all photos by Takuya Seki courtesy Maru Architects
Founded in 1870, Hanaju is a florist that has served Tokyo’s Yanaka neighborhood for over 150 years. The flower shop is located near the entrance of Yanaka Cemetery and is surrounded by traditional homes and businesses, including a headstone supplier, that harken back to older times. Just last summer, after 3 years of planning, Hanaju reopened with an outdoor garden and cafe.
Ensuring that they don’t simply paint over the accumulated years of history, architects Yohei Takano and Sachiko Morita of Maru Architects devised a plan to organically connect the various spaces by era and link them to the future. Carefully preserving and refurbishing the various structures, all built during different periods, the architects added a contemporary cafe, which is the perfect place to relax after a stroll through the cemetery.
Hanaju
7 Chome-5-27 Yanaka, Taito City, Tokyo (google map)
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