4 Luxury Properties in Japan You Can Make Your Second Home

Tokyo Weekender

26-06-2025

Not A Hotel
is a hospitality brand revolutionizing luxury travel and property ownership, giving homeowners the option to buy either a full property or a fractional share — from a minimum of 30 days per year to a maximum of 360. This flexible model makes second-home ownership viable for those who don't need — or want — to commit to a property year-round.
Its luxurious properties are scattered throughout Japan, from the powdery peaks of Hokkaido to the beaches of Okinawa. When owners buy into one home, they gain access to the entire network.
Each property offers a wholly distinct experience, curated with meticulous attention to location, aesthetics and lifestyle. These residences are not just vacation homes — they're immersive works of design, molded to the landscape.
Here, we provide a look at four of Not A Hotel's destinations: a truly singular mountain-top residence in Rusutsu, Hokkaido; a futuristic clifftop home in Chiba; a trio of elegant villas in Setouchi; and an Edenic island retreat in Ishigaki.
Not A Hotel Rusutsu: Sky-High Solitude
Suspended between sky and snow at the summit of Hokkaido's acclaimed Rusutsu Resort,
Not A Hotel Rusutsu
is a bold new project currently under development — a visionary residence where alpine seclusion meets cutting-edge design. Designed by the internationally renowned firm Snøhetta, this 1,200-square-meter residence will offer its owners something truly rare: a home in the clouds, accessible only by ski lift or helicopter. From its dramatic perch, the house will overlook the majestic silhouette of Mount Yotei, often called the Mount Fuji of Hokkaido.
Architecture That Follows the Mountain
The planned residence consists of two elongated, gently curving wings arranged in a striking cross-like layout. One wing is designed to be grounded — partially nestled into the slope of the mountain — and will house a private gym and sauna. Above it, a second wing will appear to float, containing the bedrooms and a quiet study that invites reflection amid breathtaking views.
The main living space will stretch out from the base wing, encompassing a central courtyard, a kitchen and dining area and a tranquil outdoor bath. Every line and detail has been carefully conceived to echo the contours of the mountain, resulting in a home that will feel both grounded and elevated — minimalist, yet monumental.
Japan's Premier Powder Destination
The setting is just as extraordinary. Rusutsu Resort, located 90 minutes from Sapporo's New Chitose Airport, is one of Japan's top all-season destinations. Winner of multiple World Ski Awards, the resort boasts 37 runs across three mountains, 42 kilometers of skiable terrain, and an average annual snowfall of 14 meters — a paradise for serious skiers and powder enthusiasts.
Yet this is far more than just a ski retreat. With clean architectural lines, stunning views and a design that feels at one with the snow-draped wilderness, Not A Hotel Rusutsu promises a vision of solitude and luxury at the edge of the world.
Not A Hotel Tokyo: The NIGO House
Perched dramatically on the coast of Futtsu in Chiba,
Not A Hotel Tokyo – The NIGO House
is a meticulously designed, futuristic retreat conceived entirely by legendary creative director NIGO set to open in 2027. Built directly into a cliffside overlooking Tokyo Bay and accessed via a discreet road that leads to a private underground garage, the home evokes the mystique of a secret lair. From the moment you enter, you're immersed in a world where art, design and iconography are seamlessly interwoven. Every element of the house is intentional — curated, considered and deeply personal — making it not just a place to stay, but a complete expression of NIGO's singular creative universe.
Playful Iconography Meets Private Luxury
The exterior of the home is unlike anything else in the world: a vertiginous wall of glass erupting from the verdant hillside, crowned by 'SPACE,' a monumental KAWS sculpture created specifically for this project. Since the structure is built into the hillside, one enters through the second floor, and then continues down.
Upstairs, three bedrooms offer sweeping views of the ocean. The first floor — anchored by a 6.8-meter-tall glass wall — has an abundance of luxurious amenities, including a fully equipped gym, a gourmet kitchen with a dedicated prep area and a grand dining table that seats 12. There's also a pool that looks out over the bay.
Works from NIGO's personal collection are integrated into the space, and ownership includes them. A giant inflatable duck floats whimsically in the pool — a signature icon of his brand Human Made — while vintage pieces by Jean Prouvé and Pierre Jeanneret ground the futuristic interiors with a sense of heritage.
A Truly Special Stay
Sleek architecture, world-class art and sweeping views aside, it's the house's more unexpected, deeply personal amenities that truly set it apart. It has its own dedicated listening room, called the Sound Club, designed in collaboration with cutting-edge New York sound brand Ojas. Nestled on the top floor is a beautiful Japanese-style tearoom, where sunlight filters gently through delicate shoji screens.
The home also accommodates social gatherings in true futuristic fashion — with a room of capsule sleeping pods, based on NIGO's personal vacation home, which offer panoramic views of the horizon.
