Kyoto Machiya Stories — Volume5: The Story of “Soi Colle”
This is an English translation and reprint of part of an article from the “STORIES” section of the Kyoto Machiya Succession Support Net (MATCH YA). “STORIES” introduces examples of how Kyo-machiya, the cooperation of the Kyoto Center for Community Collaboration, are being utilized.
Kyoto Machiya Succession Support Net
This group of experts, drawn from the fields of architecture, real estate, law, financial institutions and government agencies, work together with owners and residents to preserve Kyo-machiya and other traditional buildings.
MATCH YA
A website that connects owners and those who wish to inherit or utilize Kyo-machiya in order to ensure their proper preservation and longevity.
https://kyoto-machisen.jp/matchya/(※Only available in Japanese)
Volume 5: Tatsuki Sakushima (Owner of Soi Colle)
SOI COLLECTIVE, nicknamed “Soi Colle,” is a Kyo-machiya inspired by Victorian houses and Filoli Historic House & Garden near Silicon Valley.
Its name is coined from “Serendipity,” “Openness,” “Interplay” and “Collective.”
Here is an interview with Mr. Tatsuki Sakushima, who has been involved in the entire process of starting the utilization of the building and renovating and operating it.
- Relationship with the Soi Colle building
Mr. Sakushima is an engineer. After studying in the U.S., he worked in Silicon Valley for 13 years. Returning to Japan in 2010, he worked at an IT company in Tokyo and then came back home to Kyoto. His parental family runs Sakushima Co., Ltd., a company manufacturing and wholesaling Kyoto-style Buddhist altar fittings, whose head office is located diagonally across from Soi Colle. The neighborhood is in downtown Kyoto, eight minutes on foot from Hankyu Kyoto-Kawaramachi Station.
“When I was a child, this building was the home of a neighbor. Sakushima Co., Ltd. bought the building in the era of its previous president, and my relatives lived there for a while. However, the building had been used as a warehouse for 20 years before I renovated it. During recent renovation work, a tag issued by a union related to the paper industry was found. This suggests that a family involved in such a business may have lived in this house.”
2. Victorian houses as a source of inspiration
Mr. Sakushima explains a source of his idea for restoring this Kyo-machiya and renovating it into his own office-cum-multipurpose space as follows:
“Near Silicon Valley, where I worked, are historic buildings from the late 19th century called “Victorian houses.” One of my colleagues lived in a renovated Victorian house. When I visited it, I felt that it would be good to renovate an old building into a comfortable modern residence and live an elegant life there. The house had a fireplace. The external walls of the entirely wooden house were painted beautifully in a pastel color. The building was entirely fitted out with antique furniture, used effectively so that the residents could enjoy its cozy atmosphere. I witnessed the old house being used with care while being maintained and managed through DIY. This experience inspired me to explore the possibilities of maintaining Kyo-machiya back in Japan in a similar way.”
He initially considered utilizing the building as a guesthouse or a restaurant. However, he has divided its interior space into small rooms and currently rents them to a wide variety of people on a hourly basis. He also has his own office in the building and serves concurrently as its superintendent.
3. Restoring the old house beautifully
Inspired by Victorian houses, Mr. Sakushima renovated the Kyo-machiya with the aim of restoring it beautifully.
“My basic policy was returning the Kyo-machiya to its original condition. Renovation work focused on partial improvements for the convenience of people today. The original external appearance of the Meiji-era building was restored, and unnecessary interior furnishings were removed as much as possible.”
His greatest favorite is the area with a wooden deck and a terrace seen from his office. He says that this area really feels comfortable in a beautiful season, with bright sunshine pouring in and a blue sky high above.
“From my experience of living in a detached house, I thought greenery in the yards would be hard to maintain. Therefore, I compromised and covered the garden ground with tiles. The yards will have no greenery except a wisteria trellis in the making and some potted plants. I expect that the trellis will provide welcome shade from next year.”
The first floor of the storehouse attached to the building has been refurbished into a gallery and the second floor into a guestroom space for exhibitors, with a shower room for guests located separately.
4. How the building is currently used
Mr. Sakushima describes how the building is currently used as follows:
“Initially, I started by opening the building as a co-working space, but I faced difficulties attracting users. Under those circumstances, the first COVID-19 state of emergency was declared, so I switched to a reservation-based system. Currently, a calligraphy instructor and a group of photographers shooting geiko and maiko are regular users of this rental space. In addition, a group of five families with children attending a nearby nursery school recently held a Halloween party. The group evaluated this facility highly as a place for about 20 people to come together without any concern. I played the role of a kind of nursery school teacher during the party. The next event for which the facility has been reserved is a Christmas party.”
He also explains how he optimized his office and the rest of the facility for work. At the time of renovation, the building was newly equipped with optical fiber Internet connections and a concealed Wi-Fi router. Information security measures are also adopted in the building, including providing a network for guests which is separate from that for his own work, as well as using cloud-based storage for all work systems, accessing them remotely only as needed, and quitting them immediately after use. Since he is a professional engineer, he is fully confident in maintaining information security. Moreover, as a physical measure, he locks his office securely and limits entry into it.
He says that it is very hot in summer and freezing cold in winter in the building, and that the winter cold in particular is extreme, while the summer heat would not be endurable without air conditioners.
5. Aiming to make the Kyo-machiya a place like a park
When he explains how the building is used, he uses the phrase “like a park.” The idea underlying his use of this term is inspired by Filoli Historic House & Garden near Silicon Valley.
“Filoli is a facility run by a foundation based on membership fees and admission fees. Since a ballroom still remains as part of the facility, the foundation generates earnings by making it available for party and wedding use while opening the facility up to local people. The facility has been maintained in this manner. I also visited the facility with my child. Seeing how Filoli was open to citizens while being preserved, I was inspired to do a similar thing with the Kyo-machiya.”
He says that he is now carrying out research while renting the building to various people, and that he aims to finally develop a model of the collection of membership fees, admission fees, usage fees, etc.
“I believe my initiative will be a success if I can make Soi Colle a Kyo-machiya like a foundation-run park utilizing existing buildings, similarly to Filoli in the U.S.”
Good luck to Mr. Sakushima’s exciting initiative to utilize the Kyo-machiya while leveraging his own experience of living abroad!
SOI COLLE
Instagram account: ＠soicolle
The Kyoto Center for Community Collaboration, established by the City of Kyoto, is now asking for donations for the Kyo-machiya Machizukuri Fund, which subsidizes the cost of renovating Kyo-machiya townhouses. Your donations will go completely to the preservation of Kyo-machiya.
Kyoto Machiya Machizukuri Fund
https://www.kyoto-machisen.jp/fund/english/
Kyoto Center for Community Collaboration
https://kyoto-machisen.jp/en/about/
More about Kyo-Machiya — Machiya Vision
https://kyoto-machisen.jp/machiya-vision/?lang=en
Kyoto City is also calling for donations in order to help hand down Kyoto’s heritage, including Kyo-machiya, to future generations.
https://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/sogo/page/0000288025.html
Kyoto City Website https://www.city.kyoto.lg.jp/sogo/page/0000305425.html
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cityofkyoto
