NOT A HOTEL KITAKARUIZAWA
MASU
Expertise
Business Development
Project Management
Design
Brand Direction
CG Visualization
Life Cycle Management
Hotel Management
NOT A HOTEL KITAKARUIZAWA MASU, nestled in the rich natural surroundings of Kita-Karuizawa, was designed by Japan’s renowned interior designer Masamichi Katayama of Wonderwall®. Its concept, “As you like it – Living with Sukiya,” reinterprets traditional Sukiya architecture through a modernist lens, blending Eastern and Western aesthetics.
The grid-based design features a central atrium that brings a sense of openness, while a wraparound deck and expansive openings create seamless harmony with the surrounding forest. On the first floor, a dining area and outdoor living space unfold around a piloti, while the second floor offers a living room overlooking nature.
Every detail—from furniture to art—reflects Katayama’s refined eye, forming a serene living space where tradition and modernity resonate. This is a home for the contemporary connoisseur, one that evolves with the seasons and embodies a quiet integration of architecture and nature.
Masamichi Katayama
Design
Collaborators
NOT A HOTEL ARCHITECTS
Spec
Building Name
NOT A HOTEL KITAKARUIZAWA MASU
Location
2286-351 Hosohara, Omae, Tsumagoi Village, Agatsuma District, Gunma Prefecture, and other locations
Completion
2026/7
Site Area
MASU-1：7,337.10㎡ MASU-2：5,154.21㎡ MASU-3：6,070.77㎡ MASU-4：5,894.73㎡
Building Footprint
526.80㎡（屋内面積 189.59㎡＋屋外総面積 337.21㎡）
Total Floor Area
218.01㎡
Floor Plan: Four Distinct "MASU" Spaces
Each villa features its own uniquely purposed "MASU," offering a selection of special rooms tailored to the needs of the modern connoisseur. Choose the house that matches your purpose—whether a Japanese-style room, theater room, study, or bedroom.
Shinichiro Hirai
Senior Project Manager
After our first collaboration with Wonderwall® on “NOT A HOTEL CLUB HOUSE HIROO,” the design philosophy has been further deepened and fully realized in architectural form with MASU.
Throughout the project, we introduced design details and construction methods that differ from previous NOT A HOTEL projects. To bring these to life, we worked closely with the designers and builders—down to the millimeter—while also managing overall cost adjustments to ensure feasibility.
Each piece of furniture and audio equipment was hand-selected by Masamichi Katayama himself, reflecting his aesthetic sensibility. No compromises were made, and we coordinated the entire project through the lens of “design,” right down to the finest details.
As a project manager with a background in architecture, I’ve found this to be an incredibly rewarding challenge—one that keeps me highly engaged, operating every day with a sense of focused tension.