How Tokyo’s Four Seasons Hotels Helped Me Find Joy In Slowing Down While Traveling

Prior to my trip to Tokyo last month, I was feeling the pressure to pack as much as possible. It had been over four years since his last visit and our world had changed a lot. With a rough agenda in his head, something changed when he arrived at his cozy 57-room Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo in Marunouchi. (Stayed here for 2 nights, his final 2 nights were due to be at the new sister hotel Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo Otemachi). Thanks to the drizzling rain, I didn’t have the energy to start running again.

What did I do instead? We made the most of our minimalist cocoon-like room that afternoon. I perched by the floor-to-ceiling windows, soaking up the clock-like rhythm of the Shinkansen bullet train below, slowly savoring the welcome amenity, exquisite bunches of plump green grapes. (According to acquaintances, Shine Muscat is so valuable that it is often given as a gift.)

Afterwards, dine at Maison Marunouchi, a refreshing brasserie headed by a Michelin-starred chef, for spicy, ultra-chunky fried chicken with all the fixies like homemade ranch, mashed potatoes, and braised kale. I was. Daniel Calvert also heads up his popular two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Cézanne. His stomach was full and he fell asleep while being soothed by the sound of the bullet train.

The next day was bright, clear and refreshing, perfect for one of my favorite urban pastimes: shopping. (Thankfully, retail heavyweights like Nihombashi Mitsukoshi and Kappabashi Dori are still bustling, and the department hasn’t changed much. He said he regretted not ordering it (the offer was sweet, but I thought he was professional and polite). In search of it, we ventured out to Folklore, a chic bolthole hidden under the train tracks in Yurakucho.

The next morning, I checked into the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo in Otemachi. Soaring across his six floors at the top of a glittering tower, from 190 rooms and suites to the chic cocktail den VIRTÙ led by Keith Motzi, with breathtaking views of Tokyo’s iconic skyline wherever you look. can see But don’t assume the sky is the limit. Now, as I quickly discovered, this is just the beginning.

Faraaz Tanveer, Director of Spa & Wellness, was waiting in my room for a private yoga session. I wanted to learn how to make it easier. “I’m really good at lying down and relaxing,” I quipped. “This is one of the most difficult poses he has,” Tanveer said. “If it’s easy to relax, why do so many people have trouble relaxing?” rice field. During this solo trip, I felt obligated to research Tokyo’s latest and greatest. Not necessarily because I wanted to, but because I felt I had to. Tanveer’s words were all I needed to take the pressure off and slow down.

The restoration of the Yakusugi forest after the session certainly helped. Inspired by the old cedar trees on the remote islands of Yakushima (the oldest is thought to be between 2,170 and 7,200 years old), this two-hour spa. Invited me to a forest bathing session. Restorative Her massage imbued with an enchanting woody scent.

Over the next two days, I took Tanveer’s advice to heart and did what I wanted. I searched for one-of-a-kind vintage items at the Oedo Antique Market, the largest open-air antique market in Japan, located at the Tokyo International Forum. Michelin-starred restaurant est fuses local ingredients (including the water selection, all made in Japan) with French techniques by chef Guillaume Bracavall, and sample Japanese venison and tofu cheese. Saw. Afternoon tea from Executive Pastry Chef Yusuke Aoki explores how the sumptuous grapes welcomed in Marunouchi pair with artful bites such as Shine’s Muscat Shortcake and Cold Consomme Royale with Muscat Jelly. introduced. On my last night, a friend and I delved into the yakitori at Shirokane Toritama Kagurazaka and Sakanamachi Gogo’s amazing seafood plates.

Despite these great experiences, I often think about what happened when I checked out. In the lobby, I spot Fisher with a Four Seasons bag. He walked up from Marunouchi and personally delivered a club sandwich and Cézanne’s legendary Hokkaido corn sourdough bread. These tokens are a heartfelt reminder that many of the most memorable moments of my trip were spent not just stomping down the city streets, but between two extraordinary hotels. Let me.