Plan-Types and Function forContemporary House Planning Part 3–”, Journal of Architecture and Planning,
Issue 660, 2011 (2), pp. 281-286

98

7: Yoshihiro Suzuki, Toshie Oka, Maiko Kirihara, Hiroki Yuasa, “Planning
Theory on ‘Center-Living Room’ Type Housing –Making Reference to
Existence of Tatami-room and Approach from Environmental Analysis–”,Jusoken Kenkyu Ronbunshu, 38, 2012 (3), pp. 149-160
8: Hiroki Yuasa, Yoshihiro Suzuki, Toshie Oka, Maiko Kirihara, “Periodical
Comparison of Planning on the Detached House in the Term ofDiversification –The Requirement of Residents for Planning of DetachedHouse in Japan Part 1–”, Journal of Architecture and Planning, Issue 690,
2013 (8), pp. 1723-1732
9: Hideki Kobayashi, Ibasho toshiteno Sumai (House as a place to be), Shin’yo
Sha, 2013, p. 193
10: Masao Aoki, Yoshihiro Suzuki, Toshie Oka, Nakarouka no Jutaku (Thecentral-corridor type house), Sumai Library Publishing, 2009

1Data from 1980s is from Masao Aoki laboratory of Kyushu University, anddata from 2000s is from the joint research team of Yoshihiro Suzuki, Oita
University, and Toshie Oka, Kyushu Women’s University. For details, pleaserefer to reference nos. 1 and 2 for 1980s and nos. 3 to 8 for 2000s.
2This point is also introduced in reference no. 9.
3Please refer to reference no. 10 for the development process of the central
corridor type house.
4The idea that Japanese people tend to view the entire house as one
connected relaxing space due to the custom to take off shoes at the entranceof a house, unlike Western countries where people take off shoes at theentrance of each room, leads to a behavioral pattern prioritizing unity of afamily, not privacy of each individual. For details, please refer to reference no.
9.
5If a Japanese room is placed one fusuma (a paper sliding door) away fromthe back of a living room, where various daily activities happen, the room
tends to be used as an extension of the living room or as storage in daily life.
Presumably it’s difficult to use it as a room with different characteristics froma living room, such as a quiet bedroom or a formal reception room.

99

８“Pride” in a House Starts with the“Japanese Standard”

Yoshiji Takehara（President, Moo Architect Workshop)“Pride” in a house
The philosophy to inherit a dwelling as a cultural feature is required not
only for inheriting existing houses through generations, but also for creatinga new house. However, Japanese dwelling culture has multifaceted elements,and various interpretations are possible in terms of what should be inheritedand how. We have to glean the true character rooted deeply in older
Japanese houses, elevate the essence into modern use, and create newthings. Otherwise, the next generation may only inherit formal things.
Take a moment to consider if you have something to be proud of in yourcurrent house. “Something to be proud of” doesn’t necessarily mean aluxurious imported car, an enormous TV set, or a customized kitchen. What ismeant by pride is the beauty and richness that exists in a house or a lifestyle.
However, in modern society, people acquire a generic house just like an item
purchased from a store. Pride is not what can be developed immediately orin the short term, and it may be difficult to feel such pride toward a housemade from a standard prototype. If we have nothing to be proud of in ourcurrent house, we won’t be motivated to pass it on.
Create a house with a main focus on hosting a guest
Where does “pride” in a house come from? Let me explain Japanesedwelling culture as I see it.
For example, a daughter would like to take her boyfriend home tointroduce him to her parents. How will the treat him upon meeting him?
In a situation where they are likely to talk about their future potential
marriage, you may treat him diffidently while watching TV, or you may sit
formally in a Japanese room and wait for him. The attitude of the masters of
the house upon welcoming a guest is an indicator of the culture of the house.
It applies to the guest’s norms as well. When a guest visits a house, cultural
expectations of the guest emerge in every aspect of the guest and themeeting: what to wear, how to sit, how to drink tea, and how to eat.
All of these elements determine if the parents or guardians will approveof or object to the marriage prospects.
In fact, part of Japanese house was developed for welcoming a guest.
“Zashiki”, a room floored by tatami mats, was developed as “a reception
100

room” for guests equipped by shoin (built-in table) and toko-no-ma(decorative alcove). For a time, a house was created with the “receptionroom-centered” approach in Japan. However, people started to have a“family-centered” idea based on Western thought, and most modern houses
are recently designed with a living-room-centered approach. It is obviousthat simply just restoring a tatami room in a modern house doesn’t lead toinheritance of housing culture.
I create houses with the main focus on “hosting a guest”. By choosing
appropriate shapes and materials derived from the focus and design of thehouse, it is highly probably that one can inherit Japanese dwelling culture
automatically.
Design with a focus on Japanese dwelling culture
The first focus is on importance of an approach to an entrance. In an oldhouse, an entrance has special meaning, more than just the function of an
entryway, in terms of welcoming a guest. An approach from a gate to an
entrance is also an essential space as an introductory preamble of hospitality.
However, economic efficiency is prioritized in most recent houses, andpeople don’t hesitate to build a house using as much of the plot land area as
possible. Some houses have the street immediately outside of the entrance,and some people have to go through a narrow path next to a parking space
to go outside. The culture itself that requires a fitting approach for a house isalready lost. The former custom was to welcome a guest by splashing waterin the garden or at an entrance, but we now have to consider how towelcome a guest and how a guest should approach a new house.
In particular focus on the pathway, we should
pay attention to the size, arrangement,material, and the interlocking seams of stones
we use. It is necessary to always think from theperspective of “hosting a guest”, such as
considering whether or not the selected stones
have a desirable texture after being splashedwith water, or how to prepare the entry so thata guest can take a short breath before entering
the house (Photo 1).
Furthermore, we must remember that an
entrance is the first space where a guest steps
inside a house, not just a space to take off
shoes. We should be attentive to a shape ofthe entrance door, arrangement of agari[Photo 1] by Yutaka Kinumaki
kamachi [horizontal timber to cover the edge101

of a floor] and space, and the view from an entrance, and based on all of this,carefully select the right materials and shapes. For an actual design, theapproach to the house was composed of natural materials, not with newmaterials, such as stone masonry or brick walls based on a Hinpun wall [astone wall between an entrance and a main building] in Okinawa. The
aesthetics of the stepping stones is meant to attract guests into an entrance(Photo 2).
A wooden door
and a hinged doorof frosted glass
were used as theentrance door inorder to allow
guests to take abreath in front of
the entrance andenter the house[Photo 2] by Yutaka Kinumaki
comfortably (Photo3). A semi gloss
finish, rather thana full gloss mirror
like finish, was puton the entrance
floor stones. An
eye-stop was
created in front of
the entrance withan array of natural
hardwoods, with a
top light to create
appealing[Photo 3] by Yutaka Kinumaki [Photo 4] by Shigeo Ogawa
illumination. The
design should be
attentive to the guest’s sightlines and how their eyes travel when they visit
the house for the first time (Photo 4). Walls were finished in plaster by aplaster craftsman. What is consistent with all parts of the house is the use ofmaterials that increase in depth as time goes by.
Some joints suddenly stops people, others urge them to move. Japanesepeople’s behavior when facing a joint is also a part of dwelling culture
developed throughout history. We should also recognize that Japanesepeople have been sensitive to joints as part of their lifestyle. According tomaterial and position, various joints appear with close examination of102

traditional works. Somemethods are used to hide a
joint, and some methods
enhance a joint to serve as adecoration unto itself. For thedesign of a house, it must be
important to inherit this culture
and continue the practice in our
modern lives.
However, in recent mass
produced standardized houses,
everything is smooth and there
are no abrupt stops. In addition,
as sizes are standardized for
production efficiency, therelationship between Japanesepeople and joints has become
far more distant. (Photo 5, 6)

Dialogues about Japanesestandard culture[Photo 5] by Shigeo Ogawa[Photo 6] by Yutaka Kinumaki

Even if our house has a big sofa or a big dining table, it’s not difficult tofind a house without a Japanese room and toko-no-ma. Among my university
students, many of them don’t have a tatami-mat room and toko-no-ma intheir residence, and many don’t know the basic terms for talking about aJapanese room such as tatami, toko (decorative alcove), shikii (sill track),
kamoi (head track), and nageshi (horizontal timber above openings). Even if
we don’t directly teach Japanese dwelling culture to children, they can learnz
a lot implicitly through sitting in a Japanese room and drinking tea. (Photo 7)
As we drink together we can consider things like where was the tea
grown and harvested? What is the best dish to use for eating manju (a bun
with sweet bean filling)? What is the toothpick made from? We can also feelthe light through shoji (translucent paper sliding door) and talk about thescenery of the garden behind yukimi shoji (shoji with a glass window) in a
Japanese room. Having a dialogue about such common “Japanese standard”
topics must lead to inheritance as an end result.
However, in the modern society, we abandoned this “Japanese standard”
and embraced the “Western standard”. By choosing a convenient course, we
may have terminated the path to inherit dwelling culture by our actions.
In this case, we should aspire for architecture to create a house where we103can live with and appreciate the skill and impressions of craftsmen, and tochoose materials that are enhanced by polishing, instead of decaying in 20 to
30 years. “Pride in a house” may not emerge until we have a house that can
support our stable long-term family lifestyle. If children grow up in such ahouse, they must naturally wish to keep living in the house, which naturally
leads to inheritance by the next generation. In addition, people in modern
society are failing to appreciate the “beauty” of a house realistically. It’s
necessary to reflect on and revisit our way of thinking for modern houses,
and it’s important to have a proper mindset in order to design a house that is
worth inheriting.

[Photo 7] by Shigeo Ogawa[Photo 8] by Shigeo Ogawa

104

９

Degradation of Traditional
Technology and Transference of the“Genuine Techniques”

Tadanori Kimura（President, Kimura Komuten Co.,Ltd.）Technology supports the original scenery of Japan
The inscription of “Washoku”, traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese,to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2013 was a major topic ofdiscussion in Japan. While just a daily meal for Japanese people, its
international appraisal as an essential spirit of respect for nature was a good
opportunity for us to review the dietary culture of our own country.
As well as food, many other things, such as architecture, are tightly
connected to Japanese history and customs. “Dento-koho wo UNESCO Mukei
Bunka Isan ni”, the movement initiated by Takeshi Umehara to have dentokoho (traditional construction methods of Japan) registered as a UNESCO
Intangible Cultural Heritage, has started a drive to revive both artisan’s skills
and living culture, and their inheritance by future generations, as well adeeper understanding of traditional construction methods. “Dento-koho” is
not only technology which has supported Japanese architecture, such as
shrines, temples, sukiya (tea-house style building) and minka (folklore house),
but also a collection of wisdom and techniques, from procurement ofmaterials to production and distribution, of Japanese people who lived withnature since ancient times. Needless to say, this formed the original
Japanese scenery and supported the philosophy and lifestyle of Japanesepeople. However, these original elements are now on the verge ofdisappearance.
As a master carpenter, I’m engaged with architecture of doumiya [shrines
and temples], as well as machiya (townhouse). I began these activities
because I believe that inheritance of techniques is essential for inheritanceof culture. While working as a carpenter, I joined a research group. As well astrying to establish better a legal environment, we have been actively working
on performance verification experiments related to a traditional wooden
structures, such as: development of semi-fireproof structures by wooden
structures and mud walls; development of fire spread prevention methods
for the decorative underside of eaves; and a shaking table experiment of the
full-scale Kyoto-style townhouse by E-Defense, the three-dimensional fullscale earthquake testing facility. For inheritance of culture related toJapanese houses, artisan’s techniques to create such houses areindispensable. The author would like to convey an urgent message for105inheritance of these techniques, derived from my fifty years of experience asa carpenter.
Continuous social rejection of “Dento-koho”
Allow me to reflect on the history of construction methods of Japanesearchitecture and explain how the traditional techniques came to be injeopardy.
Japanese wooden architecture originated from a post-in-the-groundbuilding such as a pit-house, and developed into a framework structurebuilding over a long time, while fostering technologies to support it. At the
beginning of the Kamakura era (around 1185-1333), nuki [penetrating
crosspiece] was introduced based on the architectural style of the Songdynasty used by Chogen for reconstruction of Todai-ji temple, so-called
Daibutu-yo (great Buddha style) or Tenjiku-yo (Indian style). Since then,Japanese architecture widely used the technology to support a framework by
deformation and biting of nuki. The introduction of nuki was a significant
turning point in the long history of wooden architecture. Before theintroduction of nuki, buildings had a softer rigid-frame structure [structurewith pillars, beams, and rigid joints] that simply used large members or usednageshi (horizontal attached timber) as a structural member to connect
columns. Thanks to introduction of nuki, Japanese architecture acquired
more viscous resistance and thus further development of wooden
construction technology was promoted.
A thriving use of wooden architecture did not develop markedly as aconstruction method in the Edo era (1603-1868), so the next turning point
was the introduction of the brace structure [structure with diagonal
members on the plane of pillars and beams] imported from the West in the
Taisho era (1912-1926). After this, Japanese architecture was largely divided
into two categories: the conventional construction method that supports aframework by braces and boards; and the traditional construction methodthat supports a structure by nuki and the framework itself.
However, when the Building Standard Act was enacted in 1950, thetraditional construction method was not clearly established in the act, as its
performance couldn’t be verified. Since then, the method has been viewed
dismissively and rejected, that is until the amendment of the act in 2000 thatapproved limit strength calculation. With this amendment, it was finallypossible to approve and to quantitatively evaluate how strongly a member
can resist when a building is deflected (allowable deflection). Additionally, in
2002, the proof stress of mud wall was also recognized. With this, the system
finally caught up with the traditional construction method. The possibility ofwooden architecture with nuki and mud wall is gradually increasing. Based106

on an evaluation of structural strength, the wall magnification factor of a
mud wall was raised from the quite low value of 0.5, to 1.5, depending on
applied construction methods, meaning the strength evaluation tripled.
However, during the intervening period of 50 years when the traditional
methods were dismissed and denigrated by society, artisan’s techniques
were also steadily being degraded.
Reality of degrading artisan’s techniques
Tracking changes in the townhouses of Kyoto in different versions of“Rakuchu Rakugai Zu Byobu” in Figure 1, we see that carpenter’s techniques
improved along with the city.

[Figure 1] Changing style of townhouses according to “Rakuchu Rakugai Zu
Byobu”

Historically, the city of Kyoto struggled with fires. Through the study ofpaintings, we observe the improvement of the city’s fire disaster prevention
system and the parallel development of carpenter’s techniques. Following
the year 1616, more houses applied tiles on the roof, more walls werecovered by mud, and a wing wall, called udatsu, was created on theboundary with a neighboring house.
Carpenter’s techniques had reached their peak by the middle of the Meiji
era (1868-1912), but after that point they started declining for five reasons.
The first reason for the decline was change of tools. Due to modernization,
tools improved from hand tools to electric tools. There is a big difference
between a hand tool and an electric tool. A hand tool is what users modify to107fit their hands best, while an electric tool is made of mechanical parts thatusers cannot modify. Artisan’s tools have continued to evolve, and with eachstage, human techniques contribute less, leading to a degradation of thetechniques.
The second reason is views of clients. In the past, clients thought that “abuilding is precious property”, so they provided maintenance for their house.
However, nowadays a house is commercialized like most other industrial
products, and we can get a complete house, or product, easily. In this society,a house is what clients choose and buy, not what they create. In thissituation, artisan’s techniques are not utilized.
The third reason is effect of industrialization. This means a degradation oftechniques caused by the manufacturing of all materials. For example, in thepast, in order to make a door, a carpenter cut timber, created a frame, andplaced fittings at the exact spots. In contrast, these days a door is
manufactured in a factory as a kit including a frame and fittings. Simply place
the kit between pillars and the door is ready. Because of the convenience ofkits, Shinkabe (wall with exposed pillars) has disappeared and most of walls
are Oo-kabe (wall with hidden pillars). Foundation of the walls is made ofplasterboards and some cloth is applied to them. This is the current
mainstream standard of a Japanese house.
The fourth reason is change of lifestyle. Currently, most of houses don’t
have tatami mats, and people use tables, chairs, and a bed. As we turn awayfrom a floor-seating lifestyle and tatami culture declines, we are about tolose some fixtures that functioned as a space for environmental adjustment,such as butsuma (Buddhism altar room), toko-no-ma (decorative alcove), andengawa (veranda). Formerly, in a Kyoto townhouse, we could remove all
fixtures and make one large space, reaching all the way from the front to theback of the house. Then we could install some seasonal fixtures, like yoshizu[woven screen made of reed] for summer, and enjoy the transition of thefour seasons. It’s inevitable that a wooden-floor room increases to replacetatami-floor rooms, as more people in Japan wear western fashions insteadof kimono. But the author is hopeful that tatami won’t disappear entirely.
Transfer techniques through continuation
The fifth and final reason is transference of techniques. Without any work
to do, craftspeople cannot transfer techniques. If carpenters just keepassembling industrialized products like making a plastic model, a proper realhouse will never be built again. Until recently, master carpenters transferredtechniques to young carpenters gradually over time, thereby sustaining theprofession. When we reach the point that we have nothing to teach, this job
will disappear. How can we create opportunities to transfer techniques and108

opportunities for young carpenters to learn them?
Even if traditional construction methods have legal approval, technology
will be abandoned without projects to use it. This author believes sadly thatit’s obvious that this profession will disappear in the future. Therefore, thisauthor appeals for “a genuine work” wherever he goes.
Artisans always seem to forget what they have learned from someone
else. We attempt to replicate something by ourselves, and struggle to perfectit through trial and error. If we manage to complete it two or three times, ourmuscle memory will not allow us to forget again. The author has beenworking like this as a carpenter, and hopes to educate young carpenters inthe same manner.
However small the number, a few continuous “genuine works” can sustain
techniques automatically. Otherwise, Japanese housing culture will not be
inherited in the actual sense.

