Overview

Shishi-Iwa House Karuizawa is a design-led retreat in Naka-Karuizawa, surrounded by forest, mountain scenery, clear streams, and nearby waterfalls. Opened in 2019, the first house was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban, with later houses by Shigeru Ban and Ryue Nishizawa. You stay in a place where architecture, nature, art, and quiet time shape the whole experience.

The mood is calm, creative, and deeply connected to the trees around you. Walk through wood, glass, paper-tube furniture, curated art, and open spaces that invite you to slow down without feeling formal or distant.

Accommodation

SSH No.01 by Shigeru Ban has 11 rooms wrapped in natural wood, with high ceilings, refined furniture, private terraces or gardens, and desks set along the curve of the building. You can read on the terrace, soak in a bathtub by the window, and move easily from your room to the central Grand Room.

Forest Garden Room is a first-floor double room with a private terrace looking toward the surrounding forest. Mount Asama View Room is a second-floor suite with a private terrace and forest views. Forest Garden Suite is also a second-floor suite with a private terrace facing the trees.

SSH No.02 by Shigeru Ban has 12 rooms designed around warm wood, forest-facing private terraces, and handmade hinoki baths. You stay close to the trees while still feeling the full impact of Ban’s architecture, from the wood lattice structure to the custom furniture and art photography.

SSH No.03 by Ryue Nishizawa has 10 rooms and one villa. The rooms include western-style bedrooms and tatami rooms with futons, linked by engawa-style spaces and corridors that keep a sense of privacy. You can enjoy seasonal views through the windows, hinoki-lined interiors, original cabinetry by Nishizawa, Ploh yukata gowns, 1616/arita japan teacups, and hand-crafted hinoki bathtubs.

Dining

At SHOLA, dining feels rooted in Karuizawa’s landscape. The restaurant focuses on local ingredients and close ties with nearby producers, serving food in a space designed by Shigeru Ban.

Executive Chef Masashi Okamoto creates a four-course prix fixe menu built around seasonal ingredients from Karuizawa and Nagano. You can expect a style that blends French technique with Japanese sensitivity, using pesticide-free vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, Shinshu salmon, wild venison and boar, sustainably raised duck, chicken, and beef. Signature charcoal-grilled dishes include Aomori “Gin no Kamo” duck and 40-day aged Akagi wagyu.

You can also enjoy the Wine & Whisky Bar in SSH No.02, with more than 60 selections, including Bordeaux and Burgundy vintage wines, plus a private cigar room.

Onsen and Wellness

Shishi-Iwa House is better suited to quiet bathing and wellness than to a traditional large onsen stay. Selected rooms include private bathtubs, including window-side baths and hand-crafted hinoki baths, so you can enjoy a personal soaking experience in your own space.

At SSH No.03, the wellness experience centers on a teahouse, a private bathhouse designed by Ryue Nishizawa, and a hinoki bath with garden views. A wellness room also offers private yoga lessons and wellness treatments.

Guests with Tattoos

Because you can soak in a private onsen-style bath inside selected room types, you can enjoy the bathing experience regardless of tattoos.

For the public bath, if you have tattoos, check with the hotel directly before using the shared bathing areas.

Facilities

You can use the facilities at both SSH No.01 and SSH No.02 when staying in those houses. SSH No.03 has conditions for use, including private bookings and reservations.

Confirmed facilities include the Grand Room, library and reception, terraces, SHOLA restaurant, Wine & Whisky Bar, cigar room, Forest Terrace, teahouse, private bathhouse, wellness room, lounges, art collections, gardens, and Wi-Fi.

Activities

You can make nature part of your stay with garden walks, forest hiking, mountain walks, and nearby scenic routes. The area around Shishi-Iwa House gives you access to mountain scenery, streams, waterfalls, and walking paths.

Karuizawa Wild Bird Forest is nearby, with around 100 hectares of forest and more than 80 kinds of wild birds. You can also explore Hanareyama Park, Joshin’etsu Kogen National Park, and Sengataki Waterfall.

For a cultural experience on site, you can join an architecture and art tour that introduces the design concepts while you walk through the property.

Additional Features

• Design by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Shigeru Ban and Ryue Nishizawa
• Three houses: SSH No.01, SSH No.02, and SSH No.03
• Rooms with forest views, terraces, and selected private hinoki baths
• SHOLA restaurant with seasonal Karuizawa and Nagano ingredients
• Wine & Whisky Bar and cigar room
• Teahouse, private bathhouse, wellness room, and lounges at SSH No.03
• Forest walks, hiking routes, birdwatching, waterfalls, and nearby nature spots
• Curated art and photography collections
• Wi-Fi confirmed on the official site navigation and facility information
• Breakfast included in the listed room rates on the reservation page