Renovation of a Traditional Japanese House
The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
Starts 1/31
SHARE
The term "renovating old houses" has become widely recognized in recent years. Coupled with the retro boom and natural-oriented trends, old wooden houses have been renovated into cafes and hotels, gaining popularity. In urban areas, there are also examples of pre-war wooden row houses being used as offices, demonstrating the potential for diverse restoration and utilization. Amid this, there has been growing interest in "living in old houses," where people restore houses as "homes" and live in them, rather than as stores or commercial facilities.
The phrase "living in an old Japanese house" evokes images of "a warm space surrounded by natural materials such as old pillars, beams, and earthen walls," and "a careful lifestyle using handmade furniture and household items and living in harmony with nature," which strongly appeal to those of us who lead busy daily lives.
This exhibition features illustrations by Tsunamoto Takeo, an illustrator known for his many depictions of Osaka's iconic architecture and cityscapes, which are presented in the style of a picture book, showcasing the process of restoring and revitalizing a vacant, approximately 140-year-old house he inherited from a relative, and then starting to live in it as a home. In addition to the artwork, the exhibition also features photographs of each stage of the restoration, notebooks detailing the process of restoring the house, including the family meetings that took place after the decision was made to restore it, fundraising, consideration of craftsmen and construction companies, and the details of the work, as well as a frame model and the tools used in the construction.
With the keywords "repair," "connect," and "live," the program focuses on the knowledge and experience of traditional construction techniques gained through repairing old houses inherited from ancestors, as well as interactions with a wide range of people, including experts, technicians, and the local community, to convey the joy of repairing old houses and the richness of living in them.
The phrase "living in an old Japanese house" evokes images of "a warm space surrounded by natural materials such as old pillars, beams, and earthen walls," and "a careful lifestyle using handmade furniture and household items and living in harmony with nature," which strongly appeal to those of us who lead busy daily lives.
This exhibition features illustrations by Tsunamoto Takeo, an illustrator known for his many depictions of Osaka's iconic architecture and cityscapes, which are presented in the style of a picture book, showcasing the process of restoring and revitalizing a vacant, approximately 140-year-old house he inherited from a relative, and then starting to live in it as a home. In addition to the artwork, the exhibition also features photographs of each stage of the restoration, notebooks detailing the process of restoring the house, including the family meetings that took place after the decision was made to restore it, fundraising, consideration of craftsmen and construction companies, and the details of the work, as well as a frame model and the tools used in the construction.
With the keywords "repair," "connect," and "live," the program focuses on the knowledge and experience of traditional construction techniques gained through repairing old houses inherited from ancestors, as well as interactions with a wide range of people, including experts, technicians, and the local community, to convey the joy of repairing old houses and the richness of living in them.
Schedule | Jan 31 (Sat) 2026-Apr 5 (Sun) 2026 Opening Hours Information
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | Adults ¥500; Junior High school students and Under, Persons with Disability Certificates + 1 Companion, Seniors 65 & Over residing in Osaka City free. | ||||
| Website | https://www-osaka--angenet-jp.translate.goog/konjyakukan/exhibition_special/260001329?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=ja | ||||
| Venue | The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living https://www.osaka-angenet.jp/konjyakukan | ||||
| Location | 8F Housing Information Center Building, 6-4-20 Tenjinbashi, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 530-0041 | ||||
| Access | Direct walk from exit 3 at Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome Station on the Sakaisuji and Tanimachi subway lines or Hankyu line, 8 minute walk from Temma Station on the JR Osaka Loop line. | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
Back to Articles
SHARE
No comments yet