This project was to renovate Japanese restaurant lacated in Tokamachi Niigata, Japan. The town is in a snowy region and snow plies up around 3-meter-high in the winter time. The snow may cover a facade of the restaurant. Therefore you may choose a strong color for the facade to create a clear contrast with the snow. But in this case I chose a white color to make a blending with the snow, landscape. An efficient indirect lighting succeeded to bring a door of light into sight with a strong impression.

I set up one passage with private dining room alongside inside of the restaurant. And a counter is in rear side. I displayed special drinking cup “Guinomi” which is especially for Japanese sake on a slit in a wall of passage. The town is well-kown area of production of sake. The private room has a vault and a mirror which make a room looks wider than real with optical effects. Japanese papers of the surface and indirect lightings make a room alive.

Designed by Ichiro Nishiwaki
Photography by Nacása & Partners Inc.