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A Contemporary Japanese Interior on the Grounds of a Shinto Shrine

Interior of a room with wooden and metallic walls, featuring a small stool with a cloth bundle.
A wooden wall with a metal coat rack holding a purple flower arrangement, a white object, and a beige handbag hanging from a strap.
Wooden hallway leading to a cozy living room with a sofa, table with a vase, and shoji screens.
A bathroom shelf with a small brown bowl, a candle, and a black vase holding white anthurium flowers. A mirror and an Aesop hand soap bottle are visible in the background.
View of a bathroom seen through a partially open wooden door, showing a sink with a white towel hanging over it, tiled wall, and wooden and stone flooring.
Bathroom with a large marble sink, a mirror, and decorative plants, illuminated by two wall lights.
A spa room with a dark brown soaking tub, a white towel hanging on the tub, a wooden bucket with a ladle, and stone tiled walls and floor.
A round, brown textured bathtub with a white towel hanging over its side, set against beige and gray stone tiled walls.
Two modern white wall sconces mounted on a tiled wall.
Bathroom sink with a marble countertop, two brushed metal faucets, and textured gray tile walls with wall-mounted lights and grab bars.
Interior of a room with wooden flooring and ceiling, a beige wall, a shoji-style sliding door on the left, a small wooden shelf with a black vase and branches, and a blue and gray patterned couch.
A small bedroom with wooden walls and shoji screens on the wall and ceiling, a bed with white bedding, and a pair of black slippers on the wooden floor.
A bedroom with a mural on the wall featuring swans, a tree, and bats, with a wooden headboard and traditional Japanese-style lighting.
Interior of a room with a circular stained glass window depicting a person in traditional attire, trees, and branches, a wood-paneled ceiling, and a mixed-pattern bed frame against a yellow wall.
Round wooden dining table set with two beige cups, a beige plate with a green apple, striped napkin, fork and knife, and a basket of green pears in a dining room with yellow walls, shoji sliding door, and wooden ceiling and floor.
A cozy dining area with a round wooden table set for two, four chairs with woven seats, and a small resting area with a cushion and pillow, surrounded by warm yellow walls, a large paper lantern hanging from the ceiling, a stained glass window with a
Dining area with a round wooden table set with white cups and a woven basket, surrounded by four black and rattan chairs, illuminated by a paper lantern hanging from the ceiling, with a shoji screen and wooden bench against a yellow wall.
Small kitchen corner with wooden cabinets, red tiled backsplash, yellow wall, and cleaning tools leaning against the wall.

Chalk Lane recently completed the renovation of a private residence within the historic Akagi Shrine precinct in Tokyo, housed in a Kuma Kengo-designed building that seamlessly bridges the spiritual and the contemporary.

This project was an exploration of balance - between tradition and modernity, texture and refinement, simplicity and depth. We reimagined the apartment’s interior to reflect the quiet elegance of Wabi-Sabi, celebrating natural materials, subtle imperfection, and the serene rhythm of daily life in Japan.

Shikkui plaster walls, oak timber floors, and handcrafted washi paper create a tactile warmth, while slimline modern furnishings introduce a refined contrast. Every element was chosen to enhance harmony and light flow - from shoji-style sliding screens that softly divide spaces, to the custom brass bathtub that offers a peaceful retreat overlooking the shrine gardens.

The result is a tranquil, high-end Japanese interior that honours its sacred setting while embracing contemporary living. It reflects Chalk Lane’s philosophy of thoughtful, enduring design - where craftsmanship, calm, and cultural sensitivity come together in perfect balance.

Follow our journey.