A historic temple belfry from Yamanashi, carefully restored and prepared for a new life as the centrepiece of a private estate in Hakuba.
Project Type
Relocation & Restoration
Completion
Centuries of craft, relocated.
Commissioned as a defining feature for a private estate in Hakuba, the project began with an extensive search for a historic temple structure that could legally be acquired and relocated. After several months, Heritage Homes Japan sourced this dismantled belfry from a temple in Yamanashi, preserving an exceptional piece of traditional Japanese religious architecture for a new setting.
Thousands of individual timber components were entrusted to a 900-year-old Miyadaiku carpentry firm for careful restoration before reconstruction. At the heart of the structure is its original temple bell, itself a remarkable historic object weighing more than 1,000 kg and cast by one of the world’s oldest surviving foundries.
⸺ Sourcing
We locate heritage properties across Kyoto and rural Japan — machiya, kominka, and former temples whose architectural integrity makes them worth preserving. Each candidate is evaluated for structural soundness, historical character, and restoration potential.
⸺ Design
Our in-house architects assess the structure and develop a sensitive restoration plan. We map what to preserve, what to repair, and where modern systems can be integrated without disturbing the home's character.
⸺ Structural Restoration
Original timber frames, beams, and lattice work are stabilized and refinished by hand. We reinforce where needed using traditional joinery and contemporary techniques — always invisible, always reversible where possible.
⸺ Modern Systems
Plumbing, electrical, insulation, and climate control are introduced behind the scenes. Kitchens, bathrooms, and storage are reimagined for contemporary life, specified in materials that match the home's vocabulary.
⸺ Interior Detailing
Hand-applied plaster, custom joinery, hinoki ofuro, integrated lighting — every visible surface is considered. We source from the same workshops that have supplied Kyoto's machiya for generations.
⸺ Handover
The completed home is documented, photographed, and prepared for its next chapter. We support new owners through purchase, registration, and the early months of living in their restored property.
