MaThe space between things
We design rooms around what is left empty, not just what is filled, the pause between beams, the breath before a doorway.
Kominka Restoration & Home Renovation
Houses built to outlive us deserve a restoration with the same patience.
Our other partner agency restores traditional Japanese kominka and renovates modern homes with equal devotion to material, joinery, and quiet detail, so a house built for one generation can be trusted with the next.
Begin a Project is currently offered exclusively through our Newsletter, an all-in-one toolkit for planning your dream real estate project in Japan. Subscribe there to be connected directly with our partner agency.
Photo, restored kominka, main room
20+ Years Experience
Licensed Japanese Contractor
Okinawa · Osaka · Nationwide
Our Approach
Renovations shaped around the comfort you deserve.
We handle renovations and remodeling to create the comfort each customer desires.
Our renovation and remodeling services are tailored to each customer's individual tastes and preferences, including interior remodeling and bathroom or kitchen renovations that make everyday life easier. Every proposal is built around your lifestyle and living needs.
Because it's our customers who will actually live in these homes, Housesofjapan and our partner agency never lose sight of the customer's perspective.
ShizenWorking with, not against
Timber, clay, and stone are chosen for how they age, not just how they look on the day the work is finished.
KeinenbiBeauty that comes with age
A join that will darken gracefully is chosen over one that will simply look new for a while, then look old.
What We Do
Two crafts, one standard of care.
01
Kominka Restoration
For owners of traditional Japanese houses, we restore what time and earlier repairs have worn down, without replacing what the house still does well.
- Structural survey and original timber-frame reinforcement
- Seismic retrofitting sensitive to the original design
- Thatch, tile, and clay plaster (shikkui) restoration
- Sourcing of reclaimed and regionally matched materials
02
Modern Home Renovation
For contemporary homes, we apply the same material honesty and attention to joinery, full renovations that feel considered in every room, not only the ones guests see first.
- Whole-house renovations and room additions
- Kitchens and bathrooms built around natural materials
- Light, layout, and storage planning
- Japanese design principles adapted to modern living
Roof maintenance is handled by our partner agency's roof leak experts, protecting your safe living.
Roof leaks can be visible or invisible, and they rarely appear suddenly. Most begin in places that aren't immediately apparent, which is why regular inspections matter so much. We recommend a full leak inspection every 10 to 15 years, well before small wear becomes major damage. The roof sits at the highest point of a building, exposed to the elements all year round, so it deteriorates faster than almost anywhere else on the house. Left untreated, that wear becomes a leak, and regular maintenance is the simplest way to keep it from getting there.
Also Available
The parts you don't see matter just as much.
01
Exterior Wall Construction
Cracks, fading, and peeling are addressed early, through painting, replacement, or repair tailored to the wall's condition, extending the building's lifespan.
02
Underfloor Work
The space beneath the floor is prone to damp and termites. We handle moisture control, termite treatment, and reinforcement before it becomes a bigger problem.
03
Interior Construction
Wallpaper, flooring, and layout changes, planned around how a home is actually lived in, not just how it looks on handover day.
04
Demolition Work
Planned interior demolition, restoration to original condition, and skeleton construction, carried out with the next stage of the project already in mind.
Our Partner
Twenty years, one licensed team, reach across Japan.
Our partner agency is an officially licensed construction company in Japan, authorized to manage and carry out renovation and construction projects professionally, from the first site visit to the final handover. Beyond individual homes, they also take on contracting work for corporate clients, including stores, offices, and franchise locations.
01
Licensed & Experienced
Twenty years of experience in renovation and construction, backed by official licensing as a construction company in Japan.
02
Skilled Workforce
Twelve full-time in-house team members, supported by a trusted network of partner companies, around sixty skilled craftsmen available in total.
03
Nationwide Reach
Offices based in Okinawa and Osaka, with renovation and construction services available throughout Japan depending on the project's scope.
Construction & Renovation Expertise
How a Project Unfolds
Four stages, from first visit to handover.
01
Consultation & Survey
We walk the property together, note its structural history, and listen to how you want to live in it.
02
Design & Materials
Drawings and material samples are prepared together, with cost and timeline agreed before any work begins.
03
Craftsmanship
Our carpenters and artisans carry out the work on site, with regular walkthroughs so you always know what stage it's at.
04
Handover & Aftercare
We walk you through the finished home and remain reachable for seasonal maintenance in the years after.
Materials We Trust
Chosen for how they age, not just how they arrive.
A short list of the materials that appear most often in our work, and why each one earns its place.
Reinforced Concrete
Modern structural framing
Timber
Structural beams & framing
Steel
Reinforcement & structural support
Tile & Stone
Flooring & finishes
Glass
Natural light & openings
Washi Paper
Shoji screens & interior light
Tatami Mat
Traditional flooring & interiors
Artisans at Work
Every material shaped by hand
Selected Projects
Discuss Your Property
Recent restorations and renovations.
Kominka Restoration, Nagano
Timeless Restoration, Nagano
Modern Renovation, Tokyo
Setagaya Family Home
Kominka Restoration, Kyoto
The Nishijin Machiya
They treated our grandmother's house like it still had something to say. Every beam they could save, they saved, and the parts they couldn't, they replaced so carefully we had to ask which was which.
Haruto & Emi Tanaka International homeowners, renovated through Housesofjapan
20+
Years in Practice
12
In-House Team Members
60+
Craftsmen Network-Wide
2
Offices, Nationwide Reach
Begin a Project
Tell us about the house you want to live in.
Whether it's a kominka that has been in the family for generations or a modern home ready for its next chapter, it all starts with our Newsletter, the all-in-one tool for accessing our partner's renovation properties in Japan. Our partner also assists with buying a house in Japan, no obligation, no pressure, just subscribe to get in touch.