Guided by legendary hotelier Adrian Zecha, Azuma Farm Koiwai is a new luxury resort brand retreat by Azumi Japan and East Japan Railway Company, set within Koiwai Farm’s historic 3,000 hectares natural landscape, is now open...
Azuma Farm Koiwai, set to open April 2026, is a new boutique nature retreat developed through a collaboration between Azumi Japan and East Japan Railway Company (JR East). The property is conceived as an intimate countryside escape set within the storied grounds of Koiwai Farm in Iwate Prefecture, one of Japan’s most historic farmstead landscapes. The property is the first destination under the newly launched Azuma Farm brand.
Image credit: Azuma Farm Koiwai
Founded more than 130 years ago on what was once barren volcanic land, Koiwai Farm has been transformed through generations of careful stewardship into one of Japan’s most lush pastures and diverse forests. Spanning 3,000 hectares of pasture and farmland, Koiwai is regarded as a model of coexistence between people and nature. Azuma Farm Koiwai will occupy an eight-hectare section of this landscape, surrounded by verdant trees and offering sweeping views of Mount Iwate.
Azumi Japan has been guided by hotelier – and Aman Resorts Founder – Adrian Zecha, Co-Founder and Chairman, who introduced the Azumi brand as a modern interpretation of the ryokan, inspired by his longstanding admiration for Japanese culture and heritage. Conceived to express the themes of sea and water, Azumi reimagines one of Japan’s most iconic hospitality forms for a contemporary audience. Its inaugural property, Azumi Setoda, opened in 2021 in Setoda, Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture, on Ikuchijima in the Seto Inland Sea, and is set within a restored historic salt merchant’s estate.
Image credit: Azuma Farm Koiwai
Azuma Farm represents a wholly separate vision, shaped by a deep appreciation for Japan’s forests, mountains, and agrarian traditions. The concept explores a different cultural lens, one rooted in nature, rural heritage, and mindful living, to offer an elevated farm-stay experience that complements, rather than parallels, the coastal sensibility of Azumi.
The Azuma Farm brand embraces the philosophy of ‘Farm Life,’ a way of living centered on harmony with land, seasons, food, and community. At Azuma Farm Koiwai, this philosophy shapes the retreat’s design, culinary approach, guest programming, and deep integration with the surrounding environment.
Azuma Farm Koiwai will also serve as a gateway to the broader Tohoku region, introducing travelers to regional artisans, culinary traditions, landscapes, and multi-destination journeys curated around the diversity of northeastern Japan.
Main image credit: Azuma Farm Koiwai
