In the peaceful Tomigusuku neighborhood of Okinawa, Studio Cochi Architects has recently unveiled an Atelier Extension, a modern addition to a residential property. This compact structure is at once a workspace, and a contemporary interpretation of Okinawa‘s traditional concept of the ‘Hinpun,’ a screen between the public and private realm The Atelier Extension sits within the existing home’s garden. While the site enjoys a bright and airy atmosphere due to a setback from the main road and a neighboring construction yard, the design team faced the challenge of ensuring privacy for the main house from the surrounding environment. The client wished to retain the garden while creating a dedicated workspace and Studio Cochi Architects envisioned a solution that went beyond just functionality The Hinpun is a traditional architectural feature in Okinawan culture primarily seen in Okinawan village layouts and residential houses It is a wall or screen located at the entrance of a house or village used as a buffer zone between the public realm and private homes This wall or screen provides a sense of openness for residents without compromising privacy from outside views It also served practical purposes like managing visitor flow and offering protection from the elements Studio Cochi Architects saw an opportunity to reinterpret this concept for the Atelier Extension The team strategically positioned the workspace and a courtyard between the main house and the surrounding area This placement provides a dedicated workspace while buffering the main house from both the road and its neighbors Studio Cochi Architects completes an Atelier Extension in Tomigusuku The atelier’s wall embodies the project’s core concept It functions not just as a physical barrier but also as a way to regulate the connection between the workspace and its surroundings A large sliding door allows for complete openness visually connecting the atelier to the front yard transforming the wall into a solid barrier offering privacy and seclusion when needed The architecture empowers the client to adjust the relationship between the workspace and its surrounding environment based on their needs and preferences Whether seeking inspiration from the outside world or focusing on work in solitude the project offers a flexible balance between openness and privacy the new structure serves as both a workspace and a modern interpretation of the Hinpun the Hinpun is a traditional Okinawan concept referring to a buffer zone for privacy the Atelier Extension balances the homeowner’s desire for a workspace with privacy for the main house the architects position the atelier and courtyard strategically to create a modern ‘Hinpun,’ or buffer a large sliding door allows the atelier to open up to the surroundings or close for privacy the flexible architecture allows users to control their connection to the outside world project title: Atelier Extension in Tomigusuku architecture: Studio Cochi Architects | @studiocochiarchitects photography: © Studio Cochi Architects AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Please upgrade to a more modern version to fully experience JapanToday site and for security reasons I grew up watching "The Karate Kid" and its sequels I couldn’t wait to visit Okinawa and recreate the movie I assumed it would be as simple as watching the movies and visiting the locations by car Like learning to crane kick someone to the face "The Karate Kid Part II" is almost entirely based in Okinawa The Okinawa locations shot for the sequel were a well-disguised Hawaii thought the real Okinawa was unattractive due to the island’s stormy weather Separating reality from fiction is difficult in a movie that uses real inspirations to create imagined places A good example is when the character Kumiko points out to Daniel the ruins of the castle of King Shou Hashi but it was a matte painting hung in a studio and wasn’t even a painting of a Japanese castle Nevertheless, history buffs know that Shou Hashi was a real ruler of Okinawa. You can actually visit the ruins of two of his castles: Sashiki Castle in the southeast and Shuri Castle in the center of the island Although neither is as beautifully preserved as the movie would have you believe Sashiki Castle is hard to access except by car and is mostly ruins now is currently being renovated following a fire that destroyed most of the main building Although there is a real Tomi in Okayama Prefecture there is a possible connection that the filmmakers could have used for inspiration In "The Karate Kid Part II," Mr Miyagi describes finding the Tomi Village: “Find Naha. Head south.” Using this description, you can find Tomigusuku which was categorized as a village during "The Karate Kid Part II’s" filming and is now a city This change matches perfectly with Daniel’s surprise at seeing what has become of Tomi Village in the spin-off series "Cobra Kai." The area becomes gentrified when he revisits Tomi in season three Perhaps Mr Miyagi simply abbreviated the name from Tomigusuku to Tomi Click here to read more Join the leading Asian tourist attraction to assist our diverse range of customers Okinawa's influence on the series is undeniable A tip for visitors: immersing yourself in local martial arts schools and cultural sites can deepen your appreciation of Okinawa’s rich martial heritage and its portrayal in the series Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts A mix of what's trending on our other sites