Everywhere, life

This is the second time I’ve featured Kushiro Shitsugen, a remarkable area featuring wetlands, reedbeds, and the Kushiro River in the town of Shibecha, with good reason; In 2019, I was so impressed by the splendor of Kushiro Marsh that I visited the area again for a High Resolution Tour project report and a summer camp with my university seminar students. Shibecha’s Mayor Sato attended the camp and showed me drawings of the renovation of the lodging facility on the shores of Lake Shirartoro, which was underway at the time. He asked for my opinion on the project. I felt the renovation was sincere, but I still expressed my concern that it might not attract guests.

Later, a mutual acquaintance brought on architect Kengo Kuma, who led the architectural renovation, and I was assigned responsibility for the interiors, furniture, and communication graphics. Both of us, architect and designer, faced significant challenges, as the budget was extremely limited and the existing structure had to be preserved. However, I was so captivated by the charm of Kushiro Marsh, before I knew it, I was fully immersed in the project.

Today’s travelers, rather than being “off the clock”, cycle between off and on, interspersing work and play, with no real boundaries between them. As long as they have a computer and a reliable internet connection, they can work anywhere. So I configured the rooms so guests can enjoy a relaxing retreat in the bosom of nature while also being productive. Behind the sofa and bed, I’ve created a pleasant workspace equipped with a computer table, power supply, and comfortable stools.

When we removed the walls to create a larger space in the wooden East Wing, we were unable to eliminate the structural pillars. As a result, the room's interior, with its standing pillars, feels like a grove of trees. Surprisingly, this setting creates a marvelously calm atmosphere. To encourage guests’ appreciation rather than apprehension about this space, we decided to engrave and affix small brass plates bearing the architect’s words, “memories and traces of pillars”.

In place of the bathhouse’s original magnificent indoor rock bath, the new addition includes a sauna, an outdoor air bath, and an outdoor lounging space. The entire facility is called “Pon-Pon-Yu,” or “small hot spring” in the Ainu language. While not large, the new open-air bath is designed to incorporate the area's characteristics; it features a rounded, elevated backrest shaped like yachibozu, clumps of grass that form over decades, translated to the charming “marsh boys”. Fittingly, the bath is called Yachibozu no Yu (Yachibozu Hot Spring).

“Pon-Pon-Yu” has a casual and familiar ring to it, but to highlight its Geopark-like location, surrounded as it is by the stunning nature of Kushiro Marsh, we developed meticulous graphic representations of the topography and vegetation, including the distribution and ecology of its flora and fauna. Our design team worked collaboratively in groups, dedicating themselves to creating these captivating pieces, which are now framed and showcased in the changing rooms at Yachibozu noYu. Meanwhile, easily intelligible illustrations of Kushiro Marsh's vibrant natural environment are showcased as art in the guest rooms.

In the lobby and service break area, large panels display a botanical distribution map and a mesh-like water system chart of the marshland, highlighting its connection with Lakes Mashu, Kussharo, and Akan. Obviously, the highlight of Pon-Pon-Yu is the pristinely preserved Kushiro Marsh. The appeal of the Japanese archipelago lies in its rich variety of natural environments and climates. We feel that our work involves continually reconsidering the role of design and what kinds of facilities will allow visitors to explore the Japanese archipelago safely and affordably.

2025.1.6