LIVING NOTES From Japan

Travel through Shiga and Lake Biwa with Chiharu as she visits La Collina Omihachiman, explores the architecture and legacy of William Merrell Vories, and stays at a quiet lakeside hotel.

This episode looks at how Vories influenced Omihachiman and how his legacy still connects with local culture, business, architecture, and Taneya today.

A reflective journey through Japanese architecture, landscape, food, friendship, and slow travel in Shiga, Japan.

Can you really create a Parisian interior in a Japanese apartment?

In this episode, Chiharu explores what happens when an interior style travels from one culture to another. Parisian apartments are shaped by high ceilings, symmetry, historic architecture, and proportions that are very different from those of a typical Japanese home.

Drawing on a renovation project in Karuizawa, she reflects on how elements such as mouldings, herringbone floors, arches, and a fireplace can be adapted to a Japanese space without simply copying Paris.

She also considers why a traditional tatami room can feel uncomfortable with a ceiling that is too high, and recalls a moment when she realized that “Scandinavian interior” can mean very different things in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland — just as Japanese, Korean, and Chinese interiors are not the same.

Perhaps the goal is not to recreate a style exactly, but to understand what we love about it and translate that feeling into the place where we live.

What happens when a home is designed for someone the designer has never met?

In this episode, I share an unusual renovation project in central Tokyo. Instead of simply renovating an apartment and selling it empty, we imagined one future resident and designed the floor plan, storage, furniture, lighting, and curtains around her daily life.

I also look at the difference between home staging and creating a fully finished home, and why even a few centimeters can matter in a city where every square meter is valuable.

A story about renovation, real estate, and designing not just a property, but the life that may begin inside it.

What is a Lazy Susan, and why is it called Susan?

In this episode, I explore the surprising history behind the rotating table, including its connection to Japan and a famous Tokyo dining venue in the 1930s.

Similar ideas appeared in different cultures, but they shared something in common: making it easier for people to stay seated, share food, and enjoy conversation.

From Japanese hospitality to contemporary interior design, this is a small story about how a simple piece of furniture can quietly change the way people gather around a table.

Why do rectangular dining tables still feel like the natural choice in many Japanese homes?

In this episode, I look at how Japanese ways of living have changed, from traditional ideas about family roles and seating hierarchy to today’s more open kitchens and shared domestic life.

I also explore why I often recommend round and oval dining tables. They can change not only the flow of a room, but also the way people sit, talk, and relate to one another.

A small reflection on interior design, family life, and the changing shape of home in Japan.

From Tokyo to Okinawa, everyday life in Japan can feel surprisingly different.
In the Yaeyama Islands, closer to Taiwan than Tokyo, a walk through a truly dark night made me question what we call convenience.

On Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands, I encountered dark roads, subtropical forests, tiny creatures, and people whose way of life is shaped by the nature around them.

This episode is about travel, convenience, and what we may fail to notice when we arrive somewhere carrying our own idea of what is normal.

Why do hotel rooms feel so relaxing?

In this episode of Living Notes, recorded from the quiet island of Kohama in Okinawa, I explore why so many people dream of creating a hotel-like home—and why that feeling doesn't always last.

Perhaps the secret isn't luxury at all. Perhaps it's fewer decisions, less visual clutter, and a home that gives your mind a chance to rest.

Drawing on my experience as an interior designer in Japan, I share simple ideas inspired by hotel living, minimalism, and thoughtful home design—without asking you to give up the things you love.

If you've ever wished your home could feel as peaceful as your favorite hotel, this episode is for you.

Traditional Japanese homes had a unique relationship with light.

Soft daylight filtered through paper screens, while paper lanterns carried warm light after sunset.

So why do many modern Japanese homes rely on bright ceiling lights?

In this episode, I explore how the history of Japanese homes shaped the way we live with light—and why sometimes, one lamp is enough to change the feeling of a room.

During a winter journey in northern Japan, I experienced a form of hospitality that was never explained, yet somehow deeply understood.

At a traditional Japanese inn, small details quietly unfolded throughout my stay. A haiku written by the chef. A painting on a teacup the following morning. Tiny gestures that felt less like service and more like a conversation.

As the journey continued through Matsushima and the Tohoku region, I found myself reflecting on memory, presence, and the things that can be shared without words.

In this episode, I explore a uniquely Japanese sense of hospitality and the quiet beauty of communication beyond language.

I hope you’ll enjoy spending a peaceful few moments with me.

Page Four: Japanese Hospitality Without Words

What is the real value of a beautiful view?

In this episode, I reflect on how the things we see every day quietly shape the way we feel, think, and experience our homes.

From a Tokyo apartment with a remarkable view to the Japanese concepts of shakkei (borrowed scenery) and engawa, this page explores the gentle connection between our living spaces and the world beyond them.

A quiet reflection on home, perspective, everyday life, and the views we live with.