109

10

Japanese Lifestyle and Manners We
Should Inherit

Nobuko Matsumoto (Professor, Otsuma Women’s University)

Houses and a shift in our way of living
We can say that Japanese dwelling style was formed through home life ina traditional wooden house. According to the climate and natural features ofJapan, a house is built in the Japanese style, and the Japanese lifestyledeveloped as a unique way of living. Once a house changes, our way of livingin it changes; once our way of living changes, a house also changes. Throughmutual interaction, our particular dwelling style was formed. For example,
the floor-seating lifestyle is relevant to home life in a Japanese room withtatami mats and the custom of taking off shoes before stepping on the floor.
By taking off shoes before stepping on the floor, an awareness of thedifference between “uchi (inside)” and “soto (outside)” was fostered. Family
space was regarded as “uchi” on the floor and it was less likely that a fully
private space was formed. Such a dwelling space and the way of living in thespace must be different from family values and space perceptions in Western
Europe. Additionally, we can expect that a dwelling space divided bypartitions such as fusuma (sliding paper door) and shoji (translucent sliding
paper door) created certain “manners” for family relationships and daily life.
In a home life in a dwelling space where sounds, smells, and presences were
easily communicated, daily life must have required relationships based on
the ability to “take a hint” and follow certain manners of such a lifestyle.
In recent years, home life has modernized and houses generally have afloor plan featuring common rooms and private rooms, often described as“nLDK”. The number of houses without tatami-mat rooms has increased, andour inherited way of living is about to change. This change must influence
our family relationships, human relationships, and manners in our lifestyle.
This article studies the changes in our way of living (a Japanese lifestyle) andargues what will be inherited.
Increase in houses without Japanese rooms
Modern houses usually have floor plans of the “nLDK” type, which
consists of common rooms, such as dining room and living room, and privaterooms used by each individual1. Fundamental statistical surveys, such as the
Housing and Land Survey conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs andCommunications, also prepare choices for floor layout based on the nLDK
type. Additionally, in recent years, the actual size of common rooms (LDK) is
110

increasing, and the number of houses with Japanese tatami rooms isdecreasing.

[Figure 1] The proportion of detached houses with no Japanese room, surveyed
through newspaper inserts (2011-2012)
Note: This data is based on information regarding detached houses distributed as anewspaper insert in Seijo, Setagaya, Tokyo (n=231), and Horinishi, Hadano, Kanagawa(n=381), from November 2011 to May (September in Setagaya), 2012. From thecollected information, we used only information from houses in neighboring cities(Setagaya ward, Chofu city, and Komae city; Hadano city, Isehara city, and Hiratsukacity).

Figure 1 shows the result of a survey of newspaper inserts. To examine
the range of houses provided in the Tokyo Metropolitan area in terms offloor plan and existence of Japanese rooms, we collected newspaper inserts
in Setagaya, Tokyo, and Hadano, Kanagawa2. In Setagaya, a residential area in
the Western Tokyo wards area, more than 70% of new houses don’t have aJapanese room. While previously owned houses in the inserts were notalways refurbished at the time of advertisement, 45% of used houses didn’t
have any Japanese rooms. In contrast, in Hadano, an area farther from
central Tokyo, almost 90% of houses, both new and used, had more than one
Japanese room. Some houses without any Japanese room were advertised,
but it is remarkable that almost 90% of new houses and used houses had atleast one Japanese room. As shown in Table 1, there were some differencesin the plot area and the floor area between these areas, but there was no
significant difference in terms of the scale of houses, and each house wasmainly comprised of four rooms in both areas. Comparing new houses withused houses, used houses had rooms numbering in the range from two toseven, and did not always have the “nLDK” type floor plan. A new house hadslightly larger common rooms than a used house. Few houses had connectedrooms. We observed changes in the function of common rooms, expansionof common rooms, and a decrease in Japanese rooms.
If a house did have a Japanese room, it was located on the first floor in
90% of cases, usually adjoining a common room. In the Hadano area, 89% ofhouses had common rooms on the first floor, while 23% had common rooms

111[Table 1] Plot area and floor area of detached houses from newspaper inserts (20112012). Also refer to note 2.

on the second floor. Considering differences in needs of home buyers, thesurrounding environment, and the size of the plot, the results show that
residents in the Setagaya area prioritize livability for common rooms andtheir role as family space, instead of a reception space.
Removing shoes before stepping on the floor
Japan’s climate is characterized by high temperatures and high humidity.
In the Yayoi period (300 BC-300 AD), people started to create floors (awooden floor on floor posts) above a wet earthen floor as living space3. For
farmers who cultivated rice, presumably, it was important in their daily life
not to bring outside dirt and dust onto the floor, “uchi”, and not to dirty the“floor” while walking on the earthen floor with outside shoes. In the Nara
period (710-794), a space on a floor, called Itajiki, was a space dedicated tosleeping and sitting, and people removed their shoes when coming onto thefloor. Thus the custom of being on “a floor” (floor-seating) was established as
the Japanese traditional dwelling lifestyle.
Removing shoes at home is considered an act of dividing a life of “uchi”
on a floor and “soto”. As westernization spreads, we rarely remove our shoes
in public settings, except for some special occasions. However, in a house, as
far as floor plans of advertised new houses and apartments indicate, thearrangement of entrances is consistent, and suggests that people remove
their shoes at the entrance. While a formal behavior is expected at “soto”,“uchi” on the floor may be considered a private space of rest andamusement for the family.
On the other hand, through westernization of home life, what has
emerged is a Japanese-Western eclectic home life based on traditional floorseating. Initially, dining tables and sofas were placed in Japanese rooms, butthey felt out of proportion, as the scale of a Japanese room and the height ofa ceiling was designed for floor-seating. Thereafter, living rooms were mostly
designed as western rooms, but many residents who were used to “floorseating” still sat on the floor, as well as on a chair, depending on what they
were doing. In an imported house with no Japanese rooms, despite following
112the custom of life on the floor, chair-seating was common, so floor-seating
and chair-seating coexisted4. Coexistence of seating styles was the result of
the resident’s choice, but it is important to consider continuity between
spaces and daily life activities (posture), as shown in Figure 2.

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[Figure 2] Consistency of postures in daily life (Source: reference 9)①“脚なしソファ椅座位” = “Seating posture on a sofa with no legs ”②“テーブルH=390” = “Table Height=390”③“ソファ” = “Sofa”④“テーブル平座位” = “Seating posture on the floor in front of a table”⑤“床面平座位” = “Seating posture on the floor”⑥“脚ありイス椅座位” = “Seating posture on a chair with legs”⑦“イスSH=430” = “Seating height of chair = 430”⑧“テーブルH=700” = “Table height = 700”

For new houses in recent years, Japanese rooms tend to be removed inorder to extend common rooms5. When the floor is finished by wood orcarpet, daily life activities related to floor-seating are restricted. Additionally,
when common rooms are on the second floor, presumably, “common rooms”
are designed for livability as family space.
Currently, we remove our shoes before stepping on the floor, and wesustain a life on the floor, but chair-seating is becoming more prevalent.
Recently, rooms are used according to daily life activities, not according to
the presence of chair-seating or floor-seating. Common rooms, which tend
to extend, are more westernized, but certain furniture is used to sustain
continuity between floor-seating space and chair-seating space, such as lowheight furniture and wide surface area furniture such as couches, as shownin Figure 3. People continue to remove their shoes before stepping on thefloor, due to the climate, as well as the daily custom of distinguishing “uchi”
and “soto”.
Japanese lifestyle and “manners”
A Japanese room with a tatami mat can be converted to a bedroom byusing a futon, or to a dining room by using a table and dishes. Therefore,
instead of defining the function of a room by placing furniture as in113

[Figure 3] Wide couch at HOSHINOYA Taketomi
Islandchair-seating room, a Japanese room is used as flexible living space. In thecourse of a day, the function of a Japanese room is converted for each periodof time, and it can even become a place for ceremonial occasions. A lifestyle
based on flexible usage of space is the ideal use of unique Japanese dwellingspace.
As modernization and westernization of home life continues and grow in
popularity, more houses have common rooms and private rooms. People eat
and sleep in different rooms, and the dining room is separate from the livingroom. However, upon closer examination, the way of living based on flexible
dwelling space has actually been inherited. Many parents still sleep withbabies and toddlers, and rooms individuals are not always used as privaterooms, as shown in Reference 8. Children of junior high school age may sleep
with their parents and siblings and study in the dining room, even if they
have their own rooms.
Partitions such as fusuma and shoji ensure convertibility of the dwellingspace. When the partitions are open, rooms can be used as one large room.
When closed, they become an individual room, but sound and existence ofpeople are communicated. Family members aren’t conscious of privacy andmay have closer relationships among the family or those living together.
Particular “manners” have emerged for people living together in such adwelling space. Daily manners such as those for entry into a Japanese room,
opening fusuma or shoji, greetings, gestures, and seasonal arrangements aresupposed to be performed in kimono. They are also part of the desire tofacilitate relationships between people living together, which is a central partof the unique Japanese dwelling culture.
However, once a room is styled as a western room, individual privacy isrespected. Gestures in Japanese traditional clothes are not required, andrelationships between family members change. In such cases, “manners” in
the Japanese traditional dwelling space are less likely to be inherited, andthe way living defined by the dwelling space also changes.
Currently, flexible dwelling space based on a Japanese room with tatami
mats and partitions of fusuma and shoji, is transforming into a dwellingspace with common rooms and private rooms and a focus on privacy. The
114

way of living in such a space has created a house that fits a lifestyle definedby the dwelling space, and has formed a peculiar dwelling style. Whendwelling space was a versatile Japanese room, it performed various functions
in each part of the day and each season without having a clearly fixed
function. Therefore, settings vary depending on needs, which is why such aroom and the way of living became a certain dwelling style. Yet some houses
still have different seasonal settings, and residents often request the featureof a large connected space to function a as common room. Therefore, thelifestyle and arrangement in a flexible dwelling space in a traditional
Japanese house are inherited even in modern houses.
To inherit Japanese lifestyle
A lifestyle is defined by “a dwelling space” and in turn changes the shapeof the dwelling space. What should we inherit as lifestyles change? Recently,
due to modernization and westernization of home life, Japanese people’s
lifestyles have changed significantly, and the number of new wooden housesin the traditional Japanese style is decreasing. With fewer experiences of
traditional dwelling space, it becomes more difficult to inherit Japanese
lifestyle. It is natural to put on western clothes and not many daily life
activities require a Japanese room with tatami mats. If a space is not
required by our lifestyle, it’s less likely to be inherited. In our current lifestyle,a Japanese room is not always necessary. Therefore, a Japanese room tends
to become an extra room such as a guest room. Otherwise, we tend to createa Japanese room from emotional reasons, such as “I like tatami mat” or “I
want to lie down on tatami mat”, and the Japanese room tends to become
an undefined space for vague purposes.
As stated above, the essence of Japanese lifestyle lies in the highly
flexible space composition, the way of living that suits the climate andnatural features, and the way of living to cherish different seasons. To inherit
such a Japanese lifestyle, we need a “dwelling space” to be inherited. To
practice customs for each season, we need the proper setting for suchactivities. For example, it’s difficult to display ornaments for the New Yearwithout toko-no-ma (decorative alcove). In recent years, common rooms aredecorated along a western theme, and furniture for the living room is placedin the middle, which also works as a TV stand. Should we display New Years
ornaments there?
Without the setting for daily life activities, customs must change. Hakozen(individual box-shaped table) had changed into chabu-dai (low dining table),dining tables have become common, and our meals have become
westernized in modern society. But we inherited and sustained the dietarycustom of using a rice bowl, a soup bowl, and chopsticks. To inherit the115

Japanese lifestyle, it’s important to have the “Japanese dwelling space” thatsuits our modern life. It doesn’t necessarily mean a typical dwelling spacesuch as “a Japanese room with tatami mats and toko-no-ma”, but includes “adwelling space in a Japanese modern style”. By experiencing the lifestyle insuch a “Japanese dwelling space”, Japanese lifestyle is inherited and some
home life is formed according to each season.

References :1) T. Awahara, Y. Wei, Y. Sakurai, “Verification on Sign of Change in the Floor Plan of
Ready-Built House in Recent Years –A case study in Fukui urban area–”, Jutaku-kei Kenkyu
Hokokukai Ronbunshu (Papers for the Housing Research Briefing Session), vol.6,
Architectural Institute of Japan, 2011, pp. 225-232
2) N. Morimoto, “Arrangements of Living Room, Dining Room and Washitsu withTokonoma Relating to Floor Area and Housing Construction Type –Planning type ofdetached houses loaned by H.L.C. (Part 1)–”, Journal of Architectural Planning andEnvironmental Engineering, Issue 444, 1993, pp. 11-20
3) N. Morimoto, “Locality of Housing Plan Classified by Arrangements of Living Room,Dining room, and Japanese Connecting rooms –Planning type of detached houses loaned
by H.L.C. (Part 2)–”, Journal of Architectural Planning and Environmental Engineering,
Issue 451, 1993, pp. 105-113
4) T. Maeda, N. Morimoto, “Radical Change of New Detached Houses in Higashiosaka City
–From three-storied houses to two-storied houses–”, Journal of Architectural Planning,
Issue 596, 2005, pp. 155-162
5) T. Sawada “Yuka-ue no Kurashi to Doma no kurashi”(Lifestyle on the floor and lifestyleon the earthen floor), Sumairon, vol. 34, Housing Research Foundation, 1995, pp. 26-33
6) S. Suzuki, Sumai wo yomu (Understand home), Kenchiku Shiryo Kenkyusha, 1999
7) N. Ito, “Shimbun Orikomi Koukoku wo Shiyoushita Ikkodate Jutaku no Madori ni
Kansuru Kenkyu (A study on a floor plan of detached houses using newspaper
inserts)――Case study at Hadano, Kanagawa, and Setagaya, Tokyo”, Graduation Thesis of
Faculty of Social Information Studies in FY 2012, Otsuma Women’s University, 20138) Y. Adachi, M. Fukatsu, “Kodomo Beya kara Miru Jittai kara Miru Jiritsudo tono Kankei――Chugakusei wo Taisho toshita Kodomobeya Chosa nitsuiteno Kosatsu” (Relationshipwith degree of self-support viewed from a situation of a child’s room ―― Analysis ofchildren’s rooms of junior high school age children), Graduation Thesis of Faculty of Social
Information Studies in FY 2013, Otsuma Women’s University, 2013
9) K. Takeda, “Yunyu Jutaku ni okeru Sumaikata no Kenkyu sono 3, Koshitsu ni okeru Isuza
to Yukaza no kankei” (A study on the living activities in imported houses Part 3,
relationship of chair-seating and floor-seating in a common room), Nihon Kenchikugakkai
Gakujutukoen Kogaishu, 1993
10) H. Kobayashi Ibasho toshite no Sumai (Home as a place to be), Shin’yo Sha, 2013116

1 Surveys and research on floor plans of recent houses-for-sale areconducted, as the reference 1 and the reference 2.
2The result is based on information pertaining to detached houses
distributed in newspaper inserts between November 2011 and May 2012
(until September in Setagaya) at Seiyo, Setagaya, Tokyo (n=231) and Horinishi,
Hadano, Kanagawa (n=381). The data includes new houses and used houses,
as well as a model plan for advertisement to sell a plot. As the inserts
included advertisements for a distant areas, we selected advertisements inneighboring cities and wards from collected data, and analyzed 184 plans in
Setagaya ward, Chofu city, or Komae city, and 247 plans in Hadano city,
Isehara city, or Hiratsuka city.
3Source: S. Hirai, Nihon Jutaku no Rekishi (History of Japanese house), NHK
Books, 1974, p. 27-31
4Reference 9 shows, from a survey on the way of living in imported houses,that Japanese rooms with tatami mats have decreased, affected by floor
finishing and the form of furniture, and that Japanese rooms next to acommon room are used as extra space such as a guest room or part of acommon room without a clearly defined purpose.
5Based on interviews with house sales companies and real estate agencies at
Reference 7.

117Chapter 4
Making a Platform ----- Social System forInheritance118

In the previous chapters, we explored “why” and “how” we inherit
historical ways of life and a house as a historical building. In this chapter, we
will discuss a system to proactively inherit houses that functions as thefoundation of a modern lifestyle and local community, as well as a traditional
lifestyle. How can we inherit them as a part of the social system when thehouse is currently under the full control of its owner?
A house is the property of an individual. So, how can we as a society
inherit such a house? Residents of old houses often tell me, “We are used tothis house and have an attachment to it. But, for my son’s generation, thishouse must be too old to live in comfortably. I can’t ask him to sustain thishouse as it is”. It seems that many people think, “I want to keep this, but I
can’t”. If a house is designated as a cultural property, the house remains andaccepts public support for repair. Historical houses with high academic value
have such an opportunity of inheritance through the system of culturalproperty designation.
The problem is that a very limited number of buildings can be designatedas a cultural property. Usually, houses aren’t designated as a culturalproperty immediately. Japan is filled with potential candidates awaiting
designation: houses whose owners want to sustain them, houses with deeply
attached owners, houses that are still functional enough, houses loved by
the local community, houses that are about to be demolished due toinheritance issues, and houses left vacant after an inheritance.
As previously noted, the Registered Tangible Cultural Property systemdoesn’t have a process to aid inheritance by providing financial support for
repair and maintenance, unlike the Cultural Property system. Therefore, full
responsibility for the maintenance of these buildings falls upon their owners.
As a result, the Registered Tangible Cultural Properties are just “a group ofbuildings that we hope will remain”. Most houses we want to sustain could
be functional with proper maintenance. However, there is no current system
for maintenance and preservation, and time and time again these houses
have been demolished for financial reasons.
As a solution to the current situation, some people believe the Cultural
Property system should open the door for preservation to a wider range ofcultural properties. But the problem cannot be solved by simply relying on
the administration system. It’s still necessary to establish a system whereas
society can sustain and preserve these properties. This system should have a
specific method to sustain buildings, but the system can also include thepromotion of the belief that we should take good care of old objects and notneedlessly throw away usable things. It can also include the development ofa circulation system for used houses. As mentioned in the preface, to stop
“Scrap-and-build” and implement “Keep-and-change”, it is inevitable that wemust fundamentally change our mindset and perception of values.
119

It should be noted that the most famous system to inherit historicalbuildings must be the National Trust in the United Kingdom. As the full namesuggests, the “National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural
Beauty” was established in 1895 in order to preserve historical buildings andnatural scenery. Founded at a point in history when it became increasingly
difficult to sustain historical buildings through individual personal expense,
the National Trust aims to protect buildings, cityscapes, and landscapes, andhold them in trust for future generation. Recently in Japan, some similarorganizations have been founded for the protection of historical buildings.
Through the activities of the various organizations, more people haveincreasingly realized the importance of historical buildings and cityscapes.
Kozai Banku-no-Kai (Old building material bank group) is one of theseorganizations, which originally promoted the reuse of disassembled building
parts. After the reuse of old materials and the restoration and reuse ofhistorical buildings became more prevalent, the organization changed its
name to Kozai Bunka-no-Kai (Old building material culture group). It revised
its purpose toward the inheritance and development of the traditional
culture of wooden architecture and its building techniques, and continues its
activity to the present. Recently, the organization is trying to establish “theSystem to Monitor Buildings We Want To Sustain” (tentative name)1. The
precise challenge lies in how exactly to inherit ordinary buildings around us.
This book introduces two further examples of similar organizations, theGeneral Incorporated Association Heritage Houses Trust and the non-profit
organization Taito Cultural & Historical Society.
I’m pleased that various organizations have started actions to inherit
buildings and are trying to develop these actions into an important part of
the wider social system. For further discussion of the trust system, pleaserefer to the appendix of this book, which introduces it as a potential system
for inheritance. In any case, a house is an important property and we bear asignificant financial burden to maintain it. What is required now is an
exploration of a social system that both addresses financial issues and legal
issues such as inheritance as well as sustains its value through actual usage.
(Seizo Uchida)

