Spending time with someone… It doesn’t always mean you have to be looking in the same direction. Being in the same room, one person enjoying the view outside the window, another reading a book, or even checking on a project that’s been on your mind—travel is a time for freedom and release. Spend it as you wish. That is precisely what this cottage is for. R-villa02 is a place where each person’s individual desires are cherished.
A space where silence doesn’t feel awkward. A space where your voice reaches, no matter where you are. In Karuizawa, a gentle distance has always been maintained between people. Not getting too close. Not stepping too far in. This isn’t coldness; it is a culture where distance is a form of respecting one another.
“I must entertain them.” “I must respond.” “I must meet their expectations.” Let go of such worries and take hold of this time for yourself.
Step outside, and you are immersed in a landscape that feels like home. Delicious bakeries and cafes that blend into daily life are scattered about. Choosing bread for breakfast at Shioru Bakery, or having a signature blend created at Mz COFFEE lab— these are things you can do alone, or with someone else. The freedom to choose is always there.
Being with someone doesn’t mean you cannot be alone. You can be with another person without letting go of the feeling of being yourself. Perhaps that is the true freedom found within comfort.
Though it is a compact space, it is harmonized with perfect zoning. Karuizawa Commongrounds is conveniently accessible from the cottage, offering a bookstore, cafe, select lifestyle goods, and a deli. Dropping by on a whim, relaxing on the deck of the bookstore nestled in the trees, or using the co-working space might spark new ideas or creativity.
As the western sun begins to set, choose a deli dinner and a fine wine, then return to the cottage together while enjoying the gradients of the sky. Even if you didn’t “share” a specific activity, the sense remains that you truly spent the same time together. Even without seeing the same view, even without exchanging the same words. Simply being side by side. The “margin” in life teaches us that such moments exist.
