Though home to one of Japan’s largest coastal industrial zones, Yokkaichi is also rich in nature, local craft, and old post-town culture. This time, we visit a BESS home set within Mie’s rural landscape, where a local family of four lives surrounded by fields and mountain views. Beneath the hills, the house’s distinctive pitched roof stands quietly against the scenery.
Joining PAPERSKY editor-in-chief Lucas is local photographer and filmmaker Ryuta Iwasaki. On a calm Sunday morning, we wonder what kind of family time awaits inside.
Visitors：Lucas B.B. (Editor-in-Chief of PAPERSKY), Ryuta Iwasaki — filmmaker and visual creator based between Kanagawa and Mie
Hosts：Shunki Kawamura , Runa Kawamura, Nanata, and Oto — a family of four living in Yokkaichi and owners of the BESS home “G-LOG Natsu”
1. A Deep Love for BESS
Heading west from central Yokkaichi and further inland, the cityscape gradually gives way to rolling countryside. About an hour later, we arrive at the Kawamura family home, where a cheerful family of four welcomes us with easy smiles.
Lucas: “Yokkaichi feels so lively in the center, but out here everything moves at a much slower pace. You can even see the Suzuka Seven Mountains (a group of seven peaks stretching along the border between Mie and Shiga prefectures) in the distance. It’s an incredible landscape.”
Shunki: “Exactly. We fell in love with this view straight away when we were looking for land. One day, we’d love to build a wooden deck out back so we can sit and really take in the Suzuka Seven Mountains.”
Lucas: “How amazing, your own private lookout. You must be pretty handy with DIY, too.”
Shunki: “I wouldn’t say I’m great at it, but I love making things. I’ve built shelves around the house, sometimes even remade them into something else entirely. Lately, I’ve been thinking about adding a sauna with a view of the mountains. The longer we live here, the more ideas we have — and the more we shape the space ourselves. It’s a wooden house, so even the marks left by nails or tools start to feel part of the woodwork.”
Ryuta Iwasaki: “A wooden house really does make you want to start DIY projects, doesn’t it? I’ve always been drawn to wooden homes myself. Is it comfortable to live in?”
Shunki: “It really is hard to beat. When we’re inside, there’s always this faint scent of wood in the air. It’s incredibly relaxing, almost makes you want to come home the moment you step outside. Even when we travel with the kids, they often end up saying, ‘I want to go home’ (laughs).”
Runa Kawamura: “It’s been about five years since we had it built, but it’s still amazing that you can smell the wood.”
Lucas: “So everyone in the family is really happy living here, then?”
Shunki: “Yeah, we’re really happy with everything here.”
Runa: “Yeah, we’re loving every day.”
Lucas: “Runa, what do you like most about the house?”
Runa: “Definitely the triangular roof. I just love it. And the grey exterior too. The first time I saw it at LOGWAY, I knew this was it.”
Lucas: “s there a spot in the house that’s your favorite?”
Runa: “The windows. I love all of them, but especially the one in the kitchen. I asked BESS if we could have a window here. It lets in so much light, and I can look out at the scenery too. It’s one of my favorite spots in the house.”
Lucas: “From the moment we met, your love for BESS really came through (laughs). What made you decide on a BESS home?”
Shunki: “My dad has always been a big BESS fan, so when I was a kid he used to take me to BESS LOGWAY all the time. I just naturally felt that if I ever had my own house built, it would have to be BESS. He loved camping and skiing, so maybe that’s why he was drawn to these homes in the first place.”
Lucas: “That’s a rare one! So did your dad end up having a BESS home built too?”
Shunki: “No, not quite. But he lives nearby, so he often comes over to hang out. We’ll do DIY together, split firewood, that kind of thing. I think he’s stoked that we settled on this house.”
Runa: “Even before we got married, we used to go on dates to LOGWAY. We’d grab lunch, head there, and even join the experience sessions where you can eat inside the houses. I was drawn in straight away, the relaxed, stylish feel, the warmth of the wood, it just clicked for me.”
Ryuta: “So you’d basically already decided on a BESS home even before you got married?”
Runa: “Yes, pretty much (laughs). We did look at other house builders, but honestly, nothing else really felt right.”
Shunki: “We were also almost set on the ‘G-LOG Natsu’, so there really wasn’t much to think about.”
Ryuta: “Hearing you talk like this is making me want to live in a BESS home myself. It’s my first time stepping inside one today, but I can kind of see why you both fell for it at first sight.”
Lucas: “If you both love BESS that much, the kids might well end up living in a BESS home too one day. Three generations of BESS fans is pretty amazing!”
Shunki: “By the time the kids grow up, there’ll probably be new BESS models out, so I might end up recommending one to them. I like the idea of them choosing to live in a BESS home too.”
Lucas: “Definitely staunch BESS fans, then!” (laughs).
2. Good&New: A Ritual for Closer Family Time
Lucas: “Has living here changed the way you feel day to day at all?”
Runa: “I think so. I feel a lot calmer these days. Maybe that’s thanks to the aroma of the wood, too.”
Ryuta: “I’ve always been drawn to old traditional homes, and lately I’ve been looking at a few. But maybe what I really love is wooden houses. There’s a warmth to them that’s hard to beat.”
