Tokyo has long been at the crossroads of modernity and traditionalism. So it seems fitting that a hotel that embodies both — in extremes — finds itself situated at a junction of sorts.
For more than 400 years, the neighborhood of Nihonbashi — where the Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, stands — has been known as the center of Japan. It is the point from which distances between Tokyo and other locations throughout the country are measured. The area’s warren of streets harkens back to the days of old Edo, the capital’s former name. Amid glistening skyscrapers, shopkeepers ply their time-honored wares. Ibasen, which opened in 1590, sells folding fans depicting scenes of daily life from centuries past. Chikusen has been selling kimonos for 170 years. In the vicinity of these iconic stores lies the ultramodern Tokyo Stock Exchange.
The Mandarin is a relatively new addition to Nihonbashi’s landscape, having opened in 2005. The establishment has all the 21st century conveniences one would expect from a five-star hotel with a celebrated name. The rooms have high-speed Internet access (wired and wireless), flat-screen TVs and surround sound systems. Meeting and conference facilities abound. The hotel was the first in Japan to offer 360-degree projection capability, in its Grand Ballroom — just one of 14 event spaces available for hire.
The eight restaurants and bars in the Mandarin are popular with guests and locals alike. Tapas Molecular Bar, consisting of a eight-seat counter on the 38th floor, takes a scientific approach to pleasing the palate. Guests partake of a 20-course salute to gastronomic creativity, with bite-size portions served in beakers and test tubes. All of this may be contrived, but it was enough to garner Tapas Molecular Bar a coveted Michelin star. And it’s not the only one. Sense, the Mandarin’s Cantonese restaurant, and Signature, the hotel’s French offering, also received one star each in the 2011 Michelin Guide. This is not to say the food fails to impress at its Italian restaurant, Ventaglio, or at K’shiki, which features cuisines of the East and West.
Subtle touches of Mother Earth throughout the building pay homage to the Japanese respect for nature. The elevators that deliver guests to the 38th-floor sky lobby are decorated with stripes meant to represent rain. The reception area’s minimalist design has furniture with neutral, earthy tones and a stream of natural sunlight from the towering windows. Sense, the restaurant, plays with the fire element with three horizontal windows of flame.
The Mandarin occupies the top eight floors of the 38-story Nihonbashi Mitsui Tower. Although only five years old, the tower is attached to the Mitsui Main Building, a landmark structure with Corinthian columns that was erected in 1929.
The hotel’s 157 guest rooms and 21 suites occupy the 30th to 36th floors of the tower. Most are spacious by Tokyo five-star standards, with the smallest room 538 square feet and the largest suite spreading out over 2,691 square feet. All decor follows a minimalist Japanese approach, with a muted color palette and carefully chosen adornments such as isegatas (sheets used for dyeing kimonos) on the walls.
Thanks to the sky-high rooms, guests are treated to impressive vistas from all levels. Views to the east look out over downtown and the Sumida River, while in the panorama to the west lies the verdant Imperial Palace grounds and, further on, the skyscrapers of Shinjuku. When the air is clear, typically in winter, Mount Fuji can be glimpsed to the southwest.
Mandarin’s the Spa also takes advantage of its scenic views from the 37th floor, offering four private treatment rooms and five VIP spa suites overlooking the city. The “vitality pool” and “water lounge” (warm pools with submerged beds) washes up onto a glass facade, and the dry sauna has a full view of the city.
The Mandarin will cater to all needs, as one would expect from a top-tier hotel. For a fee hotel staff will organize cultural programs such as martial art lessons or tea ceremonies.
