The independent property in Marunouchi truly embodies the Japanese concept of omotenashi, and boasts 10 drinking and dining venues – including a collaboration with Alain Ducasse
When Palace Hotel Tokyo first opened in 2012, Japan was a very different place. Although back then Tokyo and Japanese cities such as its ancient capital, Kyoto, were already popular destinations – especially among Asian travellers – the country was not the tourist magnet it is now.
Thanks to a very favourable exchange rate and more tourist-friendly policies, Japan has become one of the most visited countries in the world over the last five years, leading to issues such as overtourism.
As a former resident of Japan, I still remember travelling to formerly off-the-beaten-track spots such as Kanazawa and standing out as one of the few foreigners in a city that is now trending on social media as “the alternative to Kyoto”. Fast forward almost two decades, and on a recent trip to another historic town, most of the staff at a five-star-hotel from an international chain couldn’t even speak Japanese.
There is obviously nothing wrong with Japan’s embrace of international tourism, but it has also come at the expense of a quintessential Japanese quality that has always made the country stand out as a very unique destination.
