Cedar House: When Airbnb Adapts to Japan’s Rural Areas

Located in the heart of the mountains in Nara, Cedar House explores how architecture can forge new relationships between hosts and guests in rural areas. Those who live in Cedar House are fully immersed in the community. Thus, guests who book to stay there share the building with the inhabitants who live there during the year. More than just a physical space, Cedar House is a place for sharing and living together.

A cooperative operation

The locals went so far as to form a cooperative and all take turns to welcome visitors. In fact, this is the first Airbnb residence to belong to a cooperative. Every detail of the structure, from the locally milled wood to the communal dining table, is inspired by the link between the residents of Yoshino and their traditions. For instance, the fish are caught in the river that lies a stone’s throw from the building, and the cedar comes from the forests that surround the village (there are 40 sawmills in the area). Everything about it is local and draws on resources from the region.