Japan’s resort industry hits new heights at Nagano’s Karuizawa T-Site
The collaborative project between books giant Tsutaya and Mitsubishi Estate in the mountain resort of Karuizawa offers a template for rethinking premium rural retail and hospitality.
About an hour from Tokyo by bullet train, Karuizawa in Nagano prefecture is a popular weekend spot among residents of the Japanese capital. Visitors come to ski in the winter and enjoy the cooler weather in summer. Imperial connections and distinctive timber architecture have long added to the mountain resort town’s genteel appeal, and architects have made their mark with striking second homes for wealthy city dwellers. People have been flocking here for good food and drink too; Nagano prefecture is well known for its excellent produce and wines.
Now the town has a buzzing new destination. A collaboration between property giant Mitsubishi Estate and the operators of bookshop chain Tsutaya, Karuizawa T-Site is a place to eat, drink and relax, with six buildings, 17 shops and an exit straight from the station. Among its highlights are Shozo Coffee from Tochigi prefecture, natural-wine retailer Avin Stand and a shop celebrating Château Mercian – one of Japan’s oldest wineries, founded in 1877 – with a tasting counter and a line-up of 30 wines. Also look out for Waza Mart, a convenience store that stocks organic brands and local products, and broth shop Dashi Okume, beloved of chefs, which has been in business since 1871.
The development’s restaurants include Sushiya Ono and Osobar, known for its buckwheat soba noodles (a Nagano favourite). You can take a break in the shared lounge, where an hourly or daily fee grants you access to a quiet corner to read and a library of books on art, design and travel.
The facility also includes the Aquaignis Garden Spa, with hot-spring baths for a revitalising dip and two different types of sauna. It has immaculate changing rooms and showers, and makes for a relaxing place to recharge after skiing. Private tatami-floored rooms offer a secluded place for a post-soak snooze and there are plenty of books and drinks on offer. Shinichiro Nakahara, the creative design officer of The Conran Shop in Japan, has overseen key parts of Karuizawa T-Site’s creative direction, notably the spa and the elegant nine-room hotel, Hacienda Karuizawa. Both are under the direction of Aquaignis, operators of resorts that focus on towns and villages. The hotel’s rooms are spacious and the entire building is filled with tastefully selected furniture and vintage pieces. The on-site library is stocked with mountain-themed titles, while the wooden-floored, natural-light-filled lobby is a showstopper. Make sure that you order the room-service breakfast, which is packed with Nagano vegetables. If you want a quick weekend getaway from the bustle of Tokyo, just hop on a train on a Friday night, check in and wake up amid Karuizawa’s fresh air.
store.tsite.jp
Address book:
1.
Hacienda Karuizawa
Modern lodge with nine timber-clad rooms, hand-picked furniture and a roaring log fire in the lobby.
2.
Shozo Coffee Store
The coffee is good but so too are the scones. Go for the white chocolate and cranberry.
3.
Dashi Okume
Pick up some dashi broth, the cornerstone of Japanese cooking, at this shop and restaurant.
4.
Kasa-an Sanpi Ryoron
Nagano ingredients put together for an omakase meal by chef Masahiro Kasahara. Don’t miss the Japanese breakfasts.
5.
Avin Stand Karuizawa
Pop into this natural-wine specialist for a glass of French pinot noir.
