From Shiguchi’s hot tub—a giant rock, sliced in half, its excavated interior filled with volcanic onsen water—the dazzling whites of the valley are broken only by an ink-line of trees and the scarlet legs of a woodpecker in a nearby birch tree. This escapist paradise in a wild part of Japan is a place to escape. NisekoHokkaido, Japan’s northernmost isle. Shiguchi, named after a Japanese carpentry method that connects beams with no nails, is all about connections: between humans, nature, art, architecture, or even bathers and birds. Shouya, an English artist and collector who has lived in the area for many years, relocated five old Japanese kominka farms. Shiguchi’s heartbeat is Somoza’s gallery and restaurant. Impressive woodwork is offset by shelves of abstract paintings and walls of tempered glass framing the valley view.
The days can be spent indulging in matcha on a tatami floor space covered in steel screens or conversing with Grigg about art over a dinner of Niseko’s wild Niseko – from foraged venison to delicious mushrooms. Five spacious villas with a unique atmosphere are reached by paths cut into the snow walls. They feature high-tech kitchens and bathtubs made of rock, cypress, or cypress, as well as deliciously soft Babaghuri. pajamas. The solid timberwork provides a backdrop to antique furniture, fireplaces and artworks. It’s a real treat to tune in and enjoy the rhythms of woodpeckers. —Danielle Demetriou
