Soaking in a hot spring, eating great food, exploring a different local culture, making new friends - many Japanese lodgings offer all of this under one roof. Today's guest is Toru Iwasa, an editor of a lifestyle magazine who has spearheaded the creation of a "natural inn" in Niigata Prefecture. From the excellent service to the relaxed environment to the gardens that showcase the subtlest changes of the seasons, we look at Japanese lodgings, and how they intersect with the world of design.
