SEKIYA RESORT Rock & Steam will open in December 2026 in Beppu's Kannawa district. This new resort will function as a "museum-like hotel" where nature, hot springs, cuisine, and artworks from both domestic and international artists come together to create a space that stimulates visitors' senses. Today, we'll focus particularly on the hotel's communal corridors, which serve as the heart of the property.
The newly completed communal corridors have been designed as spaces that create a special experience from the moment guests set foot in the building. The corridors gently curve through the hotel, with a tranquil water basin flowing down the center, complemented by strategically placed stones that create a garden-like pathway atmosphere. Soft lighting reflects off the water surface and walls, with shifting shadows throughout different times of day that gently stimulate visitors' senses.
What makes these corridor spaces particularly noteworthy is the sculptural wall treatment that rises alongside the water basin. While the walls appear to be made of wood at first glance, they are actually concrete that has been textured using bamboo as a mold. The detailed texture captures every bamboo joint and grain, creating surfaces that convey the vitality of natural materials while maintaining the refined aesthetics of modern architecture. Bamboo has long been cherished in Beppu as a traditional craft material for "bamboo work," and this wall treatment incorporates motifs that symbolize the region's cultural heritage. Craftspeople hand-positioned each piece of bamboo to carefully recreate subtle textures and patterns, resulting in a truly unique finish.
Additionally, indirect lighting illuminates the walls to highlight the bamboo-patterned shadows while enhancing the beautiful play of light reflected in the water basin. This space, where natural and artificial elements coexist alongside stillness and movement, can be described as an "experiential corridor" that transcends its function as a simple passageway.
These corridors, connecting the lobby to guest rooms, serve not only as transitional spaces for guests but also as pathways that guide them into an extraordinary experience with each step. As visitors pass through these communal areas multiple times during their stay, each journey reveals new expressions, quietly leaving lasting impressions in their memories.
ROCK & STEAM BEPPU Official Website:
https://rockandsteam.com/
SEKIYA RESORT Official Website:
https://www.sekiyaresort.jp/
