How might architecture be used to provide a peaceful sanctuary to reflect and restore one’s energy? Or to create a place to stimulate intellectual creativity? Nebulous lofty goals, perhaps, but then again, Japan’s Shishi-Iwa House was conceived by its architect – the Pritzker Prize laureate Shigeru Ban – to be a little out of the ordinary.
Located about an hour’s train ride from Tokyo in Nagano’s mountain resort town of Karuizawa, the two-storey, ten-room boutique hotel is a calm retreat of shaded courtyards, enclosed gardens and vast rooms. Its gently undulating roof almost hidden by the surrounding forest of maples, cherry blossoms and evergreens.
Aimed at both private travellers and corporate bigwigs on an office retreat, the resort draws guests out into the public spaces, luring even the most reluctant couch potato onto sun-lit terraces and a soaring A-framed sitting room – the public spaces lined in timber by Ban and furnished with customised pieces and Alvar Aalto furniture alongside 1960s art by the likes of Masaaki Yamada and Jiro Yoshihara.
Contemplative moments are supplemented by breakfast bento boxes, barbecues of wagyu beef, Karuizawa whiskey and sake tastings in the library, forest treks towards Mount Asama, and scenic biking tours to the Sengataki falls.
ADDRESS
2147 - 646 Shishi-iwa Nagakura
Karuizawa-machi Kitasaku-gun
Nagano
-
Ora-ïto transforms the Renault 17 into a futuristic yet retro-tinged visionThe R17 electric restomod x Ora-ïto is the fourth in Renault's series of designer-led reimaginings of iconic models from its past. We think it's the best of the lot
-
First Look: a domestic idyll by Lucy Stark and Fabien Cappello at the Blunk SpaceInspired by the life and times at JB Blunk's haven of a house in Inverness, a new exhibition of paintings and objects has us dreaming of California
-
Food writer, Tamar Adler on her perfect restaurant experienceGuest editor Laila Gohar has asked friends and creatives to share their perfect restaurant experience. Here, chef and food writer, Tamar Adler recounts a momentous meal for a happy occasion
-
Tour the new Four Seasons Osaka, where time stands stillSet within a 49-storey tower, Four Seasons Osaka takes the traditional ryokan experience to new heights
-
Aman Residences Tokyo float high above the Japanese capitalAman Residences Tokyo, Aman Group’s first standalone branded residences, feature dramatic yet serene interiors by Yabu Pushelberg
-
Step inside this rare Shiro Kuramata-designed cocktail bar in JapanShiro Kuramata designed hundreds of bars in his lifetime, but few remain intact. Now fans are making a pilgrimage to Comblé Bar in Shizuoka
-
Find yourself at Six Senses Kyoto, the brand's breathtaking Japan debutSix Senses Kyoto opens its doors boasting tranquil, luxurious interiors by Blink Design Group
-
Dip into Janu Tokyo hotel, Aman’s sociable new sibling brandStep inside the Jean-Michel Gathy-designed Janu Tokyo and discover its state-of-the-art wellness facilities
-
Hotel Rakuragu is a tiny but mighty modern escape in TokyoHotel Rakuragu, brought to life by Kooo Architects, lies within an 80 sq m plot in the area of Chuo-ku
-
Kawamichiya Kosho-An is a 110-year-old Kyoto townhouse-turned-restaurantKawamichiya Kosho-An is a traditional soba restaurant reimagined by Endo Shojiro Design and td-Atelier
-
Spa experiences in superlative surroundings, to revitalise mind and bodyThese spa experiences offer the ultimate in wellness and relaxation in serene settings around the world
