The Okura Tokyo

Few hotel closures caused as much anguish among design lovers as the 2015 demolition of Hotel Okura's 1962 main wing, and few reopenings have been as carefully judged as its 2019 return. The new towers, overseen by Yoshio Taniguchi, whose father designed the original interiors, recreate the famous lobby almost exactly: the hexagonal pendant lanterns, the plum-blossom table arrangements, the shoji-filtered light. Walking in still feels like stepping into the most refined room of Japan's post-war modernism.

Accommodation splits between the high-rise Prestige Tower and the lower Heritage Wing, where larger rooms come with attentive butler-style service and a quieter register. Throughout, the aesthetic is restrained Japanese modern rather than international glitz, with deep soaking tubs, paper-screen detailing and views across Toranomon towards Tokyo Tower or the Imperial Palace greenery. The Okura Museum of Art sits in the garden, a reminder that this has always been a hotel with cultural ambitions.

Dining remains a serious draw, led by Yamazato for classical kaiseki and teppanyaki and sushi counters of long standing, while the Orchid Bar keeps its clubbable, low-lit character. The location, close to the government district and embassies, suits business as naturally as sightseeing. For travellers who want Tokyo's history and its future in one address, the Okura makes the strongest case in the city.