Soba Restaurant At Togakushi Shrine

Abstract

Togakushi Shrine is one of the most significant sacred places in Japan. It is not only at the center of the region but also forms the heart of the Shinto religion, which considers Mount Togakushi sacred. The extreme verticality of the mountain stands in stark contrast to the horizontality of the approach to the shrine, a straight path with a Japanese noodle restaurant at its beginning. Kuma was commissioned by the Shrine authorities to design a new facility to replace the old restaurant, which was fast deteriorating.