Lucas: “Maybe living in a wooden home makes you happier. Runa, when do you feel happiest here?”
Runa: “Hmm… since moving here, we spend a lot more time together around the house. The four of us are always moving from room to room together, hanging out in a little group (laughs).”
Lucas: “That’s kind of adorable.”
Ryuta: “Sounds like a pretty tight little unit (laughs).”
Runa: “Yeah, I guess we are (laughs). We also have this daily ritual where everyone shares the happiest thing that happened to them in the past 24 hours. It’s a communication exercise called ‘Good&New’, and I think that’s when I feel happiest.”
Lucas: “What kind of things do the kids talk about?”
Runa: “Things like, ‘I was happy Dad picked me up today,’ or ‘Dinner was really good tonight.’”
Lucas: “That’s the best. Putting those positive moments into words probably makes them feel even bigger. What about you, Shunki?”
Shunki: “Of course, my favorite moments are when we’re all together as a family. But I also love my hobby room. I’ve got a room upstairs that’s basically my own space, filled with clothes, figures, and camping gear I like to collect and display. Sometimes I’ll just stand there looking around with a grin on my face. Even when I have no reason to go in, I’ll peek inside and quietly go, ‘Yep… nice,’ and that’s when I feel happiest.”
Ryuta: “I know exactly what you mean. Fishing’s both my hobby and my job, and just having my rods lined up where I can see them gets my imagination going. I’ll start thinking, ‘Where should I go next? Which rod should I use? What am I going to catch?’ I really love that time. For me, home is a place where ideas and motivation start to build. So I totally get that feeling of quietly going, ‘Yep… nice.’ A home like this lets you recharge, reset, and feel ready to take on the next day again.”
Lucas: “That’s such a great thing about BESS homes. We’ve met so many people who display the things they love, and over time it all just becomes part of the house. Little by little, the place starts to feel completely like them.”
Shunki: “Another moment that makes me happy is leaving for work and coming home. I head out pretty early, around 6: 30 in the morning, but the kids still wake up just to say goodbye to me. And when I get home, everyone’s there waiting to welcome me back. Those moments really stay with me.”
Runa: “I think the layout of the house plays a big part too. The moment you open the front door, you’re right there in the living room.”
Lucas: “You know right away when someone comes home. I love how open BESS houses feel like that.”
3. Home as the Foundation for a Happy Family
Once the conversation got flowing, it was time for the customary afternoon sweets. Ryuta had brought baked treats from Juwado, a small confectionery in Taki that only opens a few times each month and has become something of a local favourite. Made with generous amounts of regional ingredients, the pastries blend Japanese and Western influences in playful, original ways, creations dreamed up by the shop’s former pâtissier owner. With sweets spread across the table, the conversation kept flowing naturally.
Lucas: “I don’t really know the Yokkaichi area that well. Ryuta, what’s your take on it?”
Ryuta: “It’s probably the biggest conurbation in Mie, but at the same time you’re surrounded by incredible scenery, from the peaks of the Suzuka mountain range to valleys, coastline, and tea fields. There’s plenty to do outdoors too, fishing, hiking, days by the sea. And with the expressway right by Yokkaichi Interchange, it’s easy to get around, so it’s a really convenient place to live.”
Shunki: “Yeah, and people here are really warm too. It has the convenience of a city, but people still treat each other with that kind of warmth you only really get in the countryside.”
Lucas: “Are you involved in the local community much?”
Shunki: “Yeah. Once or twice a year, I help organise local events around here. The idea is to work with people who want to try or create something, and help make it happen together. Right now it’s all volunteer-based, but eventually I’d love for it to grow into a small business of some kind.”
Lucas: “That’s interesting. Where do you think that motivation comes from?”
Shunki: “Part of it is wanting to bring more energy to Yokkaichi, but more than anything, I just want to see a smile on people’s faces. Having something outside my day job that I genuinely want to do feels really important to me.”
Lucas: “With more people like that in Yokkaichi, it’s only going to keep picking up.”
Ryuta: “Listening to you all, it just feels like everything’s so full and happy!”
Shunki: “My wife’s influence might be a big part of it. I wasn’t always a glass-half-full kind of guy, but being with her has made me start seeing things more positively.”
Ryuta: “I guess when you’ve got something you love doing outside of work, it naturally starts to make you feel more positive over time.”
Lucas: “Runa, even just meeting you for the first time, I can feel your lust for life (laughs). Is there anything you’re hoping to do next?”
Runa: “What I liked about this land was the open view and how spacious it is. I wanted a large plot because I was hoping to build the hair salon I run right on the property.”
Lucas: “That’s really nice. When your work is that close to home, I bet it just brings the family even closer together.”
Shunki: “I think so too.”
Lucas: “Thanks for sharing all of that today. I’ve really felt the happiness coming through. One last question though, what exactly does a home mean to you both?”
Runa: “I feel like the house is part of the family. We’re living life together, growing older together. Not just part of the family, really, more like a companion.”
Lucas: “So it’s really an essential piece of building a happy life. Shunki, how about you?”
Shunki: “For me, home is basically my hobby. I look forward to coming back, and on days off I’d honestly rather just stay home. The house itself is my hobby at this point, I like it that much.”
BESS home
https://www.bess.jp