The Japanese hospitality company, NOT A HOTEL, has recently revealed its latest project, 'NOT A HOTEL YAKUSHIMA', on the UNESCO World Heritage island of Yakushima in Kagoshima, Japan. The new property, designed by the celebrated French architectural firm Ateliers Jean Nouvel, is one of the most profound explorations of the intersection of architecture and nature. Take a closer look at the final result. It's architecturally and naturally stunning.
What is 'NOT A HOTEL YAKUSHIMA'?
Yakushima is a subtropical mountainous island, south of the Japanese mainland. The highest point on the island is Mount Miyanoura (1,935 m). The island is covered in a dense forest with many ancient trees such as the cryptomeria, known in Japan as 'Sugi', and the Rhododendron.
NOT A HOTEL YAKUSHIMA is Jean Nouvel's stone and glass retreat in Yakushima. Commissioned by the hospitality brand, the project will belong to a landscape defined by moss-covered rocks and misty green canopies. Nouvel’s design draws directly from the island’s topography, embedding the building within the natural contours of the terrain. Walls of locally-sourced stone and broad panes of glass form a low, grounded structure that can be gradually discovered as the forest unfolds. Thus, the architecture reflects the island’s elements, welcoming the rain and shadow as a part of its atmosphere.
The architecture firm talks about this project as a look into absence. The architect describes his method and says:
"The most sophisticated things belong to nature – its landscapes, its paths, its reliefs, the views that will be revealed; everything else is absence."
His remarks highlight the project's moderation. Instead of solely being an object inside Yakushima's landscape, the created area becomes a serene frame for it.
What's Inside and Outside the Design
Spaces inside the hotel open up widely to the sea and forest, providing a mood that is both direct and reflective. Guests are encouraged to wander freely with the cycles of daylight and weather through noticeable transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces. While glass expanses transmit wind and water noises, the stone surfaces gather rainfall and reflect changing skies.
At its base lies the stone – a permanent object shaped by time, rain, and wind, carrying the patina of years, the studio adds, describing the influence of Yakushima’s landscape on his design for NOT A HOTEL. Rocks and stone blocks are arranged as if they have always been part of the island, their textures mixing with the surrounding forest floor and nearby cliffside. This tactile connection to the site lends a design that values permanence and encourages observation among the trees and overall nature of the project.
Nonetheless, the interplay of light and shadow reinforces the sense of continuity with the landscape. Openings frame views of the sea and distant peaks, while the interiors are softened by the shifting glow of Yakushima’s ever-changing weather. The design team seeks to inspire a slow engagement with the environment and show the interplay and contrast between built form and otherwise untouched landscape.
Jean Nouvel, often called the 'magician of light,' has managed to conceive a design that aims to transcend the artificial. Explore another one of his projects in São Paulo and Sydney.
The project is a flexible model of ownership and hospitality. Members can purchase a residence and share it as a hotel stay when unoccupied, with the brand managing maintenance and operations. Sales for NOT A HOTEL YAKUSHIMA are set to begin in summer 2026.
Photos by: @notahotelofficial.
