Karuizawa has its own cultural history, and is surrounded by the riches of nature. The area originally became a resort destination in the Meiji period (1869-1912), and we used bricks and stained glass imported during that era extensively to create a space that clearly expressed Karuizawa’s identity.The expansive 25-meter open kitchen is vividly decorated with dishes of food made with local ingredients. The dining room seats 285 and is divided into three sections by an openwork partition made from antique wood and a glass partition. We designed each area to have a theme, spring, summer, and autumn-winter, and maintained a unified feel while giving each a distinct color theme to change the expansive space gradually.The wooden ceiling that extends from the window-side seats over the terrace seats was designed to muddle the border between outdoors and indoors and accentuate the natural surroundings. This ceiling was constructed out of larch, a tree that grows abundantly in the area.Private dining rooms are divided by lattice walls made from antique lumber, and when private rooms aren’t needed, the large door can be slid aside to create open seating. The pieces of art decorating the private dining rooms were made from a chestnut tree that was reluctantly felled for the project. The tree had watched over the area for more than a century, becoming a local landmark. A cross-section was coated into ink, and prints were made of its tree rings, turning it into original art, and letting it live on as a symbol that will continue to greet visitors.