when people thing of japan, they don't normally picture an idillic cabin somewhere out in the woods. it's more the hustle and bustle of big cities like tokyo that gets all the attention. today though we have travelled to sakuho, to visit a downsized design that the countryside has to offer. b: hello daigo d: hi b: nice to meet you (vo) daigo built this incredible tiny cottage alongside friends from school on some unused family land.
the project started out as a get-away forthe group but later on became a home for daigo and his young family. this stunning project is entirely off thegrid and was built largely from natural materials that were sourced from the nearby forest. b: we're quite remote right now, we're in the mountains, what about things like electricity and water, where does that come from? d: there are no services, electricity is from the two solar panels, we can use lights and a small refrigerator. water we get from a stream in the mountains.
b: what about toilets and waste here, what do you do for that? d: it's kind of composted. b: ah, okay. great, well can we have a look inside thehouse? d: yes! b: this door is lovely! d: yeah, it's the mountain. you see that big mountain? the name is mt morei and here it's the shape.
b: well, let's have a look inside! this is so cosy! and we're obviously in the middle of winterin japan right now. it is freezing outside but it is lovely andwarm in here. having that little stove in the corner isjust like a little touch of magic here, isn't t? d: yes, it's a very small one. b: the design of this, it's almost european isn'tit? d: yeah, that's right. because i stayed in finland, i was impressedby finnish design and after i stayed in finland
i came back to japan and made the interior,so it's finnish design. so this house, here is the living room, andhere is for study and work. b: although i don't know if you could get anystudy done when you're looking out at that view. that is just beautiful! my eyes could never look at a computer screenwhen that mountain vista is in the background. d: yeah, work is very fun for me here. b: i bet! and a lovely dining area over here. d: yes, kitchen, kitchen counter and dining.
so we can eat and we can drink. b: i especially like how you've done the kitchencounter. that's very unusual. d: thank-you! cooking is very fun. my wife, my family they look at me and i cookhere and i feel i'm master of cafe. i can cook delicious food here. b: so how big is this place actually? what are the dimensions?
d: 5.4 meters and 3.5 meters. b: it's actually a perfect size for a littlecabin in the woods, isn't it? d: thank-you. b: and i notice over there you've got some hammocksas-well. that's a really cool feature! d: yeah set here, and here. b: can i have a go? d: yeah, of course!
b: okay. let's try. if i ever build a cabin in the woods i haveto include one of these! i absolutely love it. so for sleeping you've got the area upstairsas-well. d: yes. b: great, can we have a look at that? d: yeah of course. b: oh this space is absolutely lovely!
when you think of a sleeping loft in a logcabin this is everything that you would hope the space to be, isn't it? you've got incredible views out here, reallycosy bed, you can still see down to the wood-fire though. absolutely magic. d: yeah, i like this smaller space. and when sleeping here we can see the starsthrough the window. b: do you think that as time goes on in japanmore people will build homes like this? d: yes, i think so. in japan, in the countryside there is a lotof unused land, unused fields.
i think many people will make a cottage likethis. i don't have knowledge, it's takes a longtime but we can do it. b: and what about the cost of this home? what did this actually cost you to build? d: about $16,000. b: $16,000, that's about â¥2,000,000. d: yes, â¥2,000,000. b: that really is so affordable isn't it? and it just goes to show that if you're willingto be a little bit creative, you can build
a really beautiful home for yourself withouta lot of money. d: yes, that's right. it takes time but it's very fun and i canshow the people, society, that the house is very small but very happy and comfortableand very warm. the relationship with my wife or with familyis better than in a big house. b: daigo, this home is really beautiful. as a cabin in the woods this is an absolutedream that you have created here. thank-you very much for showing me around. d: thank-you very much.
b: thank-you. being here in this home, it's impossible notto feel a wonderful and intimate connection with nature. and when you think about it, that's exactlywhat a small cabin is supposed to do. it's a place where you can simplify, whereyou can retreat and when you think about the world out there and all of the craziness,it's really nice to know that there are still a few places like this that you can trulyescape to.