By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy ORION’s WATTA line of shōchū highball has just received a new summery flavor This new fruit-filled Chu-Hi arrives in a new “Keitt Mango” flavor. The interesting thing about this flavor is that it is also backed by efforts in sustainability With Japan currently experiencing 25.5 million tons of food waste per year some of which is caused by exports that cannot meet Japan’s standards (like fruits that ripen/spoil too quickly) this new mango flavor is set to offset some of the wasted Keitt mangos from Tomigusuku City Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Bunyo Ishikawa scrambled to get from one place to another capturing scenes across Okinawa’s main island on the historic day on May 15 from the early hours until late in the evening when the southernmost prefecture was reverted to Japanese sovereignty after its 27-year postwar U.S as locals had learned it was not all they had hoped for the photojournalist visited Ueta Elementary School in Tomigusuku in the southern part of the island where fifth-graders were discussing what the return would mean Written on the classroom blackboard are such comments as “Bases will remain as they are,” “6,800 members of the Self-Defense Forces will come to Okinawa" and “Americans won’t be put in jail even if they run down and kill people.” a pupil at the elementary school died after being hit by a car driven by a U.S “It should have been a day for citizens to celebrate the reversion and share joy with each other,” Ishikawa said in a recent interview at his home in Suwa bases would remain and the SDF would be deployed (in Okinawa Prefecture) Their expectations for the reversion to their homeland had quickly faded.” Ishikawa covered the Vietnam War as a freelance reporter between 1965 and 1968 he started working at the photography department of The Asahi Shimbun’s publishing bureau Japan and the United States agreed on the return of Okinawa Prefecture to Japanese sovereignty feeding growing expectations among Okinawans Ishikawa wanted to know what would become of his hometown and planned to cover stories in the prefecture on the day of its reversion Ishikawa was on a footbridge overlooking Naha’s Kokusai-dori main street in front of the Okinawa Mitsukoshi department store Ishikawa met with two people whose family members were killed by U.S said the reversion would not bring her back asked in front of the family altar whether crimes committed by U.S soldiers would decrease after the reversion including a currency exchange converting dollars into yen a monument that commemorates a unit of female students mobilized by the Imperial Japanese Army to provide nursing care to wounded soldiers and bury the dead He went to a bullfighting arena where matches were held to celebrate the reversion and a bar district in Koza bustling with U.S When he returned to the Kokusai-dori in the evening the street was filled with demonstrators opposing the reversion with U.S Ishikawa felt it was all “very quiet” after traveling around the island all day long While his grandfather was killed in action during the Battle of Okinawa his grandmother survived one of the bloodiest combat zones in the Pacific War Ishikawa did not experience the Battle of Okinawa because he moved to Funabashi he visited Okinawa Prefecture and traveled around the world as a photojournalist to cover stories about conflict zones and people living around military bases A special exhibition themed on the 50th anniversary of Okinawa’s reversion is running at the Japan Newspaper Museum in Yokohama until Sept featuring photos that include the one Ishikawa took at Ueta Elementary School Okinawa marks half century since handover from U.S Nothing has changed in Okinawa in 50 years Emperor hopes bright future lies ahead for people of Okinawa EDITORIAL: ‘What is Japan?’ question lingers 50 years after Okinawa’s return VOX POPULI: Rich Okinawan language is in danger of soon becoming extinct Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission Today's print edition Home Delivery The article you have been looking for has expired and is no longer available on our system (holographs and three-dimensional videos) blended with ancient weapons and training tools from the past I let loose a flurry of Bruce Lee-like punches and screams until the holographic candle was extinguished. I was at the informative and entertaining Okinawa Karate Kaikan (karatekaikan.jp) in Naha I was expecting to see typical museum displays and boring explanations about karate I discovered ultramodern educational technologies such as holographs and three-dimensional videos These were blended with ancient weapons and training tools from the past A bonus was being taught karate by junior and high school students who were staying healthy and fit by embracing their Okinawan heritage The Okinawa Karate Kaikan is a window into one of Japan's most well-known cultural products A visitor from France commented: "The visit to the Karate Kaikan brings a lot of knowledge to a simple Karate experience we got an impressive video introduction with a lot of historical content The experience itself felt like a good introduction to Karate." Okinawa Style Roof on Outside Dojo for Special Events Recently opened in 2017 on a hill with a view of the sea, the facility was designed, as one brochure states, to promote the "preservation, passing down, and development of traditional Okinawan karate as a unique cultural heritage, and as a base for promoting Okinawa as the