Noie Hakone Sengokuhara Hotel

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Noie Hakone Sengokuhara is located in Hakone, one of the best hot spring resorts in Japan.Unlike the many inns and building-type hotels in Hakone, this is a resort hotel in the form of a rental villa, so even in this age of the Covid-19 pandemic, you can spend a relaxing time in safety and security.
Consisting of two traditional wooden one-story buildings, the hotel is designed to incorporate the nature into the large garden space, allowing guests to enjoy the four seasons in Japan.

Dimensions & Packaging

Noie Hakone Sengokuhara consists of two 140 square meters wooden one-story houses built on a 1,600 square meters site. It has a Japanese-style triangular roof, and each building has a garden of about 300 square meters.The location is a quiet villa area with lots of nature, and the building is low-rise in consideration of the surrounding landscape. It is also a 5-minute walk from Sengokuhara Susuki Grass field, a famous sightseeing spot in Hakone, Japan.

Tags

Japan,Hotel,Rental villa, Design, Nature, four seasons, hot spring, sauna, history

Production Technology

The Shiro Suite has a white plaster finish, and rounded corners to create a space that is softly enveloped by light. Uses mosaic stone for the floor, and the windows were designed so that the view of the garden spreads out like a large painting. The Oku Suite has an elegant miniature garden in the center, uses traditional tiles for the floor, and uses materials long used in Japanese architecture such as cypress baths, tatami, and washi paper to embody Japaneseness.

Design Challenge

There were many tall trees growing on the planned site, and the challenge was to choose which trees to remove in order to construct the building.
In order to preserve the rich nature, we planned to leave as many existing trees as possible, rather than cutting down trees.
Through careful planning, we preserved many trees by cutting out the roof and terrace of the building. As a result, we were able to create a space where you can feel the dynamic nature even when you are indoors.

Project Duration

The project started in April 2019 in Hakone Hakone Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, and was completed on December 11, 2021, with operations commencing on December 28, 2021. The project site is one of Japan's leading hot spring resorts with Hakone Shrine and other historical and cultural assets, famous scenic views such as Lake Ashi and Mt Fuji.

Operation Flow

Noie Hakone Sengokuhara is unmanned of hotel with no reception desk and guests can experience it as if it were their own vacation home without meeting other people.In addition to facilities such as natural hot spring baths and saunas, the hotel offers TV games, a selection of books, and a large-screen projector. It is also equipped with more electrical outlets and whiteboards than most hotels, which allows workcation stay with colleagues or friends.

Research

After researching and staying at surrounding hotels, we found that Hakone's ryokan had only traditional Japanese design.
In order to differentiate ourselves from them, we sought to create a new Japanese style, utilizing traditional Japanese architecture and Japanese materials, while at the same time designing the interior in a modern way.
By also researching the nature of Hakone, we used Japanese paper lighting reminiscent of Mt. Fuji and ceramic curved tiles to create a design experience that is unique to this place.

Inspiration

Throughout the design process, we were inspired by the abundant nature and the light shining through the tree canopies. We perceived this nature as a gift from Hakone, thus the design concept Gift and Style was determined for this project. We have created two guest rooms, the Shiro Suite which dynamically incorporates the nature, and the Oku Suite which is conscious of continuity so that you can experience the view of the garden from any location. It is a space where you can get close to nature.

Image Credits

Main image: Photographer Satoshi Nagare,n.s.photographs Inc., 2021
Image #1 to 5: Photographer Satoshi Nagare,n.s.photographs Inc., 2021

Patents

Copyrights belong to UDS Ltd.

Colors of Noie Hakone Sengokuhara Hotel