Kamosu Mori Villa
Tokamachi-city, Niigata, Japan
Building a New Relationship with Snow
Kamosu Mori is a hotel located deep in the mountains of the Kurokura area, slightly removed from Matsunoyama Onsen. This villa is a separate building planned as a full private rental.
Due to heavy snowfall that can reach up to 4 meters in winter, the floor level was raised by 4 meters, resulting in a stilted structure. The piloties supporting the elevated floor are designed as an outdoor living area: in summer, it becomes an open space that merges with the surrounding forest and landscape; in winter, enclosed by snow guards, it transforms into a unique, snow-cocooned environment reminiscent of a kamakura (snow hut).
When buried in snow, the building appears as if it were a one-story structure. A special exit allows guests to step directly outside from their room even during deep snowfall. The guest rooms are one-room, open-plan layouts with lofts that take advantage of the high ceilings, offering flexibility and spaciousness.
