sou fujimoto's circular green-roofed villa for NOT A HOTEL opens on ishigaki island, japan

sou fujimoto unveils bowl-shaped villa in japan for not a hotel

Sou Fujimoto completes EARTH, a circular, green-roofed villa that seems to sink into the landscape of Okinawa’s remote Ishigaki Island, Japan, for NOT A HOTEL (find designboom’s previous coverage here). Now open and fully booked before construction even ended, the project, announced in 2022, is the largest yet in the hospitality brand’s network. Conceived as an extension of the earth, the 1,500-square-meter retreat is nestled into a 10,000-square-meter coastal site. Its curved white form is barely visible from above, disappearing under a living roof that blends with the surrounding terrain.

Fujimoto, who recently served as Site Design Producer for Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, designs EARTH with a focus on continuity between inside and out, architecture and landscape, sea and sky. The villa’s bowl-shaped structure draws visitors inward, while still opening outward to the ocean horizon. At the heart of the plan lies a courtyard garden by landscape designer Taichi Saito, featuring an oasis-like water basin and a children’s pool. From the firepit to the roof garden, and the way the sauna captures refracted sunlight from the pool above, guests move between elements of nature and shelter with ease.

images courtesy of NOT A HOTEL

‘earth’ accommodates up to ten occupants in its four bedrooms

The architecture of EARTH centers around a shared living-dining space that looks out directly onto an infinity pool blending into the ocean beyond. Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto designed this front-row view for watching sunsets, listening to waves, or enjoying a dinner prepared by a private chef. Adjacent to the open-plan space is a series of four bedrooms that sleep up to ten guests, each framed by full-height, bezel-less glazing. One room opens directly to a view of the sea, with a shallow water basin flowing between room and horizon.

Underneath, the first floor features a sauna where natural light filters through the water above to create a cavern-like atmosphere, mimicking the experience of being underwater. Guests can step directly from the sauna into an outdoor bath or continue into a fully equipped gym with a punching bag, Smith machine, and cardio equipment. The bathroom continues the horizontal design language of the villa, where the low-profile tub appears to merge into the seascape, following the villa’s architectural motif of vanishing edges.

Sou Fujimoto completes EARTH, a circular, green-roofed villa that seems to sink into the landscape

a private villa surrounded by nature

Originally announced in August 2022, NOT A HOTEL ISHIGAKI ‘EARTH’ was fully sold out via fractional ownership during the construction phase. 

While the villa itself feels like an escape from the world, guests are also encouraged to explore Ishigaki’s natural and cultural offerings. Activities include a traditional ‘sabani’ sailing cruise at sunset, private dinners accompanied by live sanshin music, and even custom brewing experiences of Awamori, Okinawa’s native spirit, made using copper pot distillation methods at the nearby Ikehara Brewery. For food lovers, the villa also offers a range of curated dining experiences centered around local ingredients, from premium BBQ to family-style Okinawan home cooking, always emphasizing minimal processing and deep connection to place. Located just 11 minutes from New Ishigaki Airport, EARTH situates high-end architecture within reach of nature. 

the 1,500-square-meter retreat is nestled into a 10,000-square-meter coastal site

the villa’s bowl-shaped structure draws visitors inward

a series of four bedrooms sleep up to ten guests

a sauna where natural light filters through the water above

guests move between elements of nature and shelter with ease

the gym is fully equipped with a punching bag, Smith machine, and cardio gear

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first floor plan by Sou Fujimoto

ground floor plan by Sou Fujimoto

project info:

name: NOT A HOTEL ISHIGAKI ‘EARTH’ | @notahotel_official

architect: Sou Fujimoto Architects | @sou_fujimoto

location: Miyara 120-92, Ishigaki City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

site area: 9,586 square meters

total built area: 1,489.13 square meters (including indoor space, terrace, pool, and water basin)

indoor area: 975.01 square meters

courtyard area: 2,066.07 square meters

construction: Maeda Toyo Construction Joint Venture

client / owner: NOT A HOTEL Co., Ltd.

operator: NOT A HOTEL MANAGEMENT Co., Ltd.