Owner's Voice Vol.19 Ash Villa Fujikawaguchiko

I wanted people around the world to know the charm of my hometown.

When the owner, Shu Katsumata, who was born and raised in Yamanashi Prefecture, and his wife, Shuri, decided to open a villa, they had no hesitation in choosing the forest at the northern foot of their hometown, Fuji.
I wanted to introduce the charms of my hometown to people from the city and abroad," he says.
Fuji, one of Japan's most famous mountains, and its easy access to the Fuji Five Lakes at its foot.
The area is also characterized by a natural environment that can be enjoyed in all four seasons: cool summers due to its high elevation, autumn leaves in fall, tree ice in winter, and mossy lawn cherry blossoms in spring.

In order to enjoy such rich harmony with nature at a leisurely pace, the villa adopts a "no face-to-face, no contact" style.
Guests can check in and check out on their own, without having to face the front desk staff, thus realizing a stress-free stay in a space where their privacy is protected.

As a result, we don't have face-to-face conversations with our guests, but instead, we always read through the comments we receive via the Internet," says Mr. Shu.

Many of the comments are very positive about the kitchen, which is located inside the house.

I am very happy.
The interior design of the villa was chosen to be of a high quality that would satisfy both the design and comfort of use.
The kitchen was the main feature of the space.

Two villas centered around kitchens with different personalities

Mr. Shu, who wanted to create a villa with a luxurious feel, first came to know about Toyo Kitchen Style through a suggestion from his architect.
From there, I looked at the website and was attracted by the impactful and unique design, so I visited the Aoyama showroom in Tokyo," said Zhou.
I was quite curious about it even before visiting the showroom, but when I saw it in person, it had a more luxurious feel than I had imagined.
I fell in love with the iNO on display at first sight.

Along with the innovative use of color and shape, Mr. Shu was impressed by the "Zero flow kitchen," which minimizes the distance between the sink and stove, eliminating wasteful cooking work.
I was so impressed by how meticulously the kitchen was designed with the user in mind that I decided to make it the face of the villa.

For the 1010 villa, the splash black color of "iNO Q-LAND," which expresses the spray of water falling from a waterfall in metallic color, was selected, and for the 2020 villa, titanium of "BAY CUBE" was selected.
Both of these products are characterized by their square type form, which allows access from four directions.

iNO Q-LAND" Splash Black, which shines beautifully in the light of illumination.

Valuing the "connection" between people and people, kitchen and space

As Mr. Shu mentioned earlier, the kitchen is the star of this villa.
In the 1010 building, in particular, the iNO is the first thing that catches the eye in the brightly lit living room, which spreads out from the entrance, through the hallway, and up about eight steps, in an impressive arrangement.

The concept of the 1010 building is "time for everyone to be together.
In creating the space, Mr. Shu says that he placed importance on "connection.
In an age where people usually live in different places and have different communities, when we get together and go on a trip, we can talk about things we don't usually talk about in a different time, and we can have different memories and experiences.
We designed the living room to be simple, with wide space both vertically and horizontally, and not much space to put things on the floor, so that you can enjoy such time more.
During your stay, you will prepare your own meals, but we wanted you to enjoy not only eating the food but also the process of preparing it, so we designed the kitchen to be connected to the living room.

On the other hand, the 2020 building, with its calm, beige-based design, is based on the concept of "harmony.
In the living room, we placed a "BAY CUBE," which is not as assertive as the "iNO" but has a sense of luxury and presence unique to the Toyo Kitchen style.

The main attraction of both villas is the view of the majestic summit of Mt.Fuji.

With this kitchen, cooking every day is like a new experience!

In fact, we had a pre-opening party with acquaintances and cousins, and from what I saw, many of the men were enjoying themselves while cooking.
The size of the faucet and sink were well received as cool, and the PARALLELO Sink, which allows you to heat pots and pans while cooking, was also highly praised for its ease of use.
This kitchen seems to be popular with men," says Mr. Shu.

Shuri, on the other hand, says, "I actually used the kitchen before it opened, and the overall size and functionality of the kitchen gave it a high-end feel, so it was refreshing to see a completely new approach to cooking.
It is a very attractive kitchen for me, who usually cooks.
I often hear comments from customers such as, "The kitchen has a great sense of style," or "I was able to enjoy an extraordinary experience in a stylish space," and I think this is probably because of the way the kitchen complements the space.
I don't think we would have received such positive feedback if this were a standard kitchen," he says.

A kitchen that attracts even those who don't normally cook, and gives even those who do a lot of cooking a new experience.
This may be a characteristic of the Toyo Kitchen Style.
Magnificent nature and sophisticated space.
Here is a holiday that is healed by their interaction.

ASH Villa Fujikawaguchiko has a beautiful view at night. You can also enjoy a fire pit in the garden.

(text: Shihoko Tomibe)

Previous "Owner's Voice" is here.

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