A traditional Japanese house- on the inside

Micahel and Junko like the simplicity and elegance of traditional Japanese houses, and are wary of the toxicity of modern buiding materials, so they wanted to build an all wood house in the tradtional style. They found a piece of land high up a hillside at the top of a valley, and it was perfect. No one would be building above them, so they have privacy and nature on three sides- a rarity in Japan. As I sit here at the computer, I can look out of the window at hawks soaring above the valley, with the rooftops below, and Kamakura Bay in the distance. It's a beautiful spot.

The first picture here shows their living room and formal dining room, which also doubles as their bedroom. Each morning, the futon is folded up and put away in the closet, or hung outside to air out, and the sliding screens are opened to reveal the clutter- free space. The other picture shows the view when you first enter the house.