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Minka Preservation Society: They Built It, We Preserve It
Beyond Minka
Beyond Minka takes a closer look at the many interesting and innovative ways that minka and other heritage structures are being given second lives as restaurants & cafes, accommodations, shops, businesses, artisan studios, galleries, factories, and more.
We’ll feature two properties each month while regularly adding to our online database. If you have a minka, machiya, kura, kobo, or another type of structure you are using innovatively, we would love to hear about it and share your experiences.
Also, feel free to tell us about people and places around Japan that you’d like to see featured.
You'll find a submission form for either of the above here.
March Feature:
HARUO NISHIO: THATCH MASTER
Haruo Nishio is a master thatcher, known throughout Japan as much for his gregarious character as for his top-notch thatching skills. Trained in both Japanese and British thatching techniques, he's worked throughout Japan, revitalizing not only centuries-old roofs, but the buildings they cover as well.
Follow his adventures on Instagram for examples of his skill as a thatcher as well as his quirky sense of humor.
Learn more about Nishio san below.
March Feature:
HORAKUEN ZEN BUDDHIST RETREAT CENTER
Dorothee Eshin Takatsu, originally from Germany, runs this peaceful retreat located in the mountains of Suzaka in Japan’s Nagano prefecture on the former site of a 15th-century temple. She's been in Japan since 1982, when she arrived as a young teacher with little knowledge of Zen. Now an ordained Buddhist priest, she's well-equipped to help others find their way.
There is a beautiful 8-sided hall built by Japanese carpenters using traditional methods in which yoga, meditation, and other creative workshops take place.
Learn more about Horakuen below.
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February Feature:
BENTON HOMESTEAD
Benton Homestead is a restored 1953 Showa-era minka, offering guests a nostalgic countryside retreat along the Shimanami Kaido. Lovingly renovated with reclaimed materials and furnished with vintage decor, the private full-house rental provides a step back in time. Guests receive a warm welcome and walkthrough, ensuring a comfortable stay. The homestead’s upcoming shop will feature retro goods and local produce, blending rural charm with traditional Japanese hospitality.
Learn more about Benton Homestead below.
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February Feature:
TASTEMAKER
Tastemaker is a vintage clothing shop located in a renovated minka in Onomichi’s shopping arcade. The historic building, once a massage parlor and shoemaker’s workshop, was transformed into a shop showcasing vintage clothing from the 1950s to 2000s, sourced from U.S., Canadian, and European suppliers. Visitors can explore curated, high-quality items without following trends. Tastemaker connects reusing old clothes with giving new life to a traditional Japanese property.
Learn more about Tastemaker below.
January Feature:
SOBA MOZEM
Kazuo and Yoshiko Saito opened Soba Mozem over 10 years ago and have been steadily raising the bar for handmade soba ever since. Now serving a full menu in addition to their superlative soba, their ingredients are locally sourced and resonate with the flavors of the island and the Sea of Japan. Contact them for reservations: +81 259-67-7972 or visit their website or IG, and watch for a documentary film about the shop, KAZUO, currently making the film festival circuit.
Learn more about Soba Mozem below.
January Feature:
OW INDIGO
Indigo artist Naoko Omae and her husband Kota have been running OW for several years, producing indigo using traditional, labor-intensive techniques that date back centuries. If you have the chance to visit their workshop, you’ll learn much and likely not leave empty-handed as the fabrics they dye result in a multitude of rich, gorgeous items. You can contact them through IG or read about them here.
Learn more about OW Indigo below.
March's Featured Craftsman: Haruo Nishio
1. How did you become interested in thatching?
I've been in the thatching world for 30 years now. My father worked at an insurance company for 40 years. After graduating from a university in Kyoto, I wanted a job I could be passionate about for life rather than becoming a company employee. Feeling I lacked special abilities or skills, I needed to learn a trade. Just before graduating, I found an advertisement for a thatching apprentice in a job magazine, and I've been on the path of a thatching craftsman ever since. My master was born in 1930, and 30 years ago, there were many craftsmen of that generation nationwide. However, thatching was on the verge of extinction, with only three craftsmen in their 20s across Japan. I chose what was perhaps the least desirable profession for young people 30 years ago. When snow prevented work during winter, I sold roasted sweet potatoes from a small truck in Kyoto to make a living. In 2007, I established a small thatching company. Thanks to my nationwide training, I became busy with roof replacement requests from all over Japan. I trained three apprentices who have since become independent.
