These Wooden Homes Are Where We Want to Stay on Our Next Trip to Kyoto

Meet Hana Tsukamoto, co-founder of Maana Homes and POJ Studio, both of which beautifully preserve Japanese traditions, crafts and livelihoods in Kyoto. 

THE FIRST INKLING OF Hana Tsukamoto’s entrepreneurial life came during a holiday in Spain in 2016. Just a year before, she had quit her job as an art director in New York to return to Japan to care for her ailing mother. “I didn’t think much about it, I had to go,” says the co-founder of Maana Homes and POJ Studio, businesses in hospitality and retail that she established in the last six years.  

A single mother and a serial entrepreneur, Hana’s mother was different from the typical Japanese woman. “I grew up in a restaurant, which was one of my mom’s businesses. She always wanted to have fun and I think that’s why she kept on starting various ventures.” Hana is clear about her mother’s influence on her life and career, saying that she gave her the freedom to pursue what she wanted and instilled a sense of boldness and adventure.  

After her mother’s passing, Hana embarked on a three-week trip to Spain and Portugal with Irene Chang, the first friend she made when she moved to the U.S. as a teenager. Flitting through hotels and Airbnbs, they joked about how they could do better—not a stretch given Hana’s creative expertise and Irene’s work as a hospitality interior designer. Several conversations and a sketch on a tissue later, they decided to create “elevated Airbnbs” that people like themselves would love to book. 

The general idea was there, but they didn’t know where to start. It wasn’t until Hana read a Dezeen article featuring architect Uoya Shigenori’s work on restoring machiya (wooden townhouses) in Kyoto that the spark was lit. “I’m Japanese but I didn’t know a lot about machiya or traditional crafts then.” 

Hana reached out to Shigenori-san and in less than two weeks she was face-to-face with him in Kyoto; he later became instrumental in setting up the foundation for Maana Homes. In 2017, Hana and Irene co-founded a business in Japan and bought four machiyas in Kyoto, a city neither of them had lived in before. “I just went for it. That’s how I roll,” she says with a laugh.  

Maana’s mission is to create soulful spaces that introduce travellers to the beauty of a machiya without having to compromise on modern amenities. They started with Maana Kyoto and Maana Kamo, “machiya homes” that showcase beauty in simplicity. Kyoto was in the midst of a luxury hotel boom when they opened, but design-led places that seamlessly bridge old and new were in short supply. We wanted to have vacation homes with a personality as well as a standard,” says Hana. “The worst is to be a forgettable brand.”  

In late 2022, they launched their most ambitious project yet: Maana Kiyomizu, which also houses a restaurant and a boutique. Hana is still surprised at the overwhelmingly positive response, with the homes being solidly booked out. 

The longer Hana spent in Kyoto, the more she immersed herself in the world of Japanese crafts. She frequently had conversations about the future of crafts with another friend, Tina Koyama, who, like her, was living between New York and Kyoto at first then made the jump to move to Japan full-time in 2019. 

Their parallel lives and shared interests resulted in the establishment of POJ Studio in 2020, a brand that spotlights authentic Japanese craftsmanship. Featuring pieces from various master artisans around Japan, POJ Studio allows the ordinary person to develop an appreciation for centuries-old traditions. 

POJ Studio’s craft kits became a hit when they launched during the pandemic. From kintsugi kits, showcasing the art of repairing broken pieces with gold lacquer, to paper lantern kits that help novice makers learn the trade in an hour, the DIY kits offer a portal to the past but are also a way to relish the present. “I think people enjoy slowing down during the making process.” 

While hospitality and retail seem to be completely different businesses, at their core is preserving history and craft, as well as engaging the new generation. “I’d like to think that Maana shows what a machiya can be, while POJ Studio helps people understand crafts and maybe inspire them to become apprentices one day.” 

It seems that just like her mother, Hana is in it for the fun, roller-coaster ride of being a creative entrepreneur. “I love meeting different people every day and having all these varied experiences. It’s so rewarding to learn so much despite the challenges. It’s never dull.” 

For Hana Tsukamoto’s insider’s guide to Kyoto, watch the video here. 

All mages courtesy of Maana Homes.

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