1From the article: “Challenges of the System To Monitor Buildings We Want

To Sustain (tentative name)” by Hidetomo Shiroishi, Gekkan Bunkazai, May
2016

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11

A System to Inherit the Lifestyle of
Yanaka Area and Traditional
Architecture

Akiko Shiihara (Vice Chair, Taito Cultural & Historical Society)

Please also refer to page 28 to 30 in Chapter 1

People of the town uncover values of the town
When it comes to popular sites for overseas tourists, Ginza, Asakusa, andAkihabara remain classic places to visit. In addition to these places, recently,
more overseas tourists visit Yanaka, especially around Yanaka Ginza Shopping
Street, Nezu, and Sendagi area and enjoy the atmosphere of the Shitamachi(traditional commercial area) district. This neighborhood attracts moreinterest, both in Japan and from abroad, as a place to experience Japanesetraditional lifestyle and townscape with narrow alleys. However, in the past,this neighborhood was regarded as “an old town left behind fromdevelopment”. At that time, Tokyo was experiencing a period of rapid growth,
and Japan was dominated by the attitude that “old things are shameful”. Reevaluation of this town was initiated by the activity of local people who tried
to uncover the value of the town. (Figure 1)
I serve as a vice chair of Taito Cultural & Historical Society. We carry out
various activities that restore traditional buildings and utilize local history
and culture in Yanaka and Ueno-Sakuragi area, Taito ward. For example,
Kayaba Coffee, a café that the society restored in 2009, has become a symbolof the town where local people gather and visitors can learn local history andculture. This article illustrates the system to inherit such local cultural
heritages and explains the activities of the organization.
[Figure 1] A temple town ofTokyo, a town of slopes andgreenery - Yanaka

121Voluntary activities to revitalize Yanaka neighborhood
Yanaka, Taito, Tokyo, is located northeast of the former Edo castle, and apart of Tera-machi (temple district) that protects Kimon (damon’s gate) ofEdo. In the Edo era (1603-1868), mausoleums of the Tokugawa family andtemples, such as Kan’ei-ji, clustered in this area. In adjacent Ueno Park, many
western buildings have been built as a symbol of modern culture since the
Meiji era (1868-1912), such as an art school, a music school, museums, andart museums. Even after the Edo Shogunate ended and Meiji government
began, Yanaka area inherited the townscape of shrines and temples, as wellas its local community, while sustaining the character of a town to support
art. In addition, this area suffered less damage from earthquakes and war,and many historical buildings remained in this area. Therefore, this areaflourished as a rare neighborhood in Tokyo where a community from thefeudal Japan period was still evident.
However, since the period of rapid growth began, historical buildings thatwere not protected by the Cultural Property System were demolished. While
this area was selected to “Utsukushii Nihon no Rekishiteki Fuudo 100 Sen(Top 100 beautiful historical landscape in Japan)”, the number of old
buildings decreases year after year. Despite this, local people continue tohold various activities voluntarily.
Some people were inspired by “Kiku Ningyou (Chrysanthemum doll)” thatwere popular in the Meiji era, and they started “Kiku Matsuri(Chrysanthemum Festival)” at a temple in the Yanaka area in 1984. Others
started “Encho Matsuri (Encho Festival)” associated with San’yutei Encho, arakugo performer. A group of people published a local magazine“Yanaka/Nezu/Sendagi” (1948-2009, Issued by Mayumi Mori, Noriko
Yamazaki, and Hiromi Oogi). Thanks to the magazine, the name of this area,
Yanesen, became popular, and the lifestyle and culture of this area started to
attract more interest. This interest coincided with the beginning of the
Shitamachi excursion boom. (Figure 2, 3) Some local residents joined thesurvey “Ueno/Yanaka/Nezu/Sendagi no Shitashimareru Kankyo Chosa(Survey on popular environment in Ueno/Yanaka/Nezu/Sendagi area)” andgraduates of Tokyo University of the Arts created a group called “Yanaka
Gakkou (Yanaka school)”. They rented new galleries or old houses in theneighborhood and held events to display the works of town craftspeople andyoung artists, such as “Machiju Tenrankai/Geiko-ten (Geiko-ten exhibition –the whole town is an exhibition-)”. From the sensibilities of young people,
values of the old town in Tokyo were uncovered. (Figure 4)
The atmosphere of the town was created from events like thosementioned. Also, more people, mainly those in their 30s, began to open selfmade stores in Yanaka. In the past 30 years, more than 60 cafes and galleries
have opened in this area. Due to the popularity of such dynamic activities,“Townscape of122

[Figure 2] Yanaka Daienji, the venue of Yanaka Chrysanthemum Festival, and the
traditional Chrysanthemum doll

[Figure 3] Yanaka Zenshoan, the venue of Encho Festival, and the founder, Kozo
Noike (Owner of Noikezushi sushi restaurant, Chairman of Federation of Yanaka
District Neighborhood Associations)

Kan’ei-ji Temple, Ueno Park, and Yanaka” was named to the aforementioned
list of the Top 100 beautiful historical landscapes in Japan in 2007.
Start of Non-profit Organization
However, the number of historical buildings was continually decreasing.
There were some individual factors that were beyond the control ofindividual owners, such as inheritance tax, aging of the owner, and vacancyof the house. Therefore, we established an non-profit organization, Taito
Cultural & Historical Society, and started campaigns to rent historicalbuildings and utilize them in the community in cases where owners faced
mitigating circumstances.
The first action as an NPO was to survey and list historical buildings andproperties in this area. This survey also identified buildings consideredvulnerable and dangerous in the event of a natural disaster in the highdensity wooden house district. If a building was simply old, it was a target of
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[Figure 4] Examples of exhibitions at the Yanaka Geiko-ten①“手焼きの煎餅屋”=“Hand-baked rice cake shop”②“大正期の離れを臨時に展示場に”=“An annex building was turned into a temporary exhibition room.”③“長屋の一角も展示場に”=“A part of a row house also became an exhibition room.”④“槍がんなの実演と体験”=“Demonstration and experience of Yariganna (a spear-shaped plane)”removal support. We aimed to find a use for such buildings and to utilize
them and tell their story, or to connect lifestyle with the restoration of thebuildings.
Taito Cultural & Historical Society currently manages five buildings. IchidaHouse, a mansion-style building from the Meiji era, served as a residence forstudents, and the zashiki (the main tatami room) on the first floor was usedfor various public cultural activities. In Sankenma, a townhouse-style building
with a factory and three sets of sliding doors, the first floor was used by adifferent weekly shop on each day of the week, and the second floor wasused as a residence. Denchu Hirakushi House, a house with an atelier owned
by a sculptor of the Taisho era (1912-1926), was utilized as a space forcreation. Kayaba Coffee was revived as a symbolic café based on the beloved
original cafe of the Taisho era. (Figure 5)

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[Figure 5] Four buildings that Taito Cultural & Historical Society rents and utilizes①“屋敷型”=“Mansion type”②“１）市田邸：1907年築、布問屋の屋敷と蔵。ふだんは学生らが住み、座敷と庭を活用”=“1) Ichida House : Built in 1907. A mansion and a storage of a fabric wholesale dealer.
Students live there usually, and the main Japanese room and the garden is utilized”③“シェア町家”=“Shared town house”④“２）間間間：1919年築、まちにひらく、曜日替わりの店と住まい”=“2) Sangenma: Built
in 1999. Weekly shops and residence.”⑤“アトリエ型”=“Atelier type”⑥“３）旧平櫛田中邸：1919年、1922年築、彫刻家のアトリエと住まい”=“3) Former
Denchu Hiragushi House: Built in 1919 and 1922. An atelier and a house of a sculptor.”⑦“店舗町家”=“Town house with a shop”⑧“４）カヤバ珈琲：1916年築、昭和の喫茶店を復活”=“4) Kayaba Coffee: Built in 1916.
Revived café of the Showa era.”

Kayaba Coffee was closed when the owner became too old, and thebuilding sat empty after the passing of the owner. The NPO rented thebuilding, found an operator, and partially restored its original menu andinterior based on stories of the café previously told by the owner. Its façade
was preserved. A certain part of its interior was designated as a preserved
area using original members, and an architect added new materials and125

presentation. Thus both former customers and new patrons can enter easily.
Every day the café is filled with customers such as locals, tourists, andstudents. (Figure 6)

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[Figure 6] Kayaba Coffee after restoration①“保全活用企画：NPO たいとう歴史都市研究会＋SCAI（白石コンテンポラリーアート）”=“Preservation and utilization planning: Taito Cultural & Historical Society+SCAI(Shiraishi Contemporary Art Inc.)”②“建築調査監修：東京藝術大学大学院文化財保存学保存修復建造物研究室”=“Supervision on the building survey: Buildings and Districts Laboratory, Graduate
School of Conservation, Tokyo University of the Arts”③“店舗改修設計：永山祐子建築設計”=“Design for refurbishment of the shop: Yuko
Nagayama & Associates”④“店舗運営：現代美術株式会社”=“Store management: Gendai Bijutsu Co., Ltd.”“店長：村上慎吾”=“Store manager: Shingo Murakami”⑤“建物管理：NPO たいとう歴史都市研究会”=“Building management: Taito Cultural &Historical Society”

The plans for these four buildings follow this scheme: the NPO consultswith an owner of a vacant building and rents the entire building; the NPO
pays real estate tax and daily maintenance costs; the NPO finds a tenant; andthe tenant sublets or rents the building temporarily. When a tenant rents
part of the building, the NPO charges a cooperative fee for maintenance andutilization, which will in turn used for rent, maintenance fees, repair fees,
and a reserved fund. (Figure 7)
The NPO utilizes these four buildings as model cases, but there are still126

[Figure 7] Example of a system to inherit a house or a shop owned by an elderly person

about 500 old buildings in Yanaka. Obviously, it’s difficult to take care of all ofthem at the same time. As the NPO guarantees rent, it’s not realistic for the
NPO to rent more buildings.
We don't intend to create a system that only NPOs can employ. Instead,
we have the mission to create a system that an owner and a tenant who
wants to live or use the building can implement to take care of the building,share its story, and reflect the wishes of the owner and tenant. Hopefully, thesystem can help both owner and tenant take initiative in the system.
A new system that an NPO gets involved in
There is another successful case in which the NPO was involved in adifferent way, that of Ueno Sakuragi Atari, a facility opened in 2015. It
consists of three former residential buildings with gardens built in 1938.
(Please refer the related pages in Chapter 1) It was difficult for the NPO torent all three buildings, so we simply introduced potential tenants to theirowner.
At first, the owner though that it was difficult to make use of the three
old houses as they were, and considered building a parking lot or anapartment. The owner doubted that anyone wanted to live in such houses,
so the NPO gathered about a dozen interested people and held an open
house for those who wanted to live or set up retail space in an old house in
Yanaka area. At the event, we asked the owner, Tsukakoshi Co., Ltd., todescribe the history of these houses, and each potential tenant to explain
their plans. After the event, the owner understood there were enthusiastic
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people who wanted to use these houses and agreed to utilize the threehouses. We determined tenants for three buildings, the scale of restoration
work, cost allocation of the restoration, and rent, and then started therestoration work. The owner, Tsukakoshi Co., Ltd., chose to handle therestoration itself, considering the history of the house as the place wheregenerations of presidents had lived and interacted with neighbors.
Instead of filling the buildings entirely with shops, the restoration
included residential spaces and community spaces to experience thedwelling culture and to blend with the surrounding residential area. The
shop space included a beer hall, a bakery, a shop for salt and olive, and avariety shop. The alleys around the once vacant houses became bright andinviting, and the facility became a place of interaction where local people
visited.
The Japanese room on the first floor of the third building is called “YourZashiki (Everyone’s Japanese room)” and the private road area in the middleof the three houses is called “Your Roji (Everyone’s alley)”. These places areused as a community space for various purposes. Your Zashiki is used forevents previously held in each separate house, such as Shichi-Go-San (acelebration for three, five, or seven-year old children) and celebrations forchildren entering school. Your Roji is used for a local market, a hand-madegoods market, and a rural products market of the area connected to people
in Ueno Sakuragi or Yanaka. (Figure 8)
Enthusiastic local communities initiate activities and support each otherWe become aware of the value of our culture only when a house, objects,
lifestyles, and events are integrated. For example, if a row house built at the
beginning of the Showa era is relocated, the row house can be sustained as abuilding, but lifestyle of the row house cannot be sustained. There should be
an alley, some residents, a carpenter who can do small repairs th the house,and people care for elderly people and children together. The value isdemonstrated in the system where the tangible and the intangible meet. In
addition, it leads to “a peaceful place to be”, including environmental
systems such as: a house with good ventilation and no need of air
conditioner even in summer; casual support and interaction in aneighborhood; and engawa (Japanese style veranda), alleys, and earthen
floor space in front of the entrance.
We shouldn’t isolate a house as a single building, but rather inherit it aspart of the whole town. This creates a familiar local environment andpromotes a willingness to keep living in the area. In fact, due to increase ofyoung families, the number of children has increased in Yanaka.
However, there are still some obstacles that local activities cannot
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[Figure 8] Your Roji, Your Zashiki and shops on the first floor (from the landscape/layout
drawing of Ueno Sakuragi Atari)①“前面道路から続く石張”=“Stone pavement from the frontal road”②“敷地入口”=“Entrance to the plot”③“門柱・門扉・門灯”=“Gatepost/Gate/Gate light”④“あたりサイン”=“Sign of Atari”⑤“ウッドフェンス”=“Wooden fence”⑥“テナントサイン”=“Signs of tenants”⑦“ウッドフェンス・扉”=“Wooden fence/Door”⑧“駐輪場”=“Bicycle parking space”⑨“２色生垣”=“Two-colored hedge”⑩“カキ”=“Persimmon tree”⑪“みんなのろじ”=“Your Roji”⑫“石張り・コンクリート”=“Stone pavement/Concrete”⑬“あたり１”=“Atari 1”⑭“谷中ビアホール”=“Yanaka ”⑮“石段”=“Stone steps”⑯“砂利敷”=“Gravel pavement”⑰“生垣・遮蔽植栽”=“Hedge/Shielding Plants”⑱“モチ”=“Mochi tree”⑲“みんなのざしき”=“Your Zashiki”⑳“ウッドデッキ”=“Wood Deck”(21)“植栽棚”=“Plant shelf”(22)“あたり３”=“Atari 3”(23)“サクラ”=“Cherry tree”(24)“再利用飛石”=“Reused stepping stones”(25)“水栓柱”=“Tap post”(26)“ウッドチップ”=“Wood chip”(27)“門柱”=“Gatepost”(28)“井戸”=“Well”(29)“石張り”=“Stone pavement”(30)“おしおりーぶ”=“Oshi Olive”(31)“あたり２”=“Atari 2”(32)“舗装広場”=“Paved square”(33)“石張＋コンクリート”=“Stone pavement + Concrete”(34)“階段”=“Steps”

129overcome alone. Local people can nurture community, but reform of thelegal system is also necessary to protect appropriate alleys and woodenbuildings in each place. For example, fireproof and earthquake proof
countermeasures are necessary to open up the possibility to make use ofexisting wooden houses in the urban area. When a row house facing adeemed road under the Building Standard Act, Article 42, Clause 2, isreconstructed, it should be given exceptional treatment or systematic
support to approve it as a single housing estate. Recently, somemunicipalities established ordinances to exclude historical buildings from thesubject of the Building Standard Act. There are methods to protect andpromote spreading local cultural resources from both tangible and intangible
sides, such as: the urban-type Preservation District for Groups of Traditional
Buildings; Historic Scenery Maintenance and Improvement District provided
for the Act on Maintenance and Improvement of Traditional Scenery in
Certain Districts; and Landscape District provided for the Landscape Act.
Financial support from local public, private, academic, or administrative
institutions and support for successors are also necessary.
Currently, Taito Cultural & Historical Society is engaged in machizukuri(community development) by cooperating and collaborating with various
people, such as machizukuri committees in Yanaka area, Yanaka Gakko (amachizukuri organization), and students of adjacent universities (Tokyo
University of the Arts, University of Tokyo). However, instead of just focusing
in the Yanaka area, we are trying to collaborate other areas in Tokyo where
cultural resources are concentrated, such as Kanda, Yushima, Hongo, andUeno, as “The Tokyo Cultural Resources District”, and to propose systematicreform of the larger district. As Ueno and Yanaka have historically been
regarded as the entrance to Tokyo from Tohoku and Hokuriku areas, somepeople and organizations promote interactions with towns in Yamagata,
Niigata, Aizu, and Noto, and collaborations with suburban farms in Miura andYamanashi. To expand these activities, it’s necessary that enthusiastic local
communities initiate activities and support each other. By overlapping
actions and motivations of individuals, the future image of each town iscreated, and the town they create will become their new hometown. (Figure
9)[Figure 9] Concept of the
network of towns, people,
and machizukuri activities
in Yanaka, Nezu, Sendagi,
Negishi, Ueno areas

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12

The System of the Housing Heritage
Trust for Inheritance and Use

Toshiko Kinoshita (Director, Heritage Houses Trust)

Please also refer to page 31 to 33 in Chapter 1

It is very difficult for a third party to get involved in the inheritance of ahouse, as it is deeply connected to the circumstances of the family, such as
family inheritance issues and owner aging. No matter how mucharchitectural value they have, most of these houses quietly disappear. Evenin terms of architectural value, a house has to be older than 50 years old tobe registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. Such national
systems cannot protect certain houses. Houses that are regarded as amasterpiece of the postwar period cannot receive any support, and their fate
depends solely on the decision of their owners.
Yet we have had some good news. The owner of Takahiro Sonoda Housein Jiyugaoka, designed by Junzo Yoshimura, was looking for someone to takeover the house, and she found a new owner who can sustain the originalform of the house. This fantastic inheritance was coordinated by anorganization, Heritage Houses Trust.
Heritage Houses Trust focuses on “heritage houses” – that is, houses thatare mainly built in the 20th century or later, have high historical and culturalvalue, and should be sustained in the future beyond ownership – andconducts activities for preservation and inheritance of these houses. This
organization began with the preservation of the aforementioned Takahiro
Sonoda House.
Beginning
I studied architecture at university and the history of modern architecture
at graduate school. When I oversaw a special issue of the architecture
magazine “a+u”, Visions of the Real/Modern Houses in the 20th Century I & II
(March & October, 2000, Shinkenchiku-sha), with Ken Oshima, an Americanarchitectural historian, I remember it being a challenge to select modern
houses in Japan. As part of our of selection criteria, we presupposed “we willtake photos of the house in its current condition in the 21st century, insteadof using past photos”. Obviously then a house had to currently exist, and thehouse needed to be used as a house in as good a condition as we could
showcase with photos. However, in Japan, information about precious
modern houses was not as organized as in Europe and the U.S., and manysuch houses had already been demolished.
After that, I established a company for planning, design, and supervision131

of architecture. As I entered real estate for the purpose of this business, I
witnessed this situation: precious houses, treasures for someone who
studied architecture, were treated like burdens, demolished, and disposed oflike cumbersome waste. Just as I was feeling anxiety about this crisis ofJapanese architecture culture being lost, I encountered a house.
Encounter with heritage houses
It was the encounter with Takahiro Sonoda House, which also created an
opportunity to establish the Heritage Houses Trust. The house is a small
wooden house with a floor area of 77 square meters, which Junzo Yoshimura(46) designed for Takahiro Sonoda, a pianist, and his wife in 1955. Hiroshi
Ogawa, an acolyte of Junzo Yoshimura, designed the later extension seen in
the house’s current form. In the spring of 2008, owner Haruko Sonoda spokewith Tamagawa Machizukuri House, a local community development NPO,
about the possible inheritance of the house.

