Forest kominka atelier
Relocated timber farmhouses sit along a forested ridge, pairing ancient woodwork and regional artifacts with contemporary art and quiet valley views.
“This escapist retreat, housed in a scattering of wooden farmhouses, clings to the edge of an empty forested valley.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
Restored wooden kominka featuring nail-free timber joinery and an avant-garde steel tea room.
Remarkable
Relocated century-old farmhouses rebuilt beam by beam using traditional nail-free carpentry techniques.
Remarkable
Galleries display ten-thousand-year-old Jomon pottery and indigenous Ainu carvings from across Hokkaido.
What they say
One Michelin Key
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and Wallpaper*.
For his latest project, Shiguchi, he relocated a series of kominka, or traditional wooden farmhouses, to a quiet valley outside the ski resort of Niseko.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Hidden among Hanazono birch woodland near Mount Yotei, the secluded property feels deeply remote yet sits fifteen minutes from Hirafu.
1 of 5
The rooms
Multi-level villas feature interlocking timber beams, tatami mats, wood-burning stoves, and private indoor hinoki and outdoor stone geothermal onsen baths.
The onsen
Soak slowly.
Water drawn from the volcanic SOMOZA fountainhead fills deep stone and hinoki tubs looking straight into the birch woods.
The spa
Therapies draw on Japan's five elements, combining organic botanical aromatic oils and targeted bodywork in quiet treatment rooms.
Restaurant at SOMOZA
Chefs apply French culinary techniques to wild-foraged mountain vegetables and garden produce, looking out over the wooded valley.
Working with a local architect, Grigg developed a design concept inspired by traditional Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship, adding a vibrant contemporary touch...
How it began
Master carpenters dismantled century-old rural farmhouses across Japan, reassembling their monumental timber frames beam by beam without a single nail.
Stay here
SHIGUCHI
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Niseko
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.