Shishi-Iwa House
Kitasaku, Japan
This hotel’s name doesn’t quite do it justice. For starters it’s not just one house, but three. And these aren’t just any humble abode, but contemporary masterpieces by Pritzker-Prize winning Japanese architects Shigeru Ban and Ryue Nishizawa, housing a total of 33 rooms. Just an hour from Tokyo on the shinkansen, the trio of houses wind their way through the tranquil Karuizawa forestry with undulating structures and treetop spaces. Cocooned inside are rooms with clean lines, organic natural materials, plenty of cedar wood and a collection of contemporary oeuvres by renowned artists. Waterfall-packed trails promise meditative experiences, but there are similarly soothing practices inside too – from the cosy library stacked with architecture books, to shiatsu massages in a hinoki bathhouse, traditional tea ceremonies and Japanese-French cuisine showcasing local and seasonal ingredients.
Key Information
- Rooms: 34
- Starting Rate: $356
- High Season: July-August October-November
- Dining: Shola
- Drinking: The Bar
- At the Hotel: Library, bathhouse, cigar room
- 81 267 31 6658
- Visit Shishi-Iwa House's Website
Location
2147-768 Nagakura, Karuizawa, Kitasaku, Nagano, 389-0111
