A new whole-house rental has opened amid the rice paddies of Saku, Nagano Prefecture. TON (屯), renovated from a Japanese house built in 1982, opened on July 27, 2026, in the Yuhara area of Saku City. Operated by BUPPHA Co., Ltd., a Nagano City-based creative studio known for website production and design, the property is rented out exclusively to one group of up to 12 guests at a time, with an 8-person sauna, a tatami room with a DJ booth, a dining area that looks out over the rice paddies, a wood deck opening onto the fields, and a garden for barbecues.
The Concept: A House for "Tamuro" — Hanging Out Without a Reason
"It doesn't have to be a special day, and you don't need a reason to invite someone. It's enough to just be together."
TON is a house built for people who get along easily to gather without any particular purpose. Its name comes from tamuro (屯), meaning to gather without any reason and simply spend time together.
At some point, people started needing a reason to get together with friends. Somewhere along the way, as the years went by, opportunities to simply gather started disappearing.
The hope is that people will gather more often, without needing a reason — and that this house can become an excuse to do just that.
Rather than a "hotel" where guests are looked after, TON is designed as a "house" where guests can simply enjoy themselves.
Instead, the budget was directed toward the things guests touch every day. The dining table is an original piece with a tabletop made from handmade washi paper by a washi artisan. The walls are finished in plaster, the kitchen counter is stainless steel, and the floors are solid cedar. From the sauna's construction to its insulation, the space was built with an emphasis on spending time doing nothing in particular. Furniture and fittings were made together with artisans and makers the studio already had ties with.
You don't need a reason to invite someone. Just stay a little longer today.
— from the brand statement
Reweaving an Old Japanese House for Today
The 1982-built Japanese house was renovated while keeping its original wa-style structure largely intact. On top of that base, a sauna, a stainless-steel kitchen counter, the washi dining table, a DJ booth, and a wood deck have been layered in. The team calls this approach "NEO wa-shitsu" (NEO Japanese room) — it's the layering itself that defines it.
The dining kitchen's fixed windows open onto a wide view of the surrounding rice paddies. There are four bedrooms, with four semi-double beds and eight futon sets, for up to 12 guests total. Since the whole building is rented out to a single group, guests are free to use the building, the garden, and the wood deck throughout their stay.
A Sauna for Up to 8 Guests
The sauna comfortably fits up to 8 people. Considering that most private-rental saunas are built for 2 to 3 people, this counts as a large one. It was made bigger not to be a quiet space for one person, but to be a room large enough that conversation never has to stop. The bathtub in the bathroom can also be used as-is for a cold plunge.
Facility Features
- Sauna for up to 8 guests
- Wood deck
- DJ booth (Pioneer DJ), projector, and full kitchen
- Garden for barbecues
- Rice paddies right outside
- Work space with a desk, power outlets, and high-speed Wi-Fi
- Pets welcome (up to 10 kg, maximum 2 pets)
Rates and Booking
The whole house starts from ¥36,000 per night for up to 2 guests, with ¥8,000 added per additional guest from the 3rd guest onward. Guests aged 7 to 12 add ¥4,800, and children 6 and under stay free. On Fridays and Saturdays, rates start from ¥44,000 per night.
Discounts apply for longer stays: 15% off for 2 or more nights, 20% off for 4 or more nights, and 25% off for 6 or more nights. Bookings are also available through Airbnb and Booking.com. Rates vary depending on the season, including summer and the year-end holidays, so check the official booking site for the latest pricing.
To mark the opening, a 30%-off coupon is being offered to the first 30 guests to book (valid for stays through October 31, 2026, with some blackout dates; see the official site for details).
Official booking site: https://ton-nagano.airhost.co/ja/houses/837889
Access
Sakudaira Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen is about 70 minutes from Tokyo Station, and Saku is about a 40-minute drive from Karuizawa. From Sakudaira Station, the property is roughly a 20-minute drive away. Though surrounded by rice paddies, the nearest supermarket is just a 5-minute drive.
Facility Overview
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | TON (屯) |
| Address | 38-6 Yuhara, Saku City, Nagano Prefecture 384-0307 |
| Type | Whole-building rental (up to 12 guests) |
| Building | Renovated wooden two-story house built in 1982 |
| Amenities | Sauna, fire pit space, garden, kitchen, DJ booth, Wi-Fi |
| Check-in / Check-out | 1:00 PM / 12:00 PM |
| Rate | From ¥40,000 per night for the whole house (up to 2 guests) |
| Pets | Allowed (up to 10 kg, maximum 2 pets, ¥5,000 per pet) |
| Opening date | July 27, 2026 |
| Accommodation business license | Nagano Prefecture Saku Health Center Directive No. 08-Saho-11-24 |
| Official website | https://ton-nagano.com |
| @ton_nagano | |
| Operator | BUPPHA Co., Ltd. |
