Royal Minor Hotels Co., Ltd.—a joint venture between Royal Holdings Co., Ltd. and Minor Hotels—has announced the first management contract signing of an Anantara project in Japan, partnering with List Development Co., Ltd. (LD) to develop Anantara Karuizawa Retreat. Slated to open in 2030, the new-build Anantara property will feature 51 keys, comprising suites and branded residences, on a 10-acre forested site facing Mount Asama in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
Anantara Karuizawa Retreat will harness the region’s year-round natural beauty and connectivity to offer guests a range of nature-led escapes. The property’s strategic location near the Karuizawa Hokuriku Shinkansen (bullet train) station provides convenient access from Tokyo, which is just over an hour away by train, as well as from nearby cities such as Nagano, Kanazawa and Maebashi. Karuizawa is a favored weekend escape getaway, renowned for its cool climate in the summer and abundant year-round outdoor attractions, including the Karuizawa Kazakoshi Park, golf courses, forests, hiking trails, hot springs and skiing. The destination’s international appeal is on the rise, especially among Asian travelers, and it is within two to three hours by train from Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita international airports.
Anantara Karuizawa Retreat will provide guests with highly personalized service and exclusive accommodations, offering 23 suites measuring 646–1,290 square feet and 18 luxury two- and three-bedroom villas, ranging from 750–2,905 square feet. The villas will provide an additional 28 keys to the hotel’s inventory, with select two-bedroom villas available spanning over 750 square feet and nearly 1,400-square-foot one-bedroom villas, bringing the total key count to 51.
Guests will enjoy three food and beverage outlets, including an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty concept and a bar. Wellness will be a fundamental part of the resort’s offering, centered around an Anantara Spa and onsen, besides additional wellness programming across the property. Other leisure facilities will include a pool, fitness center, library and residents’ lounge. The property will also offer flexible meeting facilities to meet the growing demand for corporate gatherings in the region. The design of Anantara Karuizawa is anticipated to blend modern design with the site’s natural surroundings, utilizing natural materials such as exposed timber peaks and large windows to create harmony with the environment and offer views of Mount Asama.
Royal Minor and LD held a signing ceremony of the HMA at the Tokyo American Club on July 10, 2025. Naoyuki Kitami, president and CEO of LD, and William E. Heinecke, chairman and founder of Minor International, the parent company of Minor Hotels, spoke about the agreement and its significance for both organizations. During the ceremony, Hiroyuki Kiuchi, president and COO of LD, and Kohei Motoyama, president and representative director of Royal Minor Hotels Co., Ltd., signed the agreement and officially announced the partnership.
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