The Hills-ification of Tokyo

thomas · 13 Oct 2024

Nikkei Asia on Tokyo's sprawling mega-complexes, which transform the capital into futuristic, glitzy, and exclusive luxury islands and a mecca for the well-heeled. However, these products of corporate-led urbanism also raise concerns about accessibility and inclusivity and their encroachment on traditional, vibrant streetscapes.

Azabudai Hills Complex (photo credit: Luuvu Hoang)

Azabudai Hills is a mecca for the well-heeled. The development's retail spaces are a roll call of luxury brands, while its residential units cater to the upper echelons of Tokyo's housing market. Even the Janu Tokyo hotel, touted by the Switzerland-based Aman Group as the debut of its "more affordable" brand, commands room rates exceeding 165,000 JPY (USD 1,147) a night. This emphasis on high-end offerings raises questions about accessibility and inclusivity. While the public spaces and some casual eateries nod at the city's economic diversity, the overall atmosphere is exclusivity. Azabudai Hills represents a microcosm of global affluence in a town known for eclecticism. It is also a prime example of a broader trend reshaping Tokyo: corporate-led urbanism. This approach to city-building, driven by powerful private entities, transforms the urban landscape in ways that may fundamentally alter the metropolis's character. Azabudai Hills embodies Mori Building's vision of Tokyo as a "vertical garden city," replete with cultural venues, luxury accommodations and retail spaces catering to the wealthy concentrated into a series of towering mega-complexes.

Paywall alert:

Small reflections on mega-complexes transforming Tokyo

Luxury developments cast a shadow over the city's vibrant streetscape

asia.nikkei.com

Majestic · 13 Oct 2024

thomas said:
the Janu Tokyo hotel, touted by the Switzerland-based Aman Group as the debut of its "more affordable" brand, commands room rates exceeding 165,000 JPY (USD 1,147) a night.

OK...I'm a bit of a hotel snob. I love a good hotel. I've stayed in a few great hotels. I don't think I've ever stayed in a $1000/night hotel, much less one that was touted as being "more affordable" at that price.

I think my last company had a hotel budget of around $200/night for overseas trips. When I was last in Tokyo I splurged on a $700/night hotel, with some reluctance. $1147 a night is just ridiculous.

johnnyG · 13 Oct 2024

On the positive side, corporate urbanism does not seem to mean car-ification/automobile-izing what they take over.

dracuella · 13 Oct 2024

Majestic said:
OK...I'm a bit of a hotel snob. I love a good hotel. I've stayed in a few great hotels. I don't think I've ever stayed in a $1000/night hotel, much less one that was touted as being "more affordable" at that price.

This is honestly only 'more affordable' to corporations or businesses who can write off tax and such and to wealthy individuals who have enough money to not care. The most I've personally spent on a hotel was at the Marvel hotel in Disneyland Paris which cost €1100 ($1200) per night for two people. Without breakfast and not counting entry to the parks. It was 4* and nice enough but if I'd had a say in it, I would never have chosen to stay there, it was absolutely not worth the money.

johnnyG said:
On the positive side, corporate urbanism does not seem to mean car-ification/automobile-izing what they take over.

Which is really nice, we really don't need more cars in our cities. But corporate urbanism could also mean less people about as housing is replaced with businesses. Some places have turned into business districts with only company buildings, leaving the areas ghost towns after sunset. Or it's all hotels, meaning too many tourists and all the palaver that entails.

mdchachi · 14 Oct 2024

Majestic said:
OK...I'm a bit of a hotel snob. I love a good hotel. I've stayed in a few great hotels. I don't think I've ever stayed in a $1000/night hotel, much less one that was touted as being "more affordable" at that price.

I think my last company had a hotel budget of around $200/night for overseas trips. When I was last in Tokyo I splurged on a $700/night hotel, with some reluctance. $1147 a night is just ridiculous.

