The East entrance of the Azabudai Hills ©DBOX for Mori Building Co., Ltd.
Let's face it - it's been a tough couple of years for Japan and for all of us who love it. Two whole years without international travel into the country has left many of us out of the loop, despite there being an overwhelming amount of amazing new openings and experiences. But do not be afraid! We're here to sift through the news and pick out the best parts of Tokyo, the best cities in Japan, the best hotels to retreat to and the best ways to experience Japan in the UK, when it comes to 2023.
TOKYO
Shimokitazawa
©Mikan Shimokita, ©Bonus Track, ©Mustard Hotel, ©illi Shimokitazawa
Shimokitazawa, or 'Shimokita' to its friends, has long been a youth culture hub due its restaurant and bar scene, vintage shops and proximity to Shibuya, but, during the pandemic, an ongoing redevelopment along the former railway line stretching across its three stations (the ‘Senrogai’), made the area much easier to use as a fun and laidback base for international visitors. The Yuen Bettei Daita is a rare example of a high end ryokan within Tokyo's central distrcits, while the very hip illi Shimokitazawa and Mustard Hotel have, respectively, introduced studio apartment rentals and by-the-hour room rates for a generation of digital nomads. New boutiques, cinemas, bookshops and food facilities like Bonus Track, Reload, tefu Lounge and Mikan Shimokita are simply the icing on an already very delicious cake.
Okushibu
©Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park, ©Okushibu, ©Antiques Tinscollection, ©Coffee Supreme Japan
The nickname given to ‘Deep Shibuya’, this secluded strip running south from Yoyogi has seen an explosion in late night café culture, unique eateries and flower shops over the past couple of years. For delicious tamago-sando sweet egg sandwiches crafted by a former sushi chef, Camelback Café should be your first pitstop, before you swing by Meals Are Delightful for ingredients and crockery (!) optimised to the current season, and then end your evening in Fuglen Tokyo, a cafe-beerhouse-cocktail bar open until 2am on the weekends. Better yet, 2023 will see the opening of the new Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park, complete with a rooftop infinity pool overlooking Yoyogi Park itself, located just a hop, skip and a jump away from the newly re-greened and renovated rooftop hangouts of Shibuya's Miyashita Park and the Shibuya Square viewing platform.
Azabudai Hills
©DBOX for Mori Building Co., Ltd., ©teamLab
Azabudai may not be a name most international travellers have heard, but to a Tokyoite, it says one thing - fancy! The Azabudai Hills is a futuristic lifestyle complex by UK design giants Heatherwick opening in 2023 among the well-heeled streets of south-west central Tokyo. Putting green spaces very much in the foreground with an ambitious 'pergola' design, it will feature a new temple, Japan’s tallest high-rise building, a sleek shopping arcade designed by acclaimed architect Sou Fujimoto, the new permanent location for teamLab Borderless in Tokyo, and a new high-end Aman overnight property in autumn, Janu Tokyo, with private balconies looking out onto Tokyo Tower, one of the largest wellness facilities in the city and restorative experiences that nurture meaningful connection. Situated on the luxury end of the scale, this new addition to the Tokyo skyline will, nonetheless, be open for all to peruse on a stroll, undoubtedly making for a very rewarding spot of urban exploration.
CITIES
Sapporo
©Sapporo Tourism, ©Hoshino Resorts
Kicking off our list of cities to watch in 2023 is the urban jewel in Hokkaido's wild and untamed crown, Sapporo. Japan's fifth largest city is already a hotspot for ramen, nightlife and revelry (just ask the Sapporo Beer Museum and the whiskey haven Bar Yamazaki) but the post-pandemic return of the much-loved Sapporo Snow Festival in 2023 after a three year hiatus, should be reason enough to visit. Still, the 2022 opening of a new OMO3 property for adventurous travellers and a new 2023 entertainment complex with Tokyu Hotels at the helm, is looking to not just add a heftier dose of neon to the city's the buzzy Susukino district but to put the warren of late-night watering holes and crafty artisanal hideouts of Tanukikoji arcade firmly on the map. Space 1-15, in particular, shines as an old apartment block taken over by a flock of artisans and craftspeople, each setting up shop in a series of renovated one-bedroom flats. Throw in the 2023 Adventure Travel World Summit, and an announcement on Sapporo's bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics and you would be a fool to overlook this northern star on the rise.
