#yezo

YEZO Retreat, Hokkaido, Japan,

An Ainu woman is playing the Mukkuri (ムックリ), a traditional Ainu mouth harp played by women.

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The Mukkuri is made of carefully cut bamboo with two strings, and measures about 10 by 1.5 cm (3.9 by 0.6 inches). The player vibrates the tongue cut out of the bamboo by pulling one of the strings, while holding the instrument in front of the mouth. Volume and tone colors are changed by changing the shape of the mouth. Although a simple instrument, and similar to mouth harps found all over the world, accomplished players can create truly amazing music with the Mukkuri.

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Ainu music is almost always sacred, as are the instruments themselves which are believed to be imbued with souls. In traditional times, music played an important part in everyday Ainu life. Short simple songs centered on everyday activities and were accompanied by the Mukkuri and the Tonkori, a plucked string instrument. When used as work songs, the music was rhythmic and featured lyrics related to the work that was performed. The songs were not just meant to create a work rhythm, but also acted as prayers and warded off evil spirits.

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In addition to the simple everyday songs, Ainu music features epic songs, called Yukar. They are mythic narratives, usually seen from the viewpoint of the gods. Performed without musical instruments, these epic songs consist of long monologues, with the voice of the singer fluctuating within words. They may be performed in front of the open hearth at a friend’s house, or as part of a religious ceremony. In this case the epic song is outlined by the ceremony’s activities, while at the same time reinforcing the ceremony itself.

The one cannot exist without the other, showing the important and sacred role that music plays in Ainu culture and consciousness.

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For many years, Ainu music was banned by the Japanese authorities. Since the 1960s however, Ainu music has been making a strong comeback as part of an Ainu cultural revival.

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Ainu music was especially performed by women, whose vocal qualities were preferred. Although nowadays the casual observer will have much trouble distinguishing Ainu women from other Japanese women, they traditionally looked very different.

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Ainu lady playing the Mukkuri.

This retreat in Hokkaido, Japan is unlike any cabin in the woods you have ever seen. Laboratory for Explorative Architecture & Design, or LEAD, designed YEZO as an architectural experiment in fabrication and sustainability. The project is defined by an elegantly curving roof with a wooden underbelly of structural members that are suspended from the chimney. Although beautiful, this impressive design move is more than just a pretty roof.

The studio created an algorithm to define the shape of the building and prioritized the fabrication, or construction, of the project. By following this algorithm, every single structural member that defines the roof curve can be constructed from a single mold. Each piece is a glue-laminated, or GluLam, timber beam used at a different angle or cut at a different length. This means that the curve, which came from the single mold, is the only unchanging variable between every wooden beam. GluLam beams were used because they increase the strength of the wood by using structural adhesive to glue wood together and would allow the designers to use less wood.

By following this logic and minimizing human decisions in the design, LEAD has created a purer space perfect for appreciating the natural word. “Its lean tectonic system combined with only a most essential spatial programme,” LEAD explains, “redefines the modern meaning of true luxury: a place and time for quiet reflection and private enjoyment in a setting defined by wood, stone, water, and light, surrounded by ever-changing natural beauty.”

Although the designers planned the retreat to allow visitors to focus on the natural beauty, it is difficult not to appreciate the interiors. The concrete chimney acts as the focal point of the interior space while glass walls come up to meet the wooden umbrella. The interior is rendered with a warm color palette that matches the GluLam that drove the design and helps you feel connected to the architects’ intention.

So, if you are looking for a nature getaway and want to admire incredible architecture while you’re there, YEZO may be the perfect spot for you. You’ll just have to wait until someone builds it!

Venado Yezo observando un valle brumoso al amanecer

Egy pár Jezo sika szarvas gyengéd fej-fej ölelkezése magas fű között

Ciervo Yezo con reflejo en río forestal al amanecer

Cerf Yezo perché sur falaise, contemplant vallée brumeuse à l'aube

Spielender Yezo Sikahirsch im ersten Schneefall in einem Kiefernwald