HOSHINOYA Karuizawa

HOSHINOYA Karuizawa sits in a private valley village one hour west of Tokyo by Shinkansen, beside a river and beneath the forests of the Japanese Alps. The property functions as a village : 77 pavilions arranged along the Yukawa River  and the digital detox programme, available year-round, begins at check-in. Guests hand their devices to staff, who store them in hand-carved Karuizawa lacquer boxes until departure.

The programme unfolds across two or three days and draws on the specific character of the location: horseback riding in the forests of Mount Asama, nature walks in the Wild Bird Sanctuary, meditation bathing in the private onsen, shiatsu and acupuncture in the spa. No TV in the rooms. No agenda beyond being present in the landscape. The ryokan concept, Japanese inn hospitality, is here expressed at a scale and with a level of design that makes it feel less like a hotel and more like a private estate.