yinjispace

BRAND
Maana Homes
FOUNDER
Irene Chang
Hana Tsukamoto
PHOTOGRAPHY
Renee Kemps
Amy Tang
Ben Richards
Cieran Murphy
Iyeya
Mitsuru Wakabayashi
Sonny Zehnder
Iker Zuniga
WORDS
Bingyi
EDITOR
Bingyi
Collection

Once, what was scarce in the experience of travel and hospitality was material comfort, service, and the ability to reach distant places. Today, what is becoming increasingly scarce may be time, attention, and the ability to fully experience the present moment.MAANA exists between two senses of time: on one side, an increasingly fast-paced and digital modern life; on the other, the ways of living that still endure in Kyoto through machiya houses, objects, food, and craftsmanship. Irene and Hana hope to invite guests to truly immerse themselves in Kyoto’s simple, quiet, yet profound way of life.

In 2018, Irene and Hana founded Maana Homes in Kyoto, beginning with a small collection of machiya townhouses and gradually extending their approach to living into food, craft, workshops, and Maana Living. In 2026, Maana Annex is set to open, followed by the new Maana Dining concept in March 2027 and MAANA’s first hotel project, planned for 2028. As MAANA continues to evolve, Irene and Hana describe this growth in their own way: “MAANA’s focus has always been on deepening, not scaling.” Its spaces and offerings may continue to change, but the underlying concerns remain consistent, moving ever closer to everyday life through years of practice. Kyoto, throughout it all, remains the ground from which these ideas continue to grow.

Irene and Hana met in California, and their shared love of travel led them to think early on about the relationship between travel and living. During a trip to Spain, they stayed in an apartment in a local neighborhood, briefly experiencing everyday life there.That evening, sitting beneath the stars, they sketched their first idea on a napkin: could they create an experience somewhere between a home and a hotel—one that preserved the authenticity of local living while offering the comfort and convenience of modern hospitality? They also wanted to share the ways of living they had encountered and admired through their travels. This idea eventually traveled with them to Kyoto, becoming the starting point of MAANA.

Speaking of Kyoto’s influence on them, they reflect: “What first drew us in were Kyoto’s streets and natural landscapes, but what made us truly fall in love with the city was its seemingly endless layers and discoveries. Kyoto’s enduring dedication to beauty and craftsmanship revealed to us a way of life that is simple, yet deeply meaningful.” This understanding became the starting point for MAANA HOMES in 2018.

The decision to begin with Kyoto’s traditional machiya townhouses came from their deep historical and cultural connection to the city. A machiya already carries much within it. Wood, earth, paper and stone, together with the traces left by generations of living, give each house its distinct character. Working with such architecture means first understanding what is already there. Maana Kyoto, their first project, also reshaped Irene’s understanding of design.

The house retains and restores its original ceiling, window frames, and shoji screens. The former narrow kitchen was transformed into a bathroom facing a maple garden, with a bathtub made by a Shigaraki artisan placed within it. A new way of living enters the old house while following its original scale and material language.

Kyoto gradually taught them that time itself can take part in design.To experience peace within is the new luxury.

The tactile qualities of natural materials are left intact. Surfaces may remain rough and continue to change with time. Natural light moves through the rooms, while the courtyard keeps weather and season perceptible. They describe the feeling of being in such a space: “You can’t help but drop your shoulders, breathe a little deeper, and recenter.”

With Maana Kamo, the design takes on a bolder and more distinctive expression. A spacious all-black bathroom and matching black kitchen open up a different way of imagining the traditional machiya, while the remaining elements are further pared back, allowing attention to settle naturally on light, material, and the presence of the body within the space.

As MAANA’s life in Kyoto deepened, the world that had first formed around its homes gradually began to extend outward. Maana Kiyomizu marked an important step, extending the experience of MAANA’s accommodation through food and craft. Kissa Kishin brought a dining experience, while independently operated POJ Studio introduced craft from across Japan. Visitors could stay here while encountering local life through food and objects.The later arrival of Maana Atelier made this connection more tangible. In collaboration with the Kyoto Research Institute, MAANA introduced workshops around botanical tea, koji fermentation, and traditional earthen walls. Participants begin by getting to know the materials, gradually understanding the practices behind them through touch and making.

Many things now described as “traditional” began with practical uses. Machiya were homes, earthen walls formed the fabric of buildings, koji belonged to everyday food, and tea vessels accompanied daily use. Experience accumulated through living and was remembered through the body. Atelier offers a way to encounter this knowledge again. Through a screen, we can quickly understand how an earthen wall is constructed or learn the principles of fermentation. Once we actually encounter the materials, knowledge begins to acquire weight and texture.

Relationships between people have also formed gradually within these spaces. In the interview, Irene and Hana recalled one guest who left a particular impression on them.The guest stayed at MAANA and took part in an Atelier workshop. Later, he returned for dinner. That evening, two MAANA team members also came back after work with their own friends. Surprised, the guest said, “Wait, your staff work here every day and still choose to come back for dinner? They must really love it here.”

It was a small moment, yet it revealed how a place truly forms a relationship with people: often through moments that were never designed in advance. People choose to return after work, friends are naturally brought along, and the space begins to take on a life of its own. In this way, connections gradually form among guests, staff, artisans, artists, and local friends. “What we’re building isn’t just a way of life—it’s a community.”

Maana Living gradually emerged from this line of thought. In the past, MAANA collaborated with POJ Studio to bring the work of different artisans into its spaces. As this collaboration entered a new stage, MAANA began to establish its own Living space, bringing together artists, craftspeople, and antique collectors they had come to know over the years.

Irene and Hana describe the space through a simple, familiar analogy:“We’ve always wanted Maana to feel like staying at a best friend’s house... Maana Living then is like the living room.”

People can linger here, touch and use the objects, and meet the makers behind them. For MAANA, these pieces are connected to the artists’ ways of living and will, in turn, enter someone else’s life. Living therefore continues the original idea of “home” behind Homes, only with a wider boundary.

An object cannot preserve an entire journey. Once brought home, it simply continues to be used.Perhaps on an ordinary morning, a cup brought back from Kyoto is picked up again, and someone sits down to finish it slowly. In moments like these, experiences of time, use, and perception continue to unfold./p>

In the future, MAANA may extend beyond Kyoto, but what Irene and Hana value will remain unchanged: to live simply, to learn from the enduring wisdom of craftspeople and elders, and to maintain their own rhythm and inner grounding amid change and uncertainty.

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