Photo/Illutration The main dining room at the Mampei Hotel has resumed operations. The stained glass and coffered ceilings, which have been enjoyed by guests since 1936, are preserved as they were from prior to the renovation work. The photo was taken in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, on Aug. 16. (Ryo Suganuma)

KARUIZAWA, Nagano Prefecture—Just in time to offer a respite from the summer heat, the famed Mampei Hotel, which hosted luminaries such as John Lennon and Yoko Ono during its long history, partly reopened after major  renovations.

On Aug. 16, guests who had been waiting for more than a year and a half during the extensive work, finally could enter and enjoy the cafe terrace, where there was a pleasant cool breeze.

This year marks the 130th anniversary of the hotel's opening.

It was seen as a pioneer of Western-style hotels in Japan at the time and a landmark in this summer highland resort.

Repair work started on the hotel building from January 2023, which has been closed for business since.

The rebuilt accommodation Atago wing, which has 30 guest rooms, reopened on Aug. 16 along with restaurants and the cafe, ahead of the rest of the facilities.

The hotel’s main Alps wing, which was built in 1936 and registered as a tangible cultural property by the government, will reopen this fall and become available for overnight stays.

“The building has become a new yet nostalgic one," said hotel director Shinji Nishikawa. "I believe repeat guests will be pleased with this building. We will maintain our traditional hospitality while serving guests in this new building, which is well suited to this era.”

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