Amanda Gunawan’s Japan

AMANDA GUNAWAN HAS BEEN TO Japan over 20 times since 2004, reflecting her love for the country. “I’ve been to many parts of Kyushu and Hokkaido, all of Ishikawa, Nagano, Aomori, Iwate, Akita, Gifu, and of course, all the main cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Sapporo, Kobe, Yokohama and Nagoya. Honestly, there are too many to list. I’m running out of prefectures to visit,” says the architectural designer, half in jest.

Born in Indonesia, Gunawan grew up in Singapore but moved to Los Angeles to study architecture in Southern California Institute of Architecture. Together with architect Joel Wong, she started OWIU Design in 2018. The name, an acronym of “the only way is up”, embodies their belief that spaces should not just be built to last, but also to evolve.

The firm is young but has an impressive portfolio. Together with ADDP Architects, it was chosen to design the conceptual Singapore Architect Pavilion in 2020. Works include the LA home renovation of actor Henry Golding, and the house of marketing expert and former brand director of Momofuku, Sue Chan.

In Singapore, OWIU Design is behind the interiors of several F&B establishments, including Rappu Handroll Bar, and Ms Maria & Mr Singh. There is also OWIU Goods – a ceramics brand that started as a staff-bonding activity but is now a full-fledged business. OWIU Design is a design-and-build company comprising both architects and contractors, meaning that it controls all aspects of a project from paper to realisation.

In March, OWIU Goods released a travel guide on Japan based on places visited during a weeklong office trip earlier this year. From the Shiraito Falls in Karuizawa and a moss garden in Komatsu, to intimate ryokans, craft galleries as well as visiting Wajima to find out that it takes 124 steps to make each Wajima Nuri (lacquerware), the easy-reading tome with beautiful photographs is a heartfelt tribute to the Land of the Rising Sun. It can be purchased from OWIU Goods’ website, in Daikanyama T-Site Tsutaya in Tokyo and soon, Book Bar in Singapore.

When asked to name one unique encounter in Japan, Gunawan ponders: “All my trips to Japan have been special in their own ways. On my last trip in April, one of the most special moments was going to a beautiful onsen on the top of the hill at Iya Valley in Tokushima Prefecture. It was so unassuming. We had to take a tram up. The place was so private and right smack in nature.”

A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU

Friday, 2 pm

Lifestyle

Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.

Sign Up

Sign Up

Another special memory was visiting a ceramics town in Tobe in Ehime Prefecture, and interacting with the craftsmen whose family had been working on their techniques for generations. Listening to their stories and seeing how proud they were of their legacies were poignant moments, Gunawan adds.

Trips such as these inspire both her life philosophy and work. For example, the office trip inspired the OWIU Goods’ Japan collection; the country’s serene bamboo forests and picturesque waterfalls are expressed in the tableware’s indigo and green tea-coloured glazes. As an architect, Gunawan draws many ideas from Japan’s rich craft culture and progressive architecture. “We travel around and meet craftsmen, trying to incorporate their work into our projects as much as we can,” she shares.

One such project is the refurbishment of a house in LA’s Silver Lake district. The mid-century modern house designed in 1926 by American architect Carl Maston was given a soulful update with washi paper shoji screens, objects sourced from Japan, Isamu Noguchi’s paper lanterns and a wellness corner framed by local kiln-dried douglas fir wood.

SEE ALSO

Room with a mountain view

Gunawan’s next trip to Japan will be to Niigata in fall this year. The firm is also looking to launch its first furniture collection. As for another book, Gunawan is not leaving out that option. “All my thoughts and emotions will need an outlet somehow,” she enthuses. Here, she highlights and comments on 10 places mentioned in the current book titled OWIU Goods: Japan Travel Guide.

1. Rust Sabi

The beautiful tea- and snack-omakase in Kyoto can only be visited via booking. Come with a full stomach because this isn’t a meal on its own. It is a modern take on a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and the experience is both meditative and thought-provoking. 

2. Plat Home 

This is my favourite restaurant in Kanazawa. It’s a farm- and sea-to-table concept with casual and yummy food that you want to eat all the time. The menu changes according to chef Ponta Okagawa’s mood and the seasons. This is the place to learn about Kanazawa’s seasonal produce, have a casual conversation with the chef and be blown away by how simple, family-style food can be so delicious.

3. Tama Art University Library

Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito, this building in a Tokyo suburb is an architectural marvel and a must-visit. There is a lot of walking involved so don’t go on a day when the weather isn’t good.

4. Sunny Hills in Omotesando

Located in the middle of Omotesando, Sunny Hills is the perfect place to take a quick rest amidst all the walking. Imagine a modern teahouse in every sense of the word; it’s a wooden contraption by Kengo Kuma & Associates, and is as beautiful as it is well constructed.

5. Breakfast Club

This spot in Nakameguro, Tokyo, has what I would deem the best carrot cake in the world. One of my missions in life is to try as many carrot cakes as I can, and this is my favourite so far. Please go in the morning as they only make one whole cake for the whole day.

6. Yakumo Saryo

This is a teahouse and kaiseki restaurant in Meguro, Tokyo, that I go to every time I visit Japan. Go during lunch so that you can see the place during the day as well as spend a good amount of time there.

7. Tofukuji

In my humble opinion, Tofukuji is one of the most beautiful temples in Kyoto. Come during spring or fall because this place is beautifully decked with maple trees. It is home to the famous rock gardens by the master Shigemori Mirei, who was a radical and completely shaped the climate of rock gardens during his time.

8. Sahsya Kanetanaka

This is a restaurant in Aoyama right smack in central Tokyo designed by Hiroshi Sugimoto. The omakase meal is both beautiful to look at and delicious. Come during the day and enjoy your meal in the beautiful natural light (from a window) facing a garden.

9. Beniya Mukayu

This is my favourite ryokan of all time, located in Ishikawa Prefecture. It has all that you want in a ryokan, but also an art element as it houses art installations by renowned artists and designers like Kenya Hara. I also had one of my best ryokan meals there.

10. Kawai Kanjiro’s House

Located in Kyoto, the house of (famous) potter Kawai Kanjiro is an attraction that is often missed. It is interesting to see the place that he lived in and to observe how his pottery evolved over the years. Even if you have little knowledge of pottery, there’s a lot to see and appreciate here.