—Maana Kiyomizu

              Traveling is an experience. It involves filling a travel itinerary with iconic landmarks, immersing oneself in the local culture while traversing through cities and rural areas, connecting the dots of personal understanding and interpretation of unique local characteristics, and finally creating an exclusive map. In the midst of a non-stop urban exploration, accommodation becomes a condensed storybook of the city.

                   Maana Homes is a series of modern accommodations founded by Hana and Irene, offering a unique way to experience the cultural capital of Kyoto. During their stay in this ancient city, they were deeply inspired by the old buildings, shrines, temples, and the rich artistic and cultural heritage that has been accumulated over thousands of years. By incorporating their interpretation of the Kyoto lifestyle into the spatial foundation of the traditional Japanese machiya architecture, Maana Homes aims to offer a contemporary perspective on the city's history and culture. The term "Maana" means "perception", which opens up the senses and arouses curiosity, guiding people to immerse themselves in the ancient Kyoto culture. The term "Home" is used to refer to accommodation that can provide a serene and comfortable living environment. It embodies a peaceful and harmonious space that combines simplicity and elegance. Time seems to pass slowly here, allowing for contemplation and meditation during one's journey. This concept reflects the Japanese aesthetic consciousness of Wabi-sabi.

                    Maana Kiyomizu is one of the accommodations in the Maana Homes series, situated near the Kyoto National Museum, which houses a collection of historical artifacts. It is also close to the Gion geisha district, known for its flower and art culture, and the Kiyomizu-dera temple, which is one of the oldest and most renowned temples in Kyoto, making it steeped in rich cultural heritage.  Most Japanese people believe that modern urban living cannot be reconciled with the traditional style of machiya townhouses. However, Maana Kiyomizu, designed by Shigenori Uoya and Takeshi Ikei, preserves the elements of a century-old Kyoto machiya and seamlessly integrates them into a slow-paced life steeped in the traditions of the distant past, exuding a sense of tranquility and understated elegan. The accommodation seamlessly combines three different types of suites, including Stay (lodging), Shop (store), and Dine (restaurant), all of which are dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of Kyoto. Additionally, the first physical storefront of POJ Studio (Pieces of Japan), a handmade craft shop that also focuses on the heritage of Kyoto, is located within the accommodation. As for dining, Kissa Kishin interprets Japanese kissaten culture and daily visits local farms to harvest the freshest seasonal produce, offering light and delicate Kyoto cuisine.

Photographs by Iyeya

Photographs by Amy Tang | Room Type 3

Photographs by Amy Tang | Room Type 3

Photographs by Amy Tang | Room Type 3

Photographs by Iyeya | Room Type 3                                              

Photographs by Amy Tang | Room Type 3

Photographs by Iyeya |  RoomType3

                     Hana and Irene believe that Kyoto is not just a symbol of traditional vocabulary, but a simple and humble way of life. When they first took over the machiya, the condition of the building was not ideal. However, they had a clear idea, which was to open up the wall currently serving as the side of the café and adopt an open attitude towards the streets and alleys. The interior design combines traditional and modern styles with a minimalist approach, preserving the original beams and columns. The walls are painted with a low-saturation, soft beige color, creating an uneven paint finish that highlights the warm and rustic texture of the old house. Each of the three room types has its unique features, and in Room Type 1, people can engage in a dialogue with the historic Toyokuni Shrine while resting, sitting, or taking a bath.  Looking up, the interweaving arrangement of wooden beams and window frames creates a moment where time seems frozen in several centuries ago. Stepping into the large, integrated bathtub next to the window, surrounded by greenery, with the interplay of light and shadow, one can experience a serene and thought-provoking atmosphere. Upon entering through a secluded entrance, one arrives at "Room Type 2", a two-bedroom and one-living room apartment. The curved elements break the strong lines of the original architecture, allowing ample light and ventilation to flow through, while antique items are displayed in the built-in cabinet. The bedroom is surrounded by a bamboo screen (Takekomai Bamboo Dance), commonly used in Japanese architecture to reinforce walls made of clay, and here the technique is released as an element of aesthetics, allowing more subtly ambiguous light to penetrate through the shielding medium. In the bedroom of "Room Type 3", one can find exquisite handmade Japanese washi paper crafted by artisan Hatano Wataru, from ceiling to floor. Relaxing in the Shigaraki bathtub situated in the private garden, one can gaze up at the blue sky and greenery, allowing the mind to be deeply cleansed once again.

Photographs by Iyeya

Photographs by Iyeya

                                        Photographs by Iyeya

Photographs by Iyeya

                      In every corner of the lodging, one can find finely crafted handmade items ranging from practical objects such as towels and containers, to decorative ceramic figurines, all made by Kyoto artisans. All the items seen and heard can be purchased at POJ studio, where they attempt to incorporate the beauty of Japanese craftsmanship into modern life. In addition to being able to order items such as indigo-dyed screens and lanterns, there are also workshops where visitors can participate in traditional Japanese cultural activities.

