Kyoto – People in Kyoto are looking to preserve traditional
kyomachiya wooden houses, which had lined the streets of the western city but are now dwindling in number.
Many have been torn down due to old age, the aging of owners and high maintenance costs. People have voiced disappointment that this long-standing aspect of local culture is disappearing.
Most kyomachiya houses were built before Japan’s building standards law was implemented in 1950 and are often referred to as “
unagi no nedoko,” or “bed of eels,” because of their long, narrow structure.
Many are adorned with
kyogoshi lattices, which obscure the view from outside without entirely blocking the view from inside.