NAGANO HERITAGE
Preserving the past, sharing the present
Based in the heart of Nagano, we are committed to the conservation of rural Japan, one building at a time.
Led by the locals of Iiyama, we restore historic buildings with the traditional craft of local artisans. In doing so, we preserve not only the structures that hold the stories of generations, but also the rural communities and cultures that give them meaning. We invite you to travel slowly, at your own pace. To revel in all rural Japan has to offer. To become a part of a story we share.
RESTORATION
Restoration is about more than buildings. It sustains the skills, communities, and stories they carry. At a time when convenience favours building anew, these traditions risk being lost. Working with local artisans whose craft has been refined over centuries, we help ensure this knowledge endures and is passed on to future generations.
EXPERIENCES
For us, luxury is not about excess, but about what lasts: moments of discovery, connections that bridge differences, and stories that stay with you long after the journey ends. Here, travel is not about checklists or crowded trails. It is about taking the time to let a place leave its mark on you.
COLLABORATION
A core tenet of our journey is to support local enterprise and employment at every opportunity. What began with everyday encounters in Nagano has grown into trusted partnerships with artisans, organizations and local government. Together, we work to preserve traditions and sustain the roots of Japan: its rural communities.
LOCAL AREA
For us, the real Japan is rural. Amid the bustle, advertisements, and constant change elsewhere, Iiyama offers quiet revelation. Here the seasons do not simply pass; they are savoured, shaping the land, the work, and the daily rituals of its people.
In spring, green palettes spread across the hillsides; in summer, fireflies trace patterns above the water. By autumn, leaves blanket the mountains, tucking them in for the shelter of snow to come.
Here, the locals embody ‘Ichi-go-Ichi-e’; literally ‘one moment, one picture’, cherishing each unrepeatable moment.
ACCOMMODATION
Each of our accommodations reflects the history embedded in its original walls, and the hands of craftsmen who have contributed across generations. Luxury here is subtle and considered. Curated not at the expense of heritage, but in dialogue with it.
With refined Japanese design and detail, these spaces embody the importance of preserving endangered traditions, offering a stay that values the unique process of regeneration as much as the comfort itself.
EXPERIENCE
These are not staged encounters but moments and stories shared in trusted company. Iiyama hosts a secluded exhibition of all that rural Japan has to offer, where hospitality and tradition are unassumingly carried through the generations.
Days unfold in many forms, and each season extends its own invitation…
CULTURAL
For the curious, experiences range from visiting the snow monkeys alongside an expert, to planting rice with local farmers, or exploring minka, the historic homes of rural Japan. Each encounter offers a deeper connection to traditions still alive today.
ACTIVE
Ski fresh powder before easing into an onsen at sunset, kayak across Lake Hokuryu, cycle through valleys of autumn leaves, or trek to a mountain shrine with a yamabushi monk. These are journeys into landscapes few travellers truly touch.
GOURMET
Nagano’s fertile land yields some of Japan’s most celebrated produce, shaping a rich culinary culture. From families hand-making soba for generations, to French-Japanese fusions and intimate igloo dining, the region’s food tells its own story.
JOIN THE STORY…
Heritage is for everyone. See our story unfold with each project, restoration, and partnership.