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[ SHONAI HOTEL SUIDEN TERRASSE ] Announcement of New General Manager and New System

Published Jul 1, 2026 11:27 PM ・ Updated Jul 2, 2026 12:33 AM ・ 35 min read ・ Source: PR TIMES

(Left) Yayoi Naka, former General Manager of SUIDEN TERRASSE, (Right) Yoichi Niwa, new General Manager. SHONAI HOTEL SUIDEN TERRASSE (SHONAI HOTEL SUIDEN TERRASSE / SUIDEN TERRASSE Co., Ltd. / Tsuruo

(Left) Yayoi Naka, former General Manager of SUIDEN TERRASSE, (Right) Yoichi Niwa, new General Manager.

SHONAI HOTEL SUIDEN TERRASSE (SHONAI HOTEL SUIDEN TERRASSE / SUIDEN TERRASSE Co., Ltd. / Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture) today announces a change in its General Manager system, effective July 1, 2026.

Yayoi Naka, who has served as General Manager since 2021, will step down, and Yoichi Niwa will be appointed as the new General Manager. In this release, we introduce the aspirations that will be passed on to the next era, looking back at the values SUIDEN TERRASSE has cherished and its journey with the region through a conversation between the outgoing and incoming General Managers.

[Conversation between Outgoing General Manager Yayoi Naka and New General Manager Yoichi Niwa] SUIDEN TERRASSE Rooted in Shonai, Yamagata What is Inherited, What Will Be Born Next

Since the opening of SUIDEN TERRASSE in September 2018, Yoichi Niwa has been involved in its operations in various areas, including the Food and Beverage Department and Public Relations Department, working alongside the on-site staff. Although he joined from a field different from the hotel industry, he has supported the creation of connections with the region and the realization of new initiatives, and has been a presence that has watched over the facility's growth. On the other hand, Yayoi Naka joined SUIDEN TERRASSE as a consultant in 2019 and became General Manager in 2021. For approximately one and a half years as a consultant and approximately five years as General Manager, she worked to improve operations and build the organization during the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also promoting various initiatives that foster connections with the region, such as "YAMAGATA SHONAI SAKE STORY" and Sustainable Challenge. From July, she will continue to participate in SUIDEN TERRASSE as an advisor.

The two individuals, who have supported SUIDEN TERRASSE from different positions, will look back on the eight-year journey since its opening and discuss the values they have cherished and the future.

Yoichi Niwa (hereinafter, Niwa): Looking back at the eight years since the opening, I strongly feel that we were initially running on sheer momentum. While the architecture and location received high praise, the foundation for hotel operations and services was not yet fully established. After that, despite continuous trial and error on the ground, including the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, I feel that the way the site was perceived began to change little by little after Ms. Naka became involved. It wasn't just about improvements; it felt like we were verbalizing "What do we value?" and "How should we be?". Being on-site, I was able to witness that process up close and learned a great deal.

Ms. Naka, the former General Manager, and Mr. Niwa, the new General Manager, have supported SUIDEN TERRASSE together for six and a half years. While their roles will change, they will continue to collaborate to promote the charm of Yamagata Shonai to the world, with SUIDEN TERRASSE as their base.

Yayoi Naka (hereinafter, Naka): At that time, SUIDEN TERRASSE already possessed many attractions, such as its architecture, food, and natural environment. However, the systems and decision-making criteria to support these were not yet fully organized.

Therefore, the first thing we tackled was not to add new things, but to standardize daily operations and decision-making standards. As a result, I believe this created "room for judgment" for the staff. With that foundation in place, initiatives like "YAMAGATA SHONAI SAKE STORY," which conveys culture together with the local community, and the Sustainable Challenge, which began in 2023, were smoothly integrated into the daily operations. What I have consistently valued is the idea that "the hotel itself is a medium." The daily meals, the space, and the staff's behavior itself become expressions that convey the value of this land. With that concept in mind, we have promoted various initiatives.

Niwa: That change was extremely significant for the staff. The streamlining of operations was not just about efficiency; as Ms. Naka mentioned, it created room to think about "how can we convey the value of this land?" Previously, the focus was on "how to manage," but now we can work with a perspective of "how to express." Looking back at the past eight years, I believe SUIDEN TERRASSE has grown beyond the framework of a lodging facility, engaging with the region and its culture. The staff has also felt that change daily as they've worked. Moving forward towards the next ten years, I feel it is important to deepen our current initiatives and expand the possibilities of this place.

