[Nationally Registered Tangible Cultural Property] The elegant Japanese-style building "Shunyoso" is imbued with the power of Feng Shui. The eight Japanese-style buildings standing on a vast site are interwoven with stately modern architecture to create a harmonious and tasteful precious historical and cultural space (Sumoto, Hyogo)

The content of this product is provided by machine translation and may not reflect the actual information, please take this into consideration before booking.

Shunyoso is a masterpiece of modern Japanese architecture that was designed in 1941 by architect Toyoen Yamamoto, an authority on physiognomy and direction, based on the principles of Feng Shui. It was then ably constructed by local master carpenter Sankichi Saito and others, and was completed over a period of seven years.

Further on, in 1983, the walls, gateposts, doors and garden were renovated by the architect Izue Hiroshi, who was even called a "master" by the famous architect Kurokawa Kisho. These now all blend together beautifully to create a magnificent architectural landscape.
The vast grounds of 1320 m2 (approximately 1,400 m2) are made up of eight buildings, including the guest house, storehouse, guest hall, sleeping hall, and permanent residence. In 2004, it was designated a National Registered Tangible Cultural Property, and in 2017, it was designated as a Hyogo Prefecture Important Landscape Structure.

However, in recent years, due to an aging population and a social trend that pursues efficiency alone, it became difficult for the previous owners to maintain and manage the building, and it gradually deteriorated, leading to the gates being closed for a long time.

The turning point came in 2015. This valuable cultural asset was in danger of decaying and being lost. In order to utilize it in the present and preserve it for future generations, the new fourth-generation owner purchased it and began repairs and renovations. Finally, in October 2016, Shunyoso was revived and reborn as a new international tourist resource for Awaji Island.

In this experience program, the owner himself will guide you through the house, explaining its charms based on the historical background of Shunyoso, such as the traditional techniques that are difficult to reproduce today, the building materials that are also hard to obtain today, the designs that highlight the playfulness of the craftsmen scattered throughout, and the elegant furnishings.
Please enjoy this space, steeped in history and culture, and featuring the best of traditional techniques, to the fullest.

After the tour, you will be treated to tea and Japanese sweets in the tea room or any other room of your choice. Please enjoy not only the property as a valuable cultural asset, but also as a sweet shop.

*Guides are available in English, so we can accommodate customers from overseas.
*A five-minute walk from Shunyosou is the historic "Takenoguchi Hachiman Shrine," which celebrated its 1,100th anniversary in 2021. Why not pay a visit to the shrine? You can also enjoy a stroll through the historical and charming streets of the Takenoguchi area.

[Philosophy]
Shunyoso not only welcomes guests for tours, but also serves as an accommodation facility in the guest house, and the main building, Tsunejuden, is used as a place to preserve various aspects of Japanese culture, including a sweet shop and special exhibitions, Awaji Ningyo Joruri, Rakugo performances, plum blossom viewing parties, photo sessions in traditional Japanese clothing, tea ceremonies, weddings, and more.
While utilizing the facility in a way that is in keeping with Japanese traditions, the facility is also focusing on new uses, such as accepting guests and interns from overseas, and providing a venue for inbound tours, meetings, and training, as well as participating in the Agency for Cultural Affairs' project to digitize the facility into virtual reality.
We are also taking various steps to contribute to achieving the SDGs while working to reduce our environmental impact and operate in a way that contributes to a low-carbon, circular society.

We hope that Shunyoso, which has been given new life, will become a place that spreads the island's proud traditional culture and customs across generations, both on and off the island, and that it will become a beloved place not only for visitors but also for local people.

Experience Schedule (The schedule below is from 10:00, but please change the time if you would like to start from 13:00)
10:00 Meet at the venue
10:05 Check-in and briefing, guided tour of Shunyoso
11:00 Enjoy tea and Japanese sweets in the tea room or other area.
11:30 End