A Japanese-Inspired Home in the British Virgin Islands Is its Own Slice of Paradise

Dreaming of the Caribbean? You’re not the only one.

After two years of travel restrictions and postponed vacations, exotic destinations seem farther and more unreachable than ever before.

That’s why when we caught sight of this luxe Japanese-style residence perched high above the ocean in a scenic bay in the British Virgin Islands, we were swept away.

The 23,000-square-foot house, along with the three acres it sits on — with access to a private beach on the beautiful Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands — will be auctioned off to the highest bidder on February 12, 2022.

^{Image courtesy of Platinum Luxury Auctions}

The property — which goes by the name of Villa Katsura — was previously listed for sale with a $45 million price tag.

But since no buyer snatched it off the market, the exotic estate will be sold at auction without reserve by Platinum Luxury Auctions. A no-reserve auction means that there is no undisclosed minimum sale price set by the seller, and the highest bidder will get the house.

So if your pockets run deep and you’ve always dreamed of owning a Caribbean estate infused with Japanese style, make sure to register for the auction asap.

As for the rest of us, we’ll have to settle on a visual tour of this magnificent home and its many amenities.

Villa Katsura, a Japanese oasis in the middle of the Caribbean

Perched on a hillside on Virgin Gorda — the third-largest of the British Virgin Islands — with stunning vistas from every room, the striking home evokes the tranquility and unique style of traditional Japanese residences.

Its name, Villa Katsura, pays tribute to the imperial Japanese residence that inspired it: the Katsura Imperial Villa, a cultural heritage site in Kyoto, Japan known as one of the finest examples of Japanese architecture and garden design.

The house was designed by world-renowned architectural firm OBMI, which worked closely with the house’s owners to bring their Zen-inspired vision — and love of Japan — to life.

Built into a hilltop overlooking the beautiful Little Dix Bay in Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, the unique home “rests on its paradise perch with the precise elegance of origami”, as the architectural firm intended.

The house is divided into three separate pavilions

Villa Katsura, which took seven years to build and was completed in 2014, takes the privacy of its residents seriously.

Its generous square footage (23,500 sq ft) is split between three separate pavilions.

The three-level main house is where you’ll find the living room, kitchen, library, media room, and dining room, as well as one guest bedroom.

^{Katsura property in Virgin Gorda for BVI Sotheby’s International Realty. Photo: Heidi Schumann}

The secluded master bedroom suite is adjacent to the main house in its own private pavilion, and the third structure offers generously appointed guest bedrooms, all overlooking a private beach.

Both indoor and outdoor amenities abound. The sights and sounds of water are featured throughout Villa Katsura, with 11 water features, 3 Koi ponds, and a meditative weeping wall at the entrance to the estate.

The hot tub and the spectacular pool are flanked by fire pits, bordered by a rock garden, and decorated with boulders echoing the cliffs surrounding the estate, creating a truly a spectacular vantage point at both sunrise and sunset.

Multiple balconies, terraces and three large, fully equipped indoor/outdoor living and dining areas all open up to 180-degree views of Drake’s Channel and Little Dix Bay.

Given its remote location, the Japanese-inspired Caribbean estate has been equipped with a 300,000-gallon cistern, additional desalinated water, a standby generator, water treatment plant, and solar power plant, all on-site.

It’s also worth noting that Villa Katsura residents have access to the many amenities of the Little Dix Bay Resort.

That includes paved golf cart roads, three professionally surfaced tennis courts, hiking trails, a therapeutic Rosewood spa, fully equipped fitness center, water sport gear, and the Rosewood Explorers children’s program.