Tokyo, the capital of Japan, is one of the most vibrant and fascinating cities in the world, where traditions and heritage mingle with futurism and innovation. Tokyo is so culturally rich and interesting that it would take a lifetime to explore every corner, museum, shrine, and restaurant.

Overlooking the stunning Edo-era Hama-rikyu gardens, the location of a 17th-century Shogun villa, is Mesm Tokyo, one of the latest additions of the uber-chic Autograph Collection Hotels portfolio, by Marriott.

The Hama-rikyu gardens are replanted every season giving the landscape new colours and offering a zen environment throughout the year. One of the most impressive sights in the garden is a group of teahouses built in 1707. This is a beautiful historical landmark of Tokyo where shoguns entertained guests with waka poetry and music played on the ponds, the epitome of sophistication. Mesm Tokyo parallels this beauty and with its five stars, it lies in front of this garden, between the Tokyo Bay and Sumida River.

Located in the chic Minato City and very close to the luxury district of Ginza, Mesm Tokyo brings sophistication and culture to new heights. It is also a stone-throw from the iconic Tokyo Tower and the various art museums including the ARTIZON. The area is both business-centred and residential with a mixture of offices and private flats. The other garden, the Kyu-Shiba-rikyu is not far either and multiple shops are around including Bio C’est Bon from France. Its location in the city allows for easy moves all around Tokyo and Japan; connections to Osaka are very easy for instance from the nearby train station. Tube stations are walking distance too.

The hotel is one of the most recently inaugurated and refined hotels in Japan. The amazing property opened in April 2020, and today, it offers the best of music, gastronomy, comfort, and experiential stays. Mesm Tokyo is both international, with 60% customers from outside Japan, and tailored to Japanese clientele. Young people mix with senior guests from all horizons and geographies, with their families or alone. They all come for the great music and the delicious cocktails at night.

“Mesm, owned by railway company JR, is inspired by its surroundings, the power of the water of the Sumida River, and Hokusai’s 1831 Great Wave off Kanagawa.” The charismatic Manager of Mesm Tokyo Hisashi Oinuma, said. Hisashi Oinuma who led the Sheraton and Moxy teams in Japan, among other roles, before joining the Autograph Collection, developed the creativity, design, image and branding of Mesm Tokyo, a year and half before its opening. While Hisashi Oinuma relied on his Artistic Director’s expertise, he supervised the creativity of the hotel from beginning to end himself.

One of the assets of Mesm Tokyo is its amazing, very professional and creative staff. For instance, Maki Hiromi, Director of Commercial Acquisition used to work in Paris at Lanvin with the late Albert Elbaz.

“Nature and the proximity of The Shiki Theatre JIYU inspired the conceptual framework of Mesm Tokyo.” Hisashi Oinuma enthusiastically explains. The art in all its form is everywhere at Mesm Tokyo. While coming to the stunning dimmed-lit entrance of the hotel on the ground floor, customers encounter a gorgeous immersive installation titled City of Lights by artist Yuji Ichikawa. The dramatic piece features silver, golden and blue apples, elegantly suspended on thin wires.

“Mesm stands for mesmerising. Our focus is very much on the emotional experience. We hope staying with us inspires customers and enhances their five senses.” Hisashi Oinuma continues. A piano player himself and a member of a rock band when he was younger, Oinuma has been a fan of David Bowie since his teenage years. “I was fascinated by Ziggy Stardust. His style, art, music, persona, and fashion had a profound effect on me. His influence as a constant innovator, as an entertainer, surfing on trends throughout his impressive and eminent career, stuck with me. I’m trying to bring a bit of his evolving style to my work”.   

On the 16th floor, passing in front of a harmoniously arranged string installation by Eiko Miki, customers entering the lobby, can enjoy the dramatic see front, especially at night. They can also admire the spectacular silver ceiling installation mirroring the movements of water. This impressive and floating work is by a collective of artists named Studio Sawada Design. The architecture and design are at their best at Mesm Tokyo and light is perfect in this space. With its dramatic furniture and charming colour palette, the welcoming lobby immediately dives customers into that censorial environment.

A 1963 Yamaha vintage piano designed by acclaimed architect and Frank Lloyd-Wright’s colleague Antonin Raymond, proudly stands in the main space. The lobby serves for drinks receptions and musical performances. This state of the art piano is juxtaposed with an impressive pink-flowered bonzai tree and slick sofas and chairs. Not only does Mesm Tokyo offers fantastic food and drinks options through its bar and restaurant, but it also becomes a platform for classical and jazz concerts throughout the year. The programme oscillates from Soprano duos, flutes and violins performances, to gipsy jazz concert and Paoakalani Hawaiian music. This is perfect for customers coming to Mesm for dinner and for hotel guests.

The large-scale black shelf in the lobby features a small bijou sculpture by Takashi Murakami. It also showcases Yohji Yamamoto’s fabulous black and ultra elegant uniform worn by staff throughout the hotel. The colours are harmonious and reference the Tokyo Wave theme with dark blue, and light touches of copper.

