The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, offers an artful blend of luxury and cultural immersion in the Japanese capital. With its considered design, contemporary dining, serene wellness facilities, breathtaking spaces and dedication to fostering meaningful connections with the city, the hotel embodies true omotenashi (Japanese hospitality from the heart), combined with the polished professionalism of a world-class luxury hotel.
The morning light in Tokyo during our last visit was a thing of quiet magic. It arrived shyly through all the glass and steel, like a whispered secret. And when it did enter our room at The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho and we raised the blinds to confront it, it was as if the entire city gently blushed.
Kioichio – the district we were in, which gives the hotel its geo-marker – is a place of historical significance. Its name is derived from the combination of the first kanji characters of three prominent feudal lords’ family names: Kishū, Owari and Ii. These powerful families once had their manors in the area during the Edo period, and the suffix “cho” means district. But like much of central Tokyo today, it is now known for its luxurious hotels, towering multinational office buildings and global embassies.
We sipped tea, dressed in vibrant blue and red cotton kimonos, the choice of vibrant colour indicating the hotel’s more contemporary outlook. Sitting on a seat that spanned the entire width of our picture window, we watched as the city awakened and a rising bustle overwhelmed its labyrinthine streets far below. The Prince Gallery Kioicho, perched high in the Kioi Tower of the Tokyo Garden Terrace complex, offered a kind of stillness and almost meditative calm, unusual for the ever-dynamic Japanese capital.
Our Deluxe King room embodied the spirit of “shibui”, a Japanese aesthetic that finds beauty in simplicity and understatement. The design language was clean and thoughtful, with natural materials and a muted palette of earthy tones. Soft woods, subtle textures and delicate fabrics came together in harmony, although perhaps as a result, it felt a touch corporate in style for us holidaymakers. Unobtrusive design elements came together well to emphasise space, light and a calming flow.
At 42 sqm/452 sqft, our room utilised space cleverly. Storage was integrated and switchable-frosted glass between the bathroom and bedroom area offered both privacy and openness – a futuristic take on Japanese shoji doors. The hotel’s ‘suite spots’ – for those seeking a room upgrade – would be its Corner Rooms, Designer Suites and Kioi Suites. Each offered even more space, sweeping views and light.
Mesmerising, panoramic views were found at every turn throughout The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho. The hotel’s lobby (on the 36th floor) offered us a far grander take on the vibe of our room, oozing understated elegance, with double-height windows framing a seemingly infinite view of the skyline. Gazing at it was like looking at a living piece of art, reinforcing the juxtaposition between the city’s ceaseless energy and the calm interiors.
The whole space felt very much like a contemporary art gallery. No surprise then that ‘Gallery’ features in the hotel’s name, because The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho presents a unique intersection between hospitality and art. We liked this meeting of luxury innkeeping and cultural expression. While art collections in hotels aren’t a new thing per se, we felt that the curator here had succeeded in providing a visual and emotional experience that goes beyond the basic needs of the hotel’s interior design. The artwork on display was rather eclectic, featuring a selection of contemporary Japanese artists alongside works from international creators. The visual impact of the artwork played an integral role in the overall cosmopolitan ambiance and multi-dimensional atmosphere of the hotel, with the art – epic sculptures, vibrant paintings and narrative-driven, mixed-media works – thoughtfully placed throughout the public spaces in a way that didn’t overwhelm the hotel.
For us, the most artistic offering was the Sky Gallery Lounge Levita. It’s difficult to find the right words to explain the space. The bar seemed suspended between glass and air, offering a vast panoramic view that was nothing short of cinematic, both day and night.
But it was when dusk fell that it came alive. As the evening unfurled, we perched at the bar, where the glow of the city and the colourful LED light art displays on the space’s walls reflected off crystal glassware, and every cocktail became a piece of art in itself. The menu was curated with inspired creativity, each drink telling its own story, often with a subtle nod to Japanese flavours: yuzu, gin and a whisper of shiso. One arrived with a flourished plume of aromatic smoke. It was a great way to start a night on the town, but should you want a nightcap, The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho has a separate space for that, The Bar Illumiid, a speakeasy-like, clubhouse concept with a collection of phenomenal Japanese whiskeys.
