Four centuries ago, Ishikawa Prefecture, centered around the city of Kanazawa, boasted one of Japan’s foremost economic powers. Its prosperity at the time rivaled that of Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto, making it a hub for the preservation of many traditional crafts. Among these, gold leaf production in Kanazawa has a long history, with the city now responsible for 99% of Japan’s gold leaf manufacturing.
This project is situated adjacent to a highway parking area near Kanazawa City, incorporating a product hall that showcases Kanazawa’s renowned goods along with public restroom facilities. The building’s facade draws inspiration from the samurai residences of Kanazawa, featuring a simple two-story arrangement of wooden and black panels, aiming for a timeless design that resists fading over the years.
The approach to the project’s feature space, the restroom, adopts a tense composition with a black base. Inside, the restroom is enveloped in gold leaf, creating a golden space. Approximately 3,000 gold leaf tiles (200mm square) adorn the space, finished using the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage-listed “Edged Gold Leaf” technique. This technique is not only applied to the wall tiles but also to the toilet fixtures, enhancing the rest stop experience with a touch of Kanazawa’s traditional culture and creating a memorable, elegant, and rare experience.
The interior, with its black-based color scheme, is designed to highlight the beauty of the gold leaf tiles through lighting, creating the illusion of golden rooms floating in a pitch-black universe. Indirect lighting surrounds the individual booths to accentuate this effect.
The “Edged Gold Leaf” technique, employing hand-made Japanese paper on the gold-beating paper, has remained unchanged for approximately 400 years. In 2020, it was recognized as one of the “Techniques of Traditional Architecture Craftsmen” and registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, underlining its indispensable role in the restoration of National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties.