Hello. I’m Misaki, and I went to view a share house called “Kamimachi Baian.” With a long 100-year history, it has been renovated to fit modern living while making the most of the excellent original materials. The first thing I felt upon arriving was a sense of having time-traveled. It wasn’t the same kind of nostalgia as my grandparents’ family home—yet it still felt somehow familiar. It had the same grandeur and comfort I associate with Kyoto trips and traditional architecture, and that feeling was here too. I thought a place like this is exactly what the word “fuzei” fits—an atmosphere where timeworn beauty, tradition, and deep comfort come together.
All the properties I had seen until now were large-scale. This was my first time visiting a cozy property with fewer than 10 residents, and I assumed a smaller house might have cramped shared spaces like the living room and kitchen. But it has an LDK of over 30 tatami mats (LDK = living–dining–kitchen), and I was amazed by how spacious it is. My family home’s LDK is about 15 tatami mats, so this is more than twice as large. It also has an engawa (a traditional veranda) that you probably won’t find in a modern home, and it gave me both a fresh feeling and a sense of nostalgia.
The location is on a small hill, a 6-minute walk from Yokosuka-Chuo Station on the Keikyu Main Line. It’s a realistic commuting area—27 minutes to Yokohama Station with no transfers, and about 60 minutes to Shinagawa Station by limited express—yet it’s a calm place where you can feel the sea and nature. There is also a U.S. military base nearby, so there are many people from overseas, giving the area a subtle international atmosphere. Now, let’s dive into my report on “Kamimachi Baian.”
Misaki “Thank you for showing me around today. This is such a wonderful home—you can really feel Japan’s traditions here. The atmosphere created by the large wooden-framed windows and the character-rich reclaimed-wood flooring reminds me a little of Ukai-tei, which I love, and it made me want to stay here for a long time.”
Nakajima “Nice to meet you, Misaki. Thank you for coming today. I’m glad you like the atmosphere. Many people who come to view this property are drawn here precisely because of this feeling. In that sense, rather than focusing on conditions or ‘value for money,’ I think many of our residents place great value on the simple feeling of ‘I love it!’”
Misaki “Since this is where you live, I do think conditions matter—but just as much, it’s important to be in an environment that pleasantly stimulates your senses, right?”
Nakajima “Exactly. I’d be happy if people could feel something from this space—its fuzei, its atmosphere. Also, from Yokosuka-Chuo Station, the nearest station, it’s under 30 minutes to Yokohama Station with no transfers, so I don’t think it’s a bad commuting condition either. Some residents actually commute all the way into central Tokyo.”
Misaki “Personally, I love the word fuzei. When I asked a foreign friend who speaks Japanese fluently, they told me there isn’t an English word that matches fuzei perfectly—it’s a uniquely Japanese concept. So it seems difficult to translate. At the time, I defined it as an atmosphere that feels traditional and timeworn, yet contains beauty and comfort within it—and translated it that way. Seeing this building, I feel my definition wasn’t wrong.”
Misaki “Are you originally from around Yokosuka, and do you operate and manage share houses in Yokosuka?”
Nakajima “No—actually, I was born and raised in Tokyo. A few years ago, I relocated to near ‘Penguin-so’ in Miura Kaigan, which I’ll be showing you later. I’d always longed for a life with both the sea and the mountains, so I quit the job I’d done for nearly 20 years and even sold my house in Tokyo before moving.”
Misaki “Wow! That’s incredibly decisive. Did you have any acquaintances here?”
Nakajima “No, not really. Of course, I struggled at first, but Miura is a very welcoming town for people who relocate, so there was an environment where I could blend in smoothly. That’s where I met the owner of ‘Kamimachi Baian,’ and now I manage and operate this property.”
Misaki “It’s amazing how meeting people can lead you to new work, too.”
Nakajima “Yes. I relocated here myself, and I’ve been helped by the connections I’ve made, so I want this share house to be a friendly environment for other people who relocate as well. Going forward, I’d like to host events and hopefully make this property a kind of community hub.”
Misaki “The way the light comes in is beautiful. The contrast of light and shadow is so clear—it’s bright, yet it almost feels shaded at the same time.”
Nakajima “Yes. This engawa is my favorite space. Even when I’m just walking through, I find myself thinking every time, ‘This feels so good.’”
Misaki “Is it because the windows are so large?”
Nakajima “That’s definitely one big reason. In modern homes, it’s rare to have windows this large—and this many.”
Misaki “But with this many windows, does it get cold in winter?”
