架构师提供的文本描述。伊卡瓦塔纳是江户时期的一个具有历史意义的温泉镇。然而，最近几年，由于多种原因，这个小镇正失去活力-游客数量减少，一些未继承的客栈关闭，或者公共交通薄弱。在这种情况下，我们提出了一个像洞穴一样的建筑，它能有机地跟随它所在的地面和城镇后面的山脉，而不是简单地保持该镇的历史和传统。

Text description provided by the architects. I Kawatana is a historic hot springs town from the Edo period. In recent years, however, the town is losing its liveliness for many different causes combined - decline in the number of visitors, closure of some uninherited inns or weak public transport. Under this circumstance, we proposed a building like a cave that organically follows the ground it stands and the mountain range behind the town, rather than simply maintaining the history and tradition of the town.

该建筑有三大功能：举办公共活动和座谈会的大厅、展示日本文化和生活方式的民间博物馆和旅游信息中心。我们没有按照它的作用把空间分成三个，而是把它规划成一个连接的地方，以容纳同时进行的各种活动。入口处有三个位置-在十字路口，通往神殿的中间，以及通向后面小山的活动广场，人们可以从这三个地方自由进出。因此，该中心将作为当地居民、日间旅行者、温泉长住客人、活动参观者、博物馆或神社等各种人的聚集地，他们过去都会想念对方。

The building has three functions – as the hall to put on public events and symposia, the folk museum to display Japanese culture and lifestyle, and the tourist information center. Rather than dividing the space into three according its role, we planned it as a single connected place to accommodate various activities going on at the same time. Entrances are in three locations – at the intersection, middle of the approach to the shrine and the event square leading up to the hill at the back, and people can come in and out freely from any of these three. Thus the center is intended to work as a meeting point for all kinds of people there – local residents, day trippers, long-stay guests to the hot springs, visitors to the event, museum or the shrine – who would have missed each other in the past.

 © Mitsumasa Fujitsuka

(Mitsumasa Fujitsuka)