birthplace of karate." Visitors should first drop into the center's miniature theater to watch videos explaining the history and philosophy behind today's karate Some of the filmed practitioners are senior citizens but the speed of their movements and the almost unnatural flexibility of their bodies will probably make you think that you are out of shape That I got to do in the interactive exhibition hall I tried walking in five-kilogram iron geta karate practitioners walked kilometers or practiced kicking while wearing such geta Karate masters and students still work out with large earthenware pots to develop hand Lifting heavy jars with just the finger edges is a nearly impossible task for most visitors The most memorable activity is the punching challenge Quietly try to extinguish a candle with your hand which has four courts for holding competitions Some of the best karate athletes in the world compete there you can attend lectures about karate and other topics in the seminar room you might be invited to join a training session While donning karate uniforms in the locker room karate experts couldn't help but laugh good-naturedly at our clumsy attempts to tie the robes with our pure white belts of beginners We took amusing photographs of one Brazilian and one Japanese karate athlete assisting my Italian friend They were so happy that we were interested in karate Properly attired, we walked into one shiny wooden-floored training room to join four students, three with brown belts and one with a black belt. They ranged from elementary school age to high school age The kids giggled shyly and joined us for photographs after we finished But during practice time they focused on their breathing and moving and they were patient with our incorrect movements In our contemporary period of smart phone and video game addiction and youth without goals meeting children with concentration and good manners was a pleasure the Okinawan Karate Kaikan does not currently offer karate classes to non-Japanese speaking people However, if you want to study karate but cannot speak Japanese, the nearby Yagi Karate Dojo (imgka.com) teaches karate to complete beginners and experienced martial artists The school welcomes able-bodied and disabled students More than 100,000,000 people are practicing karate today in 180 countries according to an information display at the center Karate teachers and students worldwide visit Okinawa to pay homage to the birthplace of karate to show respect to the founders of their karate schools One of the functions of the Karate Kaikan is maintaining standards for the judging of karate proficiency Foreign martial artists often discover that the Okinawan standards are stricter than those in their home countries They often find that their abilities are not up to the standards of Okinawa Unfortunately, much of tourism in Japan revolves around eating excessively, shopping in crowded cities, staring at countless temples, or waiting in lines and on planes, buses, and taxis But this facility inspires you to move your body and learn to be healthier and happier The Okinawan Karate Kaikan dojo is open from 9 a.m From Naha Airport Station drive or take a taxi for about fifteen minutes Tomigusuku City Loop Line go to the karate center 115m² 8 travelers WIFI Discover our Houses in Okinawa (1)Latest Articles Shuri Castle Shuri Castle is one of the main sights of the Okinawa island group a vestige of the ancient kingdom of Ryukyu Kudaka Island Okinawa Kudaka Island 久高島 off the coast of Okinawa main island is a sacred island It is less than 4 kilometers long and a kilometer wide Cherry blossoms in Okinawa Can't come in the spring to admire the famous cherry blossoms Then head for the island of Okinawa where you can admire the first blossoms of sakura Nightlife in Japan: Going out, seeing and drinking Temples and shrines in Japan Markets in Japan Onsen, Hot Springs and Public Baths Family Travel Parks and Gardens Outdoor Activities Museums and Galleries View more Sign up and be the first to hear our news and special offers Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser Japanese version a Mediterranean-esque shopping mall located near the west coast of Senaga Island in Okinawa Prefecture usually sees crowds of tourists and lines of buses and rentals cars the number of tour group from overseas has sharply declined The change in the customer landscape was triggered by fears over the spread of COVID-19 which has kept foreign travelers away and made domestic customers more visible.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); the area’s customer base has changed completely,” said an official at the tourism association for Senaga Island which runs Umikaji Terrace in the city of Tomigusuku In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Ever since Okinawa was returned to Japan after the end of U.S the prefecture’s economy has grown significantly but it still lags behind the rest of the nation with low per-capita income and high child poverty rates Some companies based in Okinawa Prefecture are working to turn around the situation by raising productivity through human resource development and improvements to management efficiency.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); a big data analysis firm based in Tomigusuku is one such company that aims to raise the “earning power” of workers in Okinawa and ultimately eradicate child poverty in the prefecture Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division.