Nakajima “Unfortunately, I can’t deny that aspect. Since it’s over 100 years old, there are drafts. Still, not only the windows but also the shoji (sliding paper screens/partitions) create an in-between zone on the engawa—between outside and inside—which I think helps improve the living room’s insulation.”
Misaki “Wow! What a wonderful kitchen! The countertop is flat, and the surrounding area is finished with stone tiles—it blends into this home so beautifully.”
Nakajima “I’m glad you like it. It seems the owner built it with a lot of care, focusing on creating a kitchen that makes you want to cook.”
Misaki “It makes me want to cook, too! My current kitchen doesn’t have a workspace this large—it’s just a typical system kitchen. I’m jealous that you can cook here.”
Nakajima “For people living alone, many start out with small kitchens and end up giving up on cooking. But when people move into this house, it seems their home-cooking rate goes up.”
Nakajima “To help people enjoy cooking, I wanted them to use kitchen tools and appliances that are easy to use, so I sometimes conducted surveys with residents.”
Misaki “What kind of survey?”
Nakajima “Questions like, ‘What cooking tools would you like to have?’ By repeating that process, I think we’ve built up a good range of supplies and equipment by now.”
Misaki “I see. By the way, what kinds of requests did you get?”
Nakajima “Recently, a blender.”
Misaki “Sitting here and taking in the garden slowly feels so calming.”
Nakajima “Yes—when we built this kitchen, what we cared about most was being able to cook while looking out over the garden—whether you’re cooking or just taking a short break.”
Misaki “The first-floor engawa was lovely, but the second-floor corridor is even more beautiful. On the second floor, light pours in through the latticework, and it feels a little different from the first floor.”
Nakajima “That may be true. Like the first floor, you can still look out at the bamboo grove in the garden, but I think the impression changes a lot depending on how the light falls.”
Misaki “When you’re walking ahead of me, Mr. Nakajima, I feel like I’m being guided to a private room in a traditional restaurant.”
Nakajima “Next, I’ll show you Room A-202.”
Misaki “Rather than a traditional restaurant, this room feels like the word ‘kominka’ (an old traditional house) fits better. How large is it?”
Nakajima “It’s about 13 square meters (about 8.1 tatami mats). The closet has plenty of depth, so you can store a lot, and there’s also a hanging pole, so even people with lots of clothes should be able to store everything properly.”
Misaki “I don’t work there anymore, but I used to work in apparel, so it’s important to me that there’s enough storage even if you have lots of clothes. By the way, how much is the rent for this room?”
Nakajima “It’s a one-of-a-kind room where you can feel 100 years of history, so I’d love to say it’s priceless—but that’s not realistic, so we’ve set it at JPY 52,000.”
Nakajima “Next is Room A-101. It’s the same size as the one you just saw.”
Misaki “It’s so spacious—it makes you want to invite family and friends over. Is it okay for family to stay overnight?”
Nakajima “Yes. Because this home has this kind of atmosphere, we often get requests like, ‘I want to show it to my friends!’ or ‘I want to show it to my family!’ If you let us know in advance, overnight stays are fine.”
Misaki “Is the advance notice by email?”
Nakajima “There’s a group LINE for the management and residents, so you’d message there.”
Nakajima “Only this room has a private terrace. As it gets warmer from here, I think it would feel great if you put out outdoor chairs and the like.”
Misaki “I love terrace time—when spring comes, I often sunbathe on my balcony at home. This one has a roof too, which is nice. If the atmosphere is this good and the rooms are spacious, don’t many people end up staying a long time?”
Nakajima “Yes, I think the average stay is just under two years. The longest is about four years.”
Misaki “That’s a long time! I assumed it would be around a year.”
Nakajima “Some people love the atmosphere a lot, but in rare cases, if it doesn’t suit them, they move out relatively quickly.”
Misaki “The tile-lined bathroom is adorable.”
Nakajima “Yes. Not the bathroom from 100 years ago… of course—we’ve properly renovated it into something modern.”
Misaki “The wash area’s subdued-toned tile work also matches the atmosphere of this building.”
Nakajima “Thank you. And not only the wet areas—we’ve also installed an auto-lock at the entrance. The atmosphere remains old, while the facilities are modern.”
Nakajima “In front of the entrance, there’s a plum tree that’s also the origin of this property name, ‘Kamimachi Baian.’”
Misaki “The flowers are just starting to bloom—it’s beautiful.”
Nakajima “Yes. In May, we can harvest lots of plums, so we hold a harvest festival with all the residents. At that time, we also invite residents from other share houses and use it as a chance to create connections and交流 between houses.”
Misaki “Last year, I bought plums at the supermarket and made plum juice. If you can get plums for free, that’s great!”
