Living
This is the story of two families who were attracted to the charms of Northern Nagano and its kominka.
At Katsuyama Construction, we support clients from planning through restoration and post-restoration maintenance. Contact us for information about heritage homes in and around iiyama, Kijimadaira, and Shinano.
nature
I was an office worker in Tokyo who enjoyed mountain climbing, backcountry skiing, and photography as hobbies on weekends. One day, after a serious skiing injury, I decided I wanted to move to Kita-Shinshu, which is a region rich in nature, to do what I love while I’m still able to do it.
Care and maintenance:
part of the fun
I customized a storehouse that was part of the property and built a workbench for ski maintenance. Now it’s full of skis and mountaineering equipment.
I’m both worried and excited about filling up the storehouse with more gear.
Finding my
kominka
I’ve always loved old houses, and after looking at dozens of kominka in the area, I came across the building and decided on the spot to buy it.
I wanted to preserve the atmosphere of the old house as much as possible, so we left the beams, fittings, floors, and other parts that could be preserved.
Why Katsuyama
Construction?
The interior of a kominka restaurant in Iiyama City was so beautiful that we asked the owner about it. It was renovated by Katsuyama Construction, so we found the company online and had them do the work for us.
We’re very satisfied with the renovations, which left most of the exterior as it was and focused on the kitchen and living room, making the house very easy to live in.
150-year-
old house
We’re from Canada and the US. The convenient bullet-train link to Tokyo attracted us to the area — that and the snow. Since we renovated the house we spend a lot of time in Iiyama. Both of us work here and in Tokyo, and we can go back and forth to Tokyo with ease.
Cooking in the fully
renovated kitchen
We’ve kept the traditional atmosphere of the house while giving it a full renovation, including the kitchen, bath and lavatories, with insulation throughout the building. Even in the middle of winter, it’s more comfortable than our apartment in Tokyo.
A continuing
relationship
We worked with Katsuyama Construction for several years on the renovation plan before their skilled carpenters went to work. We really value the relationship — it continues over BBQ dinners today.