In the foothills of Mount Fuji, restaurateur Kazuhiro Matsuki, 57, has found an idyllic spot for his restaurant, Bio-S.
Surrounded by tea fields on the western edge of Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture, the striking restaurant is at odds with the developments — typically squat, uninspired buildings — around it.
Bio-S is an architectural statement absolutely in tune with the natural landscape. Its floor-to-ceiling windows offer views of Mount Fuji and flood the restaurant with light for its lunch sitting; a set of floating stairs runs up to the wide, flat roof. Looking at it, you can't help but wonder how this exquisite restaurant came to exist in such a stunning, yet remote, location.