Traditional home experts to gather at MinkaMeets event

Japan Times

3 days ago

Against the stunning backdrop of Miyama, Kyoto Prefecture, a location famed for its traditional thatched-roof houses, the Minka Preservation Society will host a two-day event focused on heritage architecture and thoughtful approaches to renovating kominka (traditional wooden houses).
On June 7 and 8, the nonprofit Minka Preservation Society will hold the second iteration of its MinkaMeets@Miyama event, bringing together experts and enthusiasts to discuss the future of minka (literally, 'people's house'). As the number of Japan's akiya (abandoned houses) rises, many are falling into disrepair, but the Minka Preservation Society is dedicated to generating awareness for these beautiful, historic buildings.
With tickets starting from ¥2,000, MinkaMeets@Miyama invites guests to discover and celebrate the charm of these old buildings through workshops and a town hall-style panel discussion titled, 'Restoration, Renovation, Redesign: Preserving Minka in the 21st Century.' While the event aims to look at the restoration of minka in general, one particular property scheduled for destruction has found itself at the forefront of the discussion thanks to Haruo Nishio , an expert in Japanese thatching and traditional building restoration.
Through his work, Nishio discovered a 200-year-old thatched house owned by Ooi, Fukui Prefecture. Having been relocated to its current site in 1978 by the local government, the kominka was unfortunately left to languish in recent years, leading to the order for its demolition.
A tradtional thatching expert, Haruo Nishio is scheduled to speak at the June event. |
COURTESY OF HARUO NISHIO
For Nishio, the thought was unbearable, so he offered to find a new owner and a new site for its relocation.
'Many Japanese people may think it's normal to tear down old things,' Nishio says. 'I'm unsure if what I'm trying to do is the 'right' thing, but I want to do the best I can right now — for the people of the future. I'll leave it to them to decide whether it was the right thing to do.'
Nishio's next step was to reach out to the Minka Preservation Society to ask for help.
'We were already in the midst of planning the MinkaMeets@Miyama event before Nishio-san discovered that property,' Minka Preservation Society board member Lauren Scharf explains. 'He reached out to us and expressed a desire to feature it in the event. It's in such a beautiful location and conveniently not too far from our event space.'
The Ooi kominka will now serve as the event panel's main topic of discussion.
'We have asked the panelists to come prepared with their own ideas,' Scharf says. 'If this were their own project, or if it were to end up in their own backyard, what would they do with it?'
Storied "minka" preservationist Yoshihiro Takishita is scheduled to appear as part of a panel discussion on conserving the properties amid modern pressures. |
COURTESY OF YOSHIHIRO TAKISHITA
Along with Nishio, the panel is made up of experts from across the preservation community, including Yoshihiro Takishita , who is considered the godfather of minka renovation (his book, 'Japanese Country Style: Putting New Life Into Old Houses,' is a must-read for minka enthusiasts). The panel is rounded off by Nils Wetterlind, a Swedish conservationist with a background in sustainable design, and Felix Conran, a British product designer and grandson to London's Design Museum founder, the late Sir Terrence Conran.
The panel and workshop sessions will be held on June 7, with guests initially making their way to Hotaruan Royal Garden Suite , a minka renovated and owned by Nishio. Hands-on demonstrations will also be available alongside a marketplace featuring local arts and food. For those staying overnight, the following day's event will be a tour of the Ooi kominka (about 1 hour by car from Miyama) with continued discussion on its future.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit peatix.com/event/4404149