Seiler Family Music Hall

Sailer House Music Hall (Kayabuki Ongakudo): Where an 18th-Century Zen Temple Resonates with World-Class Piano

Deep in the tranquil countryside of Nantan City, Kyoto Prefecture, stands one of Japan's most extraordinary concert venues — the Sailer House Music Hall, affectionately known as the "Kayabuki Ongakudo" (Thatched-Roof Music Hall). This nationally registered tangible cultural property is far more than a historic building; it is a living testament to the remarkable intersection of Japanese traditional architecture and Western classical music.

Originally constructed in 1784 (Tenmei 4) as the main hall of Zenōji Temple, a Zen Buddhist temple in Ōi District, Fukui Prefecture, this building was given new life in 1989 when the internationally acclaimed piano duo Ernst and Kazuko Seiler relocated and rebuilt it on their property in the village of Goma. Today, it serves as an intimate concert hall seating approximately 250 guests, who sit on zabuton cushions on the floor as the sounds of a grand piano fill the vast thatched-roof space — a truly unique cultural experience found nowhere else in the world.

History and Origins of the Music Hall

The story of the Kayabuki Ongakudo begins over two centuries ago in the Tenmei era (1781–1789). In 1784, the building was erected as the main hall (hondō) and combined kitchen-residence (kuri) of Seigenji Temple (later known as Zenōji or Zen'ōji), a Zen Buddhist temple in the Ōi District of Fukui Prefecture. Built in the traditional style with massive wooden pillars and beams supporting a grand thatched roof, the structure represented the architectural craftsmanship of the late Edo period.

Ernst Seiler, a distinguished German pianist, and his wife Kazuko Seiler, a Kyoto-born pianist who had studied at the Salzburg Mozarteum, purchased their property in the Goma district of Hiyoshi Town (now part of Nantan City) in 1972. The couple had formed the Seiler Piano Duo that same year, and they were drawn to the serene rural landscape of Goma as a place to live, create, and perform. In 1989, they acquired the disused temple building from Fukui Prefecture and undertook the extraordinary project of dismantling and relocating it to their hilltop property in Goma.

Upon completion of the relocation, the venerable Zen master Seikō Hirata of Tenryūji Temple bestowed the building with the poetic name "Karabinkutsu" (迦陵頻窟), evoking the Kalaviṅka — a mythical bird of paradise renowned in Buddhist tradition for its indescribably beautiful voice. This name perfectly encapsulates the building's transformation from a place of spiritual contemplation to one of musical transcendence.

Why It Was Registered as a Tangible Cultural Property

The Sailer House Music Hall was registered as a nationally registered tangible cultural property (building) on August 3, 2006, alongside the Seiler family's main residence. The registration recognizes the building's historical and architectural significance on several grounds.

The music hall preserves the original structural form and scale of the late 18th-century Zen temple, retaining the massive wooden framework, the distinctive thatched roof, and the spacious interior layout characteristic of temple architecture from the Tenmei period. The building demonstrates construction techniques and spatial design that are difficult to reproduce using modern methods, meeting one of the key criteria for cultural property registration in Japan.

Furthermore, the building contributes significantly to the traditional rural landscape of the area. Together with the thatched-roof main house (built in 1916, Taishō 5), the property maintains the atmospheric character of a traditional Japanese farming village. The successful relocation and adaptive reuse of the temple as a concert venue also represents a remarkable example of how historic buildings can be preserved and given vibrant new purpose.

Highlights and Attractions

The Seiler Family and Their Legacy

The story of the Kayabuki Ongakudo is inseparable from that of the Seiler family. Ernst Seiler, born in Germany, was a pianist of international renown. Kazuko Seiler, born in Kyoto, graduated from Toho Gakuen High School of Music before studying at the Salzburg Mozarteum. The two met when Ernst was teaching piano in Japan and Kazuko was preparing for her music school entrance examinations. They reunited years later in Salzburg, eventually marrying and forming their legendary piano duo in 1972.

Over approximately 45 years of performing together, the Seiler Piano Duo gave around 1,000 concerts worldwide, performing at prestigious venues including Wigmore Hall in London and Carnegie Recital Hall in New York. They were particularly devoted to performing in underserved communities throughout Japan, bringing classical music to towns and villages that lacked concert halls — performing in temples, shrines, and even closed schools.

Ernst Seiler passed away in March 2017, but the musical spirit of the Kayabuki Ongakudo continues through Kazuko's dedicated efforts, now joined by their daughter Kio Seiler, a violinist, and numerous distinguished guest musicians. The family's commitment to bridging cultures through music and preserving traditional architecture has earned numerous awards, including the Agency for Cultural Affairs' Regional Cultural Achievement Award in 2019.

Surrounding Area and Nearby Attractions

The Kayabuki Ongakudo is situated in the Hiyoshi district of Nantan City, an area of exceptional natural beauty in the heart of Kyoto Prefecture's rural interior. Visitors to the music hall can combine their trip with exploration of several notable nearby attractions.

• Hiyoshi Dam and Spa Springs Hiyoshi — A large recreational area centered around the dam, offering hot springs, restaurants, and outdoor activities, approximately 15 minutes by car.
• Miyama Kayabuki no Sato (Miyama Thatched Village) — A nationally designated preservation district of traditional thatched-roof farmhouses, one of Japan's most iconic rural landscapes, about 30 minutes by car.
• Rurikei Onsen (Rurikei Hot Springs) — A natural gorge area with hot spring facilities and outdoor activities, about 25 minutes by car.
• Goma Village — The charming farming village surrounding the music hall offers peaceful walks through rice paddies and traditional scenery, perfect for a pre-concert stroll.

The area is also known for its excellent seasonal produce, including locally grown vegetables, rice, and the region's famous chestnut and black soybean harvests in autumn.

Visitor Information

The Kayabuki Ongakudo is a private residence and is open to visitors only during concert events. The Kayabuki Concerts are held twice yearly — in early summer (typically May or June) and autumn (typically October). Advance reservations are required and can be made by postcard or through the official website.

A special feature of the concert events is that JR West arranges limited express trains to make a temporary stop at Goma Station, reducing the journey from Kyoto Station to approximately 45 minutes. This remarkable accommodation by the railway company speaks to the cultural significance and popularity of the concert series.

Concert tickets are priced at approximately 5,000 yen per person. Parking is available at the nearby Kami-Goma Community Center, approximately an 8-minute walk from the venue, for 300 yen per vehicle.