[Figure 1] Takahiro Sonoda House(Source: Shinkenchiku vol. 30, 1955)[Figure 2] Inside of Ito House, Former
Takahiro Sonoda House (Photo: Sadamu
Saito)

Haruko Sonoda and her family lived in Germany for a long time, and her
son mainly lives in Germany. Since Takahiro Sonoda died, Haruko Sonoda has
lived there alone. But the house was too big for one occupant, so she hoped
to sell it to a person who would maintain the building rather than demolish it.
Members of the NPO visited the Sonoda House and confirmed that theoriginal part, designed by Junzo Yoshimura, was also preserved very well. We
all agreed that the building, including the extension, should be preserved
and inherited.
We subsequently established “Sonoda Takahiro Tei no Keishou to Katsudo
wo Kangaeru Kai (Group to consider inheritance of Takahiro Sonoda Houseand activities in it)”. For about four years, we held the event “Ongaku to
Kenchiku no Hibikiau Tsudoi (Gathering for music and architecture)”. The
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event was composed of a concert, produced by Haruko Sonoda andperformed by young pianists related to Takahiro Sonoda, and a talk aboutarchitecture. We opened up the house socially and achieved a great deal interms of sharing the value of the house with many people. However,
unfortunately, we couldn’t find a purchaser. (Figure 3)[Figure 3] Ongaku to
Kenchiku no Hibikiau
Tsudoi (Gathering formusic and architecture,
Photo: Sadamu Saito)

It was fortunate that the owner, Haruko Sonoda, actively participated inthis activity and waited for four years. However, the main purpose of thisactivity was to find a purchaser, so we needed to change our course of action.
We decided to hold an exhibition about heritage houses that were looking
for a new owner.
At the same time, we were approached for advice about New Kunio
Maekawa House, the self-designed house of Kunio Maekawa, in Shinagawa,Tokyo, and Former Kurata House, designed by Isoya Yoshida, in Setagaya,
Tokyo. Three precious heritage houses designed by great architects of the
Showa era were searching for a new owner at the same time. We showcased
all three in the exhibition, “Showa no Meisaku Jutaku ni Kurasu – Jisedai ni
Hikitsugu tameni Dekirukoto(Live in a masterpiece house of the Showa era –what we can do to inherit them to the next generation)”. (Figure 4) The
media response was substantial. Articles about the exhibition were
published in Nihon Keizai Shimbun, The Japan Times, The Wall Street Journal,
and multiple magazines. As a result of the article in Nihon Keizai Shimbun,
someone in Osaka contacted us and we guided him into Takahiro Sonoda
House. He was a huge fan of Junzo Yoshimura, although initially he justwanted to see an example of the architect’s work. Happily, he ultimately
decided to purchase the house. We succeeded in coordinating theinheritance from Haruko Sonoda. (Figure 5)133

[Figure 4] The exhibition “Showa no
Meisaku Jutaku ni Kurasu – Jisedai ni
Hikitsugu tameni Dekirukoto (Live in amasterpiece house of the Showa era –what we can do to inherit them to thenext generation)” (Photo: Sadamu Saito)[Figure 5] From Mrs. Sonoda to Mr. Ito

The current owner lives in Osaka, so he uses Former Takahiro Sonoda
House as his second house. He is also cooperating with the activities of the
Heritage Houses Trust that were established after the inheritance of thehouse. We continue to hold concerts or open house events. Respecting theoriginality of the building, the new owner takes very good care of the house.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t find a purchaser for the Former Kurata House,designed by Isoya Yoshida, so it was demolished. New Kunio Maekawa House,designed by Kunio Maekawa, is currently managed by my company, and wecontinue to look for an ideal way to inherit the house.
Establishment of the Heritage Houses Trust
After the experience with these three houses, we realized that
preservation and inheritance of heritage houses requires an organizationthat can take ceaseless professional action. Thus Heritage Houses Trust wasestablished in 2013, mainly by the members who engaged in the inheritanceof Takahiro Sonoda House. We collect experiences and information, create a
network of experts in various fields required for the inheritance of heritage
houses, and work toward inheritance of heritage houses.
Since establishment of Heritage Houses Trust, we received a series offurther inquiries about other properties: Fujimi House, designed by Antonin
Raymond and built in 1970 in Chiyoda, Tokyo; Daita no Machiya (atownhouse in Daita), designed by Kazunari Sakamoto and built in 1976 in
Setagaya, Tokyo; and Villa Le Maïs, the self-designed house of Shigeo Hirata,
built in 1967 in Meguro, Tokyo. While Villa Le Maïs was unfortunately
demolished, we could find new owners for Fujimi House and Daita no134

Machiya. Necessary repairs were completed and the owners use the houses
as their residences. (Figure 6)[Figure 6] Fujimi House (Photo: Sadamu Saito)[Figure 7] Daita no Machiya (atownhouse in Daita)(photo:
Sadamu Saito)

During the exhibition, we were approached for advice about Kaji Villa,designed by Arata Endo and built in 1928 in Hayama, Kanagawa. After the
Heritage Houses Trust was established, we held the exhibition “Opening of
the Kaji Villa”. Although held only on weekends for two months, 4600 people
visited the exhibition. We were surprised how much interest there was in thehouse. As with Takahiro Sonoda House, we found a new owner for Kaji Villa
about four years after the first discussion. (Figure 7)

Activities from now
When a heritage house is inherited as a part of the inheritance ofproperty, people usually ask advice from tax counselors, lawyers, banks, orreal estate agents. These experts don’t always have knowledge aboutarchitecture, and tend to propose “empty the plot and sell it”. On the other
hand, people in architecture or those passionate about preservation ofarchitecture understand architectural values, but tend to have minimal
knowledge of real estate and the inheritance of property. They don’t know
how to find a new owner and often shift the burden of the task to thecurrent owner. To fill this gap and sustain heritage houses, we need toestablish a system that respects the wishes of the current owner, makes useof expert knowledge from different fields, and finds a new owner or a way toutilize the building.
As a type of help center for owners who hope that their heritage house135will be passed on, Heritage Houses Trust finds a new owner, or explores ways
for the current owner or the owner’s family to keep the property.
Going forward, to successfully inherit valuable houses, it’s essential torevise laws and ordinances and to ease regulations. For example, heritage
houses are often built in a Category 1 low-rise exclusive residential district1,
which limits the purpose of use and choice of new functions for the house.
Further reforms are needed: exemption of the Building Standard Act; ease of
burden, such as taxation for an owner and maintenance costs; and thereform of policies related to cultural properties.
One reason why heritage houses disappear is the inheritance of property
of a deceased owner. If we have the luxury of time, as we did in the case of
Takahiro Sonoda House and Kaji Villa, it’s more likely that we can find a newowner during the lifetime of the current owner. But often time is limited in
the case of inheritance of property of a deceased owner. From our previous
activities, I feel it’s necessary to establish a system that takes over a heritage
house temporarily and establishes a window of time to explore a way tosustain the house. At the same time, our organization needs to besustainable. To do so, it’s important to address our financial base and humanresource development. (Figure 8)[Figure 8] Façade of Kaji Villa (Photo:
Yoshihiko Ono)

[Figure 9] A symposium in November
2014[Figure 10] Flyer of the exhibition “Openingof the Kaji Villa”

136

[Figure 11] Activities of Heritage Houses Trust

1Ed. Note: A district designated to conserve a favorable dwelling

environment for low-rise housing.

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13

“Soft Regeneration” of the Vertical
Kyoto-style Townhouse, Horikawa
Housing Complex

Mitsuo Takada (Professor, Kyoto University)

Future of the disappearing Horikawa Housing Complex
Horikawa Housing Complex is the collective name for 6 apartmentbuildings of three-storied reinforced concrete structure, located west of
Kyoto Imperial Palace along Horikawa Dori street between Marutamachi Doristreet and Naka-dachiuri Dori street. Kyoto-fu Jutaku Kyokai (Kyoto
Prefectural Housing Association, current Kyoto Prefectural Public Housing
Corporation) constructed these buildings between 1950 and 1953. They aresome of the first so-called “Getabaki Houses”, characterized by residential
units and retail space (currently store units only) in each building. Stores withresidential units take up the first floor, and residential units occupy thesecond and the third floors. The first floor of the complex served as a local
shopping street for a period, but its vitality obviously declined steadily. Since
the 1980s, reconstruction of these buildings has been considered multiple
times due to deterioration. No decision has been made, but recently a new
movement has emerged to regenerate the entire neighborhood around thecomplex, instead of simply reconstructing the buildings. Methods being
considered include renovation and refurbishment. (Figure 1, 2)
A turning point in the regeneration of Horikawa Housing Complex came in
the form of a proposal from Horikawa Danchi Machizukuri Konwakai(Gathering for community development of Horikawa Housing Complex),established in 2009. Since becoming chairman of this gathering, I’ve been
involved in this project in various ways. The first phase of this regeneration
project was completed in 2014. While performing a seismic retrofit andrefurbishment of residential units, the project also includes various new
programs in relation to machizukuri (community development). We are
getting closer to the moment to regenerate the entire neighborhood.
Regeneration associated with machizukuri
Horikawa Housing Complex is comprised of six housing complexes:
Sawaragi Housing Complex, Shimodachiuri Housing Complex, Demizu
Housing Complex (No. 1 to No. 3), and Kamichojamachi Housing Complex.
Before the Second World War, the area was a large bustling city street, called
Horikawa Kyogoku, containing about 250 shops. However, near the end of
138

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[Figure 1] Location of Horikawa Housing Complex and local councils①“上京区” = “Kamigyo Ward”②“北野天満宮” =あ“Kitano Tenmangu Shrine”③“堀川通” = “Horikawa-Dori Street”④“烏丸通” = “Karasuma-Dori Street”⑤“今出川通” = “Imadegawa-Dori Street”⑥“聚楽住民福祉連合協議会” =“Joint Council for Welfare of Juraku
Residents”⑦“中立住民福祉協議会” =“Joint Council for Welfare of Churitsu
Residents”⑧“堀川団地” =“Horikawa Housing Complex”⑨“京都府庁” = “Kyoto Prefectural Office”⑩“待賢住民福祉連合協議会” =“Joint Council for Welfare of Taiken
Residents”⑪“滋野団体連合会” =“Association of Organizations in Shigeno”⑫“二条駅” =あ “Nijo Station ”⑬“二条城” = “Nijo Castle”⑭“丸太町通” =“Marutamachi-Dori Street”⑮“御池通” = “Oike-Dori Street”⑯“京都市役所” = “Kyoto City Hall”⑰“京都御苑” = “Kyoto Imperial Palace”

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[Figure 2] Composition of Horikawa Housing Complex①“堀川通り” = “Horikawa-Dori Street”②“椹木町団地” =“Sawaragi Housing Complex”③“下立売団地” =“Shimodachiuri-Dori Street”④“出水団地” =“Demizu Housing Complex”⑤“上長者町団地” =“Kamichojamachi-Dori Street”⑥“丸太町通” =“Marutamachi-Dori Street”⑦“椹木町通” = “Sararagi-Dori Street”⑧“下立売通” =“Shimodachiuri-Dori Street”⑨“出水通” = “Demizu-Dori Street”⑩“ルビノ堀川” = “Hotel Rubino Horikawa”⑪“下長者町通” =“Shimochojamachi Dori Street”⑫“中立売通” = “Nakadachiuri-Dori Street”⑬“京都府庁” = “Kyoto Prefectural Office”

the war, this area was designated as a firebreak to mitigate damage from air
raids, and retailers and residents were forced to evacuate. After the war, theland turned into the wide street, Horikawa-Dori. Horikawa Housing Complex
was constructed on private land on the west side that wasn’t used for thestreet.
The oldest housing complex of the Horikawa Housing Complex, Demizu
Housing complex, was built in 1950. The Housing Loan Corporation Act cameinto effect that same year, and the Public Housing Act was enacted thefollowing year. To address a housing shortage and to restore the Horikawa
Shopping Street, Kyoto-fu Jutaku Kyokai purchased the plots and constructed
six buildings, including both shops and apartments, with funds from the
Housing Loan Corporation. Residential units were fitted with the latest
modern conveniences, such as piped gas and flushing toilets, and they
became popularly known as modern and cultured apartments.
140

Horikawa Housing Complex can be interpreted as a vertical version of the
Kyoto-style townhouse previously found in this neighborhood. Units on thefirst floor are a residential unit with shop space, and units on the second andthe third floor are also semi-grounded type residential units that have goodaccess to the street. Jizo-bon, a festival dedicated to Jizo, was also held on
the second floor terrace. Like a Kyoto-style townhouse, the floor plan
maximizes ventilation. While the earthen floor doesn’t pass completely
through, there is a space like tori-niwa (passage) in each unit. Partitions ineach unit are made of mud with takekomai (bamboo lattice base). Plaster
finish is applied to the ceiling and inside of oshiire (Japanese style closet).
(Figure 3 – Figure 7)[Figure 3] Vertical Kyoto-style Townhouse:
Floor plan and section of Horikawa Housing
Complex②②①①“２階” = “Second floor”②“住戸” = “Residential unit”③“店舗” = “Shop”③[Figure 4] Façade of Demizu Housing
Complex[Figure 5] Veranda on the second floor[Figure 6] Interior view of Demizu Housing
Complex141

[Figure 7] Fixture in a kitchen of Shimodachiuri
Housing Complex

However, once the Horikawa Housing Complex turned 40, deterioration
was evident and reconstruction was discussed. As of now, no decision has
been made regarding reconstruction. Empty units have not been rented to
new tenants after 1990, but some shop spaces on the first floor accepted
new tenants on a fixed-term leasehold basis. In 2009, when the discussion
for reconstruction became active due to the issue of seismic performance,
Kyoto prefecture established the Horikawa Danchi Machizukuri Konwakai.
The gathering generated three suggestions: 1) Regeneration can include
renovation, and doesn’t have to reconstruct buildings; 2) Regeneration
should be associated with local machizukuri; and 3) various scenarios should
be explored instead of drawing the image of finality.
A plan from the gathering was expected to include reconstruction ofthese buildings, but the actual suggestions subverted this assumption. In theend, administration bodies accepted the suggestions, and the regeneration
project got underway.
In the next fiscal year, a machizukuri kyogikai (community development
council) was established. The Public Housing Corporation and Kyoto
University jointly conducted research, and researchers and various experts
participated in the joint research team to realize the suggestions from thegathering. There were some bumps along the way, mainly due todisagreements among the stakeholders about the relationship between
reconstructed buildings and refurbished buildings, but Kyoto prefecture
established a project promotion committee. We added “Art and interaction”
as a theme for the regeneration plan, and moved forward.
Inherit an existing community
For regeneration associated with local machizukuri, we cannot ignore
communities that are already established in the neighborhood. Towns in
Kyoto especially have a long history of citizen autonomy, and multiple
142communities overlap.
In the center of Kyoto city, cho was a unit of autonomy in the Edo era, andlandowners on both sides of the street gathered and conducted area
management. The cho still works as the smallest unit of a community inmodern times. At the same time, “a former school district” is also an
important unit of autonomous activities. A former school district was a unit
for each “bangumi shogakko”, an elementary school established in Kyoto in
1869, before the nationwide school system was implemented. It consists ofmultiple cho units. A former school district is not always identical to a current
elementary school district, but it creates a sense of belonging for people andstill serves as a statistical district for surveys such as the national census.
Cho and a former school district are a nested structure, and they are both
effective as a modern community organization. In the case of Horikawa
Housing Complex, the six buildings were divided into five chos and twoformer school districts, Taiken district and Juraku district. Decision-making
becomes complicated because some cho has more than one building in the
district, and difference of opinions between former school districts
influences if a regeneration plan can be realized. In addition, when we think
about activities of the shopping street, we have to consider uniquecommercial practices of Kyoto, including that of the former school district of
the Rakuchu side, the east side of the Horikawa-Dori street. These
considerations explain how difficult it is to organize these complicatedcommunities in Kyoto, and how difficult this project is. However, if we didn’t
take it into consideration, this project wouldn’t be associated with local
machizukuri. (Figure 8)[Figure 8] Stakeholders of the regeneration machizukuri of Horikawa Housing Complex

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Aiming for “soft regeneration”
In the process of regenerating Horikawa Housing Complex, the vision
Kyoto University proposed to the Governor of Kyoto was “the Vision for Soft
Generation”. The vision aims to develop a community with various
characteristics, where its residents can advocate and interact with eachother to adapt to changes in the neighborhood. Specifically, we proposed thefollowing five design practices.
1. Design of a process: scenario approach (Figure 9)
This is a proposal of the process for the “soft regeneration”. We should
prepare multiple scenarios and shouldn’t work to envision the completed
state from the outset. Instead of making choices and decisions weighted
heavily by our current values, we should leave open as many options as
possible for the future, and adapt to the changing situation of theneighborhood and a changing sense of values.
Ⓐ[Figure 9]
Scenario approach

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Ⓐ“シナリオの具体例” =“Example of scenarios”①“建て替え” = “Reconstruction”②“改修”（耐震改修のみのもの） =“Refurbishment”③“改修”（それ以外）= “Renovation”④“高齢者福祉施設” =“Elderly care facility”⑤“コミュニティ銭湯” =“Public bath for the community”⑥“耐震改修のみ” = “Only seismic retrofit”⑦“子育て支援施設” =“Childcare support facility”⑧“新規入居者” = “New tenant”⑨“2011年” = “2011”⑩“2015年” = “2015”⑪“2050年” = “2050”⑫“40年後、より福祉ニーズが高まるシナリオを想定すると…” = “In 40 years,
assuming a scenario that welfare needs arehigher than now… ”⑬“高齢者向け住宅” =“Residence for elderly people”⑭“高齢者向けの商店” =“Store for elderly people”⑮“EV設置” = “Attached elevator”⑯“単身高齢者の住宅” =“Residence for single elderly people”⑰“２戸１” = “A combined double-size unit”

