Tokyo Little House takes inspiration from the picture book The Little House. Our house, sandwiched between the skyscrapers of the city, reminded us of the little house in the book.
Written by American author Virginia Lee Burton in 1943, the story of The Little House begins with a small house in a pasture atop a field. Gradually roads are built, the city follows, and soon high-rises and highways loom over the little house. Eventually the resident moves away, but the story has a happy ending when the house is moved to the countryside once again.
This story distills the urban transformation of the 20th century: technological progress brought subways, highways, and skyscrapers, but the little house lost its place in the city. This history was repeated in postwar Tokyo, but we never felt that our house had lost its place.
Our little house has stood quietly as Tokyo emerged from the darkness of ruins into the glow of neon lights. We preserved this place in the hope that its memory could serve as a medium to share glimpses of life in the city of the past with those who visit and call it home today.