"Among the notable recent additions to Maebashi is the art-focused Shiroiya Hotel, housed in a 1970s-era concrete building redesigned by the architect Sou Fujimoto. The project is the brainchild of another noted creative — local Hitoshi Tanaka, founder of the Japanese eyewear brand JINS — who conceived of the place as a “living room for the city” to be enjoyed by guests and residents alike. The main tower’s facade features a mural by American artist Lawrence Weiner, while Leandro Erlich’s striking “Lighting Pipes” installation is exhibited in the four-story atrium. The newly built green tower, a whimsical structure inspired by the topography of the nearby mountains, is an artwork in itself." - Tablet Hotels