Sweetgrass campsite merges hospitality with sustianable values

Kita-Karuizawa Sweetgrass, a nature-based camping facility located at the foot of Mount Asama in Gunma Prefecture, adds the Special Award from the Japan Travel Awards 2026 to their existing list of awards (including a Good Design Award in 2021). The facility, operated by Kitamoc Co., Ltd., was recognised for its unique approach to regenerating family relationships.

Situated at an altitude of 1,100 metres in Naganohara Town, the site has evolved over 30 years from a barren landscape into a thriving 80,000-visitor-per-year destination. The facility moved from providing tourism leisure to creating a space where families reconnect through shared tasks and interaction with the natural environment.

A central feature of the Sweetgrass experience is the installation of wood-burning stoves in all 50 cottages and cabins. The cost of firewood is included in the accommodation fee, encouraging guests to engage in the daily ritual of tending a fire. This firewood is sourced directly from the maintenance of forests managed by Kitamoc. Guests can participate in a nature-positive cycle that supports local forest health and gives value to regional timber resources by using this wood.

The architectural design of the site also plays a critical role in fostering family bonds. The facility features original treehouses, such as the 15-metre-high “Noppo” and the interconnected “Tontu Noa,” designed by treehouse builder Yutaka Inagaki. These structures, along with specialised accommodation like the “Stone Oven Cottage MUGI,” are designed to encourage cooperation. In these spaces, families take on specific roles, such as baking bread together.

Educational engagement is further supported through long-standing programmes like “Oshigippa-tai,” where children explore the local ecosystem, and activities involving “Koromock,” an original forest sprite character created by staff 15 years ago.

Kitamoc describes its operations as a “field business,” an industry aimed at creating a market for richness through natural experiences. The company started its journey by planting individual trees on desolate land and now seeks to export its philosophy of family regeneration to both domestic and international markets. Thery stand out for their ability to fuse sustainable values that strengthens both relationships within families and relationships with nature.