PARTNERSHIP & GOVENANCE: Shunyoso is a home for quadripartite stakeholders that help us achieve our mission and goals. About 75% of the property is owned privately by Mr. Masaru Takayama and his family as well as a not-for-profit Shunyoso Cultural Preservation Society comprising companies and individuals that support the cause of preserving Shunyoso, not to mention our goodwill volunteers and the local community that help maintain the property. The rest, the detached Western house and a portion of Joju-den quarter for the tea ceremony and restaurant use are supported by the donation and the management of Spirit of Japan Travel, a fully-licensed travel agency registered in Japan. At least three-quarters of the property must be under the private ownership in order to avoid excessive fire hazards preparation. It means that we would have needed to make holes or even tear down the earth walls to install wiring, sprinklers, and bright exit signs that ruin the cultural property itself. Thus we have made our decision to establish a quadripartite partnership among 1) owners 2) NGO 3) volunteers and locals 4)private sector to ensure healthy operation of Shunyoso.
Though we are a small operator, we underline the importance of corporate governance. We are very conscious of equal and local employment regardless of any diversity. We are transparent and fair on the information we disseminate and market particularly on the human rights, free from child labor, and seek improvement on accessibility for all, ensuring the safety and minimizing any risks to both of our employees and guests. We conduct periodic survey both written and oral including our sustainability practices to both of our employees and guests.
ENVIRONMENT: We believe that in order to preserve cultural assets for future generations, sustainable operations that minimize burdens in various aspects are required. Environmental considerations are one of them. By engaging in operations that contribute to the creation of a low-carbon, recycling-oriented society, we can reduce the consumption of fossil fuels for transportation, heating, and other purposes on a global scale. In addition, industrial waste from the lumber mill and Awaji roof tile factory is recycled and converted into resources for effective use. A wood-fired boiler is used for winter heating and hot water supply in the guesthouse to limit dependence on fossil fuels. The building also makes use of fixtures and fittings from the warehouse as new washbasins and wall materials, uses fast-growing bamboo for laminated wood flooring and bar tables, landscapes using Awaji gravel and recycled roof tiles from Awaji Island, selects biodegradable shampoo, conditioner, and cleaning detergents that do not contain surfactants, uses rainwater for sprinkling, and uses a solar-powered ventilating fans, and more.
CULTURE AND LOCAL ECONOMY: Although the the island seems as one economic entity from the outside, industries such as fishing, forestry, agriculture, and dairy farming have different living environments such as working hours, seasonal variations, and other rhythms of life. It is surprising that even dialects and phrases are different when moving from mountain to sea, Nishiura (West Coast) to Higashiura (East Coast), and to a fishing village of Yura, etc.
Awaji Island is connected by bridges to Honshu and Shikoku, it is also means that the island is “bridge girders” between these large economic zones, and many pass through without making any contributions to the island. The intra-island public transportation is limited to the bus, which is relatively expensive and has limited hours and routes. The beautiful satoyama and satoumi that are the daily scenery on the island, and fresh and delicious marine and agricultural products, fruits, local beef /chicken and other foodstuffs are recognized for hundreds of years as a blessing of the land. We will take a deeper look at the region’s admirable resources, practice local employment, local production for local consumption, prioritize the use of local products, and create a variety of travel products to extend the length of stay, and use Shunyoso as a place to expand the circle of people who share these good ideas.
PRESERVATION AND RENOVATION: Repair and renovation work on Shunyoso began in October 2015, and every aspect of the building was taken care of, from the interior and exterior, to the foundation and wiring, to the garden and back yard, to the weeding on the roof. While skilled craftsmen, including temple carpenters and architects who specialize in traditional cultural properties, carried out repairs, volunteer staff helped to remove dust and dirt that had accumulated over the years, polish the fixtures, wipe the countless window panes, and tap the lattices of the shoji paper screens with brushes. The work was carried out by hand to avoid further damages. Thanks to these efforts, Shunyoso, made with the best technology and building materials at the time of construction, is being beautifully renovated. This project will continue in the future, making it more beautiful and comfortable than ever, while adding more dignity and elegance over the years.
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