The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon, showcasing the peerless design talents of Ian Schrager, Kengo Kuma and others, has now opened its doors.

Fusing Japanese style and tradition with Edition’s distinct creative approach, the latest addition to Tokyo’s thriving hospitality scene is a hotel like no other. We take a look inside.

A bold entrance to Tokyo

Officially making its debut on 20 October 2020, The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon is the first of two Edition Hotels opening in Japan’s capital. Through this first property, the brand aims to balance the simple and pure approach of Japanese culture with its desire to create something entirely new. With expert input from Kengo Kuma, the architect who also designed Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium, this urban resort aims to embody the essence of the city.

The brand-new hotel is a result of a collaboration between Marriott International, Ian Schrager and Mori Trust, which is led by president and CEO Miwako Date. This opening has been described as a homecoming of sorts for Marriott International CEO Arne Sorenson, who was born in Tokyo, and Edition brand creator Schrager, who found inspiration in Japanese culture from early on in his career, including legendary projects like New York’s Studio 54.

“Nothing makes me more excited than seeing the Edition Hotel open in Tokyo, a favourite destination of mine and the place I was born,” said Sorenson. “In partnership with Mori Trust and my friend Ian Schrager, The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon is a beacon of hope and optimism for the future, a place where thousands of travellers and local customers will be welcomed in the years ahead. Particularly in this time of complexity, the opening of The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon stands as proof that we will return – to travel, to togetherness and to joy.”

For Schrager, this Japanese influence is a thread that runs throughout all of his work. In 1985, he began to work with the then relatively unknown architect Arata Isozaki. He has since collaborated on a number of occasions with British architect John Pawson, who spent his 20s in Japan; David Chipperfield, who designed multiple Issey Miyake stores; fashion icon Kenzo; and designer Shiro Kuramata.

“I have always had a spiritual connection with the approach and aesthetics of Japan,” said Schrager. “Their rationality, their simplicity, and their restraint has been the foundation of everything I’ve done.”

From work to play

The public spaces here take inspiration from Buddhist temples and the central courtyards they have for gatherings. This hotel’s two-storey lobby, which reaches up to 450ft, aims to provide the same community feel in a modern gathering place with ten eating, drinking, entertaining and working spaces.

Venues in shades of black, blue and jade with materials like walnut and exotic greenery include restaurants spearheaded by Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens, from the all-day dining spot Blue Room to Jade Room + Garden Terrace with Sky Garden positioned 450ft above street level with over 500 plants and trees. Meanwhile, Gold Bar at Edition offers a glamorous space for the traditional Japanese tea ceremony by day and sophisticated cocktails in the evening, and the Lobby Bar provides a place to work, network and play overlooking Tokyo Bay and the Tokyo Tower.

Away from this public space, all 206 rooms, including 22 suites and several rooms with private terraces, offer uninterrupted views over Tokyo, with a neutral palette inside that’s designed to evoke zen-like luxury.

Elsewhere, the spa offers a series of treatments using products sourced from across Japan, and this is complemented by a 24-hour gym, Jacuzzi and swimming pool. The hotel also has four meeting studios with state-of-the-art technology and acoustically treated sliding partition walls, which can be combined to accommodate up to 250 guests.

A vision of Tokyo’s future

“We could not be more pleased to launch Japan’s very first Edition hotel, a luxury brand renowned for capturing the vibrant essence and lifestyle of each one of its gateway locations,” said Miwako Date, president and CEO, Mori Trust. “In Ian Schrager, Mori Trust has found an ideal partner for developing and creating a distinctive property that befits our vision of Tokyo’s future. As a leading real-estate developer committed to the city’s dynamic growth, we are thrilled to welcome residents and visitors alike to this innovative hotel infused with originality.”

“We wanted to do something that embodies the traditions of Japan, but also looks forward with design and visuals and brings a sense of the cutting-edge and avant-garde, which Tokyo always does as well,” concluded Schrager. “We’ve created this energised resort in the middle of Tokyo, a beehive of activity where you can get away without ever leaving.”

The hotel is centrally located near Kamiyacho, Roppongi-Itchome and Toranomon metro stations.

Let’s take a look at some other ongoing Edition projects around the globe: