On a tree-lined street in the heart of Tokyo’s thriving Ginza, where luxury boutiques and Michelin-starred restaurants are found on almost every corner, you can find Marriott’s latest EDITION hotel and it’s quickly become one of the brand’s finest since opening only six months ago.
For the latest EDITION property in Tokyo, hospitality icon Ian Schrager once more brought out his creative best and again collaborated with renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma – the two worked on The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon together – to create The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza and the result is once again sophisticated, stylish and brilliant.
“Ginza is a district where the cutting edge of the world and traditional Japanese culture are interwoven,” Kuma said.
“It’s an area where various city functions overlap and are woven together. Inspired by the concept of ‘weaving’, we have designed The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza in this human-scale and walkable city as a new landmark weaving Ginza together and connecting it to the world.”
Given the pocket-sized Ginza is known for the world’s most luxurious, coolest and stylish fashion brands alongside 34 out of the city’s 183 Michelin-starred restaurants, an EDITION here was always going to have to be playful, edgy, cool, stylish and boutique.
That’s just what Schrager and Kuma have created in the form of this intimate 14-storey, 86 key property that has rooms starting from a spacious 41 sqm (440 sqft), the largest in the district.
The rooms and suites weave EDITION’s timeless designs with Kuma’s distinct Japanese finesse, resulting in a modern marriage between Schrager’s New York sensibilities and the sharp traditional detailing that Kuma is known for.
Floors and walls bedecked in walnut timber form a minimalist foundation for bespoke furnishing from travertine and cream-colored leather, while the green marble basins and chrome fixtures in every bathroom nod to the district’s glossy varnish.
Features of each guestroom include signature EDITION faux-fur throws in white and art by Sayaka Maruyama and Takay Photography.
The Penthouse Suite, the hotel’s crown jewel on the 13th floor, unfolds into an open-plan living room, dining area, and a fully equipped pantry kitchen to cater to comfortable long-stays and intimate social gatherings.
Tucked away in a quiet corner, the hotel gym offers a welcoming space for fitness enthusiasts, offering a modest selection of Technogym equipment.
As you can expect with all EDITION hotels, food and beverage is at the forefront and in Ginza, it starts with the petite bar in the lobby where check-ins are done over a wine, beer or dram of Hibiki, followed by rooftop drinks in the garden at Ginza’s first natural wine bar, a delightful meal at brasserie Sophie on the floor below, then afters at Japan’s only punch-focused cocktail bar, an outpost of the EDITION London’s Punch Room.
With its striking vestibule entrance and soaring floor-to-ceiling corner windows, the double-height, street-level lobby has not only turned the hotel into a defining feature of Ginza’s new streetscape, it has also established it as a rendezvous for the district’s tastemakers and creative class.
A signature EDITION venue, Lobby Bar sits at the nexus of the hotel and serves as a sophisticated retreat for both in-house guests and clued-in locals from early mornings to late nights.
The gold-colored bar, surrounded by ivory fabric armchairs and a sweeping statement sofa, serves up coffee with beans from a local roastery alongside pastries and fresh-pressed juices for breakfasts on the go.
Set against the backdrop of a large-scale early 20th century Japanese folding screen, the hotel’s check-in desk stands adjacent to a floor-to-ceiling two-tone lightbox color panel adorning the elevator walkway.
Taking pride of place in the lobby is another EDITION hallmark: a sculptural, head-turning staircase cast from white metal.
It leads up to Punch Room, the inaugural Japanese outpost of EDITION’s innovative punch-focused bar concept.
The intimate space on the lobby’s mezzanine floor flows into an enchantingly moody bar area where coffered walls and ceilings from dark walnut provide an elegant backdrop to tufted couches and chairs upholstered in jewel-hued brocade glinting like topaz and sapphire.
Punch Room’s menu, illustrated by a local artist, gives a distinctively Japanese spin to the punch recipes originally found in the private clubs of 19th-century London.
Inspired by Japanese culture, the drinks draw on local spirits and ingredients such as sake, ryokucha tea and spices from around the country, and come served as shareable cocktails in silver punch bowls with matching ladles.
But Punch Room is more than an after-dark hangout. During the daytime, it’s the setting for the hotel’s Punch Room Afternoon Tea, where one-of-a-kind tea punches like a green tea yuzu paloma and a matcha-infused clarified milk punch come served with sweets, savories and intricate parfaits that celebrate Japan’s bountiful fruit varieties.
