"The history of cultural properties for 150 years"
Inheriting the baton from his great-grandfather
Thank you very much for the overwhelming response to Ochiairo's new private villa, Shakunage.
We interviewed Kosuke Yamazaki (Mutsuwa Construction, Izu), a first-class architect who is the site manager for this Shakunage project and whose great-grandfather was involved in the construction of the Ochiairo main building about 100 years ago.
Reflecting on the background of the launch of the renewal project with General Manager Satoshi Uodome of Ochiairo, we will deliver Mr. Yamazaki's passionate thoughts and architectural secrets about "Shakunage."
-Once again, please tell us about the process behind the opening of the private villa "Shakunage."
Uodome:Shakunage is the building where the Adachi family, who founded Ochiairo, lived for many years. This building is registered as a national tangible cultural property and is adorned with techniques that are now difficult to replicate. The desire to preserve this valuable building in a way that people will appreciate for the next 100 years led to the initiation of this renewal project.
The Adachi family, who founded the inn, made their fortunes by mining gold in Yugashima from the Meiji period, and built Ochiairo as an inn with the desire to "provide healing to people." During the Great Depression in the early Showa period, they were said to have invested their own fortune in renovating the inn, creating jobs, and working to revive the economy of the Izu Peninsula. They also continued to work hard to develop the area, such as donating a gymnasium to the old Yugashima Elementary School, and were loved by the locals.
It is extremely worthwhile to preserve the building in which the founding family lived, and we believe that we can provide our guests with a rich experience through this special stay of renting the entire building.
ーWhy did you ask Mutsuwa Construction to carry out the renovation work?
Uodome: Mutsuwa Construction has been a valued partner for a long time, starting with the reconstruction of the Ochiairo main building about 100 years ago, which I mentioned earlier. We have entrusted them with daily maintenance as well as major renovations, such as the renewal of Ochiairo five years ago and the opening of the Ochiairo Steak House two years ago. Mutsuwa Construction understands the history of Ochiairo, appreciates our vision, and always takes meticulous care of the building, so it was a very natural decision to ask them to handle the Shakunage project this time.
Yamazaki: Ochiairo is a special entity for Mutsuwa Construction as well, so when we heard about the project, we felt humbled.
-I heard that your great-grandfather was involved in the construction of the old Ochiairo. Were you familiar with Ochiairo yourself from a long time ago?
Yamazaki: My great-grandfather was one of the carpenters who worked on the main building when Ochiairo was renovated about 100 years ago. He is one of the carpenters who can be seen on the roof in construction photos from that time (laughs). My grandmother also worked at Ochiairo when it was run by the Adachi family, the founding family, and I was familiar with it as I would occasionally visit there when I was little. I even took a bath in Tengu no Yu back then! When this inn was reopened as Ochiairo five years ago, my father was involved in the construction.
…That's quite a deep connection! Mr. Yamazaki, you studied architecture at a university in the Kanto region and even had a job, but when did you decide to continue the family business?
Yamazaki: After graduating from university, I joined a general contractor and learned a lot about construction sites. As I gained experience, my desire to protect and develop my family business, "Mutsuwa Construction," for the local community grew stronger. Mutsuwa was originally started by my great-grandfather, and at that time, there was no concept of a construction company; it was a gathering of six local craftsmen so named it "Mutsuwa." In my second year as a working adult, I decided to take over the family business, obtained qualifications as a first-class architect and first-class construction management engineer, and returned to Mutsuwa. The first project I was involved in after returning to my hometown was the opening of Ochiairo Steak House, which, in hindsight, was a fortunate opportunity.
-How did you feel when it was decided that you would be in charge of "Shakunage"?
Yamazaki: Of course I was very happy, but to be honest, I also felt a lot of pressure. Ochiairo has always been a special place for Mutsuwa Construction, and is one of the inns we are proud of in the area. After the renovation five years ago, my family and I stayed there for a test stay, and we were shocked at how much it had evolved into an amazing inn! Not only had the traditional building been preserved as it was, but the good things about today had also been incorporated, making it an even more wonderful space. The renovation of Shakunage this time was also a challenge for Ochiairo, to preserve the cultural heritage while providing new value to our customers, and I felt a strong sense of responsibility to meet those expectations. Having been approached, we resolved to "give it our all."
Uodome: In fact, Kosuke comes to the Ochiairou site almost every day and thinks about Shakunage more than anyone else! He really does his best every day and is very reliable.
-Please share some stories about what you valued most and what challenges you faced during the renovation work on Shakunage.
Yamazaki: The design concept of Shakunage is "as if it had been there since ancient times" and "what would the original designer think if he were renovating it in the Reiwa era?" Since this is a renovation to comfortably update the building's facilities and functions, the interior itself is of course new, but we are conscious of designing it as if it had been there for 100 years. For this reason, we carefully reuse the materials that remain in the building itself (rare wood, tiles, lighting fixtures, etc.), and we deliberately incorporate old construction techniques, such as not using adhesives. Compared to current techniques, it takes time and the work is difficult. The newly installed fixtures are colored to match the colors of the past, but we tried dozens of different paint colors. In addition, the building itself uses materials that are different from the current standards, so we are researching what those materials are one by one. For example, we ask the craftsmen and research, "What kind of wood is this existing wood?" and think about and decide what kind of wood we should use to harmonize the space. We do this in every detail.
For the current "Shakunage" renewal, we believe it is important to fully understand Ochiairou's thoughts and for everyone involved in the construction to have the same enthusiasm. For that reason, we gathered craftsmen who have done careful work on old buildings in the past. Everyone is always thinking from the perspective of "Is this not just beautiful, but also Ochiairou-like?" We are putting our hearts into the renovation so that people 100 years from now will say that "Shakunage" was well renovated in the Reiwa era.
-Please tell us what you like about Shakunage.
Yamazaki:It's simply a cool building! How can we make a building that is already cool even cooler? It's a lot of fun to think about this. Like the Ochiairo main building, there are architectural techniques and highly complex decorations throughout that are difficult to reproduce today, and I can only admire the skill of the craftsmen. The building as a whole incorporates not only Japanese styles, but also Western designs such as sunrooms and stained glass. The Adachi family, who founded the building, had a son who studied in the United States, so it seems that they were people with advanced ideas even back then. When we first cleaned the old residential building for the renovation, we found a lot of English literature and newspapers.
Furthermore, it is not just one room that is the highlight; the greenery visible from the windows, the sound of the river flowing nearby, the breeze blowing through, and the light streaming in all come together in harmony to create a space that is both extraordinary and warm, providing a sense of relaxation.
-Thank you for sharing your story with us! Lastly, how would you like future visitors to enjoy Shakunage?
Yamazaki: Yes, we would like you to come without any communication devices!
As I mentioned earlier, I want you to take your time to experience the wonderful atmosphere of Shakunage with all your senses. It's a really relaxing space, so I hope you can forget about your daily worries and surrender yourself to the space of Shakunage to recharge your batteries. Please look forward to the opening!
Uodome: Without any communication devices... That's exactly right! Shakunage is such a luxurious space that it's no exaggeration to call it the epitome of luxury. I hope you'll look forward to its opening!
Available on the Makuake website until December 26th
Early bird plans are available
An additional 2.2% Makuake Security System usage fee will be charged in addition to the plan fee.