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Shibecha connections

Kuma: I first got to know Shibecha around 1992 or 1993. Composer Shigeaki Saegusa, who was a close friend of the mayor of Shibecha, invited me to join a trip to the town as one of a group of ten or so friends. We stayed at what was then called the Ikoi no Ie Kayanuma, having a party there and drinking a lot. I don’t remember much about the building as a whole, but I have vivid memories of the impressive scenery and great big open-air bath. It came as quite a surprise to be asked to get involved in the Ikoi no Ie renovation project, but I also felt that it was fate.

Suzuki: My connection with Shibecha began when I met Yoshihiko Sato in 1993 at the Paul Rusch Festival, a country fair held every year on a stretch of highland pasture in Kiyosato, Yamanashi Prefecture. Sato is now mayor of Shibecha, but in those days he was working for the municipality, and was eager to hold a similar kind of event in Tawadaira, a 2000 hectare pastureland in Shibecha. I remember that he brought a group of students from Shibecha High School to the same festival the following year. My first visit to Shibecha was in 1995. At that time, there were no canoe tours, so a town hall official bought himself a canoe to take me out. Looking out over the marsh from the canoe, I remember being awed by the sheer power of the nature, with only the occasional appearance of an Ezo shika deer punctuating the stillness.

In the early 2000s, I invited Hara-san to join me on a trip to Shibecha, along with designer Makoto Umehara. We canoed and feasted on Donaldson trout on the Nishibetsu River. It was much later, around 2019, that I heard from Hara-san about this plan to renovate the Ikoi no Ie Kayanuma. When we discussed the project, the mayor told us that Kuma-san had also been to Shibecha, so we figured it would be great if all three of us could be involved. That’s how it all started.

Hara: That’s right. I think it was about twenty years ago that you invited me to Shibecha. I didn’t think twice. You’re Honeybee Suzuki-Sensei, famous for buzzing around and never missing any unique local initiatives, and then bringing creators as pollen to make something of them, so I knew it would be an interesting trip. On that occasion, we canoed down the Kushiro River from Lake Toro. It was a truly memorable experience, just letting the slow flow of the river take its course, dipping the paddle occasionally into the mirror-like surface, and being carried into the beautiful, majestic nature of the place. It was the kind of experience that I suspect you can’t find anywhere else.

Some years later, I visited Kushiro Shitsugen again. I have a basic research project called Teikuhiko, or High Resolution Tour, for which I take myself off into various nooks and crannies of Japan to report on them with text, photos and video. On that occasion, I combined my visit with a stay-over seminar for my university students. That night, the mayor brought us drawings of the Ikoi no Ie Kayanuma renovation plan. From the drawings, I could tell it was a very well laid-out plan, but I couldn’t help feeling that there might be better ways of making the most of the magnificent natural surroundings, and told the mayor so. Then Suzuki brought in Kuma-san, and that’s how we got to where we are today. All three of us were fated to be enthralled with Shibecha, so this is a good example of Honeybee Suzuki pollinating us with his passion for a place.

One thing that niggles me, though, is that each place has its own way of doing things, so people from elsewhere should perhaps not get over-involved in plans for a particular location. I’m a little concerned that this too might such a case, so I’d like to hear what you think.

Suzuki: I get the impression that the people of Shibecha have long embraced links with the outside world and been open to new ideas. Mayor Sato, after all, took himself to the Paul Rusch Festival to see how the town could use pastureland as an attraction, and the town commissioned a French designer to create its municipal logo. The town also gave birth to a reforestation association to protect the Blakiston fish owl, and has developed all sorts of links through talks, concerts, and other events. It’s only by exposing yourself to outside stimuli that you become aware of your own strengths. There was actually nothing particularly notable about the old Ikoi no Ie, and I think the outside input from you two has given birth to something that is a perfect match for Kushiro Shitsugen.

Buildings mature with time

Hara: Kuma-san, as someone who’s long been involved in designing buildings worldwide, could you tell us how you see Pon Ponyu?

Kuma: To be honest, this renovation was quite a headache. The frame was really solid, but I immediately felt that making only minor changes would fail to do justice to the beauty of the surroundings. That’s why I decided to cloak the existing frame in a rough-hewn facade. Hara-san’s naming of “Pon Ponyu” added a further layer to achieve what I think is an excellent outcome. I think time will add yet more layers, that the building will mature in a good way as the years go by. It might look like an ill match for the surrounding scenery at first, but it will weather with time in a way that I think will bring it into much better balance. Compared with the kind of jobs we normally handle, this must have been a difficult project for you too, Hara-san.

Hara: Right. When I saw the name Ikoi no Ie Kayanuma and the interior of the facility, I must admit I thought this was going to be quite a challenge. But then again, the more challenging something is, the more rewarding it can be. For example, the once tiny guest rooms have been converted into large rooms, which means there are columns in the middle of rooms that cannot be removed. That poses an interesting challenge.

Kuma: I’ve done a lot of renovations in my time, but what with the columns and other issues, this was perhaps the most difficult I’ve ever tackled.

Hara: I’d actually like to add metal plaques to each seemingly out-of-place pillar in the place carrying comments from you as to why it’s there. I think it would be reassuring for guests to find out that “Kengo Kuma left this column in place here because…”

Kuma: Yes. It was indeed a tall order that called for quite a lot of artistry, actually, so providing some kind of explanation documenting what the renovation involved might be interesting.

Hara: I think Pon Ponyu would be an ideal place to stop off on the way to Akan. As Kushiro Shitsugen becomes more accessible, its natural treasures will become better known, and I think the creation of a facility like this represents a major change. Our job is to make a success of whatever project we tackle rather than throwing doubt on it, and this of course applies to Pon Ponyu too. I’m determined to lend a hand and see it through until it succeeds.

Kuma: Renovations like this never reach a hundred percent of their potential at the point when the project is completed and handed over. They tend to improve with time, and watching over that process would, I think, set a great example for designers to emulate moving forward. Meeting you, Suzuki-san, and getting involved in Pon Ponyu was a rewarding experience.

Hara: Yes, it has been rewarding for me too. I’ve served as pollen for Suzuki-san on a number of projects, but taking something this far is quite rare for me, so it was a good experience. Once Pon Ponyu opens, I’m looking forward to visiting it with you guys from time to time to see how things are going.