Between Homes: Preserving Japan’s Architectural Heritage

Across Japan, traditional wooden structures—including kominka farmhouses, kura storehouses, temples, gates, shrines, and other historic buildings—are disappearing at an alarming rate. As rural populations decline and communities change, growing attention is being focused on preservation, adaptive reuse, sustainability, craftsmanship, and the cultural value of existing buildings.

Join SAF for a presentation by Kominka Collective, an organization dedicated to documenting, preserving, and revitalizing traditional Japanese architecture. Through stories, case studies, and insights from the field, this presentation will explore how endangered structures can be preserved, carefully dismantled, relocated, reconstructed, and given new life—while protecting the knowledge, materials, traditions, and stories embedded within them.

These structures embody generations of architectural knowledge, sophisticated carpentry and joinery, regional design traditions, locally sourced materials, and deep relationships between people, buildings, and landscapes that have evolved over centuries. They represent not only remarkable examples of craftsmanship and design, but also important cultural and historical resources.

Whether you are interested in Japanese culture, architecture, history, design, preservation, sustainability, or traditional craftsmanship, this thought-provoking event offers a unique opportunity to explore the enduring value of Japan’s built heritage and the efforts being made to ensure these extraordinary structures continue to inspire future generations.

Join us after the presentation for light refreshments. 

Schedule of events:

5:00 - 5:30: Check-in and networking

5:30 - 6:30: Presentation and Q&A

6:30 - 7:30: Reception