Noborioji Hotel Nara

Design by Rika Ota Architectural Design Atelier

Location in Nara, Japan

2022

Located at the quiet and calm area of World Heritage-registered Kofuku-ji Temple and the lush greenery of Nara Park, Noborioji Hotel Nara has undergone a complete renovation in its 15th year of operation, transforming itself into an auberge where guests can feel at ease in a home-like atmosphere. The compact size of the hotel, with 13 rooms in total, made it possible to ensure a peaceful stay in the ancient capital of Japan by carefully planning each room, from interior design, furnishings, and furniture to service. The renovation did not only involve newly remaking the hotel into a simple and modern space but also inheriting the classicality of the traditional materials and designs from the past, resulting in a high-quality space.

Nara Park, Noborioji Hotel Nara has undergone a complete renovation in its 15th year of operation, transforming itself into an auberge where guests can feel at ease in a home-like atmosphere. The compact size of the hotel, with 13 rooms in total, made it possible to ensure a peaceful stay in the ancient capital of Japan by carefully planning each room, from interior design, furnishings, and furniture to service. The renovation did not only involve newly remaking the hotel into a simple and modern space but also inheriting the classicality of the traditional materials and designs from the past, resulting in a high-quality space.

We worked on producing furniture for all the guest rooms and some furniture for the common areas for this renewal project. Usually, solid wood and natural finish wood are not preferable materials in terms of operation for a hotel environment since they age and physically change over time, requiring regular maintenance. In this hotel, however, furniture was mainly made of solid wood and natural origin finish wood for guests to feel the warmth of returning home. This has created a uniquely rich hotel experience.

In addition to the guest rooms, the wine cellar in the wine bar, storage furniture in the restaurant, and bookshelves and closets in the salon feature materials and designs with an exquisite aesthetic sense and high usability.