Kitchen of the Week: A Finely Tuned Kitchen in Kobe by a Thoughtful Japanese Workshop

A few years back we discovered the Japanese equivalent of Plain English and Henrybuilt: KitoBito (“trees and people”), a custom kitchen design company inspired by traditional Japanese techniques and—even more appealingly—made without the use of nails or screws. (For our original post, see Built to Last: Joinery Kitchens by KitoBito of Japan.) The workshop is run by Masayuki Yoneto, an expert in joinery (specifically, mortise and tenon joints), and his wife, Michiko, herself schooled in the art of fine woodworking, in the small town of Misaki in Okayama prefecture. “How comfortable it is to have a cozy place to calm down,” they say, as a motto of sorts. “Let’s make such a kitchen for ourselves and our family.” Today we’re visiting their serene Joinery Kitchen in a young couple’s new build in Kobe, artful details and expert joinery included. Let’s take a look.

Photography by Yoko Inoue, courtesy of KitoBito.

Note also the multitiered Japanese fridge at right, with separate sections that keep items like vegetables and meats at different temperatures.

Getting ready to design a kitchen? Start with our Remodeling 101 posts. For more international custom kitchens, see:

• Good Küchen: 9 German Kitchen Systems
• 15 Storage Ideas to Steal from High-End Kitchen Systems
• Bella Cucina: 8 Italian Kitchen Systems