Kizuna: Reconnecting Machiya and Craft Traditions in Kyoto

Abstract

Kizuna means “connection” in Japanese, implying that everything is inextricably connected. In Kyoto’s Nishijin district, traditional craft and machiya townhouses share an uncertain fate — one where they might disappear from everyday life. Artisans face challenges in passing down their craft as many do not have successors to inherit their knowledge, leading to the loss of traditional culture. Traditional machiya — the defining vernacular architecture of Kyoto — face a similar fate as they are gradually demolished, resulting in the deterioration of urban heritage. The thesis responds to the disappearance of Japanese craft and machiya by mending the disconnect between tradition and modernity while fostering resilience. By reconnecting the Nishijin community to craft, artisans preserve embodied knowledge and connections to cultural tradition. The reinterpretation and revitalization of the machiya typology reconnects fragments of the past and present, revealing the beauty in transience and an enduring appreciation for the value of craft.