SHISHI-IWA HOUSE Karuizawa

Nice vibes and designs. Beautiful sound of windbell

Small rooms. Staffs are many but don’t feel much warmness.

Absolutely one of the highlights of my many trips to Japan. The architecture and interiors are exceptional, but what made Shishi-Iwa House truly special was how peaceful and restorative the whole experience felt. I stayed at House No.3, which was beautifully designed by Ryue Nishizawa, intimate and incredibly quiet — the perfect place to slow down, practise mindfulness and recharge after a very intense period of work. Guests can also walk between Houses No.1 and No.2 and experience Shigeru Ban’s wonderful architecture and beautifully designed communal spaces. The restaurant at House No.2 was surprisingly excellent, with such a peaceful atmosphere that I could happily sit there with my journal for hours. Most importantly, the staff at House No.3 were genuinely warm and thoughtful. Joe was especially helpful from the moment I arrived. One morning, I came back from a run with a broken shoe. The team actually lent me another pair so I could go out for the day — and even found glue and to repair my shoe! It’s a small story, but it says so much about the hospitality here.

Very little! The only thing to be aware of is that the paths between the houses can be extremely dark and quiet at night. As a solo traveller, I felt slightly nervous walking between them after dark. I would recommend borrowing one of the lanterns provided by the hotel — it makes the walk much easier (and actually quite atmospheric!).

The property and rooms are stunning. Best nights sleep we have had in ages. There are places to sit and have a cozy drink or play a game of cards like we did. Breakfast was lovely and good value. We didn’t have dinner at the hotel (although it looked amazing) and we ate down at the terrace which is a short taxi ride. All of the staff are so sweet and very happy to help with anything.

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Architecturally very cool. Love the shared spaces.

They didn’t have all the extras that make a hotel in Japan five star. Stayed in better four stars.