2. Where did you learn about thatching?
I learned in Miyama Town, Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture, and later traveled throughout Japan to study. In 2008, I counted the number of thatched houses in Miyama Town. There were 519 buildings, though unfortunately, 95% were covered with metal sheets. I would love to see them all restored to thatched roofs. At 26, I went to England and worked with British craftsmen for a month. England had many thatched roofs, plenty of owners who loved thatched houses, and many young craftsmen. They even had schools for thatching. I wept alone, frustrated by how different the situation was compared to Japan.On my last night before leaving England, I confessed to my master, Chris: "In Japan, there are only three craftsmen in their 20s, and thatched roofs are disappearing. I'm anxious about whether I can continue as a thatching craftsman when I return to Japan." Chris replied, "Haruo, thatching is one of humanity's oldest technologies, so have confidence."With those words, I realized I had only been concerned about myself. I became aware that I was one of the few descendants of Japan's thatching technicians. Afterward, I went on a nationwide training journey, visiting craftsmen not just in Miyama Town but across Japan. Japan has diverse techniques that vary by region.
3. Describe your work
Please call me "The Gaudí of Miyama." Just as Antoni Gaudí continued to build the Sagrada Familia passionately, I continue to challenge myself to revive thatching without giving up. We've escaped the extinction crisis for Japanese thatching craftsmen, and I'm delighted that more young people, including women, are becoming thatching craftsmen. However, over the past thirty years, thatched roofs have continued to decline. My next challenge is to increase the number of thatched roofs. After visiting England, I realized that the difference in real estate valuation methods between Japan and the UK is the root cause. In England, houses become more valuable as they age, and thatched cottages are premium real estate beyond what average citizens can afford. Replacing the roof of such a house is a natural investment. However, Japan adopted a real estate valuation method whereby wooden houses lose all their value after 30 years. This means old Japanese houses are considered worthless, and renovating the roof of a valueless house is merely a hobby. Recognizing this difference, I concluded that to increase the real estate value of thatched houses in Japan, they must be transformed into income-producing properties, like tenant buildings. If profitability can be found, renovating houses becomes an investment. Based on this theory, I put it into practice in 2011. I renovated thatched houses and opened "Miyama FUTON & Breakfast," renting out entire buildings to one group per day. Currently, I'm renting out five thatched houses. I'd like everyone to experience staying in a thatched house for a day.
4. Tell us about some of your favorite projects.
I have various projects planned starting this year. In Miyama Town, I receive more consultations about houses that can't be maintained than about replacing thatched roofs. I've accepted such houses and now own eight buildings. I'm currently consulting on four more houses that owners want to sell. I'm creating a system to purchase thatched houses without successors, replace their thatched roofs, and find new owners. Also, in neighboring Ooi Town, Fukui Prefecture, a large thatched house is scheduled for demolition, and we need to find a new owner willing to relocate and restore it. There are no books in Japan explaining thatching techniques for designers and owners. I want to create such books in Japanese and English this year. I started posting on Instagram a year ago (account: japanesethatchingguy) and now have over 100,000 followers. More people worldwide want to try thatching, so I'm creating a thatching school, starting with online courses this year. Eventually, I want to create facilities and accommodations in Miyama where online learners can train in beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes. The advanced class would involve actual restoration sites where tourists could observe and participate. Thirty years ago, villagers helped at thatching sites. Alcohol was served from noon, making it like a festival every day—very enjoyable. I want to recreate such enjoyable work sites with people from around the world. That's my dream. However, many potential trainees are young people who may lack the funds to travel to Japan. I also want to create a system where people worldwide can financially support such young individuals. No one has invested as much time and money in thatching as I have. However, I've reached the limits of what I can do individually. I plan to implement crowdfunding to advance these projects and would like everyone to participate.
