It’s an approach that has informed the way the Japanese have built their cities, which are full of meditative temples and parks and soothing onsen baths.
And it’s a philosophy sincerely expressed at two of Japan’s most inviting hotels, one in Tokyo and one in Nikko, which, despite contrasting settings, are both places you can experience the joy of tranquillity.
This particular energy at the heart of one of the city’s preeminent hotels, The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, located in dynamic Roppongi, among upscale restaurants, high fashion spaces, art galleries and whisky bars.
To say that the hotel rises above the fray is an understatement: it occupies the top floors of one of the city’s tallest buildings, and offers guests a very distinct pace to the bustle of the streets below.
The hotel’s unique atmosphere is partly a result of this elevated position, from which you can see across to the serene beauty of Mount Fuji and of the hotel’s design, a luxurious modern update on the traditional Japanese aesthetic.
But mostly it is created by the people who work there, as the hotel’s General Manager, Xavi Gonzalez, explains.
As Gonzalez says:
Our team understands how to create emotional connections by cultivating personal bonds.
And it is this level of engagement that allows for memories to be created that are beyond what the guests expect
Emerging unobtrusively from this landscape, around two hours from Tokyo by train, is The Ritz‑Carlton, Nikko, a place that recreates the tranquillity around it in microcosm.
As the hotel’s General Manager, Alex McBride, explains:
The indoor/outdoor theme continues at the hotel’s modernist onsen, whose mineral-rich water is created by the geothermal activity in the area.
The natural abundance on its doorstep enriches spa offerings such as a restorative rock ritual, in which therapists use volcanic rocks from the area to massage tired bodies.
The search for serenity possibly finds its fullest expression in the hotel’s daily ritual, during which the head monk and some of his apprentices from the nearby Chuzenji Temple visit the hotel to host a zen meditation for guests.
For those looking to achieve a state of energised calm, this ritual, in this setting, is among the most soothing of all hotel experiences.
If you find yourself seeking a moment of contemplation, take inspiration from seijaku.
From sacred temples and soothing onsen baths in the city to the cosseting calm of the countryside, Japan’s many places of contemplation include its sleek and relaxing hotels.
In many ways, Tokyo is the exemplar of the contemporary city, famous the world over for the pulsing dynamism of its streets, the thrill of its vertiginous buildings and the cinematic modernity of its neon lights.
But despite all this, the city has a special kind of calm to it, a sort of stillness at the centre of hustle and bustle, that creates an atmosphere very different from the rush of London or New York.
Having embedded this culture of heightened hospitality throughout the hotel, The Ritz-Carlton has found a way to elevate it in the form of the Club Lounge, a floor of distinct yet connected spaces for those staying in the Club level rooms and suites.
The emphasis here is on experiential luxury. In the morning, chef Kanae san piles fruit compôte on to her speciality croissant waffles, lunch is a beautifully curated experience by offering locally sourced products and seasonal menu, and the Club has its own line of locally made sodas. But what really sets it apart is the incredible personalisation of the service.
Just as Tokyo is a singular city, the experience of time spent in rural Japan is memorably unique. The Nikko area lies at the foot of Mount Nantai, near Lake Chuzenji, amid a lush landscape where monkeys, bears and eagles proliferate.
The serenity of the terrain made it the perfect spot for international embassies to build their villas in the 1900s, and it is home to temples such as UNESCO World Heritage property Toshogu Shrine, a mausoleum for the Tokugawa Shogunate.
This sense of the hotel being at one with its environment is reinforced by all the craftwork by Nikko artisans, particularly local Nikko Bori woodwork, and also the design of the property, which opens up to the countryside around it.
The gardens have magnificent lake views and, throughout the property, huge windows frame the mountain. This feeling of continuity with the local environment extends to the rooms, which have engawa porches to enjoy in all seasons.
