The Three Chairs There is richness in a life lived with very little. Along with the forests that offer us this space, there are three chairs offered to our guests. One is for solitude; Two are for friendship; and three are for society. There is one more, a gift of great importance offered to all who come: a quiet serenity.
Since its beginning in 1986, Niki Club has resisted trends to develop an entirely organic identity, one that has been shaped both by the passage of time and the very light and water that nurture the natural beauty that surrounds it. It is a thoroughly modern resort with one foot set firmly in a traditional Japan more closely attuned to nature.
In the beginning, there were two rivers. They converged here in Yokozawa, anticipating the day when Hitomi Kitayama would similarly cross paths with this hidden jewel tucked away within the rich, natural beauty of Nasu. For a long time, they remained hidden, dwarfed by the majestic mountains that loomed along the northern horizon. But today they form the foundation of Niki Club—the sanctuary Kitayama built so that all may luxuriate in the splendor of this pristine idyll.
Tea ceremony masters treat their guests as if their first meeting will be their last. It is the serendipity of the encounter that motivates their generous hospitality. Niki is the promise of a second encounter. It is a promise that the hospitality and experience offered by Niki Club so perfectly captures—and preserves—the mystique of Yokozawa that you will find yourself returning, to share this space once again with the warm people, alluring flora, and tiny woodland creatures that reside there.
Does savoring the surprisingly rich flavors that the four seasons of Japan imbue world-class cuisine enrich one’s palate? Does immersing yourself in the tranquil scenery as you wander the vast grounds of Niki Club lead to a deeper understanding of Yokozawa? Niki Club is a place where discoveries arise naturally, where every pleasure exists to both relax your body and mind and sensitize your five senses to the natural world around you. To stay here is to embark on a spiritual journey through nature itself.
To walk past rows of aromatic herbs into a private dining experience created with food cultivated within a 10-kilometer radius is to feast on Yokozawa itself. To observe the captivating shapes that dance upon the surface of an immense pebble pond as the wind ripples the water is to gaze upon Yokozawa itself. Every building block, every morsel of food, every design found in Niki Club was given birth by the air, soil, water and light of this place—a reminder of how much inspiration can be found in a single source.
Beneath Niki Club runs a third river. It is a deep torrent of creativity, borne by the culture of Yokozawa. From the very beginning, it has fed and nurtured the organic aesthetics of Niki Club. Many have traveled far just to dip their minds into this river, perhaps looking for an original vision, a novel concept—an entirely new way of thinking. Or perhaps, like Terence Conran, they simply wish to leave their mark on the most ambitious work of art to arise from these hallowed grounds—Niki Club itself.
From a humble six rooms, Niki Club has expanded to cover an immense 34 acres, adding 36 rooms, a banquet center, and even a stage for outdoor events—an act of adaptive transformation found in nature itself. But as with nature, Niki changes while essentially staying the same. Whether it is relaxation you seek, or the chance to actively explore the many wonders of Yokozawa, you will always find it here. For once you set foot into Niki Club, the experience is entirely yours—yours to create and yours to define.