Shiroiya Hotel
Contemporary art destination meets Japanese minimalism. Concrete walls, lush atrium greenery, brass pipes as art, no televisions in the concept rooms. Serious design credentials without feeling cold.
Book the RESTAURANT well in advance — only 14 seats and no à la carte menu
Why It Matters
National Geographic Traveler named it one of the 39 Best Hotels in the World in 2021. The RESTAURANT has been listed in Gault & Millau for five consecutive years. Every room is a commissioned artwork by a different internationally renowned designer or artist. The Green Tower exterior is itself a sculptural piece. It's a genuine destination hotel in a city that most tourists bypass.
Shiroiya Hotel is a 28-room art hotel in downtown Maebashi, built from the bones of a 300-year-old ryokan that sat empty for over a decade before architect Sou Fujimoto transformed it. The result is two buildings — the Heritage Tower (raw 1970s concrete, painstakingly renovated) and the Green Tower (a new structure whose grass-covered exterior reads as a small hill) — where every room doubles as a private gallery, with works by Leandro Erlich, Jasper Morrison, Michele De Lucchi, and others. It was conceived by Hitoshi Tanaka, founder of the Japanese eyewear brand JINS, as a 'living room for the city,' and it genuinely functions as one: locals stop in for Blue Bottle Coffee, dinner reservations are hard to come by, and the hotel has become the anchor of Maebashi's cultural revival.
Where You'll Stay
9 room types available
Deluxe Room
25–35 sqm rooms, slightly larger than the Superior category and comfortably set up for two people. Each is individually decorated with different commissioned artworks.
30 sqmDeluxe Twin Room
35–41 sqm rooms with two semi-double beds arranged Hollywood Twin style (side by side). Good for families or friends traveling together. Like all rooms, features commissioned artworks that shift in expression with changing light.
Twin · 38 sqmExecutive Room
52 sqm room in the Heritage Tower designed in a cool palette of white, gray, and dark wood. Exposed raw concrete from the original 1970s building contrasts with plush furnishings. Features original works by British artist Ryan Gander. Spacious desk for work or creative focus. Twin configuration.
Twin · 52 sqmJunior Suite
Top-floor suite in the Heritage Tower — the largest room in the hotel at 57 sqm. A balcony cantilevers directly over the atrium and Leandro Erlich's Lighting Pipes installation. The open-plan bathroom has a freestanding bathtub. Original artworks by Hiraku Suzuki and Mineki Murata hang throughout.
57 sqmminä perhonen Residence Rooms
Opened April 15, 2025 as part of the hotel's 5th anniversary expansion. Designed under the creative direction of Finnish-Japanese fashion and textile brand minä perhonen. Features vintage chairs upholstered in original fabrics, bed throws, curtains, and artwork by brand designer Akira Minagawa. Built for extended stays, in a building adjacent to the main hotel.
Special Room — Jasper Morrison
Designer Jasper Morrison — known for his 'super normal' philosophy — built this room like a beautiful wooden art crate. Wood-paneled bedroom, stone-clad bathroom, cypress soaking tub. Wooden shutters open to reveal a dramatic view into the Heritage Tower atrium. No television by design.
Special Room — Leandro Erlich
Argentinian conceptual artist Leandro Erlich — the same artist behind the Lighting Pipes atrium installation — reimagines plumbing here. Brass pipes weave through the room and appear in unexpected places: furniture, bathroom accessories, everywhere. No television. An art museum of one.
Special Room — Michele De Lucchi (The 2725 Elements Room)
Italian architect Michele De Lucchi's tribute to traditional Japanese itabuki wooden shingle work uses exactly 2,725 shingles — hence the name. Light filters between shingles to cast shifting shadow patterns. Feels like a cozy wooden mountain cabin. No television.
Special Room — Sou Fujimoto
The architect of the hotel himself designed this room around his growth theme: lush ficus leaves add dimension and color to a white-and-gray palette. No television. Calm and contemplative by design — a place for ideas to grow.
The Property
Eat & Drink
6 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Hotel-arranged canoeing excursions on local lakes, including Lake Shima. A popular add-on activity for guests wanting to get out into Gunma's landscape.
Hotel staff can organize guided hiking excursions in Gunma's mountains, including Mt. Akagi and Mt. Tanigawa. Gunma's volcanic peaks are accessible year-round except deep winter.
Kimono dressing experience with English guidance, organized by hotel staff.
Twice-daily guided tour of the hotel's art collection, covering the architecture by Sou Fujimoto, individual art installations, and the history of the Shiroiya Ryokan. Offered free of charge to guests. Also available as self-guided via QR codes in each room.
A private tea ceremony in the historic 'Shungetsu' (Spring Moon) tea room — a structure built by Harue Sekine, the last proprietor of the original Shiroiya Ryokan, relocated to the hotel grounds. Learn the history and practice of the tea ceremony, enjoy traditionally prepared matcha with Japanese sweets, and try preparing a bowl yourself. English guidance available.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Hotel guests enjoy complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks plus snacks in the Art Lounge from 5pm–11pm nightly. Includes regional Okkirikomi noodles served 9–10:30pm.
Luxury Serta mattresses — standard across all rooms.
Amenities from local brand OSAJI. Shampoo, conditioner, and body soap are original SHIROIYA HOTEL designs.
Harada Farm's 100% fresh apple juice from Numata, Gunma, and ONCA Coffee single-origin drip bags provided complimentary. The coffee supports ONCA COFFEE's work with people with disabilities in Gunma.
Complimentary minibar stocked for all guests.
Complimentary parking at partner lots (Mizuho Bank Underground and GENKI 21) from 3pm on check-in day to 12pm on check-out. Outside those hours: ¥300 per 60 minutes.
There is no swimming pool on the property.
Paid hire car service from JR Takasaki Station. Must be arranged through the hotel.
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Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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