Torn Pages

We stayed in Tokyo this weekend for various reasons, and I consoled myself by spending an hour or so poring over old copies of Chiruchin Bito, a magazine that focuses on “homes, ways of living and world lifestyles.” It’s an inspiration because, although it’s a little bit unfocused, it features a lot of wood houses, new and old, with upkeep issues, traditional methods of building, airflow, etc. I guess you’d call it a slow life magazine. I’m constantly amazed at finding such beautiful old houses in it—and I don’t mean an Architectural Digest kind of beauty. A lot of the places are beat up and cluttered, and most of them look very lived in.

M’s mom gave us about ten years worth of the magazines (thank god it’s not a weekly). She used them when planning their house, so they’re missing a lot of places where she cut out pictures to show her contractor. We found ourselves doing the same thing—so now there are many pages that fall apart in your hands. But I’m still finding inspirational images.

I’m also wondering where all these great homes are. M’s parents live in an forested area of artists, galleries, retirees, that's visited by lots of tourists bicycling around the valley. Incredibly enough, though, their house is the only one in a pretty large development that has any connection to the traditional styles or the natural setting. All the other houses, weekend places or otherwise, are pretty much irritating, if not horrendous.

I was talking about zoning with a photographer on our way to Niigata to look at old minka houses. I mentioned that famous development in northern California (I can’t recall the name right now), that has all kinds of rules, from what materials you use, to where you can put the hot tub. He said it’s not a bad idea, but there are too many rules. When he was shooting houses in the English countryside, he was told that they have a much simpler way of doing things. You can basically build anything you want in any way. As long as you have the approval of the neighbors.

The newest issue of Chiruchin Bito, which I haven't bought yet, is all about heating, mostly about wood stoves.