Yokohama
2023 will be a huge year for art in Japan and nowhere is this more true than in the bayside city of Yokohama. This Tokyo-by-the-sea will welcome the return of the innovative Yokohama Triennale art festival, perfectly timed with the reopening of the Yokohama Museum of Art, after an impressive renovation. Whilst the festival and reopening have now been postponed to March 2024, you can still stroll 25 minutes along the river from here and find the community-led revitalisation project around Koganecho, a district where new artist programmes, galleries, art classes, book bazaars and street art installations have been decorating the dramatic railway arches of a forgotten Yokohama. 2023 will also see the opening of Yokohama’s first high-end Hilton property, following on from the gorgeous InterContinental Yokohama Pier 8 and its unhindered views of Minato Mirai shimmering on the water. Alternatively, you can jump aboard the recently opened Yokohama Air Cabin cablecar, particularly if you're after a vantage point on the annual Pikachu parade. Indeed, Pokémon and e-sports fans will be excited to hear that the next Pokémon World Championships will at long last take place in Yokohama in 2023, marking the first time the event will be hosted in the franchise's homeland of Japan.
Nagoya
The Tower Hotel Nagoya ©AMEBA HOLDINGS INC.
Now that we've established that Japan's 'most boring city' is officially not boring, it's about time we got to know Nagoya, not least because it will be the major transit point as the Studio Ghibli Park opens its final two sections (the Mononoke Village and Valley of the Witches) in 2023. Tickets aren't looking easy to get a hold of, and you may have to make repeat visits on different days to see all the areas, so it's great news that Nagoya has some top-tier hotels. Based on the concept of 'biophilia', TIAD or 'Tomorrow Is Another Day' is a new 2023 hotel where the green spaces of the ground floors blend with the nature of Hisaya Odori Park and the upper floors rise like mountains with commanding views of the glitzy Nagoya skyline. Meanwhile, The Tower Hotel Nagoya, suspended in the upper reaches of the city's iconic TV tower, brings a counter-cultural edge with art deco stylings and the large girders of the structure itself running through each room as centrepieces. Located in the buzzy backstreets of the Sakae and Shin-Sakae nightlife districts, both are an easy walk from the food stalls of the new Kanayama Komachi building or the Jump Comic (think Naruto and One Piece) stores of the space-age Oasis 21 building.
RETREATS
Not A Hotel Ishigaki
©Not A Hotel Ishigaki
As if building a lawn into the roof of the highly innovative Shiroiya Hotel in 2022 wasn't enough, acclaimed designer Sou Fujimoto decided it was time to turn his gaze to Okinawa's tropical island of Ishigaki. Opening in 2023, this sci-fi luxury sea-view retreat is the next in the Not A Hotel apartment hotel series after Fukuoka, Aoshima and Nasu, and has the unique property of being raised as if from the ground, with meadows for a rooftop and windows for walls. The exclusive and one-of-a-kind circular property will foreground light and greenery, with an infinity pool blurring the lines between your veranda and the azure waters of Okinawa's most desirable vacation spot.
The Mana Village
The Mana Village ©ARTH
A collection of villa properties opening in stages on the wild and remote shores of Kochi prefecture, this recently renovated accommodation and restaurant sit on the waters of Shikoku's southernmost coastline. Excitingly, 2023 will bring the opening of a farm area for authentic experiences of the region's farm-to-table culture, with a private villa area due to open in 2024. However, in the meantime, you'll just have to make do with a marine leisure activity hub, a warren of hiking trails, a local market that visits the hotel on a regular basis, a full suite of stylish new bedrooms, and an exclusive seafood restaurant deck that stretches gloriously into the ocean, flanked by infinity pools on all sides.
