Tiny house looks out to the Seto Inland Sea

(Image credit: Kenta Hasegawa)

published 30 January 2023

This tiny house, perched on a slope overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, is the perfect lookout point to take in the idyllic surroundings, comprising green nature and blue waters. Situated on one of the many small islands of the Japanese archipelago, the compact structure is a guest house – part of the grounds of a larger property, K Residence. The new building, along with a smaller dining pavilion next to it, are the latest additions to a universe of structures that compose K Residence, and have been designed by Tokyo-based Schemata Architects, headed by the studio's founder Jo Nagasaka.

operable openings in tiny house in japan

A tiny house overlooking the Seto Inland Sea

Conceived as a miniature house to host family members and friends, when visiting the main house's residents, the guest house offers spartan accommodation and welcome isolation, within minimalist architecture surrounds.

'Inspired by the image of shukubo (accommodations operated by temples and shrines), we designed the guest house under the name of dokubo (solitary quarters) as a place for children to disconnect from this world and return to their solitude. It has five sleeping units a shower and toilet, and sits in front of the main house's dining room, where they have their meals,' the architects write.

tiny house in japan, seeing here its side view with timber cladding

An elegant, metal staircase connects the tiny house with the main residence above. Entering from the rear of the structure, visitors' gaze is instantly attracted towards the long views and framed vistas of the water on the opposite end. 'It is a place to confront solitude while facing the sea,' the architects explain. The separate pavilion nearby offers dedicated space for dining and can also become a space for seclusion or post-dinner drinks for the adults. Meanwhile, the children can play in the guest house, while still connected to the rest of the family chatting in the dining hall.

tiny house interior of japanese house showing the kitchen

The tiny house is part of a wider complex, including, beyond the main residence, a tea room and the aforementioned dining pavilion.

tiny house in japan, inside looking out towards blue skies

evening interior of kitchen in tiny house in japan

bathroom with window looking out to nature and blue skies in japanese tiny house

red metal staircase leading inside japanese tiny house

schemata.jp

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).