The attention to details at Mesm Tokyo is remarkable and this fantastic black (formal in Japan) gender-neutral garment worn by the teams adds more luxurious touches. How did Hisashi Oinuma manage to convince Yohji Yamamoto to join the project? “We believe that our customers have a sharp sense of fashion. They are universal and they travel a lot. We hope they can embrace the pioneering side of Tokyo. This is what Yamamoto is about. It made total sense of working together and to reflect the current Tokyo. We simply sent an email and it led to a wonderful collaboration. Yohji is the best!” Yamamoto himself might come one day to attend the “Showcase” programme of concerts. The artists invited as part of the programming have the freedom to select what they want to play every night.

Famous contemporary artists have also stayed in the hotel and it’s a favourite for celebrities. The jaw-dropping top floor suite is always enquired for fashion shoots and promotional projects. The 360° view of the special salon is indeed a stunning space with more delicate touches of yellow and marine blue.

In addition to the spectacular piano of the lobby, the bedrooms feature elegant Casio digital pianos and scores. This is a unique trait which highlights Mesm’s cultural inspiration. Which other hotel in the world has had this amazing curatorial idea? Art in all its forms is truly celebrated at Mesm. Customers are invited to be inspired by creativity and to play the instrument themselves.

The large-scale and luxurious rooms boast individual balcony terraces with fantastic light, allowing guests to enjoy the Hama-rikyu gardens from afar. Upon entering the bedroom, guests will also find a cute BE@BRICK sculpture. The ninja ink tracers magically appear with flashlight. This is another great collaboration between BE@BRICK and Mesm making the hotel truly special.

The King, Double, and Suite Luxe rooms feature noble materials, the latest technology with large-scale tv, music amplifiers, telephones, screens, minibar, traditional Geta shoes, and pyjama. The colours are subtle and pleasant with the recurring mix of black, red, copper and dark blue. Matcha tea and traditional copper sets to prepare the drink are available. Takeshiba blend speciality coffee drip bags titled “The Blend” are also available in the bar area. In the bathroom, the puzzled-arranged amenity box is shaped as a book. Its illustrations by sketch artist Kentaro Koizumi are reminiscent of the history of Takeshiba, the area of the hotel. It epitomises the Tokyo Wave, which permeates through the hotel.  

Sustainability is also very important to Mesm. These efforts include large, individual and permanent bottles of shampoos, a tablet to control the various options in the room and avoiding paper, to a label on the bed table warning that changing sheets and towels will be at the guest’s discretion. Mesm Tokyo also has a no food-waste policy and for all these reasons, it takes the climate emergency very seriously.

What is Hisashi Oinuma’s challenges for the future? “I’d love to be a game-changer in designing the image of more hotels. It’s important for guests to experience this cultural offering and have fun. We want to grow and live with customers. It’s very key for us to understand how guests feel about the hotel. We accompany and spend time with them to understand them, support their needs and offer the best service.”

Hisashi Oinuma who loves antiques, teamLab’s exhibition space in Tokyo and collects postcards and cars continues: “I have opportunities to travel and bring some of the ideas I come across back to Mesm Tokyo and this is exciting. Mesm which is only in Tokyo might go beyond Japan one day and I’d love to explore locations in London and Paris.”

Culinary excellence is also on the menu at Mesm under Chef Kumamoto’s leadership. It offers a themed lunch and dinner programme. After winning the 11th Trophée Maitres Cuisiniers de France, Jean Schillinger competition in 2004, Chef Kumamoto went on to win the Trophée International de Cuisine et de Patisserie, a global French competition held the same year in Paris.

The delicious “Chef’s theatre” lunch has meat and fish, with two main dishes, while dinner features premium ingredients such as caviar, crabs, and Wagyu beef loin. One the recent themes was Romeo and Juliet. Chef’s Theatre offers bistronomy-style French cuisine with the live atmosphere of an open kitchen. At the restaurant, diners can enjoy a gastronomic experience spun along with a story as if they were watching a play, using all five senses. Further gastronomic moments are inspired by artists. The Afternoon Exhibition at “Whisk” is also themed. It has sweets, savouries, and mocktails in harmony with the concept of the “Artist’s Atelier.” Every dish and drink was inspired by the artworks of the greatest artists in history such as Dalí, Vermeer, da Vinci, and Monet. The Girl with a Pearl Earring, was honoured through this themed-culinary moments. And what a stunning ceiling? The light artwork is also designed by Studio Sawada Design who previously collaborated with Louis Vuitton, St Regis, Armani and many other blue-chip projects. Other artworks are disseminated throughout the Hotel. Tracie Cheng, for example, is an artist interested in dimension, fluidity, and versatility, primarily through lines and colour in abstract form. She produced a beautiful mural piece for the hotel. In another room, Shoichi Ikeda created a stunning sculpture reinventing the Tokyo Wave.

Mesm Tokyo also stimulates hearing and looking with Midnight Backstage, its own podcast used as storytelling and platforming hotel-related content, revealing behind-the-scenes and giving Mesm talents the voices they deserve. The accompanying Tokyo Waves magazine features the latest news, with quality coverage on Tokyo, exclusive interviews and reviews. It showcases all of Mesm’s partners and gives an insights into the local life.

With stunning views over Tokyo and incredible balconies, a unique sense of fashion, the most professional and attentive staff, the most sophisticated food, and musical programme, Mesm Tokyo encapsulates true luxury. A truly unique property, Mesm Tokyo embodies experiential stays where sophistication takes centrestage.

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