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2. Design of architecture: regeneration-type skeleton-and-infill (Figure 10
and 11)This is a proposal for regeneration of the housing complex. We should
apply the concept of the skeleton-infill method and make the best use of thecapacity of the existing structure. Instead of choosing either reconstruction
or seismic retrofit in the future, we should respond to various needs ofhousing complex needs of residents and local community residents.
Ed. Note: The concept to consider structural parts, such as columns, beams,
and walls (skeleton), and interiors, facilities, and piping (infill)
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[Figure 10] Regeneration-type Skeleton-Infill – Potential to apply various regeneration
methods for a housing complex①“３戸１（メゾネット＋戸境開口）” =“A combined triple-size unit (maisonette + opening at the unit boundary)”②“浴室設置” = “Attach a bathroom”③“減築” = “Downsizing”④“メゾネット（２階と３階）” = “Maisonette (2nd and 3rd floor)”⑤“２戸１（ベランダ連結）” = “A combined double-size unit (connected balconies)”⑥“メゾネット（１階と２階）” = “Maisonette (1st and 2nd floor)”⑦“２戸１（戸境開口）” = “A combined double-sized unit (opening at the unit boundary)”⑧“３戸２（戸境開口）” =“Two combined units from three units (opening at the unit boundary)”⑨“エレベーター設置” = “Attach an elevator”

145

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[Figure 11] Regeneration-type Skeleton-Infill – Example of a floor plan of a unit①“共用廊下” = “Common corridor”②“押入” =
“Oshiire (Japanese-style storage)”③“室１（４．５畳）” =“Room 1 (4.5 tatami-mat size)”④“玄関” = “Entrance”⑤“配管・給湯器・設置スペース” =“Space for piping and boiler”⑥“洗面脱衣室” = “Dressing room”⑦“室２（６畳）” =“Room 2 (6 tatami-mat size)”⑧“既存配膳窓存置” =“Retain the existing meal serving window”⑨“キッチン” = “Kitchen”⑩“UB” = “Modular bathroom”⑪“環境調整空間（土間）” =“Buffer space (earthen floor space)”⑫“収納” = “Storage”⑬“太鼓貼障子” = “Double-sheettranslucent paper sliding door” (Note:
two sheets on each side of the frame)⑭“室１（9.5畳）” =“Room 1 (9.5 tatami-mat size)”⑮“間伐材ルーバー” =“Louver from thinning lumber”⑯“シャワーユニット” = “Shower unit”

3. Design of functions: a new style of local production and local
consumption of welfare
We should extend various mutual support systems in the neighborhood,as a way to create a hub for residents to experience local welfare andcontinue living there without worry.
4. Design of the neighborhood: regeneration of Horikawa-Kyogoku
We should regenerate the vitality of the Horikawa-Kyogoku thatflourished before the war.

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5. Design of an organization: a machizukuri company
Currently, Kyoto Prefectural Public Housing Corporation manages six
buildings of the Horikawa Housing Complex. We should establish a newmachizukuri company (a company for community development), andmanage the entire neighborhood through collaborations with organizations
around the housing complex.
The regeneration project started in 2012 with refurbishment of the twocenter buildings, Demizu Housing Complex No.1 and 2, after being selected
to received a subsidy from the government called Koreisha Kyoju Anteika
Suishin Jigyohi (expenses for promotion of stabilizing residence of elderly
people). We placed the focus of refurbishment primarily on the “local
production and local consumption of welfare”, and tried to improve theenvironment for various generations to live in, find a joint project operator,and make a system to develop the community. The average age of existing
residents of this housing complex is over 75, so the refurbishment work wasdone without requiring them to vacate or empty their unit. We preformed
basic environmental improvements such as seismic retrofit and barrier
removal, and inserted functions to develop various communities inresidential units and shop units that were already vacant.
In new residential space, we included a residential unit reformed forelderly people (Figure 12), as well as a residential unit for a young couple
with children by combining two units into one. We also publicly recruited an
operator of “Shokuju no Ie” (a house for work and residence) where people
working at the housing complex can live together. Later, a social welfare
corporation that operates a facility in the housing complex was selected as atenant and created a group home for people with special needs to work andlive independently.
As a common space, we established “machi café” on the first floor (Figure13), where local people can gather and socialize. The café and neighboring
chocolate store support employment of people with special needs. Different
generations live here, and a mutual support system has taken root in thishousing complex. “Local production and local consumption of welfare” is[Figure 12] Reformed unit for elderly
people147

[Figure 13] Machi Café

expanding.
As a new challenge for the apartment, we showed residential units after
only just the basic refurbishment of the structural parts was completed, andheld a competition for new tenants who were bidding to complete therenovation of the unit by self-building, or DIY. We requested cooperationfrom Masataka Baba, president of Open A Ltd., and carried out the project as“Horikawa DIY Experiment”. We recruited tenants for four units for the firstphase and four units for the second phase, and tenants were selected from
more than twice as many applicants. Currently, all of the self-build work isfinished, and some tenants have already moved in. (Figure 14 to 16)
A new chapter in the history of the neighborhood has begun based on the“vision for soft regeneration” of the Horikawa Housing Complex that
accounts for the unique eccentricities of community in Kyoto and has asystem to revitalize the entire neighborhood. We should pay close attention
to how the soft regeneration, not bounded by any scenario, will expand
moving forward.

[Figure 16] Horikawa DIY
Experiment: a completed unit

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[Figure 14] Overview of the Horikawa DIY
Experiment②③Ⓐ“改修前住戸平面図” =“Floor plan of a pre-renovation unit”④⑦⑤①“ベースの改修は、京都府住宅供給公社で実施” = “Base refurbishment is performed by
Kyoto Prefectural Public Housing Corporation.”②“既存の内装を残す度合い（面影度）の異なる４住戸を用意” = “There are four units withdifferent “remaining ratios”: Each unit retains a
different amount of the former interior.”⑥ⒶⒷ“改修後住戸平面図” =“Floor plan of post-renovation units”③“玄関” = “Entrance”④“押入” = “Oshiire (Japanese style storage)”⑤“キッチン” = “Kitchen”⑥“和室１” = “Japanese room 1”⑦“和室２” = “Japanese room 2”

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[Figure 15] An example of the Horikawa DIY
Experiment

149Ⓐ“入居者２の属性” =“Attribute of resident 2”①“40代・女性” = “40s, female”②“陶芸作家” = “Ceramic artist”③“DIY経験なし” =“No experience in self-building”Ⓑ“入居日” = “Start date of occupancy”④“2014年2月20日” =“February 20, 2014”Ⓒ“調査日” = “Survey date”⑤“2014年3月7日” = “March 7, 2014”Ⓓ“住居平面図” =“Floor plan of the unit”⑥“右図” = “The drawing on the left”⑦“土間” = “Earthen floor space”⑧“押入” =
“Oshiire (Japanese style storage)”⑨“和室” = “Japanese room”

14

Kyudo-Gakusha: The Challenge to
Revive it as an Apartment

Shin’ichi Chikazumi (President, Shu-Koh-Sha Architectural Urban
Design Studio)

Please also refer to page 34 to 36 in Chapter 1

Eighty years of inherited memories
Kyudo-Gakusha, designed by Goichi Takeda (1872-1938) and built in 1926,
is located near the main gate of the University of Tokyo. After 80 years as adormitory, it was renovated into a cooperative apartment building. It isreportedly the oldest reinforced concrete apartment in Tokyo, and the threestory white walls with arched windows contrast beautifully with thesurrounding greenery.
The successful renovation of this 80-year-old historical building had beena battle to salvage a ruin, which is difficult to imagine, given its present
graceful appearance.
Jokan Chikazumi and the history of Kyudo-Gakusha
Another building designed by Goichi Takeda is located on the plot of the
Kyudo-Gakusha, the Buddhist facility, Kyudo-Kaikan, built in 1915. Jokan
Chikazumi, a monk of Otani-ha and my grandfather, owned Kyudo-Kaikan andKyudo-Gakusha. (Figure 1)
The current Hongo 6-chome area, where Kyudo-Gakusha is located, used
to be the shimo-yashiki (holiday house of suburban Edo) of the Honda family,lord of Okazaki Domain. Some remains of the house can still be seen in deadends and down narrow alleys. After Okazaki Domain was dissolved with the[Figure 1] Layout of buildings(Kyudo-Gakusha and Kyudo-Kaikan)①①”記念館” = “Memorial hall”②”求道会館” = “Kyudo-Kaikan”③”求道学舎” =“Kyudo-Gakusha”④”庫裏” =
“Kuri (private space for the
religious facility)”

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abolition of the han (domain) system, a military
police station occupied the site. As part of his plan
to revolutionize Buddhism and expand his religious
activities, Jokan acquired an abandoned building on
the station grounds to serve as a center. Returningfrom abroad at age 32, Jokan set up the first KyudoGakusha (1902) and used the abandoned building
as a student dormitory. He purchased the landsurrounding the building piece by piece, and asked
Goichi Takeda to design the building that would
become Kyudo-Kaikan in 1915. (Figure 2) After the
first wooden Kyudo-Gakusha was damaged in the
Great Kanto Earthquake, Jokan also asked Goichi[Figure 2] Kyudo-Kaikan,
Takeda to design a reconstruction for the dormitory
after construction wascompleted in 1915
as a reinforced concrete structure. This second
structure is the current Kyudo-Gakusha.
Jokan lived in Kyudo-Gakusha alongside the students. He also delivered
lectures as a public religious activity on Sundays, which at the time left astrong impression on intellectuals and young people. After Jokan passed
away in 1941, his younger brother, Jo’on, inherited Kyudo-Gakusha. However,after Jo’on died, Kyudo-Kaikan closed, sat abandoned for 40 years, andgradually fell into ruin. (Figure 3)[Figure 3] Inside the derelict Kyudo-Kaikan

Restoration of Kyudo-Kaikan
After graduating from the Department of Architecture at the University ofTokyo and working at a design firm, I established my own architecturaldesign firm. When my father passed away, I became the owner of these twobuildings.
Although both Kyudo-Kaikan and Kyudo-Gakusha stand near the main151

gate of University of Tokyo, up to this point in time, no one, including
professors in the Department of Architecture, knew that these buildings
were the works of Goichi Takeda. The quick-fix anti-seismic reinforcement
carried out after the Great Kanto Earthquake had altered the appearance of
Kyudo-Kaikan and it was crumbling from neglect. Water damage andtermites had wreaked havoc in the building -- ceilings were ripped off, stairs
had collapsed, and some wooden beams had tumbled down. Local children
called it “a haunted mansion”.
It was impossible to maintain this place by myself. For example, it costs
about a million yen to trim the trees of the vast plot. It was proposed thatthe buildings be torn down and replaced by an apartment, but as one who
studied architecture, there was no way I could allow the architecture of
Goichi Takeda to be demolished. The only option I had was to restore KyudoKaikan as a cultural property, but I wasn’t certain how I could accomplish this.
This option posed two challenges: providing “proof of being a heritage
property” and showing “guarantee of leasing”. I began the task by collecting
evidence to prove that this building was worthy of restoration. As well as
looking for historical documents myself, I asked many professors forassistance. With their support I could pass the first obstacle, but the Tokyo
Prefectural Government asked me to provide a utilization plan, or guaranteeof leasing, for the restored building. I visited Higashi-honganji in Kyoto, themother temple of the branch of Buddhism to which Jokan belonged, andsecured its commitment to use the building after restoration. In the end, thePrefectural Government made a favourable decision, and the restoration
work as a tangible cultural property designated by Tokyo prefecture began in
1996. (Figure 4, 5)[Figure 4] Façade of Kyudo- [Figure 5] Inside the restored Kyudo-Kaikan
Kaikan after restoration

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Bricks used for hikae-bashira (supporting columns to prevent inclinationof a fence and a wall) and garyo (horizontal beam to support top of a wall)
were replaced by reinforced concrete, and epoxy resin was injected into brickwalls at intervals of 20 centimeters to serve as anti-earthquake
reinforcement. Other than these changes, the work fully restored thebuilding to its original appearance. It took 6 years to completely replace all of
the decayed parts of wooden members, to create replicas of the period
lighting, and to install new air conditioners and audio equipment. After the
restoration, Kyudo-Kaikan regained the stature of “Yubi-tenga” (elegant andgraceful), one of the requests from Jokan to Goichi for the design of thebuilding.
However, once the building reopened and began hosting more than two
thousand visitors annually, maintenance costs started to accrue, whichwasn’t the case when the building stood unused and in ruin. We were able tocollect about 10 million yen from donations and other sources, but this fund
was depleted after three years. Faced with an annual deficit of 3 million yen,
we started renovations of Kyudo-Gakusha, which had been vacant since 1999.
The Kyudo-Gakusha Project
The effort to restore Kyudo-Kaikan required extensive investigation interms of a cultural property. Public subsidies covered a large portion of theexpense, but a large account deficit remained. In contrast, for the KyudoGakusha Project, we chose to restore it using funds collected from private
sources and to balance preservation and utilization. (Figure 6) If we pursue
preservation, we will go into debt; if we prioritize utilization, we don’t havethe option of receiving a public subsidy. We chose the latter option.

[Figure 6] Restoration work of Kyudo-Kaikan and renovation of Kyudo-Gakusha

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While I wasn’t fully aware of it at the time, the combination of“renovation of a used building”, “fixed-term land leasehold”, and“cooperative scheme” corresponds to the three essential elements of abuilding regeneration project: “renovation engineering”, “finance”, and“leasing”. Of the fixed-term land leasehold and cooperative schemes, theskeleton-type fixed-term land transfer, known as the Tsukuba Scheme(leasehold with special agreement for building transfer), is most famous. The
Tsukuba Scheme is intended for new buildings, so the plan for KyudoGakusha can be seen as a used house version of the Tsukuba Scheme. We
invited Kunihiro Tamura to be a project partner, since he had valuable
experience from his coordination of the Tsukuba Scheme. We began work
after setting up the scheme for a used house and creating a business plan.
As part of the plan we devised based on the concept of the Tsukuba
Scheme, residents of the newly restored apartment have the option of a 60
year lease with relatively low expense for an apartment unit that can be
designed as they choose. They rent the land and own the unit. After the endof the 60 year term, residents will sell the unit to the landowner. They canlive there for two more years, renting both the land and the unit, under afixed-term unit lease, before finally leaving the unit.
The residential building should be maintained in good condition for the
62-year period of the fixed-term lease agreement. As the building’s original
owner, I am responsible for this. Therefore, the residential building needed
to be designed and restored with all of the available features of long termarchitecture, so appropriate engineering was very important.
To this end, damaged parts of the existing building were removed andrusted reinforcing bars were replaced. Rock pockets (defective void parts of aconcrete structure) and cold joints (discontinuous planes caused by long gap
time between two concreting operations) were shaved off and filled withsprayed concrete. Seismic retrofit was performed to ensure earthquake
resistance to modern specifications, and to improve durability polymer
cement mortar was sprayed on exterior walls. Sprayed concrete was applied
to fix distortion, and organic resin coating was applied on top, both standard
measures for apartments.
To install the latest interior features, the exceptionally high ceilings of thisbuilding were an advantage. This building originally had 3.18 meter ceilingson the first floor, 3.28 meters on the second floor, and 3.68 meters on thethird floor. So, we could utilize the latest skeleton-infill technology. (Figure 7– Figure 10)
For renovation projects in the future
Kyudo-Gakusha was successfully restored according to plans based on the154Tsukuba Scheme. However, we cannot conclude that other projects would beequally successful simply by following the steps of the Kyudo-Gakusha
project. In fact, there very few used houses that can be shown to exhibit
similar heritage value to that of Kyudo-Gakusha. For newer architecture, it isnecessary to discuss why the architecture should be sustained and whether
or not it carries heritage value.
It is absolutely necessary to reform the legal system in place to sustain old
buildings, but the current process is slow. For example, the application ofbuilding confirmation for Kyudo-Gakusha required that I visit a municipal
office more than 50 times. Also, the method that worked for this project will
not necessarily be effective for future projects. Retroactive applications fordisqualified elements have been eased somewhat, however the descriptionof provisions is even more complicated than before. We urgently need totrain engineers who can prove legality under these complex provisions.
To address financing and leasing, it is essential to collaborate withprofessionals outside of architecture. The business model of Kyudo-Gakusha
project was founded on teamwork. I hope we can meet future challenges inthe same spirit of collaboration.