Nakajima “Yes. Some people make plum juice like you, Misaki, and people who like alcohol sometimes make umeshu (plum wine) as well. This is still just a plan, but we’re also thinking about expanding services beyond the share house, such as a sauna and private lodging. For residents of this share house, we hope to offer discounts so they can use those services at a reduced price.”
Misaki “It’s like a corporate benefits program. If the discount applies, I’d love to go to a sauna with my housemates.”
Nakajima “Earlier, I showed you the main house, and next we’ll go to the detached annex.”
Misaki “As expected of a grand residence from 100 years ago—there’s even an annex.”
Nakajima “There are three rooms here. This one is B-105. Since it’s an annex, it’s priced more reasonably than the rooms in the main house.”
Misaki “The atmosphere is similar to the main house. But is the room a bit smaller?”
Nakajima “Yes. Compared to the earlier A-101, which is 13.2 square meters, this one is 9.1 square meters, so it’s a bit smaller. However, the ceiling is higher here, so it may feel more open. Also, it’s designed with a loft bed that makes use of the ceiling height, so in terms of making effective use of space, this one may actually be better.”
Misaki “I see. It’s quite compact—like for one person—but can anyone live here?”
Nakajima “Including the main house, it’s women-only—so as long as you’re a woman.”
Nakajima “The annex also has wet-area facilities such as a washbasin, toilet, and shower. And right next to the annex, there’s a wood-deck terrace.”
Misaki “This terrace is surrounded by trees, but it gets great sunlight—it looks like it would feel amazing. Since the grounds are so large, everything feels spacious overall, and it feels luxurious.”
Nakajima “Thank you. I’m not sure whether it’s ‘luxurious’ or not, but there’s also a small field on the property. Residents said they wanted to do home gardening, so we created a dedicated space here.”
Misaki “What I kept thinking throughout the viewing was that—even though this was just a property tour—it felt like I was on a trip to Kyoto. There was also a sense of relaxing at a kominka café (an old-house café). The time I spent here felt like something special, and I felt this kind of expectation that if I lived here, something inside me might change. Sorry for being abstract.
I also felt that ‘Kamimachi Baian’ isn’t a place you choose based on conditions; it’s a place you encounter—meant for people who love the kind of fuzei this home embodies. If you see this building and it just “clicks” for you, I recommend making the trip to visit at least once. I don’t think you’ll regret it. And it’s closer than going all the way to Kyoto (haha).”
・*.ﾟMisaki’s “Kamimachi Baian” Checkpointsﾟ.*・
| ★Access | 6 minutes on foot from Keikyu Main Line “Yokosuka-Chuo Station.” Surprisingly close to the station, and 27 minutes to Yokohama Station with no transfers. |
| ★Storage | Storage is available, depending on the room. The rooms are spacious, so you could also add extra storage furniture. |
| ★Style | A one-of-a-kind presence that lets you feel 100 years of history and tradition. |
| ★Rent | JPY 45,000–58,000 (common/maintenance fee: JPY 15,000). Honestly, it felt priceless. |
| ★Rules | Overnight guests allowed (advance request required) No smoking on the premises Cleaning carried out once a month. |
| ★Bathrooms/Toilets | Bathroom ×1, Shower room ×1, Toilet ×2. Drum-type washing machine ×2. |
| ★Security | Auto-lock entry. |
SHARE PARADE（シェアパレード） の運営責任者です。「EDIT YOUR LIFE ― 今の暮らしをちょっと変えてみる」を合言葉に、**コミュニティのある暮らし（Community Living）**を中心としたシェアハウスを紹介しています。2011年の立ち上げ以来、東京全域で800件以上を現地取材。私自身も一人暮らし／シェアハウス／ルームシェア／ソーシャルマンションを一通り経験しており、一次情報と体験の両方を基準にサイトを運営しています。「住む場所が変われば、ライフスタイルも変わる」。コミュニティがある暮らしの楽しさと安心を、もっと当たり前の選択肢に――それがSHARE PARADEの役割であり、私のミッションです。 I am the administrator of the website 'SHARE PARADE.' Under the motto “EDIT YOUR LIFE—make a small change to your everyday,” we feature share houses centered on community living. Since our launch in 2011, I have visited and reviewed more than 800 properties across Tokyo. I’ve personally experienced living alone, in share houses, in room shares, and in social apartments, and I run the site based on both first-hand information and lived experience. I believe that when your home changes, your lifestyle changes too. My mission—and SHARE PARADE’s role—is to make the joy and peace of mind of community living a more everyday choice.
