As part of a large-scale renovation project with a total budget of approximately 29 billion yen, the “Villa Prince Karuizawa Higashi no Mori” is set to open on July 30, 2027, and other properties are scheduled to open sequentially through 2028.
Enjoy a comfortable stay in this spacious villa with a total floor area of approximately 89 m². Beautiful architecture that blends seamlessly with nature.
The architectural design was handled by Shigeru Ban, a world-renowned architect and recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, among other awards. He accepted this assignment because Seibu Prince Hotels Worldwide has a history of commissioning renowned architects to design its hotels, and because their shared philosophy—one that prioritizes repurposing existing buildings rather than simply tearing them down and rebuilding—aligned with his own.
“The Seibu Group is a company that places great emphasis on the quality of its architecture. As proof of this, they have commissioned some of Japan’s leading architects, including Togo Murano, Kenzo Tange, Kisho Kurokawa, and Kiyoshi Seike. In that sense, I am extremely proud to have been entrusted with this project,” he said.
Villa Prince Karuizawa Higashi no Mori is a renovation of the “East Area Villas,” which were built more than 50 years ago. While the original complex consisted of 97 villas, the new complex features 41 villas—less than half the original number—allowing for more space between each villa.
There are three types of guest rooms: “Dog Villa,” “Forest Villa,” and “Snow Villa,” each with a spacious total floor area ranging from 88.72 to 127.20 m². All villas feature a private hot spring with a view of a traditional Japanese courtyard.
“We’ve designed the building to feel open and have created a seamless connection between the interior and exterior spaces,” Mr. Saka says confidently. “As a result, when you’re there, the villa will feel not just twice as large, but three or even four times as spacious.”
In his design, Mr. Saka placed great importance on preserving the original villas. While he naturally took the environment into consideration, he also kept in mind the guests who had stayed at the East Area Villas for many years. The new hotel’s guest rooms are located in both newly built villas and renovated ones; the newly built villas reuse wood from the existing villas to retain the log cabin atmosphere.
“There are guests who love this place and have been staying here for generations. I hope they can sense that we’ve preserved the original atmosphere for them. The main concept behind the villa’s expansion and renovation is to build on the existing structure while preserving part of the original villa. We also consider it important to minimize waste,” he explained.
The newly constructed “Mori no Terrace” also showcases Mr. Saka’s architectural beauty. It consists of a reception building and an activity building. The reception building includes “Niki,” a dog-friendly restaurant, and the “Mori Lounge,” which is reserved for guests. The activity building is scheduled to feature a private sauna and a rental counter for ski and bicycle rentals.
According to Mr. Saka, a distinctive feature of “Mori no Terrace” is that it creates a three-dimensional curve by gradually tilting straight structural elements at varying angles. “In a sense,” he says, “this design draws inspiration from the mountain scenery.”
Designer Kenya Hara was responsible for building the brand when “VILLA PRINCE” was founded. He was in charge not only of the brand logo but also of the design of various signage and other elements within “Villa Prince Karuizawa Higashinomori.”
Mr. Hara reflects, “The logo expresses the richness of the villa, which carries on the tradition of log cabins that allow guests to enjoy the perspective of the forest. We also created the visual identity by considering how guests can experience their stay within Shigeru Ban’s architecture—which blends seamlessly into the environment—and smoothly savor the wonders of the forest.”
© Source travel watch