this is really interesting.

yoshida-ryo in kyoto.

dormitory accommodation for students at kyoto university.

this article gives really great information on the how and why.

(this place is also a potential 200 yen per night stay in kyoto!)

via this side of town.

photos by yasuhiro ishimoto. japanese american post-war photographer.

i first saw his work in a book i recently got, 

a book of essays by japanese architect arata isozaki, called japan-ness in architecture. 

ishimoto's book of photographs of tokyo and chicago, a tale of two cities.

his black and white photographs of the katsura rikyu in kyoto are featured 

in an upcoming reissue by yale university press of the book below . 

katsura: tradition and creation in japanese architecture, 

with photographs by ishimoto and essays by walter gropius and kenzo tange.

laurence miller gallery represents ishimoto.

this image via this blog post on ishimuro

selby in tokyo

oh, selby, you are so good.
two tokyo homes.

top five photos:
yoshiko kajitani - designer of yoshiko creation paris
at her home - tokyo - november 2 2009

bottom three photos:
emi kameoka - fashion assistant for vogue hommes japan
at her home - tokyo - november 8 2009

this kitchen instant hot water unit is possibly one of my alltime favourite things in japanese houses

matsudo mansion renovation

here is a renovation of aclassic older-style tokyo 'mansion' apartment.
the renovation was done by tokyo-based international design firm bakoko.
so very clean, white and fine. i also like the worn, yellowing, mosaic, old version.
but i guess i let sentimentalism get in the way of nice change sometimes.
i am curious what you think? their intention is:

"the transformation of this typical 'mansion' apartment on 

the outskirts of tokyo demonstrates the adaptability of 

tokyo's post-war housing stock for providing affordable accommodation 

to the next generation of city dwellers."

the before and after photos are from their flickr sets. via jean snow.

ps - tatami mats are green and smell like grass when new. 

these look like the ones that sit on top of wooden flooring, 

rather than the traditional ones where the floor needs to be slightly sunken for the mats to slot in.

toru's chiiori blog

i mentioned chiiroi in the previous post.

toru's blog will transport you there.