Cafe Nenrin is located in Konan City, Shiga Prefecture, near lake Biwa. The area around lake Biwa was historically a marsh habitat featuring reeds, which were traditionally used as thatch for roofs and a lattice for earthen walls.
Cafe Nenrin features an innovative reed thatch exterior finish and an earthen plaster interior finish.
Along the exterior wall is a straw bale bench reinforced with earth plaster and finished with Kiwado's Nagomi plaster.
The following photos describe the construction of the straw bale bench:
Deconstruction of the original bench 現在のベンチの解体
Earthen plaster completely recyclable 藁スサを調整して、練り直す
Re-plaster straw bales 下塗
Earthen Plaster Brown Coat with Bamboo Baseboard 中塗と竹巾木
親子で漆喰を塗り付け・押さえ Application and compression of Kiwado's NAGOMI plaster
Kiwado's NAGOMI plaster finish with bamboo baseboard