The story behind Niwa no Yado

This time, we will tell you the story behind the creation of the Garden Inn series.
Design Club, the operating company, was founded in 1998 with funding from public venture capital at a business contest sponsored by Hyogo Prefecture as part of efforts to support the recovery from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. The company is involved in the planning and design of homes and hotels, and has a track record of over 10,000 hotel rooms and over 1,000 apartment buildings.

Encounter with an old house

The location of the first lodging in Hida Takayama, which is the beginning of this business and is the most popular, had a special story behind it.

One time, I had the opportunity to visit Takayama for a business meeting related to a hotel.
At that time, I was asked, "Have you ever been to Takayama?"
"I came here on a company trip a long time ago. The old townscape was featured in a commercial," I replied.

Then he asked me, "Are you staying tonight?"
"I'll stay tonight and then take a leisurely stroll tomorrow before heading home," I told him.
"You should definitely visit," he recommended Sakurayama Hachiman Shrine, located on the opposite side of the old town.
There is also a small river called Enakogawa along the Miyagawa River.
I was told that the place was "very charming, and there was a delicious cafe upstairs."

Kusa no Niwa

Up until now, I have been helping people create new things,
In particular, my grandfather was a Buddhist sculptor, and I was attracted to old buildings because of my respect for craftsmen.

At first, I walked all the way uphill to get to the place I was told about,
Something was bothering me so I went back, and when I looked at the spot again, I had an instant of fascination.

There was a sign saying "vacant lot" and a large area of land that sank into the distance.
From above, it looks like a large area, but it is shaped like a fan.
Half of the land was depressed, giving it a somewhat unusual and complex structure.

However, the moment I saw the location, I felt a strong desire to try something new somewhere far away from Kobe (the office).
When I came across this place, I decided, "If I'm going to do a trial anyway, I might as well try it somewhere a little further away."
The following week, I contacted a real estate agent and immediately went to see the place.

The bond with my grandmother and the "best words"

The place was a single-story house where an elderly woman of about 75 years old lived alone.
It seems that the daughter had already become independent and was living alone after her husband and mother-in-law passed away.
The daughter lived in a nearby apartment building and, concerned about her grandmother, put the house up for sale.
However, it was difficult to find a buyer, and several real estate companies were struggling to sell the property.

I was attracted by the beautiful garden of the house.
I decided to start a business that would make use of the old house, running a lodging facility where the whole building could be rented out.

The interior has been carefully renovated, preserving as much of the old parts as possible.
The "Grass Garden" is where the "Kusakabe Folk Crafts Museum", a national important cultural property, was built.
This is a private house built in the same Hida Takayama during the Meiji period when the master craftsman Kawajiri Jisuke was active.

When we unveiled the completed inn, the first people we invited were the grandmother who sold us the house and her daughter.

When the old lady saw the inn, she was so happy that she cried.
"It's the same as before but it's new, it's new but it's the same as before"Thank you for saying that.
This phrase became the "best and most memorable phrase."
We didn't just renovate the property, we also treasured the memories and warmth of the "home" that people have lived in for many years.
As designers, we are deeply involved in the residents' thoughts and the history of the building.
I felt that this was the moment when the philosophy of "valuing and utilizing old things" came to fruition.

Ichii no Niwa

 The second building was a renovated old house resembling a tenement house built in the early Showa period, located very close to the first building.
When I took over the property, it was handed over to me in a state where all the household items were left untouched, as if the owner had suddenly disappeared.

   
The building was constructed by a single carpenter in the early Showa period, and even the Shinto altar was hand-made.

In the garden there is an oak tree, which gave the inn its name.

Kibun no Niwa

 The inn is located within an important cultural property preservation area, next to other important cultural properties such as the Kusakabe family home and the Yoshijima family home.
This old house was originally a soba restaurant and has been renovated.
The inn's name is taken from the name of a soba restaurant called "Kibun no Niwa."

The kitchen area has been converted into a bedroom and the garden has been developed to serve as accommodation.

It is located in the area where the Takayama Festival is held in the fall, and the festival that you can see right before your eyes is a spectacular sight.

Tips for enjoying your stay
The talisman of "Ryoumen Sukuna", who became famous from Jujutsu Kaisen, is also on display in its original state.
Please be sure to check it out!

Hoshi to Kaze no Niwa

Since the company is based in Hyogo Prefecture, they decided to operate their fourth building as an inn in Kamikawa Town, Hyogo Prefecture.
Although we are a relatively new inn, having been built around 50 years ago, the law has changed and now it is possible to have rooms up to 200 m2 in size.
This is the largest room in the Niwa no Yado series and can accommodate up to 16 people.

Torokko to Gin no Niwa

We were introduced to them by the Ikuno Regional Autonomy Council in Ikuno-cho, Asago City, with whom we have had a connection through the Garden of Stars and Wind.

My first impression of Ikuno Town was the valley that could be seen from the train ride up from Nagoya to Takayama City.
I was struck by how similar the scenery was when I went up from Kamikawa Town to Ikuno.

Right in front of the site are the remains of the trolley tracks that were used at the Ikuno Silver Mine.
He was captivated by the beautiful, historic scenery with the Ichikawa River flowing through it, and decided to run a lodging in Ikuno Town as well.

Rather than making this scenery the property of a single individual, we aim to make it a place where many people can enjoy the scenery and "a place that everyone can use."
The corridors are also made of glass so that people other than guests can enjoy the view.

lastly

Our lodgings treasure the beauty of old buildings and gardens, and the memories of people's lives that are engraved in them.
This is a special place that has been carefully restored, one building at a time.

The first one, "Grass Garden" in Takayama, was a house where an elderly woman once lived alone.
After the renovation, the old lady said in tears, "It's the same as before, but new, new but the same as before."
Those words remain our starting point to this day.

We hope that our products will not only provide you with a stylish and convenient design, but also give you a sense of the atmosphere that has accumulated over time, and the scenery that someone has treasured.
We couldn't be more pleased.

Please enjoy your stay as if you were in your own garden.
We hope that the memories of your trip will be deep and lasting.