The nicer furnishings and nicer atmosphere is good but I can never justify paying that kind of money. In my experience the nicer hotels actually charge you extra for things that are free at other hotels such as breakfast or Wifi. The most I ever paid with company money was probably in Las Vegas during CES. It probably didn't break $500/night though.
The most I ever paid with my own money was on the Halycon. But it had some perks like imported foods from Bantha and Kashyyk. Though it was really more like a cruise ship than a hotel.

Majestic · 14 Oct 2024

I have a feeling my days of being a hotel snob are over. I was just looking at the prices of some hotels here in California, and I saw a lot of rooms in the $1000 range.

Man, people have a lot of money to burn.
I can remember when $500 was an outrageously expensive sum to pay for a room for one night.

I never stayed in the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku, but I went there a fair number of times for dinner and drinks. A colleague once stayed there and I got a peek in the room - and it looked fabulous. Not enormously large, but super modern and great views of the city. This was when "Lost in Translation" had released and it was THE place to stay. I had always hoped I could swing some kind of corporate stay there, but it never came to pass. Now I guess its being renovated due to the rooms being out of date. Wow, I feel old. In my mind its still the new place in Tokyo, but in the real world its aged so much that they have to renovate the rooms. Will probably cost well over $1000 to stay there when it reopens, I bet.

salyavin · 14 Oct 2024

was just noticing Lost in Translation is 21 years old! I too felt like it was a recent movie. These days getting nice company travel is not as easy was it was 30 years ago.

mdchachi · 14 Oct 2024

Majestic said:
I have a feeling my days of being a hotel snob are over. I was just looking at the prices of some hotels here in California, and I saw a lot of rooms in the $1000 range.

Man, people have a lot of money to burn.
I can remember when $500 was an outrageously expensive sum to pay for a room for one night.

I never stayed in the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku, but I went there a fair number of times for dinner and drinks. A colleague once stayed there and I got a peek in the room - and it looked fabulous. Not enormously large, but super modern and great views of the city. This was when "Lost in Translation" had released and it was THE place to stay. I had always hoped I could swing some kind of corporate stay there, but it never came to pass. Now I guess its being renovated due to the rooms being out of date. Wow, I feel old. In my mind its still the new place in Tokyo, but in the real world its aged so much that they have to renovate the rooms. Will probably cost well over $1000 to stay there when it reopens, I bet.

Well you can aim to snob out one more time at the new Bulgari Tokyo Hotel. Standard rooms are about $1500/night which is a deal compared to the $30,000/night Bulgari Suite.

Hiroyuki Nagashima · 14 Oct 2024

It is Tokyo evening landscape from the Haneda line JAL airplane.
Tokyo Evening view. Haneda landing.
When I look at Azabudai Hills from the sky.

Lothor · 15 Oct 2024

Great video. The poster just missed one trick: they could have added the label 'Shinkansen' at 3:34.

Hiroyuki Nagashima · 15 Oct 2024

Is separated from the main subject, but
This operation of the new approach method of Haneda Airport was started on March 29, 2020.
I get ready for the last landing by the approach near Ikebukuro and I pass with Ikebukuro ー Shinjuku ー Roppongi ー Shinagawa ー Haneda Airport from there and land.
Beautiful Tokyo しんの cityscape spread under eyes and was able to confirm Tokyo Tower and the Skytree, various places including the Imperial Palace from the sky, too.

When I go from Fukuoka to Tokyo, I am excited very much when it is this course.
By the way, this is landing scenery of the night of Osaka Itami Airport.

johnnyG · 15 Oct 2024

Different kind of approach and city, and long ago, but I'm glad that I rode the approach into Kai Tak a number of times.
(coming in over the buildings in Kowloon they looked real close)

There was also a walkway in the airport that was lined up with the end of the runway, so you could stand and watch the planes come over and then land out the windows on the other side.

johnnyG · 15 Oct 2024

Majestic said:
hotels here in California

At least in japan you don't have to then tip in order to get your room serviced.

The Hills-ification of Tokyo

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Small reflections on mega-complexes transforming Tokyo

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