As an initiative that leads to regional co-creation, the Sumitomo Forestry Group participates in the accommodation project at VISON, one of the largest commercial facilities in Japan, located in Taki-cho, Mie Prefecture. Vison Hotel Management, a joint venture between Sumitomo Forestry, H. I. S. Hotel Holdings and Aqua Ignis opened VISON HOTELS in 2021.

There are 201 rooms at VISON HOTELS, including six villas, 155 hotel rooms, and 40 inn rooms. The villa building received the Excellence Award in the non-housing category at the first Mie Prefecture Wood Construction Competition (sponsored by Mie Prefecture) in fiscal 2022, in recognition of the high proportion of locally produced wood used and its high design quality. The building also won an award in the social design category at the Wood Design Awards 2024. Designed in the image of a "detached room," the rooms are chic and featured with the use of wood, with black and white used as the base color. Guests staying at VISON HOTELS have access to various restaurants, shops, and hot spring facilities, allowing them to fully enjoy their trip within "the Vison complex." As part of its community engagement initiatives, VISON HOTELS collaborated with students from Mie University to develop a unique accommodation package. In March 2024, they launched a “picnic experience” project that enables guests to enjoy the nature-themed concept of VISON by harvesting vegetables, making pickles, and baking bread.

The Sumitomo Forestry Group positions this project, an industry-government-academia project for regional revitalization, as a model for circular local communities and a recycling-oriented community and town. The development and operation of the accommodation facilities will increase the number of tourists and other visitors to the area, resulting in the revitalization of local economy and the creation of new jobs. Taking this opportunity, we will promote initiatives for regional co-creation by harnessing our know-how in the existing businesses, while effectively utilizing the distinctive resources and culture of the region.

Sumitomo Forestry Home Tech renovated several guest rooms of Asukasou, a Japanese inn located near Kofukuji. This Buddhist temple is located in Nara Prefecture and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The owner of the inn requested the company to add more tourist value to the rooms by using locally produced materials and traditional skills. The company responded to the request by making maximum use of the panoramic view from the inn, including the view of the five-storied pagoda of Kofukuji (national treasure) in the design stage. Also, for the renovation of the rooms, Yoshino cedar and hinoki (Japanese cypress) timber produced in Nara Prefecture, as well as Kumiko woodworking and other skills were adopted to produce modern space with quality rooted in tradition. The space renovated with the use of wood is in harmony with the landscape of the old capital.
We will continue to improve our profitability and contribute to carbon neutrality by restoring and preserving traditional buildings and revitalizing Japanese inns.