Outdoor styles are becoming increasingly polarized.
MONTHLY JOURNAL May. 2022 vol.1

Snow Peak Headquarters is located in Tsubame-Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture. This is not only the headquarters, but there is also a vast camp site next to the building that attracts campers and snowpeakers (Snow Peak enthusiasts) from all over the world. And on the same site, the "Snow Peak Field Suite Spa Head Quarters" resort complex opened in April of this year.

It's a fully equipped place with restaurants, hot springs, saunas, and guest rooms, but you can definitely feel the connection to the outdoors. In other words, glamping at its finest.

The architecture was designed by Kengo Kuma, who has worked on several Snow Peak facilities in the past. When Kuma visited the facility for a preliminary inspection, he thought, "Firewood is the most important element of camping," and the idea of placing firewood on the ceiling came to him. The walls are also made of clay, and natural materials are used in abundance.

The biggest attraction of the facility is the hot spring baths. The baths are 100% fed by the hot spring water, which is fortunately available when the hot spring was dug out by chance. The large glass windows offer a panoramic view of Awagatake, one of Japan's three hundred most famous mountains, making it a hot spring facility as well as a view spot. If you stay here, you will not have to sleep surrounded by the smell of bonfires and sweat (although that is fine).

The sauna is also equipped with everyone's favorite, Finnish-style sauna. The artificial stone "Kerkes stone" created for the sauna sits like a bonfire in the center of the sauna and warms the body from the core with its far-infrared ray effect. And the view of nature through the glass windows is breathtaking. TOTONOU (revitalize).

The restaurant is, to our surprise, cooperated by "Kagurazaka Ishikawa", which has a three-star rating in "Michelin". The menu is composed of dishes using local products from Niigata, and can be ordered a la carte or as a course. A wide selection of wines is also available. As we have said many times before, this is in the middle of the great outdoors.

There are seven guest rooms in total: a villa building and a mobile house. The more luxurious villa building has a wood ceiling, which was also used for the hotel entrance, and a full-length glass window from which one can enjoy the natural beauty of the four seasons. Other natural materials, such as the famous chestnut flooring, are used throughout the rooms, and the air of the outdoors is scattered everywhere. A completely private open-air bath is also available.

Snow Peak's new facility was conceived 10 years ago, and the company has taken great pains to create a luxurious environment. Coexistence with nature does not have to be in a harsh environment, and even a luxurious facility such as this is possible. This new destination is a place where people can get in touch with nature in a comfortable environment, and hopefully this will lead to an increase in the number of campers later on.

Perhaps the current excitement will come to an end, but the outdoor style in a different form will continue to be transmitted from "Snow Peak.