Set within the rich natural surroundings of Sengokuhara in Hakone, the forest resort Hakone Retreat före & villa 1/f is rolling out a new stay experience built around bonsai. Through the hotel's Creator Ambassador Program, bonsai artist Kazuki Saeki has collaborated with the property to create a stay plan where guests share their time with a single bonsai tree — from the moment of check-in to the moment of departure.
The concept approaches bonsai not as a decorative object to be admired from afar, but as a living presence to tend, care for, and spend time alongside. This way of engaging with bonsai is seen as paralleling the modern "oshi-katsu" (fan devotion) sensibility — the feeling of growing attached to a particular presence and sharing one's time with it.
By weaving this relationship into a forest stay, the plan aims to create an experience where memories formed in nature carry quietly into everyday life. Guests are invited to take the bonsai home after their stay and watch it change over time, allowing the scenes from Hakone to emerge gently in the rhythm of daily living.
A Bonsai Companion Throughout the Stay
The bonsai provided in the plan greets guests at check-in as a companion for the entirety of their stay. It accompanies them not only in the guest room, but through every moment — at mealtimes, during relaxed hours in the lounge, and in quiet periods spent gazing out at the forest. Rather than being "viewed," the bonsai is meant to be "carried alongside," becoming a presence woven through the whole experience.
Creator Ambassador: Kazuki Saeki
Bonsai Artist
Kazuki Saeki
Instagram: @3_k_saeki
Saeki is a bonsai artist active in creation, exhibition, and sales, as well as spatial direction and event planning. He brings bonsai into diverse settings — residences, commercial spaces, and accommodation facilities — to create moments where people can engage with nature in daily life. He values the coexistence of human intention and natural flow in his work, deliberately leaving room for expression to shift with time and environment.
Rather than treating bonsai as objects of appreciation, Saeki sees them as "presences to spend time with and accumulate memories alongside," and continues to explore new ways for bonsai to connect with contemporary life and sensibilities. He has noted that he sees a deep affinity between the natural environment of Hakone and the quietude and aesthetic of restraint that characterizes Hakone Retreat före & villa 1/f.
Stay Plan Details
Plan name: A Holiday Relaxing with a Single Bonsai — A Tranquil, Healing Stay with Seasonal Bonsai (Dinner and Breakfast Included)
Available from: Monday, June 1, 2026
Pricing:
- före: from ¥75,000 for 2 guests in 1 room, with dinner and breakfast (tax and service charge included; bathing tax excluded)
- villa 1/f: from ¥132,000 for 2 guests in 1 room, with dinner and breakfast (tax and service charge included; bathing tax excluded)
Reservations:
- före: https://bit.ly/4tNkCfC
- villa 1/f: https://bit.ly/3PRamoV
About the Creator Ambassador Program
The Creator Ambassador Program connects creators from diverse fields — music, art, craft, workshops, film, photography, and more — with the hotel to generate new value through stays and experiences. In the first cohort of 2026, 23 collaborating creators were selected, each bringing their own perspective and worldview to express the unique atmosphere and sense of time the hotel offers. This bonsai initiative marks the program's second installment. The program is committed to respecting creators' free ideas and fostering spaces where experiences and connections open to guests can naturally emerge.
About Hakone Retreat före & villa 1/f
Hakone Retreat före & villa 1/f is a forest resort in Sengokuhara, surrounded by the rich natural environment of the Hakone mountain range. The property consists of the modern hotel "före" with 37 rooms and "villa 1/f" with 18 independent cottages — with 7 new villa units added in August 2024. On-site facilities include WOODSIDE dining (featuring wood-fire cuisine), the Japanese restaurant Tawaraishi, a café and lounge, the onsen "ONSEN f," the spa "könoha spa," and the outdoor terrace "free bird & terrace," where complimentary drinks and seasonal welcome services are available for guests. The overall design evokes the atmosphere of a Nordic resort.
- Website: https://www.hakone-retreat.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hakone.retreat/
