KIROKU
Beyond the shrine towers Mt. Makihata, where legend says celestial maidens came down from the heavens. This is Kiroku, conveniently located just a 20-minute drive from Echigo-Yuzawa Station, an eight-minute drive from the Shiozawa-Ishiuchi Interchange on the Kan-Etsu Expressway, and an eight-minute drive from Maiko Snow Resort.
Experience Echigo-jofu — a UNESCO an intangible cultural heritage — and a house steeped in lore.
Traditional weaving has been passed down over the generations in the Shiozawa district of Minamiuonuma. Echigo-jofu, a prime example of traditional Japanese textiles, was recognized by Japan as an Important Intangible Cultural Heritage in 1955 and added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2009. The legend of the celestial maidens of Mt. Makihata still remains in this region, and Kiroku was the residence of the chief priest of Kiroku Shrine, which is dedicated to those maidens. Even after the house became vacant, the locals took good care of it, but maintaining and managing it during the winter was extremely burdensome due to the heavy snowfall. The house was slated for demolition, but we took it over and gave it a full renovation.
Enjoy relaxing with views of the shrine grounds on the open-air terrace.
Villagers used to gather at Kiroku for festivals and other events. Once a fairly spacious residence, we reduced it to about half its original size and renovated it into an airy space whose windows provide an unobstructed view of the shrine grounds. The main garden is on the north side, a typical feature of shrine architecture borrowed from Ninna-ji Temple in Kyoto, and one can assume that the original builders aimed to create a calm and serene space. It is here, in this north garden, that we installed a sauna and open-air terrace. The relaxation you can feel here comes from a combination of the seamless transition to the shrine grounds and the serene atmosphere of the north garden.
Second bedroom in the vaulted ceiling loft.
Thoroughly insulated to stay warm even in the winter.
A modern space where old and new materials harmoniously coexist.
A house steeped in the history of Kiroku Village.