OYA GRAND CENTER (formerly Yamamoto-en) was once owned by Mr. Yamamoto, a stonemason.

Having gazed upon this site daily, only he could have designed this building.

Following his example, we too considered what we could achieve with minimal intervention, preserving the land's inherent charm as much as possible.

We began by uncovering what could be utilized, as though excavating an archaeological site.

At present, the vegetation here is dominated by vines such as kudzu, wisteria, and akebia, covering the entire area.

At some point in the past, the surrounding trees were felled, allowing light to flood in and enabling these vines to proliferate.

To temper the vigor of these plants, deciduous sun-trees are ideally suited; if such trees as Japanese hackberry and Japanese ash are cultivated over time, they will form the forest's framework.

Yet the ground beneath is a bed of Oya stone (pumice-tuff). 

Trees grown in nursery fields do not readily take root and thrive here. For this reason, we made a conscious effort to preserve as many naturally sprouted saplings as possible—those emerging from thickets and grasslands of their own accord.

As these trees mature and cast shade, the vines will gradually wither away. With human care that respects nature, the site will gradually stabilize.

The only alteration we made was to use the abundant Oya stone found on this land to add artificial edgings and refine the pathways.

This place, which now appears settled, will likely become overgrown again by this summer.

How much should be left untouched, and how much should be altered?

While humbly engaging in an open dialogue with nature, we wish to continue our relationship with this land.