Due to arriving rather later than the other Samurai in Toge, we were able to move straight into some rather high-scoring pertinent networking on our first day of work here … riding on the back of Adam and Aiko’s extensive local research!
My casual enquiry as to who owned the rather cute looking houses just over the valley, landed us with an invitation to visit the owners!
Karl Bengs and his wife (an interesting German/Argentinian couple who the locals all seem to think are swiss) it turns out not only own these houses but have lovingly re-built them beam by beam. An architect with a passion for Japanese vernacular architecture to match that of David Tait for the UK’s finest cottages (see previous) Karl has built up a business here, restoring some of the remaining examples of traditional Japanese houses, at the same time modernizing the interiors with a euro-focus and making them more ‘comfortable’ for contemporary living.
Apparently in addition to the mini-collection he’s already built on the hillside here, he currently has 4 others flat packed in storage ready to regenerate as a client requires. Some are remade as homes but others have been transformed into successful city-centre stores.
He and his wife generously braved the downpour to move from office-house to home-house & show us round the amazing interior – this building is one of the few left here with a thatched roof, that can survive the 5ft of winter snow. The ‘inside’ of the thatch is actually more beautiful than the exterior.
Never ones to shy away from a utopian vision (!) we hope to pay a return visit and interview him about his vision for the development of the region.
Themes : japan, Seven Samurai
Comments :
gJ12RB Wow, it can be truth
By Kandoras at 2007-12-25 00:50:48