Minka owner

空き家

Looking for minka owners:

If you are…

  • Working in the big city but are seeking a weekend family retreat in Echigo-Tsumari
  • Interested in growing your own vegetables after retirement
  • Keen to refurbish a minka to your own style

Example：Life with art and nature

Owner: Ms O.

Profile: While working in Tokyo, Ms O visits Echigo-Tsumari regularly and enjoys meeting with the locals. She looks forward to staying longer and growing vegetables when she will have more spare time.


What is her minka like?

Her minka is the “Shedding House”, which was created as part of the artworks of Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2006. The 150-year-old minka itself has become one of the most popular artworks, in which every surface, from floor to ceilings, and from columns to beams, are carved by hand. Shedding House is available for anyone to stay.


Akiya Project (Unoccupied House Project)

Old minka bear the accumulated wisdom of the life and culture of the region. The number of abandoned houses has increased since the Great Chuetsu Earthquake in 2004. The Echigo-Tsumari Art Field seeks a way to retain these unoccupied houses in the region and utilize them in collaboration with artists and architects.

For further details of Akiya Project please visit :　http://tsumari-artfield.com/akiya/

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