Slow-burning Japanese reality show Terrace House returned to Netflix screens worldwide this week with the release of Part 2 of Opening New Doors, the latest season set in the mountains of Karuizawa. It's still a refreshingly chill iteration of the show, so far maintaining the perfect blend of mild interpersonal drama and not much else at all.

I went to visit the house and interview its residents back in February ahead of Part 1's release, but I held back on publishing too many of my photos. Terrace House has a pretty long lead time even for the weekly Japanese schedule, let alone the rest of the world, so I saw things and met people that would've amounted to spoilers.

Be warned if you haven't watched all of Part 2 yet, then this photo essay might tell you things about who leaves and enters the house. If you're okay with that, scroll down to see what I saw.

Photography by Sam Byford / The Verge