| Perfect for | Fly into | Right on time |
| The Hedonist | NRT / HND | GMT +9 |
| While you’re Out There |
| The surrounding district of Kioicho – much like the Prince Gallery – offers a captivating blend of old and new, making it a unique area to explore by foot. Steeped in history, the district is home to the Akasaka Palace, also known as the State Guest House, a magnificent Meiji-era building surrounded by lush gardens. The palace, originally built as a royal residence, now serves as a venue for hosting foreign dignitaries, but visitors can stroll through its grounds to admire both the architecture and the serene green space. The local shrine is just as impressive: Hie Jinja has a staircase lined with red torii gates. Its origin dates back to the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and today, it is believed to be a powerful shrine that brings luck in love, libido, fertility and family. If it’s more modern temples and edifices to fun you crave, Kioicho is close to Akasaka itself, a vibrant district known for its nightlife. Here, you can explore stylish bars, upscale izakaya and entertainment venues that provide a taste of Tokyo’s contemporary culture. |
Beyond the bar, The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho offers a range of immersive experiences that invite guests to delve deeper into Japanese culture. One Saturday morning, we found ourselves participating in a traditional tea ceremony, again with a framed view of the city. It was an exercise in mindfulness, where every gesture held meaning, from the precise folds of the fukusa cloth to the quiet rhythm of whisking matcha. The tea mistress’s movements were akin to a dance – graceful, deliberate – and as we sipped on the rich green tea, we felt a profound, contemporary connection to this ancient tradition, being fully aware that we were still in 21st-century Tokyo.
Another afternoon was spent exploring the art of sushi at the hotel’s restaurant, WASHOKU SOUTEN, before the restaurant opened to other guests. Unlike at the actual restaurant sitting, we were taken on a private omakase sushi journey with Head Sushi Chef Tetsuya Yamada (who had been working for over 30 years to craft the best Edomae sushi). He provided a one-to-one, inside track to this unique – not to mention delicious – culinary tradition. Chef Tetsuya gently guided us through the nuances of texture and flavour, demystifying the rituals of soy sauce and fresh wasabi with warmth and humour.
WASHOKU SOUTEN plays on the concept of “ice”, capturing the freshness of seasonal ingredients in their prime and presenting diners with a new type of Japanese cuisine within its crystal-themed setting. Besides the sushi counter, there was also a teppanyaki counter and some private rooms. In one of these rooms, the dining experience was not just a feast for the palate but also the senses. The restaurant employs state-of-the-art projection technology that transforms the dining surface and the surrounding walls into a dynamic canvas. As each course arrived, the table came alive with animations that complemented the dish’s story – Hokusai waves lapping under a platter of sashimi, cherry blossoms unfurling as the delicate nigiri course is set down – yet another illustration and interpretation of old meeting new.
A sake-tasting experience further deepened our appreciation of Japan’s brewing heritage. We sampled sakes ranging from crisp and floral to rich and umami-forward, guided by the hotel’s sommelier. He took us through each sip, explaining the importance of water, rice polishing and fermentation, and how the terroir of different regions was captured in each bottle. It was storytelling in liquid form, and as the sake warmed us from within, we found ourselves grateful for the opportunity to learn through taste and tradition.
The wellness offerings at The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho are equally as thoughtful. The spa is a cocoon of calm, where treatments draw on both modern techniques and ancient healing traditions. For example, there are signature massages that use aromatic oils infused with yuzu and hinoki, and our therapist’s hands were a conduit for relaxation. The pool, set against another breathtaking view of Tokyo, offers a sense of floating amidst the sky. Do bear in mind that Japanese spas and pools have a very strict no-tattoos policy because of cultural stigma linked to the country’s once violent Yakuza (mafia). While the Prince Gallery Kioicho aims to be one of Tokyo’s more contemporarily-minded properties – old habits die hard – traditions prevail. So if you have obvious body art (anything that can’t be covered up by a small plaster or band-aid), the pool is unfortunately out of bounds.
Tokyo is a city that often moves at a frenetic pace, but within the walls of glass and calm at the Prince Gallery Kioicho, time seems to slow. The hotel manages to be both a lens through which to view the city and a sanctuary from it, a rare and remarkable balance.
Moreover, it is a perfect allegory of what Tokyo is today. Sometimes in Japan, properties play too far towards ancient rituals and storytelling in place of comfort; at other times, they are so contemporary that they could be anywhere in the world. But we felt The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho spoke both to a true sense of place and the global nature of contemporary luxury hospitality. The fusion of local traditions with some global influences reflected a broader narrative of a more internationally minded Japanese capital. This approach speaks to a growing awareness in the country’s hotel industry that guests are looking for more than just hospitality; they are looking for a deeper connection to the places they visit. This, we feel, is what makes The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho truly OutThere.
Photography courtesy of Prince Hotels
