Nakagawa, Tochigi Pref. –
As minka (traditional houses) across Japan languish, Iizukatei, a property dating back 200 years to the Edo Period (1603-1867), is proving that preserving the past does not mean being stuck in it.
The boutique hotel in Nakagawa, Tochigi Prefecture, seamlessly marries family abode and traditional kura (warehouse) design with modern comfort through rooms crafted from wood and paper, outfitted with midcentury arched metal lamps, and centered around a traditional Japanese garden that can be admired from a large, plush sofa.
Originally owned by the local Iizuka family, the dwelling was the first tangible cultural property in eastern Japan — recognized in 2003 — to be transformed into a hotel.