On the light-flooded 14th floor, Sophie at EDITION pays homage to Japan’s abundant seasonal ingredients and rich culinary traditions through the lens of a modern brasserie.
Contrasting the intimate, sultry ambiance of the lobby and bar on the lower floors, the restaurant’s straight-lined interiors from blonde oak and white stucco emphasize light and airiness, while pops of colour adorning the private dining rooms add EDITION’s distinguished playful touch.
A statement feature is the main back wall, embellished with a collection of Tokyo Street photography by seven artists.
Local produce sourced from small regional farms inform the restaurant’s casual brasserie-inspired menus that change throughout the day. Mornings start with nourishing breakfasts featuring classics such as Avocado and Scrambled Egg Tartine, Matcha French Toast with red bean puree and whipped cream, or Flakey Croissants, while lunch continues with wholesome Tarte Flambee with creme fraiche, gruyère, and bacon and Tokyo Miso Chicken Paillard with green salad, and fresh herbs.
Come dinnertime, the menu takes a more sophisticated turn with Bouillabaisse with catch of the day and roasted blue lobster simmered in saffron dashi broth or Roasted Whole Chicken for two served with herb roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables, and Sophie’s decadent show-stopping Strawberries and Cream Layer Cake for dessert, all accompanied by a seasonally changing cocktail menu.
Atop the hotel, The Roof delivers a green retreat from the street-level bustle in Ginza below.
Hemmed by lush vertical fern gardens and olive trees, kept below eye-level to ensure views of the surrounding cityscape, this unique rooftop oasis opens to intimate plant-fringed seating nooks and long communal tables for private gatherings of all sizes.
As Ginza’s first natural wine bar, The Roof fuels social gatherings with biodynamic champagnes, rare orange wines and fizzy and bottled cocktails incorporating wines and eaux de vie from local wineries and distilleries.
While Schrager and Kuma have designed a stunning property, the hospitality and service on offer at The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza is hands down some of the best in not just Japan, but all of Asia.
What you can expect from the team led by the property’s Managing Director, Anshul Kaul, and Hotel Manager, Fabio Testa, is luxury hospitality as it should be – unobtrusive, friendly, polite and delightful.
Next time you’re planning to visit Tokyo, pop this EDITION property high atop your list.
Getting to Tokyo
ANA (All Nippon Airways) flies to Tokyo from across the globe, including New York, London, Sydney and more global gateways. The author recommends flying in ANA’s Business Class cabin, which features lie-flat seats in a 1-2-1 configuration.
Each seat has direct access to the aisle, a spacious side table with a personal light, a large table that’s ideal for working and dining, storage space under the ottoman for a large item, plus a universal PC power port, USB port and an 18-inch touch-panel LCD wide-screen monitor with a fantastic selection of movies, TV shows and games.
Flights offer ANA’s WiFi service, which will soon become free for all travellers in the Business Class cabin, plus an expansive duty-free offering including premium Japanese Whisky and luxury goods.
Where ANA’s Business Class stands out is food, drinks and hospitality on offer. On the dining front, there is a choice of a western or Japanese meal set and the quality and taste is so impressive, you’ll already feel like you are dining in a top Tokyo restaurant while you’re in the air.
If you go for the Japanese option, you can expect some Zensai (including sushi and morsels), Kobachi (a salmon salad and simmered icefish) and Shusai (simmered beef in wild vegetables), alongside steamed rice, Miso soup and Japanese pickles.
On the Western front, there will be a selection of small appetisers (like citrus marinated shrimps and scallops), followed by a main dish (beef fillet steak with Madiera sauce or steamed golden bream).
Both meal options come with a delightful dessert offering, including strawberry mousse, cheese and fruits.
On the wine front, expect a fantastic selection of top drops from across the globe, spanning France to Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Argentina, alongside a tasty selection of Sake and Shochu.
When it comes to an after-dinner tipple, incredibly, ANA offers the Hibiki Blender’s Choice from the House of Suntory of Japan (a $400 retail whisky) and it’s very, very hard to go past a dram of that.
The service on board ANA is well known as being called ‘five-star’ but that genuinely is what you can expect in the air and the hospitality is one of the many highlights onboard this impressive Business Class cabin that’s nothing short of five stars.
Before you depart from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, stop by the ANA Lounge where you’ll find views over the airfield, seats for working and relaxing, plus a noodle bar, buffet (don’t skip past a Japanese curry), self-service drinks station (offering sake, shochu and other alcoholic beverages like beers from automated pourers) and a dining area.
For the best prices, get your tickets at https://www.ana.co.jp/