Japan isn't especially known for valuing its old buildings. The combination of climate, frequent earthquakes, relative scarcity of land and a push to modernise over the last 150 years has resulted in buildings being demolished and rebuilt frequently, especially in cities. This was exacerbated by the destruction of war and the post-war rebuilding boom which, out of necessity, was often done cheaply and with little planning control.

So it is quite rare to find mid-century architecture that still survives. Even rarer to be able to rent it for a holiday.

Fortunately, we have been able to do just that through personal contacts (one advantage of my wife being Japanese), renting a house in the Shibuya district of Tokyo for a week or two over the last few years. I don't know much about the history of the house, other than it having been in the family since it was built. I assume that it was designed and built as a one-off, as it incorporates many mid-century features that would have been expensive to build. It is now owned by the next generation of the family, who also run a nearby business.

The house is far from perfect, and in places looks quite worn, but that is part of its charm and it has also allowed the house to keep many of its original features. Inside it is clean (apart from years of wear) and spacious, and includes just enough modernity to make it very comfortable - in particular air conditioning (a necessity in Japan) and modern plumbing. If I could afford it (and the owners would sell it), I'd buy the house right now. We can dream.

The house was available on airbnb, but it seems it's no longer listed. Fortunately I still have the listing, so in addition to my photos that I've used for this article, here's a gallery of the owners (much more professional) photos, showing the house without all our clutter:

So, we present a photo essay of the house. Not much text, but plenty of photos...

The Outside.

The house sits at the top of a wide passageway leading up from the road, with multiple steps leading up to it. The house is 3 storeys, but as it sits against a hill the ground floor is really just the entrance.

The first floor features a balcony off the living room, with full-width windows across the front. The style is mid-century but with a Japanese flavour.

As you reach the house it is fronted by a metal fence and gate, with a tiled wall to one side. Set into the wall is a beautiful mid-century post box and bell button that shows the family name. I believe that is also a light at the bottom to illuminate the path. This is plastic and looks original, quite a testament to the quality of materials used.

As you pass through the gate you enter the front courtyard, which is tiled to match the front wall, and with quarry tiles on the floor. The door and windows are solid wood framed, and the windows have vertical wooden spars across the front, which adds some beautiful mid-century character and aids privacy. There's even a tap on the front so you can water the flower beds. The front 'porch' sits under the first floor balcony.

The entrance is quite large, with green-tiled walls to match those outside. This gives a sense of continuity and shows the thought that went into the house design. The floor tiles also match the outside. The ceiling is some sort of fibre board with a paint-fleck finish.

There is a traditional Japanese Genkan just inside the front door, where you remove your shoes. A really nice feature is the long shoe cupboard along the back wall, with purpose-built storage for umbrellas that drains onto the tiled Genkan.

Ahead of you is the hallway and stairs up to the first floor. The area beyond the Genkan is solid wood floor - don't put your shoes there! The walls of the staircase are some sort of wood-effect formica - probably not something you'd choose now, but I assume it's original, and obviously hard-wearing. The stairs are carpeted, which isn't common in Japan and shows a western influence. The staircase is open, inviting you up to the main part of the house.

We'll continue further inside the house in Part 2.

Here's a gallery of the photos so far - click on the images to expand them: