WE Hotel Toya

Kengo Kuma designed this lakeside resort around the forests of Hokkaido, so the timber walls, trunk-like columns, and wood-clad facades make the building feel less built than grown. Rooms are bright and open, with Lake Toya's volcanic caldera filling the view all the way to the bathroom. The onsen shares that same outlook, which sets a high bar for simply soaking. A cocktail lounge, cigar bar, teppanyaki café, and a local-cuisine restaurant give guests reasons to stay dressed.