MIYA Tea House

MIYA Tea House
Permanent installation

Located in “TOMORROW FIELD in Miya”, this project sits next to Field of Stars (2023). This is a collaborative creation by architect Anna Heringer, ceramic artist Martin Rauch, plaster craftsman Nobutaka Nakasu, workshop participants, and TOMORROW.

Heringer and Rauch, both UNESCO Chairs in Sustainable Architecture, have been developing “earth-returning” works—100% natural and biodegradable structures—as a way to envision and build sustainable environments in response to human-caused climate change.

Together with Nobutaka Nakasu, a plaster craftsman active in Kyoto’s sukiya architecture, TOMORROW integrates European approaches to environmental awareness with Kyoto’s traditional building techniques. Through hands-on workshops that bring together participants of all ages and backgrounds, the project shares both the philosophy and techniques of working with earth. These workshops offer opportunities to learn both the mindset and skills behind traditional craftsmanship. The aim is to create a community tea house made of rammed earth sourced from the very ground it stands on.

Embracing the history and climate of this ancient land, and reflecting on its past exchanges with continental cultures, the team is also collaborating with ONJIUM, a Korean cultural foundation that operates a restaurant dedicated to traditional cuisine, to cultivate a new form of tea culture.

At TOMORROW FIELD in Miya, herbs and plants selected through dialogue with chefs are now being cultivated. Upon the completion of the tea house fabrication, original blends of tea made from local herbs, flowers, and fruits will be served in specially crafted tea utensils created for this project—enriching the artistic experience and deepening the overall artistic experience.

ADDRESS
249 Miya Tangocho, Kyotango

ADMISSION
Free

PARKING
Please use the nearby Takano Shrine parking lot.

OPENING HOURS
Open at all times (Please refrain from walking in the pavilion.)

Year: 2025-

(Rammed Earth Pavilion)
Material: Local soil
Art Concept: Anna Heringer, Martin Rauch, TOMORROW
Fabrication: Anna Heringer, Martin Rauch, Participants of Workshops, TOMORROW
Fabrication Supervisor: Nakasu Sakanten
Fabrication Cooperation: Omura Koumuten Harmony Life
Supervisors: Atelier Kokonoma, Mitsuhiro Kanada

(Garden)
Concept: ONJIUM, TOMORROW
Planting Cooperation: Umebachien