In the early Meiji era (1868-1912), two foreigners, a missionary and a scholar, visited the former ryokan ‘Kameya’ located in the centre of the town of Karuizawa – the eastern part of Nagano prefecture, which inspired the first generation of Mampei Sato to actively adopt Western culture and hospitality. In the process, the hotel gradually transformed itself from a Japanese-style ryokan to a Western-style hotel, and was renamed as Mampei Hotel.
Over the years, the hotel’s refined blend of Japanese and Western influences and top-class hospitality has made it one of Japan’s leading classic hotels, captivating the heart of a wide range of guests domestically and internationally.
In this large-scale renovation project, we were responsible for the complete renewal of the Alps Wing, with its symbolic gable roof and half-timber exterior walls, and the new banquet building which is now connected to the Pavilion.
The Alps Wing includes the lobby, a wooden building with a blend of Japanese and Western architecture by architect Gonkuro Kume, a main dining room with its eye-catching stained glass windows depicting Mount Asama and the Karuizawa plateau and unique coffered ceiling, an authentic bar, a terrace café with its rich greenery and historical anecdotes, and guestrooms that are beautifully harmonized with the Karuizawa-carved wooden furniture, striking Kumiko doors and the view of a larch forest as a backdrop.
In the interior design, the priority was put on to ensure the design will be passed on for many years to come by making use of these prestigious traditional settings with careful additions of modern details to offer a timeless space.
In the banquet rooms of the newly built building, a gentle curved ceiling design evokes the image of the wind blowing gracefully in the nature of Karuizawa, expressing the harmony with the landscape and the newness of the Mampei Hotel.
The heritage of the Mampei Hotel, which has inherited the traditions and spirit of the hotel since its establishment and has been loved by countless guests over the years, will continue to build a history as a symbol of Karuizawa.
