• by Suvendrini Kakuchi (tokyo)
• Sunday, August 15, 2010
• Inter Press Service

When architect Hikari Kurihara built his quaint house five years ago, he hoped to spread a new message of conservation — by revisiting the past.

'I was keen to prod the comfortable Japanese to realise that their affluent lives were ignoring our rich tradition of appreciating nature. The best way to send this message was through their homes,' Kurihara explained.

Kurihara, 62, was inspired by architecture during the Edo period — the former name of Japanese capital Tokyo from the 12th to the 19th century, famous for its vibrant urban culture. Thus, he constructed his own Edo-styled home, a narrow three-storey house spanning some 90 square metres.

Besides following traditional Japanese wood and paper design elements, Kurihara’s masterpiece showcases a major component of Edo homes in the past — a system for conserving water.

To combat Japan’s scorching, humid summers, efficient water usage was an integral part of Edo culture and the urban landscape was sprinkled with wood and traditional paper structures.

With summer temperatures soaring in recent years, Kurihara’s return to Edo-styled houses is a breezy idea. Infusing new technology with Edo concepts, Kurihara has devised a rainwater recycling system for the house.

Rainwater is stored in a two-tonne tank, and used for bathing, the flushing of two toilets, and the watering of another ingenious natural device, a 'green curtain'— a wall of leafy bitter-gourd vines along the west side of the house, designed to keep the heat out even during the hottest times of the day.

To bring to life his message of conservation and the basic Edo values — enjoying nature and practicing environmental harmony — enormous care is taken on the use of natural materials. 'I am hoping my home conveys the message that a beautiful home is an enjoyable way of relearning the old values,' Kurihara explained.

Indeed, walking into Kurihara’s Edo-styled home is quite an experience. To usher in natural light, as well as provide aesthetic stimulation, Japanese pine wood adorns the ceiling and floor; windows and sliding doors are crafted from paper, and a tiny interior rock garden is situated in the bathroom.

The best time is in the summer, Kurihara says, when he sits on his sofa and listens to drops of rainwater dribbling on his roof — a process that begins after he presses a button to release the stored water above, through several attached valves. Besides its cooling effect, the dance of rainwater on the roof creates a sound reminiscent of traditional Edo summer wind chimes.

Even before Kurihara built his house, resident Yoko Kobayashi was so impressed with just the idea of revisiting Japanese traditions as an ecological measure that she decided to build one for herself.

'My home was constructed with the help of Kurihara. I water my garden, wash the car and use the bath and toilets with recycled rainwater,' Kobayashi said.

Government bodies here have also started down this conservation trail. In Sumida, a ward located east of Tokyo, officials actively urge residents to preserve rainwater, and provide a subsidy for the building of rainwater storage tanks.

Environmental officer Katsuno Kawano says 24 public structures, such as the ward office building and gymnasiums, have already been equipped with rainwater storage tanks. Recycled rainwater accounts for some 20 percent of more than 13,600 tonnes of water used in Sumida ward each year.

The drive to push the recycling of rainwater, explains Kawano, helps meet a crucial environmental goal, as well as creates public awareness for another long-term goal — building a society that cares for the environment.

'It’s not as if we are saving huge amounts of water by collecting rainwater,' Kawano says. 'But I think we are reaching a more important goal, which is to instill in people that saving (water) is important.'

It is impossible to depend on recycled rainwater as the only source of water, says Kurihara, who reports that his water-recycling system at home has not resulted in significantly reduced water bills.

But Kurihara insists that revisiting forgotten Japanese traditions is the way to go.

Environmentalists say Japan is facing a 'heat island' syndrome, with soaring temperatures linked to the rapid construction of skyscrapers that trap the sun’s rays, spew out more hot air, and shut out the sea breeze.

Japan’s green activists and local municipalities this year resorted to throwing large amounts of water onto Tokyo streets in the evening — a popular Edo cooling practice — to combat the sweltering summer heat.

'These kinds of citizen-based activities may appear piecemeal, but they certainly contribute to energy saving,' said Kurihara.

With a 30 percent increase in Japan’s carbon dioxide emissions from homes since 1990, the government is pressed to tackle the issue through the support of alternative energy sources.

The Japanese government has introduced new regulations in its bid to combat global warming, including energy saving technology in new electronic devices and passenger vehicles, and the use of energy consumption charts in public institutions.

But it is the abundance of rain — seen here once every three days on average — that Kawano believes Japan must tap for better energy conservation. (ENDS/AP/IPS/EN/CR/SK/JCS/10)

© Inter Press Service (2010) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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