Not a Hotel Minakami Toji | SUPPOSE DESIGN OFFICE Co., Ltd.

SUPPOSE DESIGN OFFICE, led by architects Makoto Tanijiri and Ai Yoshida, designed TOJI as their second project for NOT A HOTEL after NASU.

The TOJI site is located in a historic hot spring town and has a rich source of water from the headwaters of the Tone River. The five separate villas are perched on top of the mountain and offer panoramic views of the four seasons: a snowy landscape in winter, pink blossoms in spring, vibrant greenery in summer, and changing leaves in autumn.

Each villa has a total area of approximately 252.28 m² and can accommodate up to eight people. There are two bedrooms, a shower room, and a private parking lot on the first floor, as well as a living room, open-air bath, sauna, wood stove, and kitchen space on the second floor. Water is a key element of the space: The living room is surrounded by a 15-meter infinity pool, a natural hot spring, and a cold water bath outside of the sauna.

The Minakami area offers access to a variety of activities such as rafting, skiing, and golf. TOJI makes the most of Minakami's rich nature and hot spring culture to offer a new kind of vacation home experience.

ARCHITECTURE

A facade made from copper plating

The distinctive exterior reinterprets the traditional Japanese mountain hut. The roof and exterior walls are finished with straight-line copper plate roofing, which allows owners to enjoy the changes in patina that occur over time.

The building is made up of a first floor that houses the bedroom, shower room, and parking lot, and a second floor that houses the open-air bath and living room. The architecture gives owners the feeling of being in a private space from the moment they arrive.

Living/Dining Room: Spacious living-dining room surrounded by water and scenery

The hot spring, pool, sauna, and cold bath are arranged around the living and dining area. The surfaces appear to be connected, yet each is kept at the exact right temperature. They offer an extraordinary experience of watching the light flickering on the water surface and the steam rising from the bath.

The dining space uses lighting from Isamu Noguchi's Akari lamp and has a table that seats eight. The room sets the scene for an extremely luxurious time dining around the table under the soft moonlight or looking at the magnificent view of Minakami beyond the pool.

The living room is equipped with an operational wood stove. It can be used to warm the room, and owners can enjoy a drink while watching the flames flicker. The ceiling is made using advanced wood construction methods. The design deliberately leaves some darkness in the space due to a ceiling height of 6m, highlighting the beautiful view of Minakami valley.

Pool: 15m infinity pool with a 180° panoramic view

The infinity pool connects to the natural hot spring, sauna, and cold bath. Looking out over the water that surrounds the living and dining room, owners and guests can enjoy the magnificent nature of Minakami, also known as “Water City. ”The room connects the feeling of inside and outside through double-glazed windows that slide open.

Hot Spring: An open-air bath surrounded by overwhelming nature

The natural hot spring allows owners to warm up while gazing at the scenery formed by the ridges of the Minakami mountains. Black walls give the space a clear form. The door leading outside can be opened or closed. Sauna/water bath: A private sauna with a beautiful view This full-scale sauna offers a view of water flickering in the cold bath and pool. Chairs in the living room offer a way to enjoy fresh air.

Bedroom: A feeling of wabi-sabi

The bedroom offers views of sunlight filtering through the trees through a rectangular window. The texture of the plaster on the walls creates a calming atmosphere. There are two bedrooms in total that allow eight people to stay. The soft texture of the tatami mats makes it a relaxing space.

Summary

Name: NOT A HOTEL MINAKAMI

Address: 1575-8 Ishikura, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1311

Access: 5 minutes by car from Minakami IC on Kanetsu Expressway

Site area: 9,854.26 ㎡Structure/Scale: Reinforced-concrete construction, some steel

Total number of villas: Five

Indoor area of villa: 175.19 ㎡

Total area of villa (including outdoor areas such as terraces): 252.28 ㎡

Floor plan: Two bedrooms

Maximum number of guests per villa: Eight people

Design: SUPPOSE DESIGN OFFICE

Construction: Ishikawa/Numata joint venture

Business owner/seller: Open House Development Co., Ltd.

Management company: NOT A HOTEL MANAGEMENT Co., Ltd.

ACCESS

Address: 1575-8 Ishikura, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma 379-1311
By car: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes from Tokyo (approximately five minutes from Minakami IC)
By train: 1 hour and 5 minutes from Tokyo Station to JR Joetsu Shinkansen "Jomo Kogen Station" , approximately 13 minutes by car from Jomo Kogen Station By helicopter:
Approximately 50 minutes from Tokyo Heliport (There is a helipad within 10 minutes of the property)