Hoshino Resorts Press Release

HOSHINOYA Okinawa

Soft opening on April 15th, 2020 Grand Opening on May 20th, 2020

Hoshino Resorts (Headquarters: Karuizawa, Nagano; CEO: Yoshiharu Hoshino) have confirmed the date of the soft opening of HOSHINOYA Okinawa on April 15th, 2020, while the Grand Opening will be held on May 20th, 2020. This will be the eighth resort under the HOSHINOYA brand, and it will be located in Yomitan, Okinawa. To help guests to experience the lifestyle here while enjoying the sea views, the buildings were designed with a focus on the waterfront views and built only a couple of stories high, so that every guest room has a close-up view of the sea. The concept of HOSHINOYA Okinawa is the “gusuku estate”.

The resort is surrounded by “gusuku walls,” inspired by the historic “gusuku*” of Okinawa, and the space between the gusuku walls and the coast is filled with guest rooms and fields. Surrounded by the unique Okinawa scenery and atmosphere, guests can experience a laid-back lifestyle at this resort.

*Ruins standing in Okinawa and the . They are surrounded by walls of Ryukyuan limestone, with wooden buildings inside.

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The best resort to experience the luxury of Okinawa HOSHINOYA Okinawa believes that the most luxurious way of experiencing Okinawa is to treat your stay as if you are living there, and enjoy the beautiful ocean views. This resort is located on the coast of a shallow, calm sea, surrounded by a coral reef, which are called “Ino” in Okinawa. It has one of the few natural coastlines untouched by man that remain in Okinawa. The guest rooms are situated along this coastline, and to allow each room a close-up view of the sea, the buildings are designed with a focus on the oceanfront views, and are only a couple of stories high. The Yomitan sea

Inside the resort is a unique landscape inspired by the Okinawa scenery. The gusuku walls surrounding the resort are inspired by the gusuku of Okinawa. The patterns created in the sky incorporate the traditional fabric designs of Yomitan. Between the gusuku walls and the coastline are guest rooms and fields, among other things. The fields are used for growing fruit like acerola and papaya, as well as tropical flowers and plants, creating the quintessential Okinawa scenery. Gusuku walls

Guest Room Features

1. Oceanfront locations near ground level and close to the sea The 100 guest rooms are all at oceanfront locations near ground level and close to the sea. The pleasant sea breeze blows through the rooms’ large windows, so guests can feel the sea throughout the whole room. Terrace in the guest rooms

2. An indoor patio Each guest room has an indoor patio with a large dining table, which creates an excellent indoor-outdoor flow. It is the perfect place for meals, conversations, or otherwise enjoying resort life.

Indoor patio Gathering dining service Indoor patio

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The indoor patio features basic cooking appliances, and guests can use the “gathering dining” service, allowing them to cook and eat the pre-prepared ingredients delivered to their room whenever they want. Guests will be able to choose their favorite food from the huge variety of items on offer, and enjoy freshly made meals like they would at home.

3. Bedrooms with bingata telling the stories of Okinawa culture One of the bedroom walls is decorated with Ryukyuan bingata wallpaper. It is an original wallpaper that uses the plants and animals native to Okinawa as motifs, and tells the stories of the traditional legends and customs of Yomitan. Guests can enjoy different designs in each room type.

Bingata wallpaper in guestrooom

Fushi (Deluxe oceanfront suite) The Fushi room is a large 90m2 room, with an indoor patio in the central entrance, and separate living rooms and bedroom on both sides. It is a good option for longer stays or family trips. In the living room, there is a large window with a nice view, and a comfortable, sunken kotatsu-style sofa.

Living room of Fushi

Sicilian Cuisine Inspired by Okinawa – The cuisine of the two islands brings out the ingredients’ flavors The main dining hall, which has a relaxed atmosphere that feels like being at sea, will provide full course meals made with Okinawan ingredients and Sicilian culinary techniques, with the concept of “Sicilian Cuisine Inspired by Okinawa.” By drawing inspiration from the cuisine of Sicily, which, like Okinawa, is also an island blessed with a warm climate and a beautiful sea, they bring out the best of the Okinawan ingredients. To make the food stand out, a variety of utensils and dishes were selected, including those that evoke thoughts of the sea, and those made by local artisans using Ryukyuan glass. The position of Executive Chef will be taken by HOSHINOYA’s first ever female chef. She will make use of a delicate sensibility to provide meals that leave a lasting impression. Appetisers inspired by “tundabun”

The unique appetisers will be served on colorful dishes inspired by Okinawa’s “tundabun.” Tundabun is the quintessential example of Ryukyuan lacquerware, used for the highest quality meals served to important guests in the days of the . Bite-sized servings of colorful cuisine are carefully placed, creating a visually stunning start to the meal.

