Japanese architecture generally brings to mind one of two images: hypermodern structures that fill crowded metropolises or serene wooden buildings tucked away in placid rural settings. For some remote areas of Japan, however, these architectural worlds collide with bold, modern designs flung deep into the countryside. Perhaps best known among them is Yusuhara, population 3,400, which features hotels, museums, and public buildings from famed architect Kengo Kuma, designer of Tokyo’s striking new National Stadium, built for the 2020/2021 Summer Olympics. The unassuming town of Yusuhara is 525 miles south of…
