Japan 2022Kagurazaka Wakana Renovation
This project consisted of the renovation of a symbolic Japanese Inn in Kagurazaka which has been called the “Writer’s Inn” due to the fact that it was used by the film director Yoji Yamada and many authors to do their writing.
The Wakana Inn, which opened in 1954 with an investment by the actress Michiyo Kogure, closed its doors in 2015 when the okami-san (proprietress) Toshiko Wada retired, and had been left unused. This traditional wooden Japanese Inn with only five guestrooms was renovated and reinforced in a manner to allow as much space as possible to be utilized. Straw from organically grown rice for Chikusen Sake was used by the thatching craftsman Ikuya Sagara for the new thatched walls provided at the entrance, jet black plastered walls were made by Tatsuya Tokura, and handmade Japanese paper by Wataru Hatano create the special “Darkness of Kagurazaka” which was loved by many writers, giving it an additional level of depth and aesthetic beauty.
Seven years have been spent to enable the heritage of this inn facing the cobblestone “Hitoma-no-zaka” slope, known as the narrowest in Kagurazaka, back to life so that it can be enjoyed by the next generation.
