The low stone walls that continue along Ishibe-koji create a distinct sense of enclosure and calm, gently immersing visitors in a unique atmosphere from the moment they step into the alley.

In this project, we regarded the experience of the inn not as something confined solely within the architecture itself, but as a continuous sequence beginning with the approach through the alleyway.

By employing materials such as stone, wood, and earth that resonate with the surrounding context, the design seeks to quietly connect with the character of the historic streetscape.

At the same time, it maximizes the traditional machiya approach of drawing light and air through restrained openings, creating an environment deeply rooted in Kyoto’s architectural sensibility.

At the entrance, guests are welcomed into a space enveloped in the material presence of wood, stone, and earth, creating a seamless continuation from the alleyway outside.

On the ground floor, traditional Juraku walls — commonly found in the machiya of Ishibe-koji — are employed to preserve the sense of enclosure characteristic of the narrow lane, gently drawing guests deeper into the interior.

The design follows the traditional spatial composition of Kyoto machiya, where light and air are gently drawn in through restrained openings facing inner gardens and forecourts.

Within this limited natural light, shadows emerge with quiet subtlety, allowing the architecture to softly connect with the character of the historic streetscape.

For example, the edges of the daki were finished with curved plasterwork, an approach intended to gently capture and diffuse the light filtering in from the tsuboniwa courtyard, making the presence of light itself softly perceptible within the space.

The ground floor is designed as a counter kitchen space intended for private chef experiences.

A single slab of chestnut wood was selected for the counter, accompanied by custom-designed dining chairs featuring enveloping armrests.
The chairs were carefully designed so that even when four guests are seated side by side, they can comfortably lean back and naturally engage in conversation with one another.

The fusuma sliding doors in the washitsu were created in collaboration with Noda Hanga Kobo, a traditional fusuma artist.

The design draws inspiration from uchimizu — the long-standing Japanese custom of sprinkling water as an everyday gesture of etiquette and hospitality — layering themes of purification, hospitality, fragrance, time, and reflection into a single composition.

The pattern of the stone paving symbolizes a path of welcome extending from the entrance deep into the interior. It expresses the distinctly Kyoto sensibility of maintaining a comfortable sense of distance while embodying attentiveness and hospitality toward others.

In the compact stairwell, which does not directly face the exterior, a small window was introduced as a light opening. Soft natural light is gently brought into the interior through the walk-in closet, creating a subtle sense of brightness and spatial continuity.

Along the second-floor window, the gently sloped reed ceiling and the delicately textured hood bench finished with traditional naguri craftsmanship softly capture the changing natural light throughout the day.

Through these carefully articulated details, the project aims to offer guests a physical and immersive experience of the subtle sensibilities inherent in the Kyoto machiya tradition.

Facilities such as the television and refrigerator were carefully concealed behind shoji screens and mairado-style cabinetry, allowing modern appliances to be integrated without disrupting the spatial character and quiet atmosphere of the traditional Japanese interior.

The second-floor bathroom is finished with hinoki cypress on the ceiling and Towada stone on the walls and floor, creating a bathing space enveloped entirely in natural materials.

For the washbasin area, naguri-crafted wooden bars were used for the drawer handles and towel rails, allowing guests to experience the tactile richness of Japanese craftsmanship through everyday touch.

The irregular carved textures, with their subtle shadows and softly contoured surfaces that fit naturally in the hand, were intended to quietly convey both the warmth of the material and the presence of the artisan’s hand.