Marufukuro
©Marufukuro
Located in the former HQ of pop culture behemoth Nintendo, this Kyoto hotel is a stylishly renovated property opened in 2022, featuring a full complement of exclusive rooms and spaces. Set amongst the history of one of Japan's most iconic household names, it's a richly storied building located a short walk from the Kamo river and within easy reach of the Kyoto International Manga Museum by train. The furnishings themselves evoke a strong mix of East and West, reminiscent of Japan's Taisho era, with a special whiskey bar and an almost cathedral-like library showcasing the works of Nintendo pre-Super Mario, though the ages and up until the modern day.
Zenbo Seinei
Zenbo Seinei ©Pasona Group
A new meditation experience centre hanging in the canopies of Hyogo prefecture, this wooden wellness retreat designed by award-winning architect Shigeru Ban is a simple overnight stay out from neighbouring Kyoto and Osaka. The facility takes the shape of a long wooden sky deck comprised of various levels and offers the total package when it comes to the zen experience. Whatever your preference, Zenbo Seinei is unlikely to disappoint in its comprehensive menu of experiences, including: a spectacular open-air meditation deck, a roster of both Japanese and international meditation specialists, wood-furnished rooms with tatami made for overnight 'shukubo' stays, study rooms for contemplation and 'shakyo' mindful calligraphy sessions and, of course, a restaurant serving fresh seasonal cuisine alongside locally sourced fermented foods.
Rakudo-An
The Rakudo-An renovated farmhouse in the Japan Alps region ©Nik van der Giesen
From the modern all the way to the traditional, the 2022 opening of the Rakudo-An in Toyama prefecture brings us back to a slice of Japan's unique history and traditions. Set in the stunning 'satoyama' agricultural landscapes of the Sea of Japan coast, this 120 year old farmhouse has been renovated into the art hotel that stands before you today. It features furniture and art provided by legends in the diverse world of Japanese artisanal crafts as well as some of the biggest names in international architecture and design, like Pierre Jeanneret (Swiss architect and cousin of Le Corbusier) and Hans J. Wegner. With a roster of experiences on offer - including tea ceremony, guided walks and aromatherapy craft sessions - as well as a programme that gives back to the local farming community, it's an absolute must for the culturally-curious responsible traveller.
IN THE UK
Though borders are now fully open for all to visit Japan in a visa-free way, you might still be holding out for further into next year. If that is the case, don't think you won't remain well fed, as the ways to experience and learn about Japan from the UK are only growing.
Over at Japan House, for example, an exhibition running until end of January 2023 (opening 29th Sep) will put the focus on the incredible woodwork and artisinal crafts of the forested mountainous region of Hida, Takayama, famous for its lumber and carpentry industries. From March onwards, the exhibition will transition towards a focus on the beautiful and intricate tradition of 'kumihimo' Japanese braiding, with spectacular examples on display around the building.
Go west from London, and you'll be able to take a step back in time to pre-historic Japan and compare how the Jomon people were in relation to the UK's prehistoric peoples at Stonehenge's 'Circles of Stone' exhibition (ending August 2023). Alternatively, go north and enjoy a sumptuous selection of finely crafted items at The National Museum of Scotland's exhibition on contemporary Japanese design, running until 5th March 2023.
©Hajime Isayama, Kodansha
Elsewhere, the pop culture fans out there have real reason to rejoice! London-based inclusive community group Anime & Chill UK are celebrating their 3rd birthday on 19th March at Boxpark Shoreditch, in amongst their usual menu of Japan-themed anime and gaming events, while the star-studded Super Mario Bros Movie will be opening in cinemas in April 2023. And all that in a year that promises more news on a Hollywood adaptation of popular video game Ghost of Tsushima, and long-awaited fan-requested arrival of Ubisoft's Assassins Creed into medieval Japan coming in the not too distant future.
For more information on what you missed out on in 2022, check out our list of 2022 openings here.
Otherwise, you can always have a peruse through the ways in which the Japan experience has changed post-pandemic by taking a peek at our article here.
Extra credits:
[*]©️ Nick Cave, Installation view of Yokohama Triennale 2020, Photo: OTSUKA Keita, Photo courtesy of Organizing Committee for Yokohama Triennale
[**]Installation view of Yokohama Triennale 2020, Photo: OTSUKA Keita, Photo courtesy of Organizing Committee for Yokohama Triennale
