Fujiya Hotel Maintenance and Repair
--The People Who Safeguard Architecture

The Fujiya Hotel--a Hakone landmark this year greeting its 140th anniversary--still enchants visitors today. This classic hotel features several Registered Tangible Cultural Properties among its many buildings. Through the attentive care of the hotel's maintenance and repair team, the buildings have continuously been preserved in their original appearance.
As of April 2018, the Fujiya Hotel is closed for two years for large-scale renovation--its first since its founding. Taking advantage of this, we visited the hotel to observe the maintenance and repair team at work. Seeing the range of duties they perform--everything from routine maintenance work to constructing of the garden's bridge and water wheel and the hinoki cypress bath--we were struck by how indispensable they are in their role. This exhibition tours the Fujiya Hotel's interior and exterior architecture while following the tasks of the maintenance and repair crew, stopping at times to observe past traces of repair work. The exhibition thus draws out the Fujiya's charm as a hotel lovingly maintaining its historical architecture.
Through the displays we hope you will discover that charm, as well as the skills and ingenuity of the people who maintain the hotel's hospitality spaces.
We wish to extend our warmest appreciation to the Fujiya Hotel and everyone whose efforts have made this exhibition possible.