[Figure 7] Floor plan of the third floor[Figure 8] Sectionof Kyudo-Kaikan

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[Figure 9] Before and after the restoration[Figure 10] Residential area before
and after the restoration

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15

Creation of the “Housing Résumé” toVerify the Value of Buildings

Seizo Uchida (Professor, Kanagawa University)

The need for “preservation guidelines”
In the past, I have repeatedly recommended that we should cherish
historical buildings and lifestyles and inherit them as much as possible. In
reality however, such buildings are still demolished for various reasons: they
are dirty, damaged, and deemed worthless, they don’t suit modern lifestyles,
or a building has to be taller for extensive use of land. Yet I always wonder inthese case if such reasoning and judgments are sound.
Steel, glass, and concrete symbolize architecture of the modern present
and future. These materials are manufactured as mass industrial products
and look neat and durable, but unattractive rust and stains inevitably appear
over time. In contracts, the effects of the passage of time on plant materials
such as wood and bamboo and natural materials such as mud, tile, and brickevokes images of distinctive styles such as wabi-sabi. Some of thesematerials undergo fascinating transformations that can be achieved only bytime. A preference for natural materials, often regarded as an element oftraditional Japanese taste, means we appreciate the slow change of thesematerials into beautiful things.
If we examine historical buildings and lifestyles with this taste in mind, we
may find hidden appeal. To judge the value of historical buildings, it’snecessary to view them from multiple perspectives -- from the present andfrom the contemporary perspective at time of construction. In order todetermine if an old building should be rebuilt or restored for new purposes,
it’s necessary to reexamine the building and lifestyle in the building before
actual demolition or restoration.
A building is easy to demolish, but impossible to replicate. The idea andpractices of craftsmanship have changed dramatically, including bothmaterials and techniques. We have inherited traditional materials in scantamounts, and we do not have a modern mastery of commonly used yet
precise professional techniques of the past. Any present replication attempt
often relies on expensive materials and difficult to source specialized
techniques.
After reconstruction or restoration, I sometimes learn that a building
owner regretted the work and thought, “the old building was better”.
Feelings of remorse should not be the final result of such an important,irreversible decision. To rebuild without any regret, it’s necessary toreexamine the value and attraction of the old residence before beginningwork. For this purpose, the Architecture Institute of Japan published157

Guidelines for Building Assessment, Preservation andUtilization in 2007. The published guidelines urge us toinvestigate the value of each building before
demolition. The book proposes five criteria to verify
the basic value of a building:(1) Historical value(2) Cultural/artistic value(3) Technical value(4) Scenic/environmental value(5) Social value[Figure 1] Guidelines
for Building Assessment,
Preservation andUtilization by the
The guidelines are very concise and the guide offers Architecture Institutelimited explanations, so it can appear rather complex. of Japan

Essentially the guide asserts that value of each building
should be considered from all five diverse perspectives.
While buildings have various kinds of value, their value
tends to be judged solely from an academic perspective with a focus on thearchitecture style. To address this tendency, the guide evaluates buildings incontext of the following meanings of value: the value of the memories of theowner and their family, value which has been neglected until recently (1);the value of technical elements, such as materials and technology used in abuilding (3); cultural and artistic value embedded in a building as a reflectionof contemporary society at the time of construction (2); value in both theappeal of a building and value in its relationship with the neighborhood,
local community and surrounding scenery (4)(5).
Going further, if we widen our understanding of value beyond the context
of the building’s relationship with the neighborhood, we can appreciate thateven if the building is low quality, a historical building may be precious inanother sense. It may be the birthplace of a famous local individual, or thearchitecture is traditionally beloved by locals. At the same time, theinherently public nature of architecture has social value. As soon asarchitecture appears, it is incorporated into the local public landscape, even
if the buildings are privately owned space. In this way, buildings also become
important for neighbors. This view has been the primary motivation behindmodern preservation campaigns to the present.
The criteria for the Registered Tangible Cultural Property, which wasannounced in 1996, is outlined in the booklet Tatemono wo Ikashi, Bunka wo
Ikasu – Bunkazai Toroku Seido no Goannai (Make Use of Buildings and Revive
Culture – Guide for the Cultural Property Registration System). (Figure 2) The
booklet also considers the value of architecture based on the following
criteria:
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A. What contributes to the historical landscape of this country
B. What functions as the norm for three-dimensional arts
C. What is difficult to reproduce
The booklet also describes in detail how the first
criterion helps with learning local history andculture and what appears in artwork such as
paintings. The second covers architecture that has
great design, that which involved famous architects
and builders, and that which show characteristics oftheir era by their design. The third criterion covers
architecture that displays outstanding techniquesand skills or techniques and skills rarely seen in thepresent.
The guidelines issued by the Architecture
Institute of Japan are the principles underlying theconcept of the Registered Tangible Cultural Property.
They have redefined the value of historical buildings.
It is essential to understand that architecture hasvarious kinds of value and meanings, and we must
consider such value and meanings when deciding
how to proceed.

[Figure 2] Tatemono
wo Ikashi, Bunka wo
Ikasu – Bunkazai Toroku
Seido no Goannai”(Make Use of Buildings
and Revive Culture –Guide for the Cultural
Property Registration
System) by the Agency
for Cultural Affairs

How to create a basic “Housing Résumé”
What is the very least we should do to assess the value of historicalbuildings? We should start with the basic act of organizing records to createa sort of résumé listing the building's character and value. I would like tooutline for the how they can create such a résumé to verify the value of abuilding, referred to as a “housing résumé”.
The essential starting point is to identify the year of construction. As longas a building is considered a reflection of its contemporary age and society,the year of construction is the most important fact used to define its value. If
we have access to surviving documents from the time of construction such asarchitectural drawings, a contract, or a document about payment,
information about the year of construction is comparatively easy to find.
Therefore, start any research by looking for documents related to theconstruction of the building. If such documents cannot be located, move on
to interviews. Speak with relatives or neighbors and try to glean the year of
construction from their statements. If the interviews do not yield details, it
may be possible to estimate the year of construction from the register of thebuilding or its plot.
159

Once you identify or estimate the year of construction, the next step is tocollect information about the architect and carpenters who were involved in
the design and construction of the building. This step is related to criterion Bof the Registered Tangible Cultural Property guidelines. If you discover thatfamous architects, builders, or craftspeople were involved in the building, it’s
helpful information for explaining its characteristics and value. At this stage,
it is also necessary to find out through interviews what relationship existed
between the client and technical experts on the project. Interviews may giveinsight into the explicit and hidden intentions of the client or provide an
anecdote about why this building was built.
Obviously it’s necessary to collect information about the client of theconstruction project. To understand the state of the building at the time of
construction, it is important to know the client’s academic history,
occupation, and family background, as well as why the location was chosen
for the building. Use this opportunity to interact with your family members
and interview your grandparents and other relatives. As you interview
grandparents, uncles, or aunts you may learn special personal details about
traditional lifestyles or previously unknown pieces of family history.
Interaction with family members will deepen your understanding of thevalue of the building.
If at first you cannot find any documents related to architecture, you
shouldn’t give up. If possible, look inside the building’s attic space. There is aridge piece, as well as a munafuda (ridge plaque) on a strut to support theridge piece. These parts may have the year of joto-shiki (a ceremony forcompletion of the main structure) or name of those involved in theconstruction. Munafuda is not always there, but if you do find it, there
should be the year of the joto-shiki, and from this date you can estimate theyear of construction.
It’s also necessary to do some research on the building itself. If you havearchitectural drawings, you can compare them with the current state of thebuilding and identify the original parts and the extended or modified parts.
Based on what you have learned from research and interviews, organize theyears and purposes of extensions or modifications in a table chronologically,
like a sort of work history in a résumé. By doing this you can fill in a more
complete historical record of the house. If possible, include in the table any
repairs to interiors and modifications to furniture and lighting fixtures. If you
don’t have architectural drawings, you will have to determine repairs andmodifications through observation. From close examination you should be
able to differentiate old parts from new parts, but also refer to yourinterview data to corroborate your observations. From these efforts you
should be able to determine the original dimensions of the building.
The next step is rather more difficult. You should imagine the original160

state of the building and identify and summarize any special features of thelayout and the design. Expert assistance may be necessary and is very helpfulat this stage. My laboratory group often receives such requests. Somestudents and I visit a building for one or two days, look both inside andoutside of the building, take measurements, and make drawings of thecurrent state of the building. We also take photos and do interviews. A new
encounter with an old building makes me happy, creates a learning
opportunity for students, and sometimes becomes the basis of a graduation
thesis. We organize the special features of the layout and the typical featurescommon to the time period of construction, and report this information
along with architectural drawings we have created.
If you hesitate to request expert assistance, you can trust your own
observation skills and compile the information yourself. The layout can be
described with simple sketches. Next, take photos of the attractive parts ofthe building, and organize the photos with the name of the room andcomments about the features. You should also take photos that show thebuilding as part of the context of a greater landscape, as well as photos offaçades. Taking photos will be an ideal opportunity to consider the meaningof the house as an element of the landscape of the neighborhood.
These are the minimum required steps. The list below is a summary of
the “preservation guideline”, a series of steps to reveal the value of buildings.
1. Confirm if architectural documents still exist
2. Identify or estimate the year of construction
3. Organize information about the architect or carpenters who wereinvolved in the design or construction of the building
4. Organize information about the client such as academic background,
occupation, and family structure at the time of construction
5. Organize a history of extensions and modifications to the building
6. Identify the original part of the building
7. Create layout drawings
8. Create a photo book of the attractive parts of the building
9. Create a photo book to present the building as a part of a landscapeIf you complete this process, you can objectively see your building andnaturally rediscover the attraction of the building. What will you do with thebuilding after this process? Completing the steps will compel you to think
deeply about your own lifestyle and residence and to find the positive side ofinheritance.
I would also like to offer consultation and support with the process if
needed. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any inquiries.

161

Appendix
Preservation and Continuous Use of a
Building Through a Trust: Potential andChallenges

Masakuni Tamura(Specially-appointed Professor, Meiji University)

A trust as a method to inherit a house
Recently, people are increasingly aware that sound, old local architecture
can be preserved and used as a local cultural asset, even if the property is
not an actual cultural property. However, when it comes to a house owned
by an individual, an enormous amount of houses with architectural orcultural values are demolished when they are inherited by a younger owneror sold to a different owner.
Unfortunately, as these houses are the property of the individual, there ishardly any way to stop reconstruction or demolition, as far as their ownerintends to do so. At the same time, even if a current owner wants topreserve and keep using such a house, it’s actually not very easy to preserveand keep using the house.
For example, even if a owner has the intention to preserve or keep using
a house, if the owner dies and the house is meant to be inherited, the houseis likely to be demolished. In order to divide the property of the owner
between inheritors and to pay inheritance tax, it is likely that the house andthe plot will be sold and the third party who purchased them will demolishthe house. Similarly, even if an owner has an intention to preserve or keepusing a house, if the owner lost mental capacity due to dementia, it is likelythat the house won’t be managed properly and it will be difficult to preserveor keep using the house.
The trust system is a method to avoid such situations. Under this system,at the point when an owner has a clear intention to preserve or keep using ahouse, the owner entrusts the house or the house and its plot to a third
party for the purpose of “preservation and continuous use of a building”. The
third party will operate and manage the house or the house and its plot
afterwards. The following article will discuss the potential and challenges of
the trust system.
Structure of a trust(1) What is “a trust”?

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“A trust” is a system where a property owner (“a settlor”) transfers a title
or a right of management and disposition of the property (“a trusted
property”) to a reliable party (“a trustee”) by a trust (a fiduciary contract, awill, etc.), and the trustee conducts operation, management, and/or
disposition of the trusted property according to the purpose of the trust
defined by the settlor and provides earned income to a designated party (“abeneficiary”). In general, when a trustee operates, manages, or disposes atrusted property, the trustee will receive some financial rewards, such as
operation fees.
For example, in a system called “land trust”, a settlor transfers their own
land to a trustee as a trusted property, and the trustee builds a building on
the land as commercial real estate, takes actual costs for management of thebuilding from its rental revenue, and delivers the rest to a beneficiary. At thattime, the trustee receives a certain amount of trust fee as a fee formanagement of the building.
When a certain trust period expires, a trustee delivers all the trusted
properties to a beneficiary and transfers ownership of the property to thebeneficiary, and the trust relationship is terminated.
(2) Method of a trust
There are three methods of a trust: 1. Making a fiduciary contract (afiduciary contract), 2. Specifying a trust in a will (a testamentary trust), and 3.
Creating a trust deed of a self-settled trust (a self-settled trust). The first
option, a fiduciary contract, is the most common method. To use a trust for
inheritance of a house, it is expected that a fiduciary contract be used ingeneral. A contractual trust will be in effect when a settlor and a trustee
agree on a fiduciary contract.

[Figure 1] Structure of a trust163

(3) Change of a trust
When a settlor, a trustee, and a beneficiary agree, they can revise, merge,
or divide a trust anytime. When it is clear that a change conflicts with the
purpose of a trust, a trustee and a beneficiary can also agree on the revisionand change the trust. When, due to an unexpected special situation, themanagement method of a trust doesn’t contribute to benefits of its
beneficiary according to the purpose of the trust and situation of the trusted
property, a court can order a change of the trust based on a petition by asettlor, a trustee, or a beneficiary.
(4) Termination and liquidation of a trust
A trust is terminated due to the following seven reasons:a. When the purpose of a trust is completed or has been found to be
impossible to complete.
b. When a settlor and a beneficiary collectively request termination of atrust to a trustee. If a specific rule is otherwise provided on its trust deed,this rule must be followed.
c. When, due to special situations that were unpredictable for a trust deed,
it is clear that termination of a trust contributes to benefits of its
beneficiary according to the purpose of the trust and other situations, acourt can order termination of the trust based on a petition by a settlor,a trustee, or a beneficiary.
d. When a trustee has received the entire beneficial interest as thetrustee’s own property and the situation continues for one year.
e. When all trustees have left a trust and no replacement trustee isdesignated for one year.
f. When an order for commencement of bankruptcy proceedings is released
against a settlor and a fiduciary contract is terminated under Clause 1,
Article 53 of Bankruptcy Act.
g. When any of the grounds for termination specified in other regulations
or a trust deed
have occurred.
Even if any of the grounds for termination of a trust has occurred, a trust
will exist until liquidation affairs end. After any of the grounds fortermination have occurred, a trustee must request an approval for the final
calculation of trust affairs to a settlor and a holder of a vested right andtransfer the remaining properties to a holder of a vested right etc.
(5) Trusted property
A trusted property is all the property entrusted by a settlor for164management or disposition. It belongs to a trustee, but it’s constrained by
the purpose of the trust and treated separately from the trustee’s own
property. For example, even if a trustee goes bankrupt, a trusted property
will not be included in the bankruptcy estate. To duly assert a property as atrusted property against a third party, a property covered by the registration
system must be registered. Therefore, for properties that acquire perfection
against any third party by registration such as land, a building, andsuperficies, a trust will not be in effect without registration of transfer ofownership of the trusted property from a settlor to a trustee.
Note that some rights may be still forcibly executed against a trusted
property. These rights include: a right emerged from a reason originatedbefore the start of a trust (for example, a mortgage attached to a trusted
property before the start of a trust to secure a debt of the settlor, etc.); and acredit against a settlor that emerged before the start of a trust where a trust
deed states that the trusted property is a security of a debt related to thecredit.
(6) Settlor
A settlor is a person who transfers a property right to a trustee andestablishes a trust. In the new Trust Act established in 2007, generally, powerof a beneficiary has increased and that of settlor has diminished. However, asettlor may claim damages or request restitution of the property when atrusted property is damaged due to inappropriate management by a trustee
or a trust administrator or when a trusted property is disposed of without
consent. A settlor may transfer the position of a settlor to a third party whena trustee and a beneficiary agree on it or when it follows a proceduredefined in a trust deed.
For a contractual trust, an inheritor of a settlor inherits the position of thesettlor through inheritance. When a trust is a testamentary trust, theposition of a settlor shall not be inherited by an inheritor, unless otherwise
indicated in a trust deed.
(7) Trustee
A trustee is a person who is assigned to manage, operate, or dispose of atrusted property and is obliged to manage, operate, dispose, or take otheractions needed for the purpose of a trust, according to the purpose of thetrust.
A trustee is obliged to perform the following duties:
a.Duty to complete trust administrationb.Duty of diligence (Duty of care of a prudent manager)c.Duty of loyalty (Restriction on acts that create conflict of interest,
165

restriction on competitive acts, etc.)
d.Duty of equity
e.Duty to segregate properties
f.Responsibility for delegation of trust administration to a third party (Duty
to appoint and supervise)g.Duty to report on the processing status of trust administration, andprepare and preserve books
h.Liability to compensate for losses
Among these duties, duty of loyalty indicates that a trustee will carry on atrust deed merely for the interest of a beneficiary, and shall not do harm to
the interests of the beneficiary for the interest of the trustee or a third party.
Specifically, prohibited acts for a trustee as acts causing a conflict of interest
are outlined such as self-dealing, dealing between trusted properties,
representation of both parties, and indirect dealing. Note that even in somecases of an act causing conflict of interest, a trustee may carry out the act
where it is provided by the trust deed that the trustee is allowed to carry out
the act or where the trustee has disclosed the important facts and acquired
approval for the act from the beneficiary. In the case where a trustee and atrust come into conflict about an act, a trustee is obliged to act on behalf of abeneficiary and prioritize the trust.
(8) Beneficial interest
A beneficiary is a person who owns a beneficial interest, which is a rightto receive a financial interest from a trusted property based on a trust. In
most cases, a beneficiary is specified by a trust deed, and multiple people
may become beneficiaries. A beneficiary may be a settlor, or a trustee as an
exception. A trust whose settlor is a beneficiary is called a self-benefit trust.
A self-benefit trust has the same person as a settlor and a beneficiary,
therefore there is no donation tax or a real estate acquisition tax. On theother hand, a trust whose settlor is not a beneficiary is called third-partybenefit trust. A third-party-benefit trust transfers an interest to a third party,
so taxes such as a donation tax are charged.
As an exceptional case where a trustee is allowed to be a beneficiary, atrustee may be the only beneficiary within one year, while a trust has to beterminated when a trustee has received the entire beneficial interest as thetrustee’s own property and the situation continues for one year. If a trustee
is one of multiple beneficiaries, the situation may continue for a long time.
A beneficiary may assign a beneficial interest to another person. However,
the assignment of a beneficial interest may not be dully asserted against athird party unless the assignor gives notice of the assignment to a trustee bymeans of an instrument bearing a certified date, and the trustee accepts the166notice. A beneficiary may waive a beneficial interest as well.
A beneficiary has the right to supervise a trusted property and a trustee,
and the right to demand compensation from a trustee for losses. In casewhere a trustee carries out, or is suspected of carrying out, an act violatinglaws and regulations or a provision of the trust deed, and the act may cause
substantial harm to the trusted property, a beneficiary may demand thetrustee stop the act.
In principle, a beneficiary is supposed to supervise a trust, while there aresome cases where a beneficiary cannot supervise a trustee properly such as:
when a beneficiary is designated afterwards; when there is no beneficiary,
such as the beneficiary is not born yet; and when a beneficiary is an elderly
person or a minor, even if there is a beneficiary. In these cases, the Trust Act
allows designation of a trust caretaker, a trust supervisor, and a beneficiary’s
agent.
When there is no beneficiary, a trust caretaker shall have the power to
conduct any and all acts pertaining to the rights of the beneficiary. Sometrust deeds have a provision to designate a person who is to be a trust
caretaker. If there is no provision about a trust caretaker or the designatedperson doesn’t accept it, a court may appoint a trust caretaker based on apetition of an interested party.
When there is a beneficiary, a trust deed may designate a particularperson to be a trust supervisor. If there is no provision about a trust
supervisor or the designated person doesn’t accept it, and when there is a
special circumstance wherein a beneficiary is unable to supervise a trustee
properly, a court may appoint a trust supervisor based on a petition of aninterested party. A trust supervisor is a person who compliments a
beneficiary, so that the beneficiary may still perform rights of the beneficiary
despite the designation of a trust supervisor.
When there is an unspecified beneficiary or there are many beneficiaries,
a beneficiary’s agent may be assigned on behalf of all or some beneficiaries
according to a provision of a trust deed. When there is no beneficiary, and if
there is no provision about a beneficiary’s agent in a trust deed or thedesignated person doesn’t accept it, a court may appoint a beneficiary’s
agent based on a petition of an interested party. When there is a beneficiary,a beneficiary’s agent has the power to perform all the acts concerning rights
of a beneficiary on behalf of the representing beneficiary, or beneficiaries,
based on a trust deed. When there is a beneficiary’s agent, any beneficiary
represented by the beneficiary’s agent may not perform any rights of abeneficiary except certain rights.
(9) Commercial trust and civil trust“A commercial trust” indicates that acceptance of a trust is performed as167

a business. A trustee accepts a trust as a business, which indicates that thetrustee accepts trusts for profit or reward consecutively and repeatedly. To
become a trustee of a commercial trust, a party needs to obtain a license or
be registered. A commercial trust is subject to the Trust Business Act as wellas the Trust Act. For financial institutions doing trust business, the Act on
Engagement in Trust Business Activities by Financial Institutions is also
applied.
On the other hand, when a trust is not for profit and a trustee intends toaccept a trust once from a specific person, the license for trust business is
not necessary. This type of trust is a “civil trust”.
To use a trust for a purpose of the preservation and continuous use of abuilding, a civil trust is suitable for such a case because its profitability is low
and it is not feasible in most cases. However, if an organization with the
purpose of preservation and continuous use of a building becomes a trustee
and accepts multiple trusts for a fee, it is likely that the organization needs tohave a license under the Trust Business Act.
Potential to use the trust system for the preservation and continuous use ofa building(1) Advantage of a trustA) Advantage for a settlori) Protection of a property
Establishment of a trust transfers a settlor’s property to a trustee so thatthe property is shielded from any bankruptcy risk of the settlor. Additionally,in principle, a creditor of the settlor cannot claim a trusted property by a writof attachment. Furthermore, after the death of the settlor, the property shallbe inherited according to the initial intention.
ii) Property management after death of the settlor
Even after death of a settlor, a trustee manages a property according to
the purpose of the trust defined before the death, so the property shall beinherited according to the initial intention of the settlor. It also enables longterm property management utilizing credibility and expertise of the trustee.
iii) Reduction of tax burden
For registration of ownership transfer due to a trust, the amount ofregistration tax is reduced in comparison with a standard registration ofownership transfer, and real estate acquisition tax is not charged.
iv) A way to respect the intentions of a settlor
A trustee manages, operates, or disposes of a trusted property according
to the purpose of the trust defined by a settlor in order than the intention of
the settlor at the establishment of the trust is respected.
v) Designation of a beneficiary168

