G Architects Studio

Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House

Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima

Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House 

G architects studio

CLIENT
Kishi-ke

CONSULTANTS
Sansuisha

LANDSCAPE
Akihiko Ono, Sfg Landscape Architects

DEVELOPERS
Anzaikomuten

DESIGN TEAM
Hitomi Kishi, Kishi-ke

ARCHITECT IN CHARGE
Ryohei Tanaka

MANUFACTURERS
Sanwa, Fomer House Of Kishi-ke, Hinoki Soken, Kyo Sudare Kawasaki, Sansui-sha

PHOTOGRAPHS
Daisuke Shima, Sukeyasu Yamaguchi, Hitomi Kishi

AREA
152 M²

YEAR
2019

LOCATION
Kamakura, Japan

CATEGORY
Lodging

Text description provided by architect.

Modern Ryokan kishi-ke operated by Kishi-ke Co., Ltd is a coastal small ryokan in Kamakura, the former capital of Japan, in the suburbs of Tokyo.

Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima

Kishi-ke takes just one group up to 4 people at once which makes it one of the smallest ryokan-style lodgings in the World.

More than an accommodation - the ocean-view private retreat is based on the concept of 'stay & experience' and the Zen's chisoku which means 'to know the feeling of being fulfilled with the now'.

kishi-ke provides luxury settings, kaiseki cuisine, authentic masters, crafted masterpieces, local people and places to allow guests to encounter Japan in a new way and help them achieving the chisoku, the harmony in their life.

Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima

Japanese concepts such as wabi-sabi, shinrin-yoku, kintsugi, even Marie Kondo's methods focus on harmony, accepting imperfections, embracing the harshness of life.

The need and importance of the harmony in nowadays Japan is seen in the name of the new era - Reiwa which means 'beautiful harmony'.

Nobuyuki Kishi, the CEO of kishi-ke Co., Ltd. says: "During my career I have met many stressed and burnout people. I'd started to think if there was a way to help them.Then I remembered the Zen concept I was taught by my late grandfather – the chisoku.

Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima

The goal of kishi-ke is to help people through this concept to achieve inner harmony by mindfulness".

From the Buddhism shojin cuisine breakfast to various workshops and experiences everything in kishi–ke is there to bring the guests closer to the feeling of chisoku.

Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Sukeyasu Yamaguchi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Sukeyasu Yamaguchi

In everyday life it is hard to focus on yourself, on your life, on the present. By changing the environment, you are able to focus on the now and notice new things about yourself.

Chisoku is not only about the satisfaction itself but also it is about realization and accepting where you are in your life” - Shoshun Takai (the former head of the office of Kencho-ji temple – the oldest Zen training monastery in Japan) explains.

Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi

Modern Ryokan kishi-ke is designed by the architect Ryohei Tanaka (former member of Kengo Kuma & Associates) and the landscape architect Akihiko Ono and won GOOD DESIGN AWARD 2019 in Japan.

Nobuyuki, CEO of Kishi-ke Co., Ltd is a descendant of samurai family and also the 16th head of the family and his wife, Hitomi Kishi, trained product designer (Former member of Panasonic as product designer) plays roles as designer and chef.

Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima

The Kishi's background and genuine passion for Japanese traditional culture are the base of their business.

Kishi-ke's aim is to help people achieve chisoku - the feeling of being fulfilled with the now while experiencing authentic Japanese culture.

Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Sukeyasu Yamaguchi


Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima


Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi


Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Sukeyasu Yamaguchi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Sukeyasu Yamaguchi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Daisuke Shima
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi
Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
© Hitomi Kishi


Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
Diagram section


Modern Ryokan Kishi-ke Guest House
Site plan

G Architects Studio
T +81 3 6875 1456 F +81 3 6875 1456
G Architects Studio
19-18 201 Uguisudani-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 201, 150-0032, Japan