Reservations Begin in April: 'A Journey Back to Your True Self.' All-Suite, Sauna-Included 'ESSENCE KARUIZAWA' in Karuizawa Forest Opens in First Phase on July 22
MemoLead Group will open a luxury hotel 'ESSENCE KARUIZAWA' in Karuizawa on July 22, featuring all-suite rooms with private saunas. Reservations start in April, with an opening discount offered.
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- 📰 Published: April 10, 2026 at 18:00
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MemoLead Group (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo / President & CEO: Takashi Yoshida), which develops various life support services including funeral services, mutual aid, hotels, restaurants, medical, and insurance businesses, has commenced reservations on its official website for the luxury hotel 'ESSENCE KARUIZAWA,' set to open in Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture, from April 2026.
The hotel will open on July 22, 2026, offering stays with all rooms as suites and private saunas, allowing guests to experience 'a journey back to their true selves' while immersed in the Karuizawa forest. A special plan offering a 20% discount on accommodation fees is available to commemorate the opening. All accommodation plans include dining at the restaurant 'Shin (心),' proposing time to gently harmonize mind and body throughout the stay. Its accessibility, just about a 5-minute drive from Karuizawa Station, and its quiet environment surrounded by nature are also appealing. The architectural design is by Hiroshi Nakamura of NAP Architects, and the interior design by Jamo Associates. The space, designed to blend with Karuizawa's nature, gently embraces the unique senses of each guest during their stay, supporting a return to their original selves.
## Philosophy of Space Integrated with Nature
The sensation of the body loosening into the forest naturally visits with each step taken through the building. ESSENCE KARUIZAWA is gently nestled into the slope of the Karamatsu forest spreading across the center of the site, allowing light, wind, and dappled sunlight to quietly flow into the interior. The building merges with the forest, and with each step, the five senses are gently harmonized, awakening original senses.
The architectural space resonates with the Japanese cultural philosophy of 'Shin, Gyo, So' (Literal, Semi-cursive, Cursive styles). In 'Shin,' imbued with the tension of the city, low eaves at the entrance and vertical lattices welcome guests while retaining an urban feel. In 'Gyo,' where the body and mind loosen, dappled sunlight and shadows filtering into the corridors and guest room wings gently touch the walking body, bringing calm. And in 'So,' where one fully resonates with the forest air, terraces, outdoor dining, the scent and light of the forest, and the continuity of roofs spread across the view, inviting an experience where body and mind become one with the forest.
As you walk, consciousness naturally shifts, and guests slowly return to their original senses.
The hotel will open on July 22, 2026, offering stays with all rooms as suites and private saunas, allowing guests to experience 'a journey back to their true selves' while immersed in the Karuizawa forest. A special plan offering a 20% discount on accommodation fees is available to commemorate the opening. All accommodation plans include dining at the restaurant 'Shin (心),' proposing time to gently harmonize mind and body throughout the stay. Its accessibility, just about a 5-minute drive from Karuizawa Station, and its quiet environment surrounded by nature are also appealing. The architectural design is by Hiroshi Nakamura of NAP Architects, and the interior design by Jamo Associates. The space, designed to blend with Karuizawa's nature, gently embraces the unique senses of each guest during their stay, supporting a return to their original selves.
## Philosophy of Space Integrated with Nature
The sensation of the body loosening into the forest naturally visits with each step taken through the building. ESSENCE KARUIZAWA is gently nestled into the slope of the Karamatsu forest spreading across the center of the site, allowing light, wind, and dappled sunlight to quietly flow into the interior. The building merges with the forest, and with each step, the five senses are gently harmonized, awakening original senses.
The architectural space resonates with the Japanese cultural philosophy of 'Shin, Gyo, So' (Literal, Semi-cursive, Cursive styles). In 'Shin,' imbued with the tension of the city, low eaves at the entrance and vertical lattices welcome guests while retaining an urban feel. In 'Gyo,' where the body and mind loosen, dappled sunlight and shadows filtering into the corridors and guest room wings gently touch the walking body, bringing calm. And in 'So,' where one fully resonates with the forest air, terraces, outdoor dining, the scent and light of the forest, and the continuity of roofs spread across the view, inviting an experience where body and mind become one with the forest.
As you walk, consciousness naturally shifts, and guests slowly return to their original senses.