Kasuga Mochi Whare Kawhe Kai Reka Hapanihi by Shunsuke Ohe

Kasuga Mochi Whare Kawhe Kai Reka Hapanihi by Shunsuke Ohe is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Parahi in Hoahoa Roto Whare me te Whakaaturanga Competition Category.

ParahiRoto Whare· 2026

Kasuga Mochi Whare Kawhe Kai Reka Hapanihi

by Shunsuke Ohe

Client: Shunsuke Ohe

A' Design Award Parahi Winner in Roto Whare Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #183560

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Kasuga Mochi Whare Kawhe Kai Reka Hapanihi

Ko Kasuga Mochi he whare kawhe kai reka Hapanihi kei Osaka, Hapani, i hangaia mō tētahi kamupene kua neke atu i te 80 tau te roa o tōna hītori. Ka whakawhiwhia te whare tāone whāiti ki tētahi tuakiri mārama mā te āhua o waho mā me ngā tukutuku rākau poutū. Kei roto, ka whakaatuhia e ngā pakitara me ngā tuanui te ia pai whakapae o te rākau, ā, ka honoa te mā ki ngā tae rākau, te kākāriki ngohengohe, me te karaka koara. I hoahoatia motuhaketia ngā taonga whare hanga-roto katoa, tae atu ki ngā papahono, ngā tēpu, me ngā kaute. Mā te whakatakotoranga e whakahaere te iahiko me ngā tirohanga kanohi kia noho marino, kia manaaki hoki te wāhi whāiti.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Parahi

Ko Kasuga Mochi Whare Kawhe Kai Reka Hapanihi te toa o te A' Design Award Parahi, he whakaaetanga tino whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa kōeke e tohua ana mā te auaha, te mahi mōhio me te whakaaro hōhonu. Ko ngā toa Parahi he mahi pukenga e rite ana, he auaha mīharo, e whakatūturu ana i te wheako nui, te whakaaro me te mōhio-ā-ringa o ā rātou kaihoahoa. E tūmanakohia ana ko Kasuga Mochi Whare Kawhe Kai Reka Hapanihi he taonga whakanuia, whakamīharotia, aroha nui, he ngaio, he auaha hoki. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Parahi e whakauru ana i ngā tikanga pai rawa i te toi, te pūtaiao, te hoahoa me te hangarau, ā, he tino mīharo ki ngā taipitopito. Ka whakatutuki a Kasuga Mochi Whare Kawhe Kai Reka Hapanihi i ngā hiahia, ka pā ki ngā hiahia, ka whakaoho i ngā kare-ā-roto, ā, ka kume i te pākiki.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Whilst traditional Japanese confectionery is a delicate expression of Japanese culture, the image of formality and tradition can sometimes take precedence, creating a psychological barrier for younger generations, male customers and those visiting alone. This project sought to carefully break down these invisible barriers and explore a concept for an open and welcoming traditional Japanese confectionery cafe where anyone, regardless of age or gender, can drop in without feeling intimidated.
Dimensions & Packaging: Site area : 54.4 sqm / Total floor area : 102.6 sqm / Category : Japanese sweets cafe
Tags: wood , tile , flooring , eaves , white , cafe , coral pink , green , Japanese , LUSTYdesign , Shunsuke Ohe
Production Technology: Roof : galvalume steel plate / Eaves : silicate calcium board , metal panel / Exterior walls : ceramic siding, metal panel / Exterior flooring : porcelain tile / Interior ceiling : wood , wall paper / Interior wall : wall paper / Interior flooring : pvc tile
Design Challenge: Kasuga Mochi balances visual clarity with spatial comfort. Rather than maximising seating, the layout carefully controls circulation, sightlines, waiting areas, and spacing to reduce overlaps in movement and maintain a calm atmosphere within a compact footprint. By reinterpreting tradition through a contemporary lens, the project connects the history and future of a long established confectionery business while making wagashi culture feel more open, familiar, and accessible.
Research: The project reinterprets a narrow urban building with limited frontage as a vertical landmark with a clear identity. A predominantly white exterior creates a crisp facade, while vertical wooden latticework and warm materials bring softness and harmony to the streetscape. Inside, white is paired with wood tones, soft green, and coral orange to evoke the lightness and familiarity of Japanese confectionery. Rather than expressing tradition literally, the design presents it through an abstract language suited to contemporary urban life.
Inspiration: Kasuga Mochi is a Japanese confectionery cafe launched by a client company with a history spanning over 80 years. For this long established confectionery shop, the challenge lay in creating a new space that, whilst upholding tradition, would naturally appeal to generations who had previously had little connection with traditional Japanese confectionery, as well as to people with different motivations for visiting.
Project Duration: Project Duration : From August 2023 to July 2025 Project location : Osaka(Japan)
Operation Flow: One of the project’s defining features is the design of the walls and ceilings, which highlights the delicate horizontal grain of the wood. These elements create depth, rhythm, and a quiet sense of unity throughout the space. All built in furniture was custom designed for the project, and every element, including benches, tables, counters, and planting, was carefully coordinated to express the identity of Kasuga Mochi. The interior was conceived as an integrated whole, giving spatial form to the brand experience.
Image Credits: NANA TAJIMA by ToLoLo studio