The New Tokyo Edition Is the Most 'Cutting Edge and Avant-garde' Hotel in the Japanese Capital

The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon is ready to welcome guests to what can only be described as the hotel company's coolest offering yet.

The hotel, which officially opened its doors on Oct. 20, is the first Edition hotel in Japan. Designed in partnership with renowned architect Kengo Kuma (the architect of the Olympic stadium in Tokyo), Ian Schrager, and Miwako Date, the president and CEO of the Mori Trust, the hotel pays homage to the city's rich past while maintaining one foot firmly planted in the future.

Inside, guests will find 206 rooms, including 22 suites to choose from. Guests can also explore its more than 10 entertaining and working spaces. This includes its restaurants and bars decked out in black, blue, and jade, which are all inspired by the precious stones and extremely rare elements sapphire, Japanese jade, and gold.

"Nothing makes me more excited than seeing the Edition Hotel open in Tokyo, a favorite destination of mine and the place I was born," Arne Sorenson, president and CEO of Marriott International, shared in a statement. "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 travelers 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."

Sorenson isn't alone in his delight at getting to work on the unique hotel.

"I have always had a spiritual connection with the approach and aesthetics of Japan. Their rationality, their simplicity, and their restraint has been the foundation of everything I've done," says Schrager, adding how captivated he was with Kuma and his team's working style and design aesthetic. "They are truly original thinkers but execute their ideas in such a humble and modest fashion. The end results are bold yet refined and shouts in a quiet way. It's a sweet spot that is completely seductive for me."

The hotel, the team explains, is inspired by Buddhist temples and their "structure, purpose and organization." Like the temples that center around their courtyard space, The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon's two-story lobby acts as its own centralized gathering place. It's meant to act as a place to encourage communal and social interactions when the time comes that we can all gather again.

And that's just the lobby. The hotel restaurants are looked after by world-renowned Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens. His work includes overseeing The Blue Room, a glamorous all-day dining space filled with sapphire and topaz colored upholstered seating overlooking the jaw-dropping views of the city, and The Jade Room, which offers a bespoke menu filled with the local flavors of Japan. Guests at the hotel can also step outside on The Jade Room + Garden Terrace, which sits 450 feet above the street and acts as a true oasis from city life.

But this is just a taste. As Schrager said: "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. We've created this energized resort in the middle of Tokyo, a beehive of activity where you can get away without ever leaving."

When you're ready, check out the hotel and book a stay on its website. Then, invite us to dinner — we'll meet you on the terrace.

Stacey Leasca is a journalist, photographer, and media professor. She'll happily have dinner with you in Tokyo any time. Send tips and follow her on Instagram now.