Hoshinoya Tokyo
A MODERN RYOKAN EXPERIENCE
As the midday sun basks its usual audience; monochromatic suit-wearers shuffling about, it was unmistakably clear that we were in the right place. Amongst a forest of skyscrapers in the financial district of Otemachi, Hoshinoya Tokyo strikingly stood out from its surrounding neighbours. Black steeled lattice work, in a repeating traditional kimono motif, distinctly wraps itself around the 18-storey high building. Designed by architect Rie Azuma for Hoshino Resorts, Hoshinoya Tokyo offers a modern ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) experience typically found in Kyoto or reserved elsewhere in the countryside.
In a setting informed by understated luxury, the establishment excels in fusing elements of tasteful modernism with authentic Japanese aesthetics. In each of the 84 guest rooms (6 to each floor), traditional washi paper windows, shōji sliding doors and tatami mats, can be found alongside modern comforts. Think electronic shutters, smart TOTO toilets, and even a bathroom glass divider that turns opaque with a flip of a switch. Every level also features a peaceful communal lounge where attentive staff serve hand-drip coffee, onigiri breakfast rice balls, and warm miso soup. Of course, in true ryokan fashion, a gender segregated onsen (Japanese hot spring) is provided. This however, is no ordinary onsen.
Thermal water is directly pumped from a naturally occurring hot spring 1500m beneath the building's foundation to the open-air bath situated on the penthouse floor. Towering over two storeys high in dark terracotta cladding, it bewilders and invites. Rainy evenings were special occasions: looking up, the pitter-patter of rainwater, in stark contrast to the pool of thermal water, reinvigorates and delights. After long wanders and tiring days, a nightly visit to the onsen became an eagerly and almost religiously awaited ritual.
What was a week-long stay felt relatively short. From the moment we arrived, we were served authentic omotenashi hospitality: the Japanese concept of anticipating a guest's needs and acting without being asked to do so. Hoshinoya Tokyo deliberately indulges in carefully restrained splendour and subdued quietude, so much so that we easily forgot at times that we were in the heart of a bustling and vibrant metropolis, as intended.
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