This was an interior design completed after the design for Abeno Harukas shop and Sogo Kobe by Yagyug Douguten. It is located in the underground shopping center of Kyoto Station, “Kotochika Kyoto” where many tourists come to visit, not to mention many visitors from foreign countries in recent years. For this shop, a seating area was also provided so that freshly baked cheese tarts can be enjoyed with Japanese tea unique to Kyoto.

The aroma and astringency of the tea pairs well with the sweet cheese tart. It creates a round and rich flavor melting together inside the mouth. The sense of different things gently blending was expressed in the space.
Kamado is a traditional cook stove found in old townhouses of Kyoto. It is rare to see a kamado nowadays, but the round form created by plaster work and the stokeholes lined up brings a sense of nostalgia towards Japan’s food culture and comfort of a kitchen. The design of the counter was conceived from such stove. The counter is stretched and bent in a meandering manner, to consolidate all of the functions of display, payment area, wash basin and teapot stove in this area. The counter is located in the center of the shop, and the base curves as if to melt into the earthen floor. The aim was for this giant kamado to envelope the people who gather around this round counter. I gave this counter the name “kamado monster.”

In front of the train station where visitors begin or end their journey to Kyoto, it would be a great pleasure to see people from all over the world would gather around the “kamado monster” to enjoy an uplifting feeling or a relaxing time like a time spent with a large family or in a lively kitchen during festivities.

Beyond mere Japanese/Kyoto style, the space was designed to convey the story behind the product and the place through a new interpretation of unspoilt Japanese scenery.

やぐゆぐ道具店としては、あべのハルカス店・そごう神戸店に続くデザインとなった。立地は京都駅の地下街「コトチカ京都」で、多くの旅行客が行き交う。とりわけ最近は外国の方も多い。そこに焼きたてチーズタルトを京都ならではの日本茶と共に味わえる、客席付の店舗が計画された。

お茶の香りや渋みは意外にも甘いチーズタルトと相性が良いと感じた。口の中で丸くとろけ合う旨味だ。そういった異なる物が丸く混じり合う感覚を空間に表現したいと考えた。
　京都の古くから残る町家に見られる「竈（かまど）」。現代、竈を目にする事は少ないが、その左官造形や窯口が連なる姿に日本の食文化への郷愁や台所ならではの安心感を感じる。カウンターはその竃から発想された。クネクネと伸ばし曲げ、陳列・会計・水屋・茶炉などの機能を集約した。店内中央に鎮座し、足元は溶ろけるようにカーブし土間と同化している。この巨大化した竃が人々を丸み帯びた一体感に包み込む事ができればと考えた。私はこれを「かまどおばけ」と呼んだ。

京都の旅を始める人、終える人。旅の起点となる駅前。「かまどおばけ」が中心となり、世界各国の様々な人々が集い、昔の大家族や祭り時の炊事場かのように、ハレの高揚感や心休まる時間が生まれれば嬉しい。

単なる和風や京都風ではなく、日本の原風景の新しい解釈によるデザインで、商品やこの場の物語を伝えることが出来ればと思っている。