The mountain town of Jinseki is located about a half-hour’s drive north of Fukuyama in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. Set on a high plateau with a peak elevation of 2,300 feet, the area is dotted with traditional homes like this century-old residence, recently renovated by architect Reiichi Ikeda.

“The residents are a couple enjoying their second life,” shares Ikeda, who founded Reiichi Ikeda Design (RID). “The design also anticipates occasional visits from their children’s families.” The property comprises a main house, an annex, and a former cattle barn, and the renovation was divided into two phases, with the initial one focusing on the first two buildings.

“The main house, built 100 years ago, required renovation and structural reinforcement,” says Ikeda. “A site survey revealed that there was a double roof, leading to the conclusion that it was a traditional igura-zukuri-style house, which used to be common in the Kamo region of Hiroshima Prefecture.”

These minka (folk) houses often appear to have two stories from the outside due to their layered roofs, but their interiors usually consist of a single story. Ikeda explains that the home’s beams, pillars, roof configuration, floor plan, and materials are deeply tied to its historical context—and he didn’t want to compromise the structure’s atmosphere, historical character, or regional identity by introducing a contemporary layout or too many modern materials.

“When revitalizing traditional houses, the fundamental challenges we encounter are the deterioration of existing structures, and the gap between their functionality and the needs of contemporary living,” he says, adding that the key lies in striking a balance between preservation, livability, safety, and flow. “We considered the relationships between the building, its environment, and the people who gather there to fulfill the design intent of incorporating time, memory, and landscape into the home.”

As they were renovating the residence, the team discovered a second level that could be accessed only via an old wooden ladder rather than a staircase. Ikeda opted to remove the upper level to create double-height interiors, although he otherwise preserved the layout, which consists of four rooms divided by fusuma sliding doors, a space with a sunken kotatsu table, and an irori hearth.

Updates to the interior include a dining room with a 10-seat table, an expanded living room that opens to a veranda, and a room with a raised tatami floor for tea ceremonies or playing the samisen (a traditional Japanese string instrument).

The material palette was directly inspired by the existing house. Towada stone with a subtle green hue grounds the wet areas, while washi paper is applied to the ceilings, walls, and sliding doors. “This revives the distinctive character and Japanese ambience of the old house, using the play of light and shadow to evoke ‘a depth of time and tranquillity of space,” Ikeda notes.

The open spaces are supported by new pillars, beams, and lintels covered with a dark charcoal dye to match the home’s existing charred beams. Overhead lighting fixtures are relegated to a set of copper “pseudo beams” to preserve the pure expression of the home’s wooden structure.

The project’s second phase presented different challenges. To convert the roughly finished cattle barn into a guesthouse, Ikeda adjusted the floor levels, beam heights, and circulation paths while creating three bedrooms, including one with a 16-foot-tall ceiling.

To harmonize the structure, which was built more recently, with the century-old main building, he replaced its aluminum sashes with wooden ones, and finished the walls and ceilings with washi paper in varied tones.

The largest guest room overlooks the garden, well, and distant mountain ranges—Ikeda notes how it “connects with the landscape and engages in dialogue with nature.”

The additional sleeping areas ensure that each branch of the family has their own private quarters. “It’s a weekend home where individual time and time spent together can coexist effortlessly,” reflects Ikeda.

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Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Reiichi Ikeda Design (RID) / @reiichiikedadesign

Builder: Maeda Construction

Washi Artisan: Wataru Hatano / @wataruhatano

Furniture: Cassina ixc (Phase 2) / @cassinaofficial

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