140 years old! Find your favorite contemporary artist in this old house
Kanagawa Gallery Walk
File.2 studiofujino
( Yamamoto Shino/Gallery Watts)
This time we'll be taking a walk towards Jinbayama, which straddles Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture and Hachioji City, Tokyo.
It was more of a short drive than a stroll. I got off at Sagamiko Interchange on the Chuo Expressway and encountered many people enjoying mountain climbing on the way up the mountain. Jinbayama is also selected as one of the "100 Best Views of Mt. Fuji in Kanto" and "50 Best Scenic Spots in Kanagawa."
The deeper we went, the thicker the layer of green became, so we drove along with the windows wide open to enjoy the phytoncides, and we came across the river to find a lovely, long, old house among the trees.
"In the middle of the mountains!" Those who don't know about it will be surprised to find a modern gallery here.
We arrive at Gallery Studio Fujino through a gate that once served as a horse stable.
This is the gate seen from the gallery side. On the right was apparently a horse stable.
The old wooden Japanese house brings back memories of my grandpa's house. When you open the sliding door, you'll find a cafe corner on the dirt floor.
The owners of Gallery Studio Fujino are the husband and wife duo, art director Yuko Higashikawa and furniture craftsman Hitoshi Fujisaki.
He has been living here for 10 years, but prior to that he lived in Milan for 7 years.
Higashikawa worked at the Italian design firm Cerri & Associati, where he worked on visualizing various brand images and designing exhibition spaces, while Fujisaki was involved in the production of custom-made furniture and works by designers including master Enzo Mari.
"I was working freelance as a woodworker, but in Italy, the designers, craftsmen, and manufacturers are all independent and have their own niche, so it was an easy environment to work in even as a freelancer. I was also involved in artists' works, and the decoration of the interior of a private bank was an interesting job."
The couple could have continued living in Italy, but Fujisaki laughs and says, "I couldn't really imagine ourselves living in Italy permanently."
It seems like such a shame.
When he returned to Japan, he was looking for a place in the suburbs because it was difficult to make furniture in Tokyo, and he came across this property, but apparently at first there was a raccoon living in the attic.
It took two years to restore the 140-year-old house. It is so large that work is still being done bit by bit.
The cafe table and the simple blue sofa are originals by Fujisaki. Next to it is a rattan chair by interior designer Isamu Kenmochi, whose work is included in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Framed on the wall is art made from used coffee filters! The modern space, which is different from what you would imagine from the outside, immediately captured my heart.
Once inside the store, you'll see artists' works, such as pottery and ornaments, displayed everywhere, and you'll be so excited that your eyes will start to wander.
Simple beauty. A coexistence of chuckle and coolness. Fine handiwork... the selection is typical of these two people in the design world. Most of the furniture and fixtures are made by Fujisaki, and you can also consult about custom-made furniture.
Further inside, there is a corner room that the over 60-year-old landlord was given as a study room when he was a child, and it is an incredibly luxurious space that takes in beautiful scenery. Higashikawa and his team are turning it into a contemporary art gallery space.
The works on display here have a dignified presence, including an object by young artist Shiho Hayashi that looks like stone, and an object by Guido de Zan, an artist Fujisaki worked with in Italy. Fujisaki has recently been enjoying making wooden objects made of tin, which are truly beautiful. Just placing one in your home is enough to transform the space. It's really nice, I thought to myself.
It's great to discover new artists whose style you like.
At first, the two just had their own studio and weren't particularly thinking about opening a gallery.
"But it looked a bit dreary with just furniture, so I started putting in some ceramic works by my friends. Little by little, the number of works by ceramic artists increased, and then I thought, 'It would be a shame to send people away after they've come all the way here,' so I decided to open a cafe (laughs)."
At the café, you can enjoy Higashikawa's handmade cakes and paninis. The plates, which he initially created for a French event, incorporating antique details, have now become Fujisaki's signature piece.
A gallery deep in the mountains.
If you go down the garden, you will come across a river. Enjoy a relaxing forest bath and take your time to appreciate the works of contemporary artists.
When I come here, my sensibilities are sharpened.
Gallery Information
Gallery Studio Fujino
768 Sanogawa, Midori-ku, Sagamihara-shi, Kanagawa-ken 252-0181
TEL:080-5695-2424
*Opening hours: 12:00-17:00
*Opening hours: Saturdays and Sundays only. Opening hours may change when there are events.
(Please note that the venue may be closed at times. info@studiofujino.com)
* Parking is available nearby
"access"
▶ Get off at Fujino Station on the JR Chuo Line. Take the Kanachu Bus bound for Wada to the last stop, then walk for 3 minutes.
