In April 2025, Hoshino Resorts officially announced the launch of “LUCY,” a mountain retreat brand providing peak comfort for peak adventures, marking its sixth brand following HOSHINOYA, RISONARE, KAI, OMO, and BEB.
The brand name is inspired by Isabella Lucy Bird (1831 – 1904), the renowned 19th-century English explorer, writer, photographer, and naturalist who ventured through Japan.
Bird came to Japan in 1878, shortly after the isolation policy ended and the country began opening its doors to the world. She is believed to be the first Westerner to traverse Japan from Hokkaido to the Kansai region, starting from Tokyo.
Both her interest in travelling Japan and her curiosity to venture into the unknown resonate with Hoshino Resorts’ desire to become a catalyst for people seeking new travel experiences, thus her middle name was chosen to reflect these values for its sixth brand.
The brand logo, which encloses a woman gazing at the mountains, further reflects the brand’s concept of supporting exploration of the great outdoors through comfort and hospitality.
Whilst Japan is known for its cultural tourism offerings, it also has a rich natural environment with 35 national parks (as of June 25, 2024). Approximately three-quarters of Japan’s tourism market activity is concentrated in the major cities of Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hokkaido, and Fukuoka (*1).
It is therefore important for Japan to strengthen its nature tourism. In line with this, the Ministry of the Environment announced a project in 2016 initiating efforts to enhance facilities and services within national parks.
Through hotel operations in mountainous locations, LUCY aims to make the cherished experiences unique to mountains, such as the ever-changing scenery, starry skies, and encounters with flora and fauna, more accessible to a wider audience.
The brand will provide a comfortable lodging experience for guests seeking a comfortable mountain getaway with the promise of private rooms, toilet and showering facilities with warm water, a convenient shop for supplies, nourishing meals and unlimited charging and Wi-Fi.
As of Spring 2025, LUCY has begun the process of rolling out facilities nationwide. The first brand property, LUCY Ozehatomachi by Hoshino Resorts, will open on 1 September 2025 at Hatomachi Pass, the entrance to Oze National Park located in Katashina Village, Gunma Prefecture.
Future developments are planned in several other mountain tourism destinations in Japan, including the famous Tateyama area and Toyama Prefecture.
*1 Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Accommodation Travel Statistics Survey (January 2025 Preliminary Report [2nd], February 2025 Preliminary Report [1st])
