Hermès Kyoto Takashimaya
Window Display

"House of Kyoto"

Ryu Mitarai

March 4th (Wed), 2026～

日本語　ENGLISH

Kyoto, a place where nature is both severe and abundant, has long been home to dwellings shaped by ingenuity and wisdom. In this window display, a house inspired by kake-zukuri architecture—structures extending from cliffs—appears alongside a funaya, the traditional boathouses that float above the sea. Taking these historic forms as inspiration, a new vision of Kyoto’s landscape unfolds.

From a rocky mountain rising above a sea of clouds extends the “House of the Sky,” suspended as if reaching out toward the moon. The great rock resembles the shape of a horse—or perhaps a giant horse that has turned to stone and become a mountain. In this floating house, wishes for the moon may have given birth to objects formed from stardust and fragments of rock. Bathed in moonlight, the shining objects are carried aboard a flying boat, continuing their journey toward the town of Kyoto.

In the other window appears the “House of the Sea,” floating gently upon a calm ocean formed by flowing bolts of fabric that drift like waves. In Kyoto, patterns and motifs have long carried wishes and prayers. The top tier features Seigaiha (blue ocean waves), symbolizing peace and tranquility. Below it, the Hyotan (gourd) motif represents prosperity in business, and the third tier, Yukiwa (snow circles), signifies a bountiful harvest. Together they express the richness that the sea and forests bring to Kyoto. Beneath the house, a small boat slips inside, and below that, fish and other sea creatures thrive underwater. Perhaps craftsmanship continues even within the house, where shells and seaweed seem to transform into new objects.

Today is the day of the Gion Festival. With lanterns lit, the House of the Sea sets out at last, equipped with wheels and a screw propeller, rowing toward the Kamo River.