A century-old Kyomachiya renovated
by an American architect.
The Tozando Shogoin Store is housed in a renovated Kyomachiya, a traditional Kyoto townhouse that is over a century old.
While preserving the unique essence of Kyomachiya architecture, the store was designed with the theme: “Bringing the Japanese sword, a symbol of the samurai spirit, closer as an art form.”
This vision was realized by Jeffrey Moussas, an American architect residing in Kyoto. Inspired by the beauty of the city, Jeffrey has renovated numerous traditional houses throughout his career.
Recognizing his deep passion for Kyoto, we entrusted him with the entire process of designing, planning, and renovating the Shogoin Store.
To maintain the historical integrity of the space, original beams were preserved, and wooden planks were repurposed into stairs. The result is a stunning designer shop that seamlessly blends “the traditional beauty of Japan” with “the refined aesthetics of the West.” Among his many projects, Jeffrey himself considers this store one of his finest works.
Geoffrey P. Moussas
Jeffrey was involved in every aspect of the project, from design and planning to interior construction, creating a stunning designer shop where the “traditional beauty of Japan” and the “refined aesthetics of the West” harmoniously blend.
He himself has called this one of his finest works among his many projects, resulting in a truly unique store unlike any other.
Geoffrey P. Moussas
An architect, Mr. Moussas earned his Master’s degree in Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1993. After working as an assistant lecturer at Waseda University in Tokyo and gaining experience at the offices of renowned architects such as Yoshio Taniguchi and Fumihiko Maki, he trained in traditional Japanese architecture at Nakamura Sotoji Komuten in Kyoto. In 2001, he established Design 1st near Kyoto’s Sanjo Street, specializing in the renovation of kyo-machiya townhouses and sukiya-style buildings. He has also appeared on the popular TV program Before & After.