Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
Abandoned Homestead
in the mountains of Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
On our drive to the Hiyoshi Dam the other day, while driving through the mountains in the middle of nowhere, we came across a set of buildings that had clearly been abandoned for a very long time....
There were at least three buildings, probably all part of one homestead. I'm guessing that thatched-roof house is the original, with the tile-roofed buildings being more modern. It's just a guess, and in any case, “modern” is relative....
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — 1/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
The “New” House
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38 mm — 1/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
The “Old” House
You can see that there's quite a stone embankment in front of the thing, probably a result of the original builder having created a level area on which to build.
There was a bridge over to it, and it was all wide open... there was nothing but good manners (and a wife and kid waiting in the car :-)) stopping me from wandering around inside. I'd love to find the owner and get permission.
I find these kind of sites fascinating, and I've posted about a couple old places before... see the “Related Posts” box below for more old houses.
As commenter “krister” noted on my blog in one of those posts, “Its amazing how time can add such an element of mystery to such ordinary things.” Indeed.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 60 mm — 1/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos
“For Sale. Needs Some TLC”
Wow! I had always dreamed of finding such and living in the ‘Inaka’, preferably around Kyoto (spent most of my tie in Aichi). Bet that woudl go for a song.
“I’d love to find the owner and get permission.” – and make him an offer perhaps?! Instant garden – I think I spy Nandina (nanten) berries, and it’s all set up for satellite TV, what more could you want?
Other’s wouldn’t have hesitated to enter … I was quite surprised to read in several blogs about the new hobby many people in Japan seem to have now, doing haikyo, which means to explore abandoned places (see here for example: http://www.wordpress.tokyotimes.org/?p=2644).
A big hello from Germany,
Julia
Frankly, in that situation (a whole town abandoned), I’d probably go in as well, with the same attitude as the author of the post you linked to (he writes on the doctor’s-office post: “I feel like there’s an unwritten rule that nothing should be moved or meddled with in these places.). —Jeffrey
He would probably want his mother to come over and bring her tools. She can see “PoTENtial” (private family joke) in nearly anything. It does look like a nice setting, but Jeff didn ‘t show the view from the house or the proximity to the road. It didn’t appear to be beyond reclaiming, but maybe rehabbing isn’t as popular there as in the states.
I cant understand why it would be abandoned in a country where land is so valuable. There has to be story here..wish we knew what it was. Jeff, why don’t you do some sleuthing in your spare time? (Yes, I KNOW there is very little open between 2 and 4 in the morning, but you could at leat try.) But an interesting post, dear.Love, Mom
Have you ever returned there?
No, I don’t get that far out very often. But it’s within 20 minutes of this place that I’ll visit in the fall, so perhaps I should swing by again… —Jeffrey