B&D HAKUBA IWATAKE

Located near the base of Hakuba Iwatake, this project renovates a 40-year-old minshuku lodge into an accommodation facility and restaurant.
Operated by Zukutochie Co., Ltd., whose activities focus on creating new opportunities for domestic tourism through collaboration with local communities and existing regional networks, the project emerges within a rapidly changing Hakuba. As tourism continues to reshape the village, the renovation explores how hospitality can contribute to local continuity while offering new ways of experiencing the region.
Developed in collaboration with the branding team Our Company, the project is centered on the concept of 団欒 (Danran)—the act of gathering, sharing a meal, and spending time together. The design seeks to create a place where relationships between people are foregrounded against the backdrop of Hakuba’s natural landscape and seasonal rhythms.
The existing building contained tatami style guest rooms, shared sanitation facilities, and an owner’s residence accumulated through decades of operation.The renovation reorganizes these elements into nine distinctive self-catering guest suites.
By stripping the building back to its structure, the project reveals traces of its history. Existing columns, beams, and the distinctive red steel beam spanning the restaurant remain visible, allowing the memory of the former lodge to coexist with its new use.
Inspired by Hakuba’s mountains and seasonal landscape, the interiors employ a neutral palette of materials and custom furnishings. Rather than becoming the focus themselves, these elements draw us back towards the surrounding environment and the time spent together within it. The architecture becomes a backdrop for nature, for the changing seasons, and for moments of gathering.