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About the HOSHINOYA Okinawa logo The HOSHINOYA Okinawa logo incorporates a fish design. Yomitan has had an abundance of fish since ancient times, and it is said that the blessings of the bountiful sea have played a large role in the prosperity of the village. It was chosen to represent HOSHINOYA Okinawa, which stands on the village’s coastline, and is closely connected to the sea.

“HOSHINOYA Okinawa” at a glance

Name: HOSHINOYA Okinawa Location: 474 Gima, Yomitanson, Nakagami-gun, Number of rooms: 100 Hotel amenities: Pools, library lounge, spas, main dining hall, etc. Check-in: 3 pm | Check out: 12 pm Nightly price: From ¥109,000 (per room, excl. tax + 10% service fee, excl. food) Direction: Approx. one hour by car from Airport Bookings open from: December 12th, 2019 Pre-opening: April 15th. 2020 Grand opening date: May 20th, 2020 Website: https://hoshinoya.com/en/

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About HOSHINOYA Design

Guest villas lined along an expanse of gorgeous coastline (RIE AZUMA, President of Azuma Architects & Associates)

Of all the HOSHINOYA resorts we have worked on, none have been as close to the sea as HOSHINOYA Okinawa. Built along an extensive stretch of coastline in the village of Yomitan, the resort offers guest villas, either standalone or divided into two suites, with breathtaking views of the ocean—its rich blue hues complemented by the vibrant coral reefs that spread below its surface. To create a resort experience that provides freedom and flexibility in how the guest spends their time, we designed every villa and suite around an indoor patio that serves as the guest's center of activity. Featuring a long table combined with a kitchen counter, this is the first room the guest will visit upon entering their villa or suite. It is a place for dining, enjoying drinks, chatting with friends or family, or for spending time alone on work or another solo activity. In the bedroom, the guest is greeted by the work of traditional Okinawan dye artisans adorning the main wall. Each piece colorfully depicts Okinawan life amid the island's diverse landscape. The public areas also feature numerous amenities designed to facilitate the guest's stay, however they wish to spend it.

An oceanside of natural wonders (HIROKI HASEGAWA, President of Studio on Site)

HOSHINOYA Okinawa occupies a narrow strip of land along the coastline. In designing the overall aesthetic of the resort, we studied the gusuku—a type of that once dotted the , of which Okinawa is the biggest. The guest villas and buildings stand right by the coast, while the premises are surrounded by a tall modernist wall modeled after gusuku . In choosing this design, we wanted to convey the idea that HOSHINOYA Okinawa is a self-contained space of pure relaxation where guests will find everything they need. Just inside the many portals that line the wall, guests will find an idyllic scene of groves, orchards, farms, and gardens—all protected from the elements by the wall. Footpaths wind through this setting, guiding guests to and from a pool and other open-air public facilities that open up to stunning ocean views. Another concept we tackled was the idea of creating a new coastline. We wanted to avoid diminishing the original scenery, so we built the guest buildings low and positioned them in a pattern winding along the coastline, allowing the structures to blend in with the environment.

Lighting that enhances the natural environment (MASANOBU TAKEISHI, President of Illumination of City Environment)

HOSHINOYA resorts are designed for long stays. This is why we designed lighting that guests will find increasingly relaxing the longer they remain at HOSHINOYA Okinawa.The resort is located in Yomitan, a village where the scenery is colored by dramatic natural lighting throughout the day, especially at sunset. In designing the resort's lighting, we strove to complement this natural lighting as much as possible. For example, at sundown, the guest villas and suites fill with a soft light, faint enough to allow guests to appreciate the warm reds streaking across the sea from the sun, as well as the violet of the oncoming dusk. At night, the trees and gardens are illuminated entirely by moonlight, while footpaths are gently lit by lamp posts featuring perforated shades with designs based on traditional Okinawan weave motifs. Additionally, very little light is directed upwards so guests may fully appreciate the star-filled night sky. Although Okinawa is often associated with openness and bright natural light, there are sacred rocky alcoves in Okinawa known as that are minimally lit by natural light sneaking in through gaps in rocks. These inspired the design for the villa and suite floor lanterns, which feature shades partially covered with decorative cloth so that only thin strips of light are allowed to illuminate the room. They create an atmosphere that is both unique and distinctively Okinawan.

For inquiries about this press release, contact Hoshino Resorts PR at: E-mail:[email protected]