An Architect's Vision, Realized in Wood and Light
There are homes built to a budget and homes built to a philosophy. 293 Elysian Fields Drive belongs to the second category entirely. Designed by Seiichi Kami — a UC architect with a deep grounding in traditional Japanese building craft — this is an authentic Minka-style wooden home in the Oakland Hills, and there is nothing else quite like it in the East Bay market.
The Minka tradition is rooted in the belief that a home should be an expression of its natural surroundings rather than an imposition upon them. Wood is primary. Light is considered. The relationship between inside and outside is not incidental — it is the organizing principle of every design decision. At 293 Elysian Fields Drive, that philosophy is present in every beam, every window, every stone path through the garden.
The moment you enter, a 25-foot vaulted cathedral ceiling soars above — creating an atmosphere of grandeur and serenity that is wholly unlike any other home in the Oakland Hills.
The Interior: Cathedral Scale, Minimalist Precision
The entry experience at 293 Elysian Fields is immediate and arresting. A 25-foot vaulted cathedral ceiling dominates the living area, flooding the space with the kind of vertical scale that transforms how a room feels. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the Japanese tea gardens beyond and, past them, the rolling hills of Knowland Park — views that function as living art, changing with the season and the hour.
The open-concept layout reflects the Minka philosophy of fluid, purposeful space. There is no cluttered circulation, no room that exists without reason. The minimalist design invites both quiet reflection and effortless entertaining — two modes that, in most homes, compete. Here, they coexist naturally.
The Gardens: A Private Sanctuary
The grounds of 293 Elysian Fields Drive are not landscaping — they are a considered extension of the home's interior life. The Japanese tea gardens were meticulously curated: koi ponds, stone pathways, sculpted maples, and plantings chosen for their year-round presence and their relationship to the hillside beyond.
The wrap-around deck connects the interior to the garden in the way that traditional Japanese architecture intends — not as a threshold to cross but as a continuation of the living space. Morning tea here, overlooking the koi pond with Knowland Park as the backdrop, is the kind of daily experience that changes one's relationship to where they live.
Property Features
- Authentic Japanese Minka-style construction
- Designed by UC architect Seiichi Kami
- 25-foot vaulted cathedral ceiling
- Floor-to-ceiling windows throughout
- Open-concept living and dining
- Wrap-around deck
- Japanese tea gardens
- Koi ponds and stone pathways
- Sculpted maple trees
- Knowland Park views
- 3 bedrooms / 2 bathrooms
- 2,104 sq ft single-family
Sequoyah Highlands and the Elysian Fields Corridor
Elysian Fields Drive sits in Sequoyah Highlands, a pocket of the Oakland Hills bordered by Knowland Park, the Oakland Zoo, and the open space preserves that define this part of the East Bay. It is one of Oakland's quietest and most architecturally interesting streets — a place where the hills deliver genuine seclusion while Montclair Village and freeway access remain minutes away.
The combination of natural surroundings, architectural distinction, and practical access is what makes the Elysian Fields corridor consistently sought after. Homes of this character and setting appear rarely. When they do, they attract buyers who understand that certain things cannot be replicated.
Sequoyah Highlands · Oakland Hills
Bordered by Knowland Park and the open space preserves of the East Bay hills. Proximity to Montclair Village for daily needs and the broader Montclair neighborhood's community amenities. Easy freeway access for Bay Area commuters.
The Elysian Fields corridor is one of Oakland's most architecturally distinctive addresses — and among its most private. Three properties on this street have sold through The Grubb Company.