Just over an hour by car from central Tokyo, Not A Hotel Tokyo – The NIGO House is a destination that defies categorization: part residence, part creative sanctuary and entirely original.
Not A Hotel Setouchi: Curves, Cliffs and Calm
On a secluded peninsula of Sagi Island, a serene island floating in the Seto Inland Sea,
Not A Hotel Setouchi
is a visionary escape sculpted into nature. Designed by globally acclaimed architects Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and set to open in spring 2026, this constellation of three villas — 180, 270 and 360 — spans over 8 acres. Owners gain exclusive access to all three villas and the sweeping peninsula they inhabit, including a private beach terrace and pier.
Immersion in View and Water
Each building offers a distinct experience, calibrated to its environment; each also has a unique central courtyard with its own theme. Perched along the peninsula's northernmost tip, Villa 180 follows the contours of the cliff edge, granting sweeping views of the Seto archipelago from every room. Its courtyard, themed 'wa,' or 'harmony,' contains a traditional Japanese garden.
Villa 270 rises from the northeastern hills, blending fluidly into its surroundings. With windows that gaze out over the Seto Inland Sea and a serene pool dominating its central courtyard, it captures the sensation of being enveloped by water. The pool is its focal point, with lounge areas and open-air bathing spaces protruding out into the water like elegant islands.
Situated at the highest point of the estate, Villa 360 completes the architectural triad. True to its name, it's ring-shaped, offering a 360-degree view. An infinity pool outside the main living and dining area seems to meld with the surrounding seascape. In contrast to the watery Villa 270, Villa 360 has fire at its heart: Its courtyard contains a campfire area, perfect for barbecues or gathering with loved ones.
Each villa features its own pool, along with a sauna, multiple bedrooms and three bathrooms.
An Island of Art and Isolation
Set against the backdrop of Sagi Island, one of the Geiyo Islands of Hiroshima Prefecture, Not A Hotel Setouchi is a private retreat with global sensibilities. Only 13 minutes by speedboat from Mihara Port (itself accessible by shinkansen), the location offers both seclusion and connectivity. This region has become a cultural epicenter in recent years, drawing international attention thanks to events like the Setouchi Triennale.
To arrive here is to begin a journey — not just across water, but into a rare architectural and emotional space. Whether it's the mirrored stillness of a pool, the curve of a hallway or the scent of pine on the sea breeze, Not A Hotel Setouchi invites you to dwell not only in design, but in wonder.
Not A Hotel Ishigaki: A Palace of Light and Calm
Four hundred kilometers southwest of Okinawa's main island, Ishigaki Island seems to float on the East China Sea. Vacationers flock there for marine sports like snorkeling, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, as well as to explore island culture, from Ishigaki's evocative music to its local pottery style, Ishigaki-yaki, known for its blue-green glaze reminiscent of the surrounding sea.
On the southern coast of this verdant subtropical isle, just 10 minutes from Ishigaki Airport, stands
Not A Hotel Ishigaki
, a unique circular villa designed by renowned architect Sou Fujimoto.
A Fusion of Nature and Intentional Design
Fujimoto has been described by the online architecture and design magazine
ArchEyes
as creating 'innovative designs that blend natural and artificial structures,' and Not A Hotel Ishigaki — often referred to as Not A Hotel Ishigaki Earth — is a perfect example of this: Its gently sloping roof, covered in grass, creates a raised meadow from which guests can gaze out at the mesmerizing blues and greens of the Pacific Ocean.
Ensconced beneath this paradisiacal rooftop garden are two stories boasting four bedrooms, an expansive open-concept living and dining area complete with dining table for 12, modern galley kitchen, playroom, fully equipped gym and three bathrooms. Glass walls provide beautiful views of the sea, sky and surroundings.
Open-Air Luxuries
An infinity pool and water fountain border the villa's seaward facade, blending into the ocean's horizon. Elsewhere on the 9,900-square-meter property, you'll find a courtyard with a shaded children's pool and terrace, plus a stylish fire pit, the perfect location for leisurely after-dinner lounging beneath a star-filled sky. Astrophiles will adore Ishigaki, a prime spot for stargazing, with views of the Milky Way and Pleiades among other celestial bodies.
The courtyard is, in fact, the lower portion of the sloping roof, accessed via a distinctive open skylight that floods the villa's interior with natural light while embracing a semi-enclosed barbecue area. This isn't Not A Hotel Ishigaki's only novel way of illuminating the indoors: Sunlight filters into the cozy submerged sauna through the water of the seaward-facing fountain, rippling across the sauna's wood-paneled walls.
As the flagship property of the Not A Hotel network, Not A Hotel Ishigaki exemplifies the brand's innovative vision of home as a luxury portal to novel experiences. Here, sophisticated design and premier amenities blend with the island's natural splendor, creating a sanctuary that's both an intimate retreat and an expansive launchpad for discovery.
More Info
To learn more about Not A Hotel, visit
their website​​
.