Born and raised in the city, I had always longed for life in the countryside. That feeling grew even stronger after I became interested in natural dyes while I was a student. Yet I did not have the courage to move away from the city. Whenever I could take a slightly longer holiday, I visited the rural area of Gifu Prefecture where my mother’s family lived, if only to enjoy a little of that atmosphere.
As I grew older, however, the long drive from Osaka to Gifu became harder, and my children no longer wanted to come with me, so I had not visited for several years. Even so, my longing for country life never disappeared. The thought had changed slightly to “even if it is only for part of my later years…”, but the feeling itself was the same as when I was young.
▼ The traditional house that would become the Iga workshop
▼ The garden in front of the main house
Finding an old house in Iga
Around that time, I was told about a promising property in Iga City, Mie Prefecture, a place famous for ninja. I went to see it with only half-serious interest.
The property was about an hour and a half from Osaka by car or train and close to a station served by trains from Osaka. It included a 100-year-old main house, a detached house and a storehouse. There was also a shed large enough for cars and farm equipment, a comfortably sized field and even a well. It seemed perfect for the country life I had imagined. The low price reflected some damaged areas, but I thought I could renovate them myself through DIY.
Towards a new workshop and textile farm
Of course, I had concerns. Could I live in the countryside as I grew older? What about hospitals? What about shopping? I researched, worried and repeatedly discussed the matter with my wife. In the end, we decided to buy the property.
Here I hope to create a new workshop, the Hitotsuya（ひとつ屋） Textile Farm for growing plants used in dyeing and weaving, a sericulture space for Hitotsuya Silk, and a place where many people can gather.
For now, I have only purchased the old house and cannot yet picture where or how to begin. Even so, I plan to take my time and turn it into a welcoming place through DIY renovation.
I will also share the making and work that begin in Iga on this blog. Please look forward to it!
▼ The storehouse and detached house
▼ The detached house and storehouse seen from the garden
▼ The courtyard
▼ The main house seen from the courtyard
