A compact townhouse near the Higashiyama riverside, custom built as a contemporary Kyoto home with natural materials and thoughtful traditional details.
Ground-up Renovation
Relocation & Restoration
Completion
Quiet living by the river.
Set one block from the river on one of Higashiyama’s charming pedestrian streets, this compact townhouse makes the most of its intimate urban setting. Light-filled rooms, tatami, shoji, and exposed timber introduce familiar elements of Kyoto living within a clean and contemporary interior.
Designed by Seikosha Associates and custom built by Heritage Homes Japan, the home combines modern functionality with carefully selected natural materials. A standout feature is the bathroom finished entirely in hinoki cypress, bringing the warmth, scent, and tactile quality of traditional Japanese bathing into the heart of the house.
⸺ Sourcing
We locate heritage properties across Kyoto and rural Japan — machiya, kominka, and former temples whose architectural integrity makes them worth preserving. Each candidate is evaluated for structural soundness, historical character, and restoration potential.
⸺ Design
Our in-house architects assess the structure and develop a sensitive restoration plan. We map what to preserve, what to repair, and where modern systems can be integrated without disturbing the home's character.
⸺ Structural Restoration
Original timber frames, beams, and lattice work are stabilized and refinished by hand. We reinforce where needed using traditional joinery and contemporary techniques — always invisible, always reversible where possible.
⸺ Modern Systems
Plumbing, electrical, insulation, and climate control are introduced behind the scenes. Kitchens, bathrooms, and storage are reimagined for contemporary life, specified in materials that match the home's vocabulary.
⸺ Interior Detailing
Hand-applied plaster, custom joinery, hinoki ofuro, integrated lighting — every visible surface is considered. We source from the same workshops that have supplied Kyoto's machiya for generations.
⸺ Handover
The completed home is documented, photographed, and prepared for its next chapter. We support new owners through purchase, registration, and the early months of living in their restored property.