Naka: I myself believe that the initiatives I've been involved with at SUIDEN TERRASSE are not the final form, but rather the creation of a foundation for the future. The streamlining of operations and the initiatives with the region are the groundwork for building what comes next. And what makes me happiest is that this way of thinking and attitude is naturally being passed on to the staff, including Mr. Niwa. I want to continue to support SUIDEN TERRASSE's journey to the next stage in my role as an advisor.

Niwa: I feel reassured that I can continue to develop SUIDEN TERRASSE while collaborating with Ms. Naka. Building on what we have accumulated, I want to further enhance the value of this place with a view to the next ten years.

Naka: Let's build the future of SUIDEN TERRASSE together.

Daily Connections Between the Site and the Region

Ms. Naka actively visited the region, participating in rice cultivation experiences on contract farmers' paddies and the creation of original SUIDEN TERRASSE sake. Mr. Niwa also visits the region and actively communicates with the team as part of the on-site staff.

Yayoi Naka, who led SUIDEN TERRASSE for six and a half years as a consultant and General Manager, fostered relationships by visiting sake breweries, farms, and local businesses, not just staying within the hotel. Her role in fostering dialogue with the region and connecting people has become a significant foundation for SUIDEN TERRASSE. And Yoichi Niwa, who has been involved in multiple areas such as food and beverage and public relations since the hotel's opening, witnessed her efforts firsthand. Through building relationships with producers and planning and managing events, he has played a role in connecting customers with the region and has gained experience on the front lines.

[Conversation between Akira Kawashima (Pino Collina Matsugaoka) and Yoichi Niwa] The Place Called SUIDEN TERRASSE, Nurtured by Regional Relationships Friends Who See the Same Scenery and Build the Region's Future Together

Initiatives such as "YAMAGATA SHONAI SAKE STORY" developed by SUIDEN TERRASSE have been shaped not by the hotel alone, but through collaboration with regional producers and businesses. Among them, Akira Kawashima, General Manager of the winery "Pino Collina Matsugaoka" in the Matsugaoka district of Haguro Town, Tsuruoka City, has been continuously involved through projects like "SUIDEN NOUVEAU." We spoke with Mr. Kawashima, who works to promote the region's food and culture through wine, and Yoichi Niwa, who has nurtured relationships with the region on-site, about the trajectory of SUIDEN TERRASSE from their respective external and internal perspectives, and what lies ahead.

(Left) Akira Kawashima, General Manager of Pino Collina Matsugaoka. (Right) Yoichi Niwa, new General Manager of SUIDEN TERRASSE.

Yoichi Niwa (hereinafter, Niwa): The initiatives at SUIDEN TERRASSE are not completed solely within the hotel. Many things have emerged from daily interactions with producers and local businesses.

"YAMAGATA SHONAI SAKE STORY" and "SUIDEN NOUVEAU" were not started with the intention of creating something new, but rather took shape naturally through ongoing engagement with the region. Since the opening, I myself have learned from many people and feel that the hotel has played a role in connecting customers with the region.

Akira Kawashima (hereinafter, Kawashima): I feel similarly. The charm of SUIDEN TERRASSE lies in its careful delivery of the region's value to customers in a comprehensible form. "SAKE STORY" and "SUIDEN NOUVEAU" are initiatives where value has been cultivated through deepening human connections, rather than the events themselves being the goal. While it is a lodging facility, it has become a place where people meet and new relationships are born. Isn't that the essence of SUIDEN TERRASSE? Ms. Naka's presence was also significant in fostering such a place. She didn't limit herself to the hotel but visited sake breweries, farms, and local businesses, valuing dialogue with each person. I have the impression that she acted with consideration for what the hotel could give back to the region, not just what it could receive. It is precisely because of that accumulation that SUIDEN TERRASSE has become a trusted presence in the region.

Niwa: I witnessed that firsthand on-site. The value of a hotel is not determined solely by its architecture or services, but is created by how the staff interacts with customers and the region. That way of thinking is one of the things I learned from Ms. Naka.

Kawashima: That's absolutely true. Hotels have a unique atmosphere and memories of the place. SUIDEN TERRASSE's distinctiveness is created not only by the beauty of its architecture but also by the atmosphere within the building and the behavior of the staff. The presence of Ms. Naka, who built such a space, and Mr. Niwa, who has supported it on-site daily, is very significant.

Niwa: Thank you.

Mr. Kawashima of Pino Collina Matsugaoka has continuously supported the initiatives since the planning stages of SUIDEN TERRASSE's launch.

Kawashima: The appeal of SUIDEN TERRASSE is not just its architecture and scenery. I believe its great value lies in it being an entry point to encounter the charms of Shonai, such as its people, culture, food, and agriculture. For the region, it is also an important presence that conveys the appeal of Shonai to visitors from outside. That's why we have been involved not as mere collaborators for events, but as partners in jointly conveying the region's charm. Looking back, it feels less like we created events and more like we walked together, thinking about how to deliver the value of this land.