*Machiya: A traditional style of Japanese townhouse which combines a residence and a shop in a row building.

一場傳統町屋的冥想旅程

——Maana Kiyomizu

        旅遊是一種體驗，在旅行計畫書上寫滿想去的地標景點，走進城市鄉野中，深刻體驗當地的文化，串起個人理解異地特色的序列軌跡，譜出獨一無二的地圖。在馬不停蹄的城市探索中，下塌旅宿便成為濃縮這座城市的故事書。

        Maana Homes是Hana和Irene兩位創辦人藉由現代方式體驗文化古都——京都的旅宿系列，在他們異居日本京都這座古城時，被市井中的古老建築、神社廟宇，以及千年歷史沈澱下的豐富藝術文化遺產所感染，而在日本傳統建築*町屋的空間基礎下，注入他們對於京都生活方式的解讀。Maana一詞為「感知」，開啟感官揭發好奇心，引導人們沈浸於古色古香的京都文化。Home一詞化旅宿作為能夠靜心而舒適的家，平靜悠遠的空間融會樸素和諧，時間緩緩流逝，放慢思考進行旅途中的冥想，反射日本美學意識——「侘寂」。

                                                  Photographs by Ben Richards

                       Room Type 2

                                      Photographs by Iyeya

                         Room Type 2

Photographs by Amy Tang | Room Type 2

               Maana Kiyomizu是Maana Homes系列中的其中一間旅宿，鄰近收藏歷史文物之京都國立博物館，擁有花妓文化的祗園藝妓區以及京都最古老寺院的清水寺，深受濃厚文化底蘊薰染。大多數日本人認為現代都會生活與町屋的傳統是無法調和的，不過Maana Kiyomizu在Shigenori Uoya 和 Takeshi Ikei的設計下保留了百年歷史的京町家元素，以寧靜低調的步調走入源遠流長歷史中的慢生活。旅宿由三種不同房型的套房所無縫銜接，除了提供Stay（住宿）亦有Shop（商店）、Dine（餐廳）複合組成，同樣注重傳承京都文化的手工藝店鋪POJ Studio（Pieces of Japan）第一家實體店面駐點於此，而旅宿飲食則由轉譯 kissaten（日本喫茶文化）的Kissa Kishin每日前往農場採摘最新鮮的時令農產品，提供清淡口味的京都美食。

                                                  Photographs by Ben Richards

                       Room Type 2

                                                    Photographs by Ben Richards

                         Room Type 2

Photographs by Iyeya | Room Type 2

                        Hana和Irene認為京都不只是符號上的傳統語彙，而是一種簡單謙遜的生活方式。當初承接下町屋時，建築狀況不盡理想，不過有個意念很清晰，就是要打開目前作為咖啡廳這側的牆面，對街道巷弄採開放的態度。室內以簡約手法結合傳統及摩登，保存原始梁柱，牆面粉刷上低飽和度的柔和米色不均勻漆面，凸顯溫樸老屋質感。而三間房型各有不同的特色，房型一的佈局使人們在房內無論休憩坐臥，洗沐身心之時都能與歷史悠久的豐國神社做對話。抬頭見木構造梁及窗框交織編排，有那麼一刻，時間彷彿被凍結在數個世紀前。步入靠窗的一體式大型浴缸，綠意拂風，光影對映，平靜而發人省思。通過僻靜的入口來到兩房一居室的房型二，彎曲構件打破原始建築強烈的線條，光線充足通風流動，古董老件陳列於壁櫥中。臥室被竹屏風（Takekomai竹小舞）環繞而成，在日本建築中常用來加固黏土製成牆壁，而在此將工法釋放作為美學一環，也在遮蔽的介質上透入更多隱隱約約的曖昧光線。房型三的臥         室從天花板至地面都能遇見工匠 Hatano Wataru 手工製作的精美日本和紙手工，在私人庭園中躺臥於Shigaraki 浴缸，仰望藍天綠景，心靈再一次被深刻洗滌。

           旅宿內各個角落可見細緻手工藝製品，舉凡實用物件貼身毛巾、容器到裝飾部件陶瓷人像到皆是京都工匠所製作的。所見所聞之商品都能在POJ studio店內購買，他們試圖將日本工藝之美融入現代生活，在店內，除了能夠訂製藍染隔板、燈籠等商品，更備有工作坊能夠親身參與日本習俗文化。

*町屋：日本傳統式住家和商店複合式的連棟建築

                                                  Photographs by Ben Richards

                       Room Type 1

Photographs by Hana Tsukamoto | Room Type 1

Photographs by Iyeya | Room Type 1

                                                  Photographs by Renee Kemps 

                     Room Type 1

Photographs by Renee Kemps Room Type 1

Photographs by Iyeya | Room Type 1