Yōkai SOHO 4.03

Yōkai SOHO is a recycled building that accommodates an art gallery, an event space/bar, a pop-up shop, a collective working space and Small Offices/Home Offices (SOHO).

Yōkai SOHO is located on the outskirts of Kitano Tenmangū shrine, in a commercial area of retail shops (shōtengai 商店街) leading to the famous Yōkai Street. In this area, which was the northwestern entrance to Kyoto city in the Heian period (8th century), the people of Kyoto had the habit to abandon their used objects. These objects eventually transformed into funny creatures (yōkai 妖怪), and then entered back into the city, thus giving birth to a fantastic folklore; literary and artistic descriptions. A decage ago, in 2005, following this ancient history, the merchants of Ichijō street (Old Kyoto’s first avenue) decided to decorate their frontage with sculptures related to these creatures, and to create a Yōkai street.

Yōkai SOHO was born from this concept of transformation and recycling. The building, over its lifespan, has played host to a series of different functions including a supermarket, a bread factory and offices. Before becoming a 5 floors steel and concrete high building, it was a wooden ancient inn, a ryokan 旅館, and its backstreet was a pleasure area.

Designed and renovated by architects and scholars specializing in Japanese architecture, Yōkai SOHO combines different activities:
- The entrance floor (1F) is partially occupied, during daytime, by a bike tour shop (Noru.cc).
On week-ends, the bar opens for art and music events. It serves Kyoto local craft beers, wines and champagnes, and promotes art creation.
- The second floor (2F) hosts a 4 meters high ceiling art gallery and event space, plus rental offices and a co-working space (Collective).
- The upper floors (3-5F) are rental Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) lofts, one per floor. These lofts are fully equipped with a working space, crafted tatami rooms, terrace gardens, all accessible by elevator. They feature an interpretation of traditional machiya 町家 (townhouse) architecture combined with a contemporary loft atmosphere.
- The roof top is a private space for Yōkai and Collective members.