At this time of the year, many of us would normally be skiing in Niseko or shopping in Ginza. When the time comes to visit Japan again, look to these new hotels and resorts for an extra special stay.
Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto, A Luxury Collection Hotel & Spa
Just across from the Unesco World Heritage-listed site of Kyoto’s Nijo Castle is an area that for more than 300 years housed the Kitake, the executive branch of the Mitsui family – one of the country’s most powerful families of merchants and industrialists. In its place today is a 161-room hotel that preserves the site’s rich history, such as its impressive 300-year-old Kajiimiya Gate entrance, alongside modern design. Renowned interior designer André Fu designed the lobby and guest room interiors, which feature clean minimalist lines and luxurious natural materials throughout.
Higashiyama Niseko Village, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Inspired by kachou fuugetsu, the Japanese concept of self-discovery through nature, the new Higashiyama Niseko Village, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve offers curated all-season mountain adventures, immersive journeys, top gastronomy and restorative wellness therapies that change along with the seasons. During ski season, guests can explore 887ha of skiable terrain and even gain access to extensive backcountry skiing. Located at the base of Mount Niseko Annupuri in Niseko Village, the resort has 50 rooms, most of which boast panoramic views of Mount Yotei and the surrounding mountain ranges.
The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon
Luxury lifestyle brand EDITION has made its way to Tokyo, launching a new urban resort that is both a dynamic destination and a respite from the bustling city. The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon is housed within Tokyo World Gate on floors 31 to 36 where guests get unobstructed views of Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Bay. True to the brand’s ethos of designing individualised hotels that reflect the personality of the city they are in, the hotel’s spaces have an eclectic look that mixes traditional Japanese yamato-bari wood panelling with natural materials like oak, bronze, glass and silk as well as exotic greenery.
(Main and featured image: Higashiyama Niseko Village)