5. What suggestions do you have for people who want to re-thatch their own kominka
More and more people, especially from overseas, want to buy old houses and replace the roofs with thatch. For such people, I'd like to provide online educational materials about real estate in Japan, renovation knowledge, how rural communities work, and how to generate income from old houses. The major problem for people who want thatch roofs is the significant cost. In the old days, about 30 houses in Miyama formed a team called "Tanomoshiko," where each harvested thatch and exchanged materials and labor. This lending and borrowing was managed by each household in its own ledger book, without a central administrator. It was an analog version of the blockchain system—hundreds of years ago, the ancient Japanese developed this mechanism to create their thatched houses, which were status symbols. How wonderful! However, implementing this system alone in our current economic system would be very expensive. To reduce costs for those wanting to rethatch their old houses, owners could learn thatching techniques in school, create a community of students, organize a modern version of the Tanomoshiko, and build their own roofs by cooperating with each other. I could lend sheets and tools to such a community of students. Another possibility is reviving wheat straw thatching, which is now extinct in Japan. There's a theory that Japan once had hundreds of thousands of wheat straw-thatched roofs and was called the "golden country" because Japan's land appeared golden when viewed from ships at sea. In England, straw-thatched roofs are still thriving. There must be plenty of farmland around old houses. Using that farmland, producing straw quickly is easier than collecting thatch. A thatched roof shows a different face every morning. I'd like you to have such a precious experience. If you had been born 100 years ago, you couldn't have become a thatched house owner unless you were born into a farming family. But today, with money, we can have the precious life experience of becoming an owner and rethatching these houses. We were born in a wonderful time.
March's Featured Accommodation: Horakuan Zen Buddhist Retreat Center (Dorothee Eshin Takatsu)
1. Why did you choose a minka for your business?
I discovered this old farmhouse in 2004. At that time, to my knowledge, kominka (traditional Japanese houses) weren't really a popular topic yet. I simply loved these old houses in the quiet countryside. Since the roof didn't leak, I knew renovation was feasible. Additionally, the rent was—and still is—very affordable (unfortunately, the owner doesn't want to sell), and it's located very close to my home. Initially, I only intended to use the house for my personal hobbies, but it eventually evolved into Horakuan, a Zen Retreat Center where I host various retreats.
2. Tell us about your renovation process.
I don't possess professional renovation skills, so I sought outside help for specialized work like installing an indoor toilet and some carpentry. I handled the rest with DIY skills, primarily on my own. Funds were limited at the time, so I would plan the next phase of renovation whenever means became available. As a result, renovating the house, garden, and premises took 10 years—though with old houses, maintenance is always an ongoing process.
3. Describe your place.
After working mostly alone for a few years, I discovered the Workaway program, which brought many volunteers to help with renovations. Being ordained in the Zen tradition, our conversations naturally turned to Zen teachings. Several international visitors suggested hosting retreats at the site—something I hadn't considered before. About 15 years ago, I began offering retreats focused on Zen teachings and their practical application in everyday life. I also offer Silence and Mindfulness Retreats, Meditation & Creativity Retreats, and the space is available for rental for Yoga Retreats or similar activities.Four years ago, we completed a new building beside Horakuan—a unique structure incorporating old beams, tree trunks, and branches with modern techniques. Named Tekisui Dojo, it features an octagonal hall that can accommodate various creative activities, sound meditation, yoga, and more. Additionally, I recently completed a sauna that fits six people. A cold plunge pool is planned for after the snow melts.
4. What can visitors expect when they go?
Visitors primarily enjoy the quiet natural surroundings, with no neighbors and only the sounds of wildlife and water. Retreat program information is available on our website: horakuan.net. Since COVID, I've reduced the number of retreats, but visitors are welcome to arrange a visit by contacting horakuan@gmail.com. As I don't live at Horakuan and only commute there, overnight stays outside of retreat programs aren't possible. However, with a fully functional kitchen, the space can be rented by groups of 6-8 people, depending on how comfortable they are sharing rooms.
5. What do you hope visitors get from the experience?
Beyond the content of our various retreat programs, I hope visitors come to appreciate the value of old kominka houses. I see these as treasures that need preservation for their historical significance, the traditional building techniques used in their construction, and their harmonious beauty.6. If you could pass on one piece of advice to your past self at the beginning of your historic property “journey,” what would it be? I view kominka as a form of culture that encompasses not just carpentry techniques but also tatami making, washi paper making, weaving, pottery, earth wall construction, plastering, ironwork, and likely much more. While preserving these techniques is essential, I believe an open and creative approach to finding new applications for old methods is equally necessary to make preservation of traditions more accessible.
Main links:
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February's Featured Accomodation: Benton Homestead
1. Why did you choose a minka for your business?
Like many people, we were drawn to the beauty of traditional Japanese architecture. We specifically wanted to restore a house that had been sitting vacant, in order to preserve something that might otherwise be lost to time.
2. Tell us about your renovation process.
Although the house had been abandoned for 10 years, there were no structural issues, termites, or roof damage. Our goal with the renovation was to restore the house to its original 1953 Showa-era beauty, with a few modern amenities. We chose to use reclaimed materials whenever possible. Since we were under strict time constraints due to the startup visa requirements, we did hire local craftsmen to install new floorin tatami, and air conditioning, but we worked alongside them for the duration of the project.
3. Describe your accommodations.
Benton Guesthouse is a private full-house rental. We want guests to have the experience of stepping backward in time; the furnishings are almost all vintage or antique, and most were found either in the guesthouse or in the second minka we purchased as our personal residence. We're currently working on turning the guesthouse garage building into a roadside shop, which will sell retro and vintage goods in addition to our honey, farm produce, and other local 'omiyage'.
4. What can visitors expect when they go?
We only live a few minutes away, so we meet each guest personally. Many of our guests are unfamiliar with traditional houses, so taking the time to walk them through the house really helps to make their visit more comfortable. For example, since the rooms are heated and cooled individually, the sliding screen doors are essential for regulating temperature. We're always available to chat, answer questions, and sometimes join our guests for dinner at one of the island's restaurants.
5. What do you hope visitors get from the experience?
We've been documenting the whole renovation process on our YouTube channel, so guests can see what the house looked like when we started, and watch every step of the journey. We hope that guests enjoy a real countryside experience, and reminisce about simpler times. Our location on the Shimanami Kaido bridge system allows us to offer a rural island atmosphere while still being easily accessible—even by bicycle.
6. If you could pass on one piece of advice to your past self at the beginning of your historic property “journey,” what would it be?
Enjoy the process! We chose to make our home in one of the most beautiful places on earth, but we often found ourselves too busy to appreciate it.
Main links:
www.bentonhomestead.com
www.youtube.com/@bentonhomestead
www.airbnb.com/h/BentonGuesthouse
Other links:
www.instagram.com/@bentonhomestead
www.facebook.com/bentonhomestead
February's Featured Shop: Tastemaker
1. Why did you choose a minka for your business?
Long before moving to Onomichi, I had known that old and often abandoned properties were abundant in my area. I hadn’t planned on running a shop until the pandemic hit and finding this place was really by the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time. A friend of mine that grows tea and runs a tea shop near by here had happened to mention this property was available to rent. It’s located in a back alley of the main shopping arcade here so I had in fact passed this place on occasion for many years and had in fact wondered about it. Hearing it was available was enough to inspire me to find a use for it!
2. Tell us about your renovation process.
This place has always been a place of business in one form or another. Long ago it was used as a massage place (a traditional massage called anma) and more recently it was used by a shoemaker as a workshop. We came in here after several people had already done their own work on it. The tatami floor had been converted to concrete and the entrance had been redone. With no working toilets or even a kitchen, there was little to do but clear out the unwanted stuff and have the racks and shelves put in. It took only around two months to already be ready enough to open our doors for business. Bit by bit more decorative things have been added and the stairs were later redone to open the 2nd floor as a shop as well.
3. Describe your business
We sell vintage clothing imported from the U.S and Canada with some items from Europe occasionally too. We select our stock from the piles of unwanted clothes that are always being collected and bundled and shipped to warehouses around the globe. There are importers in Japan that purchase by the ton and allow us to dig through and purchase wholesale. It’s great that we have access to vintage items without having to travel far.
