CULTURAL PRESERVATION
REVIVING RURAL, RETRO ARCHITECTURE
KYOTO, JAPAN
When you travel, choose to stay where you can directly support the preservation of cultural heritage and breathe new life into rural communities. In Kyoto, Japan, dedicated locals and passionate foreigners are working together to preserve traditional kominka homes, adapting them for modern use and ensuring their stories endure.
What's
changing
Where rural communities are changing as residents age and younger generations migrate to cities, traditional ways of life, including construction methods and home design, could disappear. To save traditional homes from falling into disrepair or being demolished requires a desire to keep the culture backed by an investment of time and money.
What's already
possible
As of 2024, about 9 million homes in rural Japan are vacant with older owners moving out and younger generations going to cities. Many of these homes are kominka; they have distinct architecture, including thatched roofs, a “dôma” (a large room for working and cooking), a living area covered in “tatami” and modular rooms for sleeping. Kominka Japan helps people acquire, preserve and maintain these kinds of structures and other buildings that showcase classic Japanese architecture, encouraging the revitalization of rural areas without sacrificing traditional housing.
Seizing
the opportunity
Kominka Japan began as a Facebook group with international members who shared information about how to buy and maintain traditional Japanese housing, including tips on building materials, trusted craftspeople and day-to-day living. Maturing from a Facebook group into an organization, it has applied for non-profit status and holds an annual, three-day summit that Japanese residents and visitors can attend. Panel discussions and lectures present the history of Japanese design and architecture. Workshops demonstrate traditional crafts. Kominka homes in Miyama’s Kayabuki no Sato and Kuta Village are open for tours.
Standout
tactic
Living in a traditional kominka requires specialized skills for repairs and renovations. Kominka Japan's annual summit features a Minka Mall, where experts and service representatives offer guidance to current and prospective kominka owners. For example, the 2024 Minka Mall featured Heart Country Stove, a company that specializes in installing stoves and chimneys in kominka homes.
How
it helps
Kominka Japan’s efforts safeguard the country’s rural heritage where government efforts have not. The organization gives enthusiasts the knowledge and resources to give these homes new uses that maintain the original character.
Diving
deeper
How can a culturally-specific initiative ensure that a participant from outside the culture or the country understands how to respectfully care for a traditional house and join the community? What can organizations, like Kominka Japan, do to encourage stronger local participation and leadership?
Increasing
impact
Organizations that work to preserve rural areas and cultures could collaborate with local governments and communities to create incentives for younger people to return to those areas and take ownership of traditional homes. This could include financial subsidies, tax credits or grants for those wanting to restore and live in the homes.
Traveling
better
Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.
