Nasu, two hours’ drive from Tokyo, has long been a popular holiday destination for those wishing to escape the clamour of the city. With its 24 bedroom pavilions, lobby, restaurant, spa and meeting room, Niki Club East represents phase three in the development of Niki Club, one of Japan’s finest hotels. Tucked into two woodland clearings, the buildings are five minutes’ walk from the original hotel.

“At Niki Club, town meets country, east meets west and modern design meets timeless natural beauty. The success of the project demonstrates that, in the right hands, disparate elements can be sensitively combined to create a harmonious whole.”
Gareth Gardner, Live It magazine

The notion of a journey informs the entire design concept. On arrival, guests reach the first clearing where the main lodge is located; a formal contemporary building cut into the landscape and with expansive glass walls giving panoramic views, it houses a reception, restaurant, spa and meeting room.

A meandering timber walkway through woodland leads to the second clearing, where the bedroom pavilions are informally sited around a communal court. Unlike the lodge, which features exposed concrete and stone, the pavilions are richly clad in Asian hardwood, blending with their setting. The undulating roof line of one- and two-storey pavilions refers to the surrounding treetops and distant mountains. In the single-storey pavilions, the sleeping area is separated from the living area by a low screen; in the double-height pavilions, it is raised on a mezzanine.

Homes away from home, the pavilions are furnished with a mix of design classics as well as Conran-designed pieces. Calm, soothing colours generate a mood of tranquillity, while sliding glass doors provide access to private decks, an intimate connection with nature that represents the culmination of the journey.