Stay in iconic architecture by the sea: Simose Art Garden Villa

In Southwestern Hiroshima Prefecture’s Otake City, Simose Art Garden Villa is nestled between verdant mountains and Japan’s legendary Seto Inland Sea, which has long inspired artists, architects, and adventurers with the romance of its scenic beauty, strategically scattered islands, gentle climate, and rich culinary traditions. The facility sits directly across the water from the famous sightseeing island of Miyajima – home to the World Heritage-listed Itsukushima Shrine.

The property is centered around the Simose Art Museum and ringed by ten independent villas, landscaped gardens, and a French restaurant. Much as the sea bridges its island and coastal communities, Simose brings accommodation, dining, and art together so that guests can float fluidly between spaces and experiences. All of this culminates in a stay where the environment itself is part of the exhibition.

Blazing a Trail into Western Japan: Extending the “Golden Route”

For travelers familiar with Japan’s classic “Golden Route” (Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka) on which most first-time sightseers to in the country cut their teeth, the Seto Inland Sea offers the natural next step – defined by archipelagic beauty, the climate is warm with little rainfall throughout the year, and tranquil seasides bathed in soft light. The region offers a gentler flow of time, with more room for relaxation, contemplation, and inspiration – and reveals a different side of Japan where modern art architecture and traditional culture coexist with gorgeous nature in tranquility.

Simose Art Garden Villa is the perfect base for discovering the region in refined luxury. From here, guests can explore Hiroshima’s cultural and historical depth, visit two major sites in western Hiroshima: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima, or simply let the architecture, art, and nature of the property itself shape their stay. If you want to use Simose as your base and leisurely explore the major tourist spots in Hiroshima city, we recommend a 3-day, 2-night trip.

The property sprawls across almost five hectares of beautiful seaside landscape, and is composed of ten villas in two groups: the Forest Villas, set within groves of trees, and the Waterfront Villas, with reflecting pools which capture the ever-changing beauty of the sea and sky. Each villa stands alone for complete privacy, and along with the other structures on-site, was designed by Pritzker-winning architect Shigeru Ban, famous for his cutting-edge work that defies convention through material, design, and construction technique alike.

Villa interiors feature sumptuous design that is elegant but understated. Rich construction materials, gorgeous natural light, and seaside vistas take center stage. Floor-to-ceiling glass blurs boundaries between interior and exterior, and thoughtful layouts encourage a slow rhythm of life in harmony with the pace of the surrounding landscape.

A Stay with a Sense of Place

Hospitality Beyond Seaside Luxury and Art

Simose Art Museum, designed by Shigeru Ban, features eight movable gallery structures that appear to float on water. Awarded UNESCO’s Prix Versailles Award in 2024 for the World’s Most Beautiful Museum, the building itself is as compelling as the approximately 500 collections, including originals by Chagall, Matisse, and Kaii Higashiyama.

Sumptuous Seto Seaside Dining

Meals are served at the on-site French restaurant, where guests can watch chefs prepare seasonal dishes in an open kitchen while overlooking the sea. The Emile Galle's Garden, museum café, and curated common spaces such as the Seaview Terrace further enrich the stay, encouraging quiet exploration throughout the day.

Pre-Selected Rooms

Guests will stay in one of the Kielsteg Houses – Simose’s waterfront villas overlooking both the Seto Inland Sea and a reflecting pool. Constructed using the high-tech, luxurious, and environmentally friendly Austrian wood material known as Kielsteg, each villa offers a refined space with a feeling that is both cozy and expansive, where exquisite architecture frames water and air.

Depending on the villa, features include tatami flooring, hinoki cypress bathtubs, Towada stone baths, and private terraces. This stay experience emphasizes refined luxury, privacy, openness to nature, and an intimate connection to the sea.　

Other Rooms

The Forest Villas reinterpret some of Shigeru Ban’s most iconic residential designs, such as the “Paper House” with its rhythmic paper-tube structure, or the “Wall-less House” enclosed entirely sliding glass doors. Nestled among groves of trees, these villas offer a different perspective – defined by greenery, forest-dappled light, and serene seclusion.

*Please note that room assignments may be subject to change based on availability. If a change is necessary, the rate may vary, and we will notify you of the details beforehand.

Moments at the Table

Savoring the Seto Seaside

Delight in dinner and breakfast at the on-site French restaurant while drinking in the ever-changing the Seto Inland Sea and sky. Chefs lovingly craft dishes bursting with local flavors and the joy of dining in an open kitchen that mirrors the expansive unobstructed landscape. Savor a meal bursting with local soul.

Breakfast

A love of good food and the joy of dining comes through just as strongly in the breakfast offerings: fresh-squeezed juices and vegetable smoothies, yogurt and honey, baked goods, eggs to order, and seasonal accompaniments of ham, sausage, bacon, salad, cooked veggies – or sweet treats like French toast or Finnish pancakes with Chantilly cream. Start your day with a stretch and some wholesome hearty fare under the morning light of the Seto Inland Sea.

Dinner

Meals at Simose are designed as an extension of the overall experience. At dinner, fine French techniques meet local ingredients, including fresh local seafood and Hiroshima wagyu beef. Each course is paced to encourage guests to savor flavors, conversation, and reflection alike –  as the serene seaside scenery subtly shifts with the fading of the daylight.

Deepen Your Connection to the Region

Beyond the Grounds: Simose as Your Base to Explore Hiroshima

Beyond the villa, excursions can  offer deeper insight into the Seto region. Explore Hiroshima City, visit the island of Miyajima and its famed Itsukushima Shrine, or revisit the Simose Art Museum at different times of day to experience how the shifting light of day transforms the gallery experience.

Simose is a destination unto itself, a launching pad, and a comforting home base to return to after exploration, where regional impressions can settle in and resonate.

Simose Art Garden Villa allows guests to experience Western Japan through multiple lenses at once: contemporary architecture, fine art, regional ingredients, and coastal nature. Its location provides access without distraction, while its design fosters presence and focus.This balance makes the stay ideal for travelers seeking depth, privacy, and a sense of discovery beyond conventional sightseeing.It's a great place to visit another place away from the crowded tourist spots of the Golden Route.

A Smorgasbord of local Seaside Satisfaction

Stays at Simose Art Garden Villa are not defined by a single highlight, but by the way each element – architecture, art, food, landscape, and regional – complements the next. Moments accumulate with deceptively understated quiet: a walk through the museum at dusk, dining as the sea darkens, waking to reflected light on water. Together as threads, they weave a stay experience that lingers in the mind and body long after departure, offering a rare opportunity for inspiration and relaxation: to dwell on – and even in – works of art, to your heart’s content.