Earth Embassy » 富士山

The Solar Shower is heating up!

admin — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:18:58 +0000

The solar shower at the Solar Cafe & Guest House catches rainwater from our roof, which is stored in 3 (200litre) tanks in an insulated box which heats up in the sunlight. The building itself was done with recycled floor boards from the Shojiko High Village house second floor. The boards are over 150 years old, with the original ax marks still showing where they were hand hewn long before advent of power saws, and the natural coating of creosote was layered on over years of smoke from the fireplace, and are thus the wood is naturally water resistant and will last for another 150 years. THAT’S sustainability baby!

The treehouse

admin — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:36:13 +0000

Spring at Shojiko House

admin — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:44:46 +0000

The antique Minka home we recently reformed is enjoying its first spring with all the new double pane windows letting lots of light in to warm the house. It is always a joy watching the gardens grow for the first season in a new home. The lilies and daffodils are coming up, the bamboo in the back garden looks healthy, and the yard is full of “sansai”, wild Japanese mountain vegetables that we didnt know about until they sprouted. In our small pond, the tadpoles are clamoring about the edges, hoping to make it soon to full frog-hood.

The 198m2 house is available for viewing for interested parties.
Call Jake @ 090-9346-3774 if you would like to arrange a visit.
Asking price Y34,500,000
More details here…. http://www.earthembassy.org/eden-homes/homes-for-sale/

Shojiko High Village House – Sunroom & Dining

admin — Sat, 08 May 2010 01:26:39 +0000

Restoring an old home is a new adventure in design everyday. When we took out the southern kitchen wall at the Shojiko Lake House ( currently for sale ), to add a sun room and dining area, we exposed the old beams which held up the thatched roof. We hadn’t realized they were buried there in the ceiling, so when we saw how beautiful they looked, we redesigned the new ceiling on the spot to leave them visible. It was an extra half day of consulting with the carpenters to figure it out, but well worth the result.

“The stairs to heaven are paved with stones our grandfather laid”

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 01:18:15 +0000

The Shojiko High Village House ( available May, 2010 ) , sits atop an ancient stone wall at the very highest point of the village. The stones (and much of the woodwork in the house) predate power tools and were built long before the current road around the lake connected the village to the rest of the prefecture. The stones and wood were mostly crafted right in the village, and the original thatching for the roof came on small boats from the grassy plains on lower My. Fuji from across the lake.

Handmade Staircase

admin — Sun, 02 May 2010 01:04:23 +0000

This one was tricky. The stairs in our restored Shojiko Home (currently for sale ), had to fit in between the old beams, and not be too steep so as to allow easy access for kids or elderly. We also wanted something with a massive feel, for solidity and to match the large structural beams of the home. Akaike-san came up with this pine log solution. On the side facing the entrance, the heavy stairs seems to float in the air, retaining lightness while giving strength at the same time.

High Village House, winter tour

admin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 02:16:56 +0000

Engawa 縁側

admin — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:31:20 +0000

日本語 The Engawa is a hallway that runs along the south side of traditional homes to completely open the home. It allows light into the house, air flow, and a place to sit and enjoy the view.

See house details and pricing at…. Shojiko High Village House

Oni

admin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:10:58 +0000

日本語 The Oni ridge cap on classic Japanese houses is more than ornamental. They act like gargoyles to keep away bad spirits and protect the home. In these restoration photos you can see the original thatched roof under the steel roof which provides 30 inches of insulation. We also added insulation to the walls, vapor barrier, double pane windows and cedar siding on the outside. See house details and pricing at…. Shojiko High Village House