First manufactured in 2016, Snow Peak’s Jyubako is a minimalist, mobile, tiny home. The Jyubako was designed for Snow Peak by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. When Kuma was in school for architecture, he was deeply inspired by a visit to the Sahara Desert and the nomadic lifestyle he encountered. He observed that many Japanese people did not have the same freedom to travel or be close to nature. These observations and experiences led him to develop the Jyubako, which translates to living box. With the Jyubako, Kuma intended to offer a new perspective on what a home can mean. He wanted to provide an opportunity to travel and re-engage with nature.
Given their overlapping goals of encouraging a lifestyle more in-tune with nature, Snow Peak and Kengo Kuma partnered to develop Jyubako for Snow Peak’s campgrounds across Japan. Currently only 7% percent of Japan’s population camps regularly. With the added comforts of the Jyubako, Snow Peak intends to vastly increase that number. The Jyubako is a beautiful illustration of a seamlessly integrated indoor/outdoor living space. Its layout and design were conceptualized to complement nature. From the interior, the windows are intended to serve as ever-changing picture frames of the outdoors. The entire box is made of wood, invoking feelings of warmth while also blending with the natural landscape.
The Jyubako depicts what Snow Peak hopes to create with its experiences - an integration of the comforts of home and the restorative simplicity of time outdoors. It offers a way to engage with nature in an elevated way while simultaneously enjoying creature comforts. The Jyubako demonstrates how Snow Peak’s products can be used anywhere, indoors or outdoors with the same result of gathering people together.
In the United States, the concept of the Jyubako is reminiscent of the popular van life and tiny home movements. The idea of paring down possessions and operating with a “home is where you park it” nomadic mentality appeals to many Americans who feel overwhelmed with stuff and trapped in their routines. Snow Peak intends to incorporate the concept of an elevated, mobile outdoor encounter into all its experiences and is currently exploring the possibility of introducing the Jyubako to the USA.