Niwa: We have also learned a great deal from the people in the region as we've moved forward. We want to continue to value creating value together with the local community, not just by the hotel making pronouncements.

Kawashima: And from now on, Mr. Niwa will carry that journey forward. Mr. Niwa knows the site well and is close to the producers. I have also seen how he has carefully built relationships with everyone in the region, one by one. Therefore, I am very much looking forward to seeing how Mr. Niwa's unique SUIDEN TERRASSE will grow, inheriting the trust and way of thinking that Ms. Naka has built. As colleagues working in the same region, we hope to continue walking together.

Niwa: While cherishing the relationships and initiatives built so far, I want to continue to be a place that conveys the unique value of this land. Together with the local community, I want to build the future of SUIDEN TERRASSE.

SUIDEN TERRASSE will celebrate its 8th anniversary on September 19, 2026.

Eight Years Accumulated Together with the Region

The Current Position of SUIDEN TERRASSE

For eight years since its opening, SUIDEN TERRASSE has practiced not only as a lodging facility but also as a place that conveys the climate, culture, and human connections of Shonai. In this process, in addition to building a foundation such as streamlining operations and organizing the company, we have continued initiatives that foster value together with the region, such as "YAMAGATA SHONAI SAKE STORY" and Sustainable Challenge. These activities were not born as special projects, but were nurtured through daily dialogue with local people and accumulation of on-site efforts.

In July 2026, SUIDEN TERRASSE will enter a new era, moving forward while inheriting the relationships and philosophy built so far. Although the system will change, both Ms. Naka and Mr. Niwa share the same direction that SUIDEN TERRASSE aims for. We will continue to learn with the region, challenge with the region, and strive to be a place that conveys the charm of Shonai both domestically and internationally.

Major Initiatives of SUIDEN TERRASSE to Date

September 2018 Grand Opening

April 2020 Full closure for facility renovation

August 2020 Renovation and reopening

April 2021 Construction of 2 new saunas (Tengai-no-yu & Getsuhaku-no-yu)

December 2021 Launch of "SUIDEN Workation Plan"

March 2023 "YAMAGATA SHONAI SAKE STORY" launched

April 2023 SUIDEN Wedding launched

May 2023 "Sustainable Challenge" launched

August 2023 Online store "SUIDEN STYLE" opened

May 2025 "Paddy and Rice Project" launched

June 2026 Industry-academia collaboration launched with Tohoku University of Art and Design "C/C/C Field Works"

Profile

Yoichi Niwa

Participated in SUIDEN TERRASSE since its opening in 2018. Involved in on-site operations, primarily in food and beverage and public relations. Appointed Manager on April 1, 2026, and General Manager on July 1, 2026.

Yayoi Naka

Participated as a hotel management consultant for SUIDEN TERRASSE from 2020. Served as General Manager from 2021. Led operations improvement, organizational design, and regional collaboration projects such as SAKE STORY. Stepped down as General Manager at the end of June 2026. Will continue to support SUIDEN TERRASSE as an advisor.

Akira Kawashima

General Manager of Pino Collina Matsugaoka. Continuously involved in SUIDEN TERRASSE's regional collaboration projects such as "YAMAGATA SHONAI SAKE STORY" and "SUIDEN NOUVEAU."

Photo: Kohei Shikama

About SHONAI HOTEL SUIDEN TERRASSE

Location: 3F Edosaka Mori Bldg., 4-1-10 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo SHONAI SPACE

Representative: Representative Director CEO Daisuke Yamanaka

Representative Director COO Kohei Sakurai

Business Content: Building a real estate development and operation platform that circulates capital from urban areas and regional resources.

Planning and operation of hotels and ryokans

And creation of tourism value through the regeneration and utilization of regional real estate.

Utilizing development and operation know-how

Facility operation consignment and business support.

Official Website: https://onelocal.inc

ONE LOCAL Inc. is a company aiming to create new towns where real estate and tourism are integrated, transcending the boundaries between regions and cities. By integrating its execution capabilities in "real estate development and brokerage" with its "regional resource editing capabilities" cultivated through operations such as "SUIDEN TERRASSE" and "JIJIJIN Matsuyama," it has built a unique business platform. Using profits from urban circulation-type real estate as capital, it reinvests in regional creation-type real estate with its own capital, editing cultural resources into "destinations." This system, which completes the "circulation of capital and value" internally, redefines the common sense of the existing real estate business and leads sustainable town development.

About ONE LOCAL Inc.