STEP BACK IN TIME WITH A STAY AT ONE OF JAPAN’S CLASSIC HOTELS
The Tokyo Station Hotel: CLASSIC EUROPEAN DÉCOR MEETS MODERN COMFORT AT THIS HOTEL IN THE HISTORIC TOKYO
Visitors may equate “classic” Japanese accommodation with futons laid out on tatami floors at a ryokan, or traditional inn. In fact, however, Japan has a rich legacy of Western-style accommodation dating back to the dawn of the Meiji period (1868-1912).
These hotels played an important role in introducing various aspects of Western culture to the Japanese, including architecture, fashion, food, and social customs. The hotels also welcomed many important and influential guests from Japan and around the world, ranging from the Japanese imperial family and overseas royalty to politicians, writers, and musicians.
Hotel New Grand : THE HOTEL NEW GRAND IS A DESIGNATED PART OF YOKOHAMA’S HISTORIC INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE AND SERVED AS GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR’S FIRST STAY WHEN HE ARRIVED AFTER WW II.
In 1868, an event that came to be known as the Meiji Restoration ushered in a new era for Japan. After 260 years of rule under the shogunate system, the country’s leadership was restored to the emperor and Japan fully opened up to the West. The restoration led to great changes in Japan’s political and social structure. Eager to learn about and propagate international culture, the government welcomed visitors from abroad, and a new generation of Japanese embraced the ways of the West.
Against this background, Western-style hotels served as important places for exchanging ideas and culture. Some of these properties are still thriving today. They offer a glimpse into a unique part of Japanese history, honoring the past with their beautifully preserved facilities, combined with thoughtful modern touches to suit today’s discerning travelers.
Fujiya Hotel : LOCATED IN THE HEART OF THE HAKONE SIGHTSEEING AREA, THE FUJIYA HOTEL HAS WELCOMED PUBLIC FIGURES SUCH AS CHARLIE CHAPLIN AND JOHN LENNON AS WELL AS BELGIAN, SWEDISH AND JAPANESE ROYALTY.
The Japan Classic Hotel Association was established in 2017 to elevate the nine-member hotels’ collective heritage and promote them to a broader audience. The hotels were all built before World War ii. They have all maintained their buildings (including through renovation), and have been certified as cultural assets or industrial heritage properties. The Japan Classic Hotel Association is comprised of:
Nikko Kanaya Hotel (1873, Nikko, Tochigi)
Fujiya Hotel (1878, Hakone, Kanagawa)
Nara Hotel (1909, Nara City, Nara Prefecture)
TheTokyo Station Hotel (1915, Chiyoda, Tokyo)
Hotel New Grand (1927, Yokohama, Kanagawa)
Gamagori Classic Hotel (1934, Gamagori, Aichi)
Unzen Kanko Hotel (1935, Unzen, Nagasaki)
Kawana Hotel (1936, Ito, Shizuoka)
Mampei Hotel (1894, Karuizawa, Nagano; closed for renovations from Jan. 2023 until summer 2024)
Nara Hotel: AGING GRACEFULLY THROUGH THE PASSAGE OF TIME, THE NARA HOTEL WAS FOUNDED AS AN UNOFFICIAL “STATE GUEST HOUSE” FOR THE KANSAI REGION.
Each hotel has a unique history, ranging from elegant city accommodations to charming getaways in some of Japan’s most popular resort areas. Visitors can browse the carefully curated displays of photos and documents about their storied past. Sometimes, staff offers guided tours for guests who want to delve deeper into their hotel’s history. Collectively, the Classic Hotels have welcomed a host of luminaries over the years. Albert Einstein and Helen Keller were on the guest register at the Nikko Kanaya Hotel, while John Lennon was a frequent visitor at the Mampei Hotel in Karuizawa. Meanwhile, the Hotel New Grand in Yokohama has christened room 315 as “MacArthur’s Suite” after Douglas MacArthur, the American general who administered postwar Japan during the Allied occupation. Visitors can see the room much as it was in MacArthur’s day, including the desk where he worked.
The Kawana Hotel: A REAL SPOT TO ENJOY THE AREA’S GOLF COURSES AND FRESH CUISINE. THE MILD CLIMATE OF THE IZU PENINSULA OFFERS GUESTS OF THE KAWANA HOTEL.
The Classic Hotels Association has introduced the Classic Hotel Passport to encourage visitors to experience various member hotels around the country. It includes pages for a stamp from each hotel and comes in a handsome case.
The Classic Hotel Passport is valid for three years from the date of the first stamp. Guests who collect stamps from four different hotels will get a lunch voucher for two at any of the member hotels, while those who collect stamps from all the hotels will receive a voucher for one night’s accommodation for two at a classic hotel of their choice.
Nikko Kanaya Hotel: ORIGINALLY OPENED IN 1873, THE NIKKO KANAYA HOTEL IS ONE OF JAPAN’S OLDEST AND STRIVES TO TRANSPORT GUESTS BACK IN TIME.
In celebration of its fifth anniversary this November, The Classic Hotels Association is also offering special accommodation plans and cocktails at each hotel. (Please refer to the individual hotel websites for further details.)
Take a step back into a different side of Japan’s history and savor the authentic elegance and charm of Japan’s legacy classic hotels during your next visit.
Japan Classic Hotel Association Website: https://jcha.jp/
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