A settlor may designate various beneficiaries based on a fiduciary
contract. For example, a settlor may designate a second beneficiary who
accepts the beneficial interest of the first beneficiary when the first
beneficiary dies. In this manner, the beneficial interest can be inheritedmultiple times.
B) Advantage for a trusteei) Limited liability concerning property management
For debt caused from transactions related to trust administration, atrustee’s liability is limited to a certain degree. Additionally, a trustee may
operate, manage, or dispose of a trusted property according to the purposeof the trust, regardless of the financial situation of a settlor and a beneficiary.
ii) Separation of a trusted property
Trustee’s property and a trusted property are legally independent. A
creditor of a beneficiary is not allowed to claim the trusted property by awrit of attachment.
iii) Request for financial reward or fees
A trustee may request financial reward or fees from a settlor by operating,managing, or disposing of a trusted property.
iv) Simplified procedure for a civil trust
When a trustee of a civil trust is a corporate body, establishment of thetrust doesn’t require a license or registration. The corporate body is not
subject to restrictions on the minimum amount of stated capital and theamount of the security deposit.
C) Advantage for a beneficiaryi) Security of income
A beneficiary can utilize the credibility and expertise of a trustee by
delegating administration of a trusted property. A beneficiary can accept
income dividend of a trust without directly participating in administration ofa trusted property.
ii) Transfer of a beneficial interest
A beneficiary may transfer a beneficial interest to others.
(2) Expected benefit of a trust regarding preservation and continuous use ofa building
In terms of the preservation and continuous use of a building, theexpected benefit of a trust is to grant legal stability related to a trusted
property for a certain period of time.
In the trust system, according to provisions of a trust deed based on theintentions of a settlor, ownership of a trusted property is formally transferred169

to a trustee, and the trustee operates, manages, or disposes of the trusted
property in accordance with the purpose of the trust. Hence, in general, legal
stability related to the trust property is granted for the duration of the trust
period. In addition to that, a settlor can establish a trust when a settlor has
the ability to show intention and makes judgment and the title of a property
is transferred to a trustee, whereas the purpose of the trust can be achieved
regardless of the condition of the settlor. Furthermore, even after the deathof the settlor, the property continues to be managed according to the initialintention of the settlor.
Therefore, as long as a settlor intends to preserve and continuously use abuilding, it is likely that the building will be preserved and continuously used
as a trusted property complying with the purpose of the trust. However, due
to reasons such as change of intention of a settlor, a trust may be terminatedbased on an agreement between a settlor and a trustee. Similarly, acontractual trust may be terminated after the death of a settlor based on anagreement between an inheritor who inherited the position of the settlor
and a beneficiary (in most cases, an inheritor of the settlor), because an
inheritor of a settlor is intended to inherit the position of the settlor byinheritance for a contractual trust. To prevent such a situation, it is desirable
that a trustee is also designated as one of the multiple beneficiaries of acontractual trust. For example, when an organization for the preservationand continuous use of a building has a good relationship with a settlor, if abuilding owner (a settlor) entrusts a trusted property including the building
to said organization (a trustee) and the contractual trust promises that a partof the revenue from the building is annually granted to said organization (atrustee), the trustee becomes one of multiple trustees. Furthermore, in
principle, the contractual trust will not be terminated during the trust period
without the consent of the said organization that is also a trustee.
(3) Situations where a trust is used
It is expected that a trust should be used for the preservation andcontinuous use of a building in the following cases:i) For the preservation and continuous use of a buildingii) For the management and protection of a building to prepare for asituation where a settlor suffers from dementiaiii) For preservation and continuous use of a building to prepare for asituation where a settlor dies
The following sections will examine each case in detail one by one.
(4) Preservation and continuous use of a building
In the case of the preservation and continuous use of a building, even if asettlor intends to preserve or continuously use a building, it’s often difficult
for the settlor to live in or manage the building when the settlor is old or
170when the settlor lives far from the building. In these cases, for the purpose of
the preservation and continuous use of the building, it must be beneficial
that the settlor entrusts said building or said building and its plot to a person
who can achieve the purpose of the trust (a trustee) and attempts topreserve and continuously use the building. In this case, the settlor is usually
selected as a beneficiary, but it is also possible to select a family member
such as an heir-at-law or a charity organization as a beneficiary as anintention of the settlor. When the trustee is an organization that performs awide range of activities for preservation and inheritance of buildings, it must
be beneficial to select the trustee as one of multiple beneficiaries for the
purpose of the trust.
Similarly, if a settlor intends to preserve and continuously use a building,even when the settlor is old or lives far from the building, it is often difficult
to sell or rent said building to a third party with a prerequisite of preserving
it. In these cases, for the purpose of the preservation and continuous use of
the building, it must also be beneficial that the settlor entrusts said building
or said building and its plot to a person who can achieve the purpose of thetrust (a trustee) and attempts to preserve and continuously use the building.
In this case, while stipulating the preservation and continuous use of saidbuilding as a prerequisite, a trustee raises funds for maintenance andpreservation of said building by renting it to a third party, and provides somemoney to a beneficiary in the event of any surplus.
When a settlor is willing to sell said building or said building and its plot,
while overseeing the trusted property (building or building and its plot), it
may take a period of time to find a prospective buyer of the trusted property
willing to adhere to the prerequisite of preservation and continuous use of
said building. When the trustee and prospective buyer have agreed on terms,
the trustee shall transfer the trust property to said prospective purchaser,deduct required costs from the sales price, provide the surplus to thebeneficiary as money, and terminate and liquidate the trust. While there isno system to secure the preservation and continuous use of a building as aregular sale of real estate, if a trust deed defines the preservation andcontinuous use of a building as the purpose of the trust, the trust systemallows the trustee to be a seller and select a purchaser who is likely toachieve the purpose of the trust. For sale of real estate with a prerequisite of
the preservation and continuous use of a building, it often takes a long time
to find a purchaser who can meet such conditions. When ownership of theproperty is transferred to a trustee using the system of a trust, there is anadvantage that daily maintenance costs can be raised by the administrationof a trusted property including renting it to a third party. Thus there is noneed to rush the search for a suitable prospective buyer.

171

(5) Management and protection of a building to prepare for a situation
where a settlor suffers from dementia or a settlor dies
When a settlor suffers from dementia or a similar condition, the benefitof the trust system is truly significant, which allows a trustee to operate,
manage, and dispose of a trusted property complying with the purpose of
the trust. While the adult conservator system is usually used for such cases,
the system assumes that a conservator “protects property of the person”
under the supervisor designated by the court. In other words, it’s virtually
impossible to utilize real estate or prepare for inheritance under theconservator system. Even if a conservator is allowed to cancel a bank account,usually a conservator is not allowed to perform a large-scale repair of adeteriorated building. Sale of real estate owned by a conservatee is evenmore difficult. It’s also impossible to donate financial assets to a child or a
grandchild of a conservatee. On the other hand, for the trust system, it ispossible to utilize real estate or prepare for inheritance, as long as they
comply with the purpose of the trust defined in the trust deed. In 2025,
when many baby boomers will turn 75 years old, the number of dementia
patients is estimated to be approximately seven million, or one in five elderly
people. It is expected that use of the trust system will increase from now onfor operation, management, or disposition of real estate owned by an elderly
person.
In that context, a system called “a family trust” is attracting attention
recently. In this system, a property holder entrusts the property owned by
the person such as real estate and savings to a reliable family member inaccordance with a specific purpose (for example, “to manage and provide
funds required for life after retirement and elderly care”) and the family
member manages and disposes the property. Basically, an elderly person
who owned the property becomes a settlor, a family member of the settlor
becomes a trustee, and the settlor also becomes a beneficiary (self-benefit
trust).
Until recently, the following scheme was generally used: when a property
owner is healthy, the property owner assigns management of a property to a
management company by service contract; when the property owner suffersfrom dementia, the property is managed and protected by the conservatorsystem; and when the property owner dies, a will of the property owner is
executed, or the property is divided by inheritors based on agreement fordivision of inherited property. A will under the Civil Code can only designate
the first inheritor, so that the original property owner cannot determine whowill be the second or the third inheritor while the property owner is still alive.
On the other hand, if a family trust is used, the functions mentioned above,the service contract, the conservator system, and will execution or
agreement for division of inherited property can be consolidated.
172

Additionally, a family trust enables various and flexible measures such as
rearrangement or utilization of properties, which is impossible under theconservator system. The property owner can also realize his intention for
multiple times of inheritance.
When a family trust is used for the preservation and continuous use of abuilding, it is expected that both a building owner and an inheritor are
enthusiastic about the preservation and continuous use of the building. In
this case, as well as preparing for loss of competency, the building owner can
expect operation, management, or disposition of the building in accordancewith the purpose of the trust by making a fiduciary contract that selects aninheritor as a trustee who already understands the purpose of the trust is
the preservation and continuous use of the building and can avoid division of
the building and its plot when they are inherited.
Even if a trust is not a family trust, i.e. a trustee is not a family member ofa settlor, when a trustee is a reliable person or organization that has
experience and knowledge about the preservation and continuous use of abuilding and insights and knowledge about inheritance and division of
inherited property, the benefit of the trust is expected to be similar to that ofa family trust.

[Figure 2] Timeline comparison of a family trust and theconventional trust system173

(6) Charitable trust and purpose trust
Previously, a charitable trust was the only type of trust that was approved
as a trust without a specific beneficiary. Since the new Trust Act was enacted
in September 2007, a trust without a specific beneficiary is also approved,
even if it’s not a charitable trust. Such a trust is called a purpose trust.
A charitable trust is a system where a settlor transfers a settlor’s property
to a trustee for a certain charitable purpose, requests the trustee to operate,
manage, or dispose of the property in accordance with the charitablepurpose, and tries to achieve the charitable purpose. A trustee of acharitable trust needs to obtain permission from the competent authority
and be supervised by the competent authority.
While a corporation tax is charged against a trustee, a trustee of acharitable trust is treated as a non-profit organization under the tax laws,
because a beneficiary is not specified when a charitable trust is established.
A settlor who established a charitable trust and an individual who donatedfor a charitable trust can accept contribution deductions, and, if theirexpense was monetary property acquired as an inheritance or a bequest,
inheritance tax is not charged. When inheritance tax is calculated after deathof a settlor, if the trust meets the requirements of the special charitable trust,the value of rights concerning the trust is regarded as zero.
As previously stated, the new Trust Act approves a trust without
designation of a beneficiary (a purpose trust), even if it’s not a charitable
trust. This means a settlor can establish a purpose trust for the purpose ofmanaging a house and its plot with architectural or cultural value for amuseum or other use even after death of the settlor. However, when atrustee is not regarded as a non-profit organization, some tax burden isincurred by the trustee. For a trustee of a purpose trust without a beneficiary,
income concerning the trusted property is separated from income
concerning the trustee’s property, and corporation tax is charged for income
concerning the trusted property. Additionally, when a trust is established, forthe value of a trusted property, tax for a received gain is levied against atrustee.
Advantage and challenge of preservation and continuous use of a building
using the trust system
There are many advantages to use the trust system for the preservationand continuous use of a building. The advantages of the trust system aresummarized below:i) In principle, a building will be preserved and continuously used regardlessof a change in state of a building owner who has intention to preserve andcontinuously use a building.
174ii) As they also have a function to execute a will, a settlor can designate aninheritor who agrees with the purpose of the trust (preservation andcontinuous use of a building) as an inheritor of the beneficial interest for an
inheritance in the future.
iii) As it applies to multiple instances of inheritance, it is expected that atrusted property will be operated, managed, or disposed of in accordancewith the initial trust purpose of the settlor for an extensive period of time.
iv) If a building owner who has intention to preserve and continuously use
the building becomes a settlor and beneficiary, when the settlor wants to sell
the building or the building and its plot, while administering the trusted
property (said building or said building and its plot), it may take a certain
amount of time to find a prospective buyer of the trusted property with aprerequisite of the preservation and continuous use of the said building; i.e.
the trustee can act as a seller and choose a buyer who can achieve thepurpose of the trust.
v) If a building owner who has intention to preserve and continuously use abuilding becomes a settlor, sets preservation and continuous use of thebuilding as the trust purpose, selects a corporation body that has insight,
knowledge, and credibility to achieve the stated purpose as a trustee, andestablishes a charitable trust, it’s almost certain that preservation andcontinuous use of the building will be achieved in accordance with the initialintention of the settlor to establish the trust, and the issue of any tax burden
will be solved for the time of establishment of the trust and death of thesettlor.
At the same time, under current laws and regulations, there are still many
challenges to applying the trust system for the purpose of preservation andcontinuous use of a building. The main challenges of the trust system arelisted below:i) Transfer and registration of ownership (a registered title)
When the trust system is used for the purpose of preservation andcontinuous use of a building, it is essential to transfer ownership of thebuilding or the building and its plot from a settlor to a trustee and register atrust according to that transfer. However, most owners of preservedbuildings are elderly people, who tend to have a strong resistance to boththe transfer of their ownership to a third party (a trustee), and theregistration of that transfer. Often the elderly owner cannot complete theprocedure. As a way to address this challenge, a family member such as an
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inheritor of the settlor should become a trustee, and a corporate body thathas knowledge and a proven track record concerning the preservation andcontinuous use of a building as well as operation, management, anddisposition of real estate should become a trust supervisor or fulfill a similarrole. This corporate body can support the trustee and ensure the smooth
operation, management, or disposition of the trusted property.
ii) Concern over trustee’s bankruptcy and incompetenceDue to the independence of a trusted property, even if a trustee goesbankrupt, a trusted property is separated from the trustee’s property andisn’t included into bankruptcy property. However, it is assumed that a trustee
of a civil trust doesn’t always own enough property, and there is aconsiderable risk that the bankruptcy of a trustee may disturb the smooth
operation, management, or disposition of a trusted property. Some trustees
don’t have enough foresight or knowledge of the Trust Act and related
regulations, so there is a concern that a trustee may not complete the dutyof a trustee defined in the Act. To address these challenges, it’s necessary to
conduct adequate credit screening on a trustee who accepts a trust for the
purpose of preservation and continuous use of a building, or to provide its
member with enough education and training about the legal system andtaxation related to a trust and real estate.
iii) Trust deed violating the legally reserved portion
Even with a trust for the purpose of preservation and continuous use of abuilding, it is possible to designate division of a trusted property at the timeof death of its settlor, with the result that the legally reserved portion system
of inheritors under the Civil Code becomes an issue. When a settlor
established a trust that violates the legally reserved portion of an inheritor (aportion of the inherited property reserved for inheritors except brothers andsisters of an inheritor), the inheritor may execute their right to claim forabatement of the legally reserved portion. To avoid this situation, when atrust is established, it is necessary to conduct adequate surveys and secure
confirmation even from a trustee to ensure that the trust doesn’t violate thelegally reserved portion.
iv) Termination of a fraudulent trust
If a settlor who was an obligor and knew that establishment of a trust
would harm the creditor established a trust in order to dodge fulfillment ofan obligation or forcible execution, even if its trustee acted in good faith, thesaid trust is regarded as a creditor fraudulent trust, and the said creditor may
demand cancellation of the fraudulent trust deed by a petition. To avoid thissituation, it’s necessary for a trustee to ascertain well in advance, if possible,
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the scope of a settlor’s debt.
v) Shortage of experts in civil trusts
In relation to points i) through iv) mentioned above, civil trust matters are
not familiar to most, and there are very few experts in the area of civil trusts.
In the past, the majority of trusts were commercial, therefore today experts
in commercial trusts are generally found in organizations such as trust banks,
while there are few experts in civil trusts. Even if you were to consult a trustbank about a civil trust, it’s unlikely that they will provide relevant advice andinformation. To address this challenge effectively, we must persevere in
conducting research and developing experts in the trust system for the
purpose of preservation and continuous use of a building. This should
happen through the collaboration of organizations of relevant experts suchas architects, lawyers, licensed tax accountants, and judicial notaries, orwithin an organization of volunteers.
vi) Paid, continuous, and repetitive acceptance of trusts by a trustee
As stated above, a trust for the purpose of the preservation andcontinuous use of a building is much less profitable than a regularcommercial trust, so it’s usually difficult for a trustee with a license, such as atrust bank, to accept such a trust as business. Therefore, it seems natural touse a civil trust accepted by a general incorporated association or a nonprofit organization whose purpose includes support for preservation andcontinuous use of valuable historical buildings. However, if such anorganization accepts multiple trusts for some fee for the purpose ofpreservation and continuous use of buildings, this will likely prove to be amajor violation of the Trust Business Act. For aforementioned organizations,
it is very difficult to obtain a license for a commercial trust, thus parties
involved are required to address the issue in the framework of a civil trust. In
this case, a settlor should establish a family trust for each building to bepreserved and continuously used and designate a family member of thebuilding owner as a trustee. The aforementioned organizations can support
such a family trust for some fee from the position of a trust supervisor, or
through a similar arrangement.
vii) Challenges to utilizing a charitable trust and a purpose trust
For a trust for the purpose of preservation and continuous use ofbuildings such as valuable historical buildings, one solutions is a system that
doesn’t need to identify a beneficiary, such as a charitable trust and apurpose trust. However, establishment and utilization of a charitable trust
raises significant obstacles, such as the required permission and supervisionof the competent authority. On the other hand, to use a purpose trust, tax
for a received gain is charged against a trustee by the equivalent amount of
the trusted property.
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Unless a trustee is authorized as a tax-exempt corporation, the tax burden
falls to a trustee, and donation tax is also charged to a settlor, as there is nocontribution deduction. Essentially, it is necessary that a trustee is a taxexempt corporation such as a public-service corporation. In order to promotea trust for the purpose of the preservation and continuous use of buildingssuch as historical buildings, a major systemic challenge is how to enable amore realistic and flexible scheme for such qualification of a trustee.

