Many scholars consider the Japanese book The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu to be the oldest novel in the history of literature. The protagonist, Hikaru Genji, the son of the emperor, is a beautiful, intelligent man, greatly loved by everyone. However, due to his mother’s humble origins, he could not ascend to the throne. Through his adventures, we are led to a kind of emotional and nostalgic participation in things, known in Japanese as mono no aware. In Kyoto, they embraced the grace of this ancient work and made it the main inspiration for the project. They then took the rigor of the typical machiya houses from the Heian period (794-1192) and adapted it to contemporary architectural principles and sustainability. In line with the four typical Kyoto houses that once stood here, architect Geoffrey P. Moussas designed two volumes connected by a bridge. Nine rooms offer a river view and balconies from which to admire a less touristy corner of the city. The concrete reveals the grain of the wood, and the washi windows, created by artist Eriko Horiki, give depth to the light in the hall. Scenes from the famous book also influence the interior decoration, curated by Jun Tomita, with furniture handcrafted by local artisans and the significant presence of the garden within the structure. This is especially evident on the rooftop, designed by Marc Peter Keane, where the vegetation bursts toward the sky, creating a wild refuge for guests and passing birds. Meanwhile, the entrance garden is called Ukifune, meaning “Drifting Boat,” from the title of one of the chapters of the book, dedicated to the ephemeral evanescence of life. At the center, a stone shaped like a boat has been placed to symbolize our journey on Earth.

Words and pictures Meraviglia Paper. Cover courtesy of Genji Kyoto.