our story starts back in 1995

From its humble beginnings to its status as a Waipara landmark, Kumiko’s Guest House and Russel’s Cabins offer a story of love, heritage, and connection to the land.

Kumiko’s was built in 1995 by Waipara wine pioneer Russell Black for his wife Kumiko.

In 2018, Sue and Paul became the new custodians of Kumiko’s, carefully updating the property while staying true to its original design. Their vision has been to honour the spirit of the house while offering guests a modern, comfortable retreat in the stunning Waipara landscape.

Influenced by Kumiko’s heritage, the house comprises many of the elements found in the gracious architecture of traditional Japan:

• an internal courtyard (genken) featuring the timeless composition of a zen garden

• wide verandas designed for sitting within nature

• interior spaces that include the extensive use of wood and stone; sliding screens that divide or expand spaces

• a sunken dining room that encourages a sense of occasion at the table; and extensive architectural gardens that reflect the dramatic views of the shifting North Canterbury skies.

Kumiko’s is imbued with an overall sense of wabi-sabi, the Japanese design concept that can be loosely translated as the celebration of “perfect imperfection.”

Wabi-sabi favours the handmade, the crafted, the bespoke, the tactile, the sensory. It is the impulse behind the beautiful design inherent here.

Sue and Paul have also added to the accommodation offering by building 3 bespoke off-grid cabins, completely separate from Kumiko’s Guest House, which can be booked separately or in conjunction with the house for larger groups.

The Russell’s Cabins are also winners of the Small Projects category in the Canterbury Architecture Awards.