A New Breeze at an Ancient Shrine: Fumatsu Shrine × Schemata Architects' 'Cycling Bamboo Wind Chimes'

Announcement of a New Initiative at Fumatsu Shrine

Fumatsu Shrine (Omura City, Nagasaki Prefecture) has collaborated with the architectural firm Schemata Architects to create an installation called 'Bamboo Wind Chimes,' which was unveiled on July 1, 2026. This initiative is not merely a seasonal decoration but is implemented as a 'cyclical system' designed to sustainably nurture relationships between the shrine, the local community, and visitors.

Rethinking the Role of Shrines

The first recorded mention of Fumatsu Shrine dates back to Shōhei 19 (1364).

At that time, Shinto and Buddhism were intertwined, and the shrine’s name appeared as 'Fumatsu Palace' in sutra transcriptions donated by nearby temples. The shrine suffered destruction during Christian uprisings and fell into disrepair for a time, but was later revived under the patronage of the local feudal lord.

This history reflects the shrine’s long-standing openness to diverse values that have flowed into the region.

Japan is home to approximately 80,000 shrines, each traditionally serving as a guardian deity for its local area, safeguarding the prayers of the people. Shrines were once deeply embedded in daily life—not only as places of prayer but also as hubs for festivals and events that strengthened community bonds.

However, with changing social conditions, people now have fewer opportunities to visit shrines in their daily lives.

Fumatsu Shrine is not immune to this trend.

This initiative aims to open the shrine to the community not just during festivals and special occasions, but as a place for everyday life.

The stage for this transformation is a sacred area traditionally used only once a year for rituals. For 364 out of 365 days, this space has remained quietly dormant. Now, it will become a place where people gather casually, spending quiet moments in their daily lives. Through this 'blank space,' we aim to cultivate new connections between the shrine and the town.

The Bamboo Wind Chimes project is the first step in this direction.

By opening up this area—where the beauty of the four seasons is especially vivid—and layering it with the sounds of wind chimes and human activity, we aim to deepen the relationships between the shrine, the local community, and visitors.

Our goal is for this space to become like a 'town veranda'—a shared, welcoming place for the townspeople.

Increasing 'Worshippers' and 'Participants'

This initiative emphasizes two key aspects for the future of shrines:

• Increasing worshippers The first goal is to become a place people naturally want to visit in their daily lives.

Not only during festivals, New Year visits, or life rituals, but also during walks, when sensing seasonal changes, meeting someone, or simply calming the mind. We value integrating the shrine into these natural rhythms of everyday life.

Increasing worshippers does not simply mean increasing numbers. It means restoring the shrine’s traditional role into a form that fits contemporary life.

• Increasing participants The second goal is to increase the number of people involved with the shrine.

Shrines are not maintained solely by priests. Their vitality grows when local residents, worshippers, creators, younger generations, and visitors from afar all participate in small ways.

Beyond visiting, people can help prepare for festivals, support events, join craft-making activities, and share in the joy. These repeated interactions can foster a sense of ownership—making the shrine feel like 'our place.'

Creating a Cyclical Landscape

The Bamboo Wind Chimes are designed as a system that evolves over time.

From spring to summer, large bamboo wind chimes are installed on the grounds, creating a pleasant soundscape as they sway in the breeze. At the end of summer, the bamboo is reused in workshops where participants create smaller wind chimes. These are taken home, allowing people to enjoy their sound in their daily lives.

The following year, new bamboo will be harvested and crafted into fresh wind chimes for the shrine grounds.

Additionally, through the newly opened rest area on the grounds, seasonal workshops and exchange opportunities will be created. Beyond wind chime making, we aim to offer experiences that connect people with local culture and traditions, transforming the shrine into a space where ongoing engagement is possible.

By repeating this cycle, we aim to expand a soundscape centered on the shrine and deepen human connections, ultimately creating a new kind of landscape within the community.

Rough Concept Sketch During Planning

Design Approach

The design of this initiative was led by the architectural firm Schemata Architects. The collaboration began when the firm’s representative, Mr. Tsune Nagasaka, mentioned on the podcast 'Ryutsu Kūron' that he was 'interested in shrines.' Hearing this, the shrine felt it could not let the opportunity pass and reached out directly—leading to this collaborative project.

The firm works across architecture, furniture, and spatial design, with a signature approach that leverages familiar materials and environments.

The Bamboo Wind Chimes were designed not only in form but also in how they facilitate human interaction, fully utilizing bamboo as a local resource.

Comments from Project Members

Tsune Nagasaka (Representative, Schemata Architects)

Photo: Yuriko Takagi

Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts in 1998 and founded his studio, now based in Sendagaya. He works across scales—from furniture to architecture to urban design—and genres—from residences to cafes, shops, hotels, and public baths. Committed to 1:1 design thinking, he explores materials deeply and operates internationally. He draws new perspectives from everyday objects and existing environments, proposing unique concepts such as 'subtraction,' 'misuse,' 'knowledge renewal,' 'invisible development,' and 'semi-architecture,' establishing a distinctive architectural identity.

Selected Works

Sayama Flat / Okusawa House / FLAT TABLE / ColoRing / LLOVE / Aesop / BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE / Kuwabara Shoten / DESCENTE BLANC / HAY / Musashino Art University Building 16 / Ougon-yu / DOKUBO + EL AMIGO / D&DEPARTMENT JEJU / Teshima Factory, among others

While Japan has more shrines than convenience stores, many face challenges such as declining parishioners and lack of successors. However, shrines—deeply rooted in local climates and historically built in auspicious locations—still hold great potential. I believed that by utilizing two common shrine resources—bamboo groves and vacant land—we could create new relationships between shrines, communities, and people, giving shrines renewed value and reviving them in the modern era. I hope this project inspires people to imagine and reflect on the future of shrines through the natural conversations and exchanges it fosters.

Hisa Matsushibakyo (Shinto Priest, Fumatsu Shrine)

Born in 1982. After obtaining priest certification at Kokugakuin University, he worked in the food and retail industries in Tokyo