4. What can visitors expect when they go?
If you like vintage clothing from the 50s to the 2000s, you might find something interesting at our store. We have men’s and women’s casual clothes which include military, outdoor and hunting clothing, plus sweatshirts and T-shirts of all kinds. Generally, we try to find the old stuff or just extremely well made high quality clothing. We try to avoid following fashion trends or stocking brand items unless we feel the clothes are truly good items.
5. What do you hope visitors get from the experience?
Although some prefer to dig through a thrift shop or estate sale and find treasure themselves, customers that come to our shop will enjoy seeing only the ‘good stuff’ lined up and have the thrill of seeing high quality stuff all in one small place. We are not an antique shop or museum because everything on the racks is still very much wearable and still has a use.
I feel there is a clear link between renovating a building to reuse and finding a use for old clothes. This was one reason why I originally believed that this building was a good use for this kind of business! I think this also delights customers too!
6. If you could pass on one piece of advice to your past self at the beginning of your historic property “journey,” what would it be?
We have been in business for nearly 5 years and I have no regrets about the road we took to get here! We started from nearly nothing with no experience in working in apparel and simply had a passion to try something new. I figure it’s all a part of the learning process. If anyone is considering starting a retail business in Japan make sure the location is a good one!
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January's Featured Restaurant: Soba Mozem
1. Why did you choose a minka for your business?
Because old private houses are attractive in terms of design as buildings. Also, they embody the history and traditions of Sado Island. I think they have a design appeal that is comparable to the unique buildings designed by modern architects. Old private homes are a traditional Japanese building design, but to our modern eyes, they are as “unknown” and “cross-cultural” in design as foreign and unique buildings.
2. Tell us about your renovation process.
We had an architect draw up a renovation blueprint to make it functional as a restaurant.
Specifically, we remodeled the kitchen to make it usable as a restaurant kitchen while creating a flow line. Also, we removed the tatami mats in the living room and poured a concrete floor to create seating for tables and chairs.
3. Describe your restaurant
We’re a soba kaiseki restaurant. We use local ingredients as much as possible, and sometimes, we go to the mountains ourselves to gather wild mushrooms and berries for our dishes. We also use these ingredients to create new combinations of dishes.
4. What can visitors expect when they go?
I think they come to enjoy delicious soba noodles, dishes using Sado ingredients, and the atmosphere of an old private house.
5. What do you hope visitors get from the experience?
I want our customers to simply enjoy the food. I also want them to experience the beauty of the ingredients from Sado Island.
6. If you could pass on one piece of advice to your past self at the beginning of your historic property “journey,” what would it be?
Unlike modern houses, living in an old house takes a lot of work. It also requires knowledge. Please take a good look and listen to what kind of time and effort it takes and what kind of knowledge it requires.
January Featured Artisan Studio: OW Indigo
1. Why did you choose a minka for your business?
We didn’t set out to choose a minka, but we realized that it would be the best environment for country life, raising children, and beyond that, for the fermentation of natural indigo.
2. Tell us about your renovation process.
Our emphasis was on maintaining the traditional style without any particular renovations. However, the studio was built with large indigo vats set in the earthen floor.
3. Describe your restaurant
Products made from natural cotton and hemp fibers dyed with natural indigo are available for purchase (T-shirts, tenugui hand towels, handkerchiefs, haori, noren, etc.).
4. What can visitors expect when they go?
Visitors can learn about natural indigo, a technique that has been used since the Edo period, in a traditional house with a thatched roof. The exhibition will introduce natural indigo using a technique that has been used since the Edo period.
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5. What do you hope visitors get from the experience?
We would be happy if you could experience the beauty of natural indigo.
6. If you could pass on one piece of advice to your past self at the beginning of your historic property “journey,” what would it be?
The ashes of high-quality wood are necessary to make natural indigo, and while working as a woodcutter, I collect the necessary firewood every year, burn it throughout the winter, and collect the ashes to use for indigo dyeing.
Nature (the seasons) does not wait for us, so let us carefully cultivate the strength, energy, and spirit to carry on with our simple and rustic daily activities as in the past.
