New Name "YUHO Kusagi Lakeside Stay" Announced for Former Sunlake Kusagi in Midori City, Gunma Prefecture

Open House Group Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Ryosuke Fukuoka, hereinafter "the Company") is promoting a regeneration project for the "Sunlake Kusagi National Hostel" in Midori City, Gunma Prefecture, which closed at the end of March 2023. On June 2, 2026 (Tue), a skeleton event was held to reveal the structure of the building currently under construction, and the new name "YUHO Kusagi Lakeside Stay" was announced by Midori City.

"YUHO" was chosen by a vote of Midori City residents. On the day of the event, Mayor Akio Saito of Midori City and Mr. Hirotaka Yokose, Deputy General Manager of the Sustainability Promotion Department and the person in charge at our company, introduced the aspirations for the new facility and its features as a "stay-type accommodation facility" going forward.

On the day of the event, along with the announcement of the facility's name, a "skeleton event" was held to allow a preview of the facility in its unfinished state.

With the concept of "a facility where you can relax your mind in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life," the planned site includes a total of 27 rooms: 16 standard guest rooms, 2 rooms with saunas, 5 detached lakeside rooms, and 4 glamping units. Also introduced were a central building housing the front desk and cafe, a hot spring and sauna building with transported hot spring water, and a dining building renovated from the former BBQ area.

New Facility Name: "YUHO Kusagi Lakeside Stay"

The decision for the facility's name involved a voting period from December 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026, targeting residents, workers, and students in Midori City. A total of 1,021 votes were cast. As a result, "YUHO" was selected with 484 votes, the highest among three candidate names ("Yuho," "Rusure," and "Mui"). Subsequently, a sub-name representing the place name and facility features was combined, leading to the final decision of "YUHO Kusagi Lakeside Stay."

The main name "YUHO" embodies the meaning of "遊歩" (yūho - promenade/stroll), inspired by the concept of "回遊" (kaiyū - circulation/wandering), which is a key element of the "憩い" (ikoi - relaxation) that the facility aims to provide. It expresses the facility's concept of allowing guests to wander through the various rooms, restaurants, hot spring facilities, and lakeside areas while staying at the facility, and to experience the characteristics and individuality of Kusagi Lake and Midori City with all five senses. Furthermore, by adding the sub-name "Kusagi Lakeside Stay," which simply and directly conveys the unique lakeside location of Kusagi Lake and its primary function as a comfortable "stay," the name clearly expresses the facility's appeal and role. Considering international recognition, all facility names are written in alphabetical characters.

Comment from Hirotaka Yokose, Deputy General Manager, Sustainability Promotion Department, Open House Group Co., Ltd.

In this project, our group is participating not only in architectural design but also as the planned operator for management and operation. We have established a system that looks at the entire process from design to subsequent operation, and we are promoting the creation of a sustainable facility that continues to foster regional value even after completion, rather than viewing building completion as the ultimate goal.

We will maximize the rich natural environment of the Gunma Prefecture's Kusagi Lakefront to provide a special accommodation experience where guests can leisurely spend their private time in their own way, away from the busy modern daily life.

Furthermore, this facility aims to be not just an accommodation space for tourists, but also "a hub for regional exchange" where local residents can gather and feel at home on a daily basis. We will approach this from both design and operational perspectives to create a place where visitors and local residents can interact, fostering new vibrancy in the Kusagi area.

About the Redevelopment of "Former Sunlake Kusagi National Hostel" and Open House Group

The "Former Sunlake Kusagi National Hostel," owned by Midori City, Gunma Prefecture, closed at the end of March 2023 due to aging facilities and a decline in visitors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The city conducted a public tender using a "proposal method" to utilize the expertise of private businesses for the redevelopment and renovation of the facility. In response, Open House Hotels & Resorts (formerly Midori Kusagi Lake Resort) proposed an advanced regeneration plan utilizing its accumulated urban development knowledge and was selected as the business operator in January 2024. This project aims to transform the facility not just into a restored accommodation, but into a new "stay-type accommodation facility" where visitors can experience the region's charm. The design will be handled by Open House Architect and Tobe Architect, and operation is planned by Open House Hotels & Resorts, which also handled KÚON Hakone Gora. (Scheduled to be finalized in Autumn 2026).

Facility Overview

Facility Name: YUHO Kusagi Lakeside Stay

Location: 1654-1 Kusaki, Higashi-machi, Midori City, Gunma Prefecture

Number of Rooms: 27 rooms (16 standard guest rooms, 2 rooms with saunas, 5 detached lakeside rooms, 4 glamping units)

Site Area: 16,611m2 (excluding promenades and forest areas)

Design and Supervision: Open House Architect Co., Ltd., Tobe Architect Co., Ltd.

Planned Operation: Open House Hotels & Resorts Co., Ltd. (*Operation scheduled to be finalized around Autumn 2026)

About Open House Group Co., Ltd.'s Regional Co-creation Business

Open House Group has set "Actively contribute to improving regional vitality and create vibrant towns" as one of its business visions. The company engages in "regional co-creation" initiatives, collaborating with various stakeholders, including local governments, to solve regional challenges and create new value by leveraging regional resources and characteristics.

By earnestly addressing the challenges faced by each region and implementing measures to revitalize them, we aim to create human flow, generate employment, and achieve a sustainable society.

Current Major Initiatives: Minakami Onsen Town Regeneration (Industry-Academia-Government-Finance Collaboration), OPEN HOUSE ARENA OTA (Public-Private Partnership), Gunma Crane Thunders, Gunma Minakami Hōdaigi Ski/Campground, KIRINAN BASE (Utilization of former Kiryu Minami High School site), Open House Forest (Forest Conservation Activities)

Regional Co-creation Projects: https://kyoso.openhouse-group.co.jp/

Open House Group Co., Ltd. Website URL: https://openhouse-group.co.jp/

Open House Co., Ltd. Website URL: https://oh.openhouse-group.com/

Company Overview

Company Name: Open House Group Co., Ltd.

Head Office Location: JP Tower 20F (General Reception) & 21F, 2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-7020

Founded: September 1997

Representative: Ryosuke Fukuoka, President and CEO

Capital: 20,319,880,000 yen

Number of Employees (Consolidated): 6,495 (as of the end of March 2026)