Clearwater

This vacation home in Hirafu sits on a bluff with a view of Mt. Yotei and overlooks the Shiribetsu river that meanders through the valley below. The structure cantilevers out over the bluff as if to float amidst the tree tops and surrounding nature. Its name, The Clearwater, is derived from the pure snowmelt from Mt. Yotei that flows in the river below.

Three rectangular forms support one another in alternating layers. The lowest level contains a ‘wellness area’; the middle level (ground floor) is the public domain of the house; and the uppermost level (the second floor) are the private bedrooms. There are two master bedrooms, each with its own view of either Mt. Yotei or Mt. Annupuri.