On a snowy day in February, the LUXE team took a trip to the recently refurbished Mampei Hotel in Karuizawa. Celebrating the establishment and reminiscing with the manager about one of its most famous guests: singer, songwriter and poet, John Lennon. From the article by LUXE writer, Masako Teddy: With the restoration complete, the finished…

Riccardo Tossani is an internationally acclaimed architect and experienced private pilot. For nearly 30 years, he has pursued context-sensitive design throughout Japan. From the dense urban landscape of Tokyo to the tropical islands of the south and the dramatic seasonal environment of Hokkaido, he has honed his skills in a variety of regions. His architectural…

Born in Japan but shaped by international experiences, architect Kenji Mizukami brings a uniquely bicultural perspective to contemporary design, developing buildings that work simultaneously on practical, emotional, and ecological levels. We spoke to him about his background, his philosophy and some of his latest projects. From the interview… “Holistic” has become a bit of a…