“The Okura Tokyo” will begin a new era in September 2019. The new Okura will consist of two buildings, the Okura Heritage Wing and the Okura Prestige Tower, and will continue to evolve while preserving the essence and traditions of Okura. Twelve stories that reaffirm the charm of Okura and explore the new The Okura Tokyo.
Taking advantage of building restrictions to create a new hotel like never before
In 34, Iwajiro Noda, who was in charge of the new hotel, managed to obtain construction permission for approximately 1959 tsubo of the site of the former Okura residence, excluding 600 tsubo of land for the Okura Shukokan. However, buildings in this area are not allowed to be taller than 7300 meters from the main entrance. What we came up with was a unique architecture that would be 20 stories from the front and 10 stories from the back. Yoshiro Taniguchi, known for his work on buildings such as the Tokyo Institute of Technology's 70th Anniversary Auditorium and Akasaka's Togu Palace, was appointed as head of the five-member design committee. The Mitsuya-style architecture, consisting of three wings: east, south, and north, is the first hotel building in Japan. Taniguchi was originally scheduled to be in charge of designing the exterior, but in the end, Hideo Kosaka, who had previously designed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, was selected, and Taniguchi was assigned to design the lobby, Orchid Room, and Orchid Bar.
A view of the Orchid Bar in the main building. There are orchid lights on the walls.
During their initial discussions, Kishichiro Okura and Noda decided that the hotel would incorporate Japanese culture, art, and tradition, and that the building would be ``Japanese in style, but a flashy Momoyama-style building similar to Kabuki-za.'' We want to create something cleaner than that.'' (Noda) agreed. Taniguchi's goal is to create an unprecedented facility that combines Japanese elements with the latest facilities of modern hotels in Europe and America, in order to allow foreign guests to relax in Japan's climate and traditions. I worked on the design based on this. And the space that can be said to be a symbol of this is the main building lobby, which is a masterpiece and is highly praised. The reason for making the main lobby a few steps lower than the entrance lobby was because Noda saw it at a hotel in Paris and was impressed by the calming space it created. In addition, when Noda stayed at Claridge's in London, he was attracted to the quiet atmosphere of the lobby, which avoided the hustle and bustle of the entrance, so the reception desk and elevator were built in a slightly recessed area beside the entrance lobby.
A scene from the opening ceremony in 1962. In the center is Kishichiro Okura, to his left is Iwajiro Noda, and to his right is Yoshiro Taniguchi.
The main lobby, which is well-known for its Okura Lantern lighting designed by Taniguchi himself, the hemp leaf-patterned window frames, lounge chairs and lacquered tables, is designed with an open atrium and the concept of a ``bridge of dreams.'' The balance of the mezzanine area with its low ceiling is exquisite. For 53 years since its opening, this space has continued to be loved by many people as the face of Okura.
Orchid room in the main building. "Okura Lantern" is used for lighting.
This year, this main building lobby will be revived at the Okura Prestige Tower in The Okura Tokyo. Yoshio Taniguchi, Taniguchi's son who has worked on projects such as the Horyuji Treasure Gallery at the Tokyo National Museum, was invited to join the design team in order to recreate the ``traditional Japanese beauty'' that Hotel Okura Tokyo has cultivated. He designed the lobby to be suitable for modern times.
The lobby took about a month after the main building closed to create a huge report based on detailed measurements, research on materials, light levels, acoustics, etc., and tried to follow the original as much as possible. The windows that faced east were changed to face south, and the height of the mezzanine handrails was changed in accordance with modern legal standards, but by using high-strength steel frames for the columns that greatly affect the impression of the space. Efforts and innovations have been made throughout to bring it closer to the original, such as achieving the same thickness as the main building lobby. Additionally, the four-petaled flower decoration fabric by Living National Treasure Kenkichi Tomimoto that adorned the walls has been almost exactly reproduced based on drawings from the time. The ``Okura Lantern'' also uses LED light sources and takes into account earthquake-resistant structures, etc., and shines as a symbol. Of course, the furniture and paper lanterns that had been stored in the warehouse have been beautifully restored and arranged as they were before. The beautiful lobby scenery, which recreates the atmosphere of the main building, is sure to be etched into the hearts of future visitors.
Photography by © The Okura Tokyo
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