References :1) Satoshi Inoue, Masayuki Fukuda, Ooki Mizuno, Hiroyuki Hasegawa, Yu
Wakae, Atarashii Shintaku 30 kou (30 lectures about the new trust system),
Koubundo, 2007
2) Makoto Arai, Shintakuho (Trust Act, 3rd edition), Yuhikaku, 2008
3) Yasufumi Takahashi, Atarashii Shintakugyohou (New Trust Business Act),
Daiichihoki, 2005
4) Masahiro Teramoto, Chikujo Kaisetsu Atarashii Sintakugyohou (New TrustBusiness Act- Explanation for each article), Shojihomu, 2007
5) Yoshifumi Imagawa, “Minji Shintaku no Katsuyou ni Kakawaru Houteki
Kadai (Legal issues related to use of a civil trust)” Kobegakuin Hogaku, 40(2),Nov. 2010178

Afterword – Why Do We Inherit Old
Houses?

Hideki Kobayashi（Professor, Chiba University）

Do we really want to inherit old houses?
“Inherited House” is also an interesting theme for me personally.
My parents had passed away, and I inherited a vacant 80-year-old housein Niigata. I meant to sustain it as a holiday house, but, unfortunately, part ofthe building was destroyed by fire nine years ago. At that time, while it was adifficult decision, I decided to keep the building with “downsizing” by cutting
off the burnt kitchen area, as shown in the photos. Of course, this cost morethan full demolition. According to a carpenter, I was the first person in thecity who did such an unusual thing.
I asked myself what kind of emotions made me choose to downsize thebuilding. One of the reasons is that I have emotional attachment to thehouse I grew up in. Another reason is that I wanted to keep the welldesigned zashiki (reception room) and butsuma (Buddhist altar room) that
weren’t damaged by the fire. Yet all my reasons aren’t so generic. I had some“sense of obligation” that I could not choose to demolish the building, inorder to save face as my parent’s eldest son and as a housing expert. If I
hadn’t studied architecture, I would have demolished it after the fire.
Based on this experience, I had one question about the theme of thisbook. If we don’t feel obligated, do we really want to inherit old houses?
The history of rejecting old houses
Looking back over history, it’s notable that several movements have been
defined by the rejection of old houses. During the life improvement
movement from the Taisho period to the early Showa period, with the
emergence of the middle class, Westernization of houses was prioritized. As
a result, old houses were rejected.
That trend continued after the Second World War, and people supported
the argument to revive a feudalistic house and modernize it. Support was not
limited to claims from architecture experts. It must have been very common
to think, “I really hated the dark, cold, old house. I was longing to live in amodern house with a corridor and western rooms.”
Until around 1970, the prevailing tendency was to reject old houses andmodernize them. With this thinking, demolition of pre-war houses was
accelerated.
It was around 1970 when we realized that existing minkas (vernacular179houses) would disappear if nothing was done, and some urgent research was
conducted. However, it’s somewhat doubtful if these actions worked as “aforce to inherit houses”. We could only preserve some exceptional houses,
those identified as cultural properties.

[Figure 1] Original façade (competed in
1933; modified in 1956)[Figure 2] Façade after the partial
demolition (A third of the building was cut
off.)

What I learned from periods of changing value
Some people tried to stem the tide of change and rediscover the benefitsof old houses, but their effort wasn’t evident until the late 1970s.
In the field of housing research, instead of featuring only modern houses,
more researchers were interested in the benefits of old houses passed on to
the modern age, such as a reevaluation of zashiki or a review of systems ofmachiya (townhouse) and nagaya (row house). I was especially influenced
by the fact that tsuzukima zashiki (serial Japanese-style rooms), once
rejected as a symbol of the feudal system, was reproduced in new modern
houses and supported by people.
I entered the field of housing studies during this time, so I assume I
subconsciously absorbed the value of cherishing old houses and traditional
culture.
Subconscious value is not competitive against economy
However, around the mid 1990s, I talked with an economist who claimed
that it’s wrong to say that old houses are important. He claimed “If oldhouses truly have some value, there must be some people who try to sustain
them by paying some money. Antiques can command high prices. Therefore,
old houses must be rebuilt, instead of sustained, because no one reallyacknowledges the value of them.”
Attachment to old houses and their value was cemented in my180subconscious, so I could not respond quickly to these claims. Whenchallenged, I found there was not enough logic to support my position.
Flustered, I pointed out that there are cultural properties with recognizedvalue, but he responded that it is sufficient if only a few select old houses are
sustained in a museum. I did not know how to respond in the moment, andfelt totally defeated.
A counterargument to the economist
As is usually the case, with time, I formulated several valid
counterarguments. First of all, it’s invalid to say “nobody acknowledge thevalue of old houses” by pointing to reconstruction.
There are two reasons why this assert is invalid. The first reason is basedon the inseparability of building and land. Even if people acknowledge somevalue in old buildings, in many cases, it’s difficult to find as much value asinterest from converting land use through reconstruction, especially in urban
areas. Because of that, people demolish old buildings to use the land.
Another reason is the maintenance cost. It costs a certain amount of money
to sustain a building exposed to rain and wind. Sadly, buildings are often
demolished because of this cost.
Based on these reasons, even if people acknowledge certain value in oldhouses, they cannot sustain the building and demolish it against their will.
Sustaining a building is different from keeping an antique.
Though I can question the validity of the claim “nobody acknowledge thevalue of old houses”, this is merely a passive counterargument. This
argument still recognizes the fact that these buildings are demolished due toeconomic reasons. We require a further theory; that is a theory to sustain
old houses in our lifestyle proactively.
Inherit old buildings and housing culture as “Hare”
To develop such a theory, the concept of folklore studies, Hare and Ke,
must prove useful. Hare means special occasion, and Ke means ordinary days
and normal life.
When places of Ke, such as a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living room, areold, many people don’t appreciate that. They would prefer to make them as
convenient and efficient as possible. As a result, even if these people havenostalgic tastes, they install the newest kitchen and bathtub in their old
minka.
By doing so, they inherit the beauty of minka in their daily life.
On the other hand, old buildings, old styles, and old housing culture areproactively inherited as “places of Hare”. I decided to sustain the house I
grew up in Niigata because the part of the house destroyed by the fire181

contained places of Ke around its kitchen. Zashiki and butsuma were notdamaged, so I choose to sustain those.
Old buildings are traded for symbolic value
In European cities, they sustain façades of old buildings, modify theinsides for convenience, and inherit these buildings. These buildings areoften traded for a higher price than new buildings. To explain the value ofthese buildings and their façade, we need another theory to explain market
value.
Let me explain four types of value of things. They have two axes, as
shown in the figure: an axis of “utility or beauty”, and an axis of “personal orsocial”. The latter axis indicates if a thing has only personal value, or a thinghas social value approved by many.
“Attachment value” of a house is a strong personal feeling, typicallycreated by living there as a child. For the individual, the house is a precious
building that they don’t want to destroy. But it’s not valuable for others or
the real estate market, so it will be easily demolished.
However, such an attachment sometimes becomes common among many
people in the neighborhood or in a society. This is symbolic value. A façade ofa building and a cityscape made of a series of facades tends to have symbolic
value. The value is engraved in the memory of many people and sociallyappreciated. In modern terms, symbolic value can be called brand value.
With that value, attachment is converted to “pride”. When an old building
reaches this stage, it can be traded on the market.
In Europe, people are proud of living in an old building. It has brand value.
Recently in Japan, old lifestyle in a machiya and nagaya, and old lifestyle in a
housing complex, are sometimes regarded as a fashionable lifestyle. There
are people trying to attach brand value to such buildings, as explained inmany examples in this book. I would like to show my respect for theirinspiring efforts.

[Figure 3] Four types of value of things

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Why do we cherish old houses?
If you are asked why you cherish old houses, in addition to pointing totheir importance as a cultural property and historical reminder, you can also
provide the following reply.
There are two main reasons to cherish old buildings, old styles, and old
housing culture. The first is that we find it valuable to inherit traditional
styles as a “place of Hare”, and we cherish such styles. The second is that old
buildings have the potential to become socially appreciated, i.e. to have asymbolic value, beyond being a subject of personal attachment. Even if someold buildings are not highly valued at the current time, experts are supposed
to explore such potential, which in turn creates a new market. From theperspective of regular people, that leads to local pride.
For a society where people can easily inherit a house if they want
Many cases introduced in this book are the fruits of individuals’ hard
work to inherit old houses. We can learn much from their experiences. But
their struggle doesn’t end once the house is sustained. I assume their deeper
intention is to realize a society where people who cherish an old house caninherit it without struggling through the same process.
One challenge is creating a system that takes into account that a building
and a plot are inseparable. For example, if a building is registered as aTangible Cultural Property, real estate tax of the building is reduced. Yet
strangely, the real estate tax of its plot is not reduced, as if the building is
floating in the air. To sustain the building, the tax for the plot should be also
reduced.
I should also mention that the current system benefits reconstruction in
many ways, such as providing financial support for construction and therelaxation of floor-area ratio regulations. Moreover, for using a vacant house,
conversion of use is not allowed unless it meets the newest BuildingStandard Act, which also makes it difficult to sustain an old house.
While ideally I would like to give preferential treatment to old buildings,
we simply need a system that treats old buildings and new buildings equally.
To realize a society where people can inherit old houses easily, it is necessary
to keep working steadily toward the creation of such a system.
At the end – Going back to my personal challenge
Finally, let me revisit my own story of the house in Niigata. Nine years
after the downsizing, the cherished house I sustained as a holiday housesuffered a tragic event. Multiple cats invaded the vacant house andvandalized it. It was not just some cute cats frolicking in the house. Their
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sharp claws damaged walls and pillars and destroyed a precious ranma(transom window). Even worse, their excrement was scattered throughout
the rooms. I was quite shocked by the fact that the zashiki and butsuma I
love were ruined.
Creating a system for inheritance is meaningful only when an old househas some value to inherit. After suffering the disaster of the fire followed by
the attack of the cats, the house I grew up almost lost my attachment value.
What should I do? If I decided to demolish it, I would need to arrange amemorial service for the “end” of the house. But I cannot find a goodsolution for what to do with portraits of ancestors and a Buddhist altar. An
eldest son who inherited an old house keeps struggling.

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Acknowledgements
This book is a summary of a research project organized by the Housing
Research Foundation JUSOKEN. The project was launched due toapprehension about the recurring situation where traditional houses withhistorical importance and relevant lifestyle are lost for economic reasons.
The project aimed to define the significance of inheriting traditional lifestyleand houses for the future, as well as to establish a social system forinheritance. To establish this committee, we invited Dr. Hideki Kobayashi
from Chiba University, Dr. Yasushi Sukenari from the University of Tokyo, and
Dr. Nobuko Matsumoto from Otsuma Women’s University. They participatedstudiously in this research project for three years. The project also invited
many guests with the endeavor to collect their stories. In the third year weheld three symposiums to summarize the committee’s outcomes. We invited
many panelists to share their insights. I cannot list everyone here, but I
would like to express my gratitude for everyone’s participation. The
committee received a great deal of administrative support from staff
including Shin’ichi Michie, managing director of Housing Research
Foundation JUSOKEN, and especially Aiko Okazaki, the committee leader. My
sincerest gratitude to them.
Seizo Uchida,
Chairperson, JUSOKEN “Inherited Houses” Research Committee

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Editor■Seizo Uchida, D. Eng.,
He is a professor in the Department of Architecture, Faculty ofEngineering, Kanagawa University and a director of The Research Center for
Non Written Cultural Materials, Kanagawa University since 2009. Born in
Akita prefecture in 1953, he graduated from the Department of Architecture,
Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University in 1975, and completed thedoctoral program without a doctoral degree in Architecture and Building
Engineering Graduate Major, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo Instituteof Technology in 1983. He later earned a Doctor of Engineering. Main prizes
awarded: Encouragement Prize of AIJ (Research Theses Division) in 1994; Kon
Wajiro Award of Japan Society of Lifology, in 2004; and the Award from
Nihon Seikatubunkashi Gakkai in 2012. He specializes in Japanese modern
housing history. He had been a member of Research Administrative
Committee of Housing Research Foundation JUSOKEN since 2011. Major
publications include: “Oyashiki Sanpo” (Kawade Shobo Shinha, 2011),“Zusetsu Kindai Nihon Jutakushi Shinban” (Joint authorship, Kajima InstitutePublishing, 2008), “Madori de Tanoshimu Jutaku Dokuhon” (Kobunsha, 2005),“Dojunkai ni Manabe” (Oukokusha, 2004), and “Nihon no Kindai Jutaku”(Kajima Institute Publishing, 1992).
■Hideki Kobayashi, D. Eng.
He is a professor in the Division of Architecture and Urban Science,
Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, from 2007. Born in Niigata
in 1954, he graduated from the Department of Architecture, Faculty ofEngineering, University of Tokyo, in 1977. After working at Yamato
Architectural Design Office, he completed a doctoral course in the
Department of Architecture, Graduate School of Engineering, University ofTokyo, in 1985. In 1987, he started working at the Building Research Institute,in the Ministry of Construction. He became an associate professor in 2002,
and a professor in 2003, in the Department of Urban Environmental Systems,
Faculty of Engineering, Chiba University. Major publications include: “Ibasho
Toshite no Sumai” (Shin’yo Sha, 2013), “Kyoju Kankyo Seibi Ron” (Joint
authorship, The Society for the Promotion of the Open University of Japan,2012), “Sukeruton Teishaku no Riron to Jissen” (Joint authorship, Gakugei
Shuppan Sha, 2000), “Shin Shugojutaku no Jidai” (Nihon Hoso Shuppan
Kyokai, 1997), and “Shuju no Nawabari Gaku” (Shokokusha, 1992).

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■Yasushi Sukenari, D. Sc.
He is an associate professor in the Graduate School of Humanities andSociology since 2012. Born in Osaka in 1974, he graduated from the Facultyof Letters, University of Tokyo, completed a doctoral course in the Graduate
School of Humanities and Sociology, University of Tokyo, and acquired thedegree of Doctor of Sociology. He also worked as an associate professor in
the Faculty of Social Information, Sapporo Gakuin University, and an
associate professor on the Faculty of Arts, Shinshu University. His research
field is cultural sociology, urban/regional sociology, and social survey history.
Major publications include: “Jutaku no Rekishi Shakaigaku” (Shin’yo Sha,
2008), “Fukushi Shakai no Kachi Ishiki” (Joint authorship, University of Tokyo
Press, 2006), and “Bunka no Shakaigaku” (Joint authorship, Yuhikaku
Publishing, 2007). His translation work includes “Housing to Fukushi Kokka(“Housing and Social Theory” by Jim Kemeny)” (Shin’yo Sha, 2014).
■Nobuko Matsumoto, D. Eng.
She is a professor in the Department of Social Information Studies,
Faculty of Social Information Studies, Otsuma Women’s University, from 2004.
She graduated from the Department of Housing and Architecture, Faculty of
Human Sciences and Design, Japan Women’s University, and completed adoctoral course in the Department of Architecture, Graduate School ofEngineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University. She worked as a lecturer at
Tokyo Metropolitan Tachikawa Junior College and Wayo Women’s University,
before she became a full-time lecturer, then an associate professor, in the
Faculty of Social Information Studies, Otsuma Women’s University. Major
publications include: “Kakusa Shakai no Kyoju Hinkon (Jutaku Hakusho 20092010)” (Joint authorship, Domesu Publishers, 2009), “Machizukuri Keyword
Jiten, 3rd edition” (Joint authorship, Gakugei Shuppan Sha, 2009), “Sumai no
100 nen” (Joint authorship, Domesu Publishers, 2002), and “Machizukuri no
Kagaku” (Joint authorship, Kajima Institute Publishing, 1999).

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[About Housing Research Foundation JUSOKEN]
The Foundation was established in 1948 by the late Yasuo Shimizu (former President of
Shimizu Corporation) as "Shin Jyutaku Fukyu Kai," a Public Interest Corporation charteredby Tokyo Metropolis. At the time of its establishment after World War II, the serious lackof housing was a major social problem in Japan. Therefore, the Foundation established as
their mandate “to solve the serious housing problem through comprehensive study of
housing construction and implementation of its findings”. Subsequently, as the total
number of housing units began to exceed the number of households in 1972, theFoundation started to conduct comprehensive research of housing. In 1988, the name of
the Foundation was changed to “Housing Research Foundation JUSOKEN” to reflect its
full-scale research-based practice. The Foundation was authorized by the Cabinet Officeas “General Incorporated Foundation JUSOKEN” on July 1st, 2011. Throughout its history,
the Foundation has maintained the consistent purpose of acting ”to promotecomprehensive research related to housing as well as human resource development, andto contribute to improving lifestyles by implementing its findings in society.”JUSOKEN “Inherited Housing” Research & Investigation Committee (2013-2015)
Chairperson
Members

Seizo Uchida (Professor, Kanagawa University)
Hideki Kobayashi (Professor, Chiba University)
Yasushi Sukenari (Associate Professor, University of Tokyo)
Nobuko Matsumoto (Professor, Otsuma Women’s University)
Administration
Housing Research Foundation JUSOKEN
Shin’ichi Michie, Kazuhide Kamibayashi, Koichiro Baba, Yuko Shimizu,
Aiko Okazaki<Jusoken Housing Books>

Meaning and value of inheriting JAPANESE HOUSESFirst Edition: September 30th, 2016
Edit: JUSOKEN “Inherited Housing” Research & Investigation Committee
Translation: Takayuki Ichikawa （※）
Translation Supervision: Carole Forster-Ichikawa （※ ※）（ ※ ） Takayuki Ichikawa is an English-Japanese translator. Born in Tokyo, he

studied Health Science and Architecture, specializing in housing, and acquireda Masters of Engineering (Architecture) at the University of Tokyo.
（※※） Carole Forster-Ichikawa is from Western Canada. She holds a Bachelorof Arts, Honours with distinction in History and a Bachelor of Education withgreat distinction in Secondary Education from the University of Regina, and a
Masters of Arts in History from McMaster University.

First Publication of English edition : October 31 , 2018
Second Publication of English edition : December 4 , 2018
ⒸHousing Research Foundation JUSOKEN 2018.

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