And . . .  relax: laid-back luxury at Tokyo’s Trunk(Hotel) Yoyogi Park

This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to Tokyo

A vacation in Tokyo can leave one longing for another vacation. Trekking between shrines, skyscrapers, eateries, hidden alleys, department stores and cool shops on the weblike transport network can be as tiring as it is exciting. But the new Trunk(Hotel) Yoyogi Park puts real relaxation within reach.

Opened last September, the boutique hotel has a swimming pool overlooking Yoyogi, one of the city’s largest parks. The resort-style infinity pool is a rarity in central Tokyo, and the view across a vast expanse of trees is rarer still in the dense metropolis.  

Trunk Yoyogi is the newest addition to a hospitality group founded by entrepreneur Yoshitaka Nojiri, who has stayed at more than 2,000 hotels in over 50 countries. Drawing on those travels, he is building a collection of hotels that includes the first Trunk(Hotel) Cat Street in nearby Jingumae district; Trunk (House), an exclusive vacation home in Tokyo’s old geisha quarter of Kagurazaka; and additional upcoming projects in the capital, Kobe and Sapporo. Each location has its own unique atmosphere but shares the group’s commitment to fitting in with the surrounding community.

Many of Tokyo’s luxury hotels are run by global chains and perched atop tall buildings, 30 storeys up or higher. The Trunk at Yoyogi, in contrast, offers a more intimate and down-to-earth luxury experience, with just seven floors and 25 rooms, accentuated by the hospitality of a hip and international crew. 

Location

The hotel is only a 15-minute walk from Shibuya Station and its famous “scramble” crossing, which up to 2,500 pedestrians scurry over each time the light turns green. Yet Trunk feels a world away, nestled in Tomigaya, a neighbourhood known as a creative hub. There is no shortage of cafés, design shops and cosy restaurants, some of which are introduced to guests in a compact illustrated map given at check-in. In the room, we were welcomed with pastel de nata egg custard tarts from Nata de Cristiano, a local Portuguese pastry shop that attracts long lines of foodies.

Rooms

The interior design is a blend of Japanese and Scandinavian minimalism, a result of collaboration between lead architect Keiji Ashizawa and the Copenhagen-based Norm Architects. The common areas and rooms follow a neutral palette mixing wooden furniture, bespoke decor such as washi-paper lamps crafted in Kyoto, and curated artwork. In some layouts, rattan partitions gently divide the space.

All rooms have a balcony, some facing Yoyogi Park. There are 20 standard rooms measuring a snug 22-23 sq m, along with four Park View suites with an additional living area and bathtubs. Then there is the pièce de résistance where we were fortunate to stay for two nights: the Owner’s suite. 

The penthouse on the seventh floor feels more like a residence than a hotel room — and a very lavish one at that. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretch 8.5m across the room, providing a mesmerising panorama of Tokyo’s beloved park and the pool. In the expansive bathroom, the tub looks out on to one of two terraces and the city beyond. 

The minibar, which is complimentary in the suites, includes carefully selected snacks and refreshments, such as Fairtrade hemp-infused chocolate and Trunk’s custom craft beer produced by a Tokyo brewery. 

Pool

If the hotel has a centrepiece, it would surely be the outdoor infinity pool on the sixth floor, roughly at eye level with the treetops of Yoyogi Park.

It’s tempting to stay from the moment it opens at 7am to closing time at midnight. Whether you’re taking a dip before breakfast or unwinding by the fire pit at dusk with a cocktail in hand, the vantage point is hard to beat. Landmarks peek out above the swaying greenery: the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, the spire of Tokyo Skytree, and Kenzo Tange’s Yoyogi Gymnasium, built for the 1964 Olympics.

The relaxation you find here is more than enough to make up for the lack of a spa. And don’t worry if you’re visiting during Tokyo’s chilly winters: the pool and Jacuzzi are heated year-round. 

Food and drinks

The Italian restaurant on the ground floor, Pizzeria e Trattoria L’Ombelico, serves well-crafted Neapolitan-style pizza and pasta dishes. Counter seats surround a copper, wood-fired oven imported from Italy, while the tables and chairs match Trunk’s Japandi aesthetic.  

The chic design, dog-friendly terrace and mostly reasonable prices — a margherita pizza will set you back about £11.50 — tend to draw a crowd. As it’s the only part of the hotel open to the public, reservations are recommended. 

Alternatively, the guest-exclusive pool bar shares the full menu, plus freshly shucked oysters. It also offers a more extensive selection of classic and creative seasonal cocktails, like a smokey concoction of Ardbeg scotch, pomegranate, mikan and Italicus bergamot rosolio.

The breakfast menu is split between healthy options — think granola bowls or vegan-friendly avocado dukkah toast — and the usual scrambled eggs or pancakes. Like dinner, morning grub is available at either the pool bar or the restaurant. But given the option of watching the sun rise over the water and the park, why go anywhere else?

Piti Koshimura was a guest of Trunk(Hotel) Yoyogi Park