Hamada Shoyu
Locate in Kumamoto, Japan
Renovation and interior design by
Kengo Kuma & Associates
Furniture by Time & Style
Hamaya, the forerunner of Hamada Soy Sauce, was born in a town that flourished as a concentration point for shipping goods during the Edo and Meiji periods. Starting with the shop built in the late Edo period, the storehouse and machine room, which have been extended through the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods, are registered as “Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan” as a legacy of Kumamoto’s brewing history.
Kengo Kuma took part in the revitalization project of this 200-year-old soy sauce manufacturer, and a new soy sauce storehouse was born, combining traditional industry and modern sensibility, operating within a national cultural asset.
The framework of the building has been added to with each extension, and by inserting light fittings and furniture into the intricate structure, a new harmony between the past and the present is aimed for.
A light fixture made entirely of luminous acrylic rods with a diameter of 10 mm and a chair wholly upholstered in fabric, from seat to legs, reduce the amount of visual material and contrast the heavy texture with the old wood of the warehouse.
The old earthen wall facing the renovated wall has been left in place, exposing a small bamboo dance, creating a contrast between the heavy earthen wall and the delicate bamboo dance.
The soy sauce storehouse has changed beautifully over time. The old mud walls and the massive pillars and beams stand out, and the furniture is arranged so that the storehouse and the history passed down through it take center stage.