Hotel Okura Tokyo
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA landmark luxury hotel in Tokyo, originally opened in 1962 and relaunched as The Okura Tokyo in 2019.
Last updated August 31, 2026
Overview
Hotel Okura Tokyo is a landmark luxury hotel complex in the Toranomon and Akasaka area of Minato, Tokyo. It opened on 20 May 1962, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, with a 408-room Main Wing designed by architect Yoshiro Taniguchi. A 388-room South Wing followed in 1973. The hotel became associated with Japan’s postwar internationalization, diplomatic hospitality, major conferences, and Tokyo’s emerging position as a global business and political center. The property was widely regarded as one of Tokyo’s Three Great Hotels, alongside the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, and Hotel New Otani Tokyo. Its location near the United States Embassy made it particularly important for diplomatic and governmental guests. The hotel hosted every U.S. president from Richard Nixon onward, according to reference material, as well as many foreign heads of state and international delegations. Its security and operational layout allowed the South Wing to be separated from the rest of the property when needed for reporters, aides, and official logistics, while the penthouse Imperial Suite could be used for high-security VIP accommodation. The original Main Wing became internationally recognized for its restrained modernist architecture and interiors, especially the Orchid Room and Orchid Bar. Taniguchi’s design combined Japanese spatial principles, traditional motifs, geometric screens, subdued materials, and carefully controlled lighting with the functional requirements of a contemporary international hotel. The building also became part of popular culture: it was referenced or featured in works including Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84, Eric Van Lustbader’s The Ninja, Ian Fleming’s You Only Live Twice, and the film Walk, Don’t Run. The Main Wing closed in August 2015 and was demolished as part of a major redevelopment. The decision provoked criticism from architectural commentators and travelers who considered the original hotel an important example of postwar modernism. In response to the building’s cultural significance, many characteristic interior elements were transferred to, reconstructed in, or reinterpreted for the replacement complex. The new development was designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, the son of the original architect, and constructed by Taisei Corporation. The replacement opened on 12 September 2019 under the name The Okura Tokyo. It consists principally of the 41-storey, 188-metre Okura Prestige Tower and the 17-storey, 75-metre Okura Heritage Wing, together providing 508 guest rooms. The Prestige Tower combines hotel rooms with office space and a contemporary international design language, while the Heritage Wing offers rooms and public spaces that draw more explicitly on the atmosphere and proportions of the former Main Wing. The complex also includes restaurants, bars, banquet and meeting facilities, and landscaped public areas. The adjoining Okura Museum of Art holds Japanese and East Asian works collected by industrialist Okura Kihachiro. The hotel remains part of Okura Hotels and is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
History
Hotel Okura Tokyo opened on 20 May 1962 in Tokyo’s Minato ward. Its original Main Wing, designed by Yoshiro Taniguchi, contained 408 rooms and was created to serve the needs of an increasingly international Tokyo. The hotel opened during a period of rapid Japanese economic growth and shortly before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, when Japan was seeking to present a modern but distinctly Japanese image to overseas visitors, diplomats, and business leaders. The hotel’s design became one of its defining assets. Taniguchi used a modern architectural framework while incorporating Japanese principles of proportion, rhythm, restraint, and indirect illumination. The lobby and Orchid Room became particularly well known for their geometric arrangements, traditional references, and carefully controlled atmosphere. The result was a hotel that functioned as an international luxury property while expressing a refined interpretation of Japanese design rather than reproducing a historical style. On 1 June 1964, the property joined Pan Am’s Intercontinental Hotels division. It remained connected with that organization until 1972, although it was not presented to guests as an InterContinental-branded hotel. A 388-room South Wing opened on 26 November 1973, expanding the property and adopting a design language related to the original building. The hotel subsequently developed an important role in diplomatic hosting, international summits, political events, corporate meetings, and major social occasions. Its proximity to the United States Embassy reinforced its importance to foreign missions and visiting officials. Hotel Okura Tokyo also became culturally visible beyond the hospitality industry. It appeared in or was mentioned by literary and cinematic works, including Ian Fleming’s You Only Live Twice, Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84, Eric Van Lustbader’s The Ninja, and the film Walk, Don’t Run. In 1976, JVC selected the hotel as the venue for the launch of the world’s first VHS videocassette recorder, illustrating the property’s role as a setting for international corporate and technology events. The original Main Wing closed in August 2015. Plans to demolish it provoked an unusually strong public and professional response because the building had come to be viewed as a masterpiece of postwar modernism. Critics argued that its restrained interiors and memorable lighting represented a significant period in Japanese design history. The redevelopment proceeded nonetheless, but the project incorporated a preservation-minded approach to selected elements. Important visual features were transferred, recreated, or adapted in the replacement buildings under the direction of Yoshio Taniguchi, son of the original architect. The rebuilt complex opened on 12 September 2019 as The Okura Tokyo. The development consists of the 41-storey, 188-metre Okura Prestige Tower and the 17-storey, 75-metre Okura Heritage Wing. Together they contain 508 guest rooms. The Prestige Tower provides contemporary international accommodation and office space, while the Heritage Wing offers a more traditional Japanese atmosphere and serves as the principal architectural link to the former Main Wing. The project was designed and built by Taisei Corporation and reportedly represented a construction investment of approximately ¥110 billion; the figure is included in reference material but is not repeated here as an independently verified financial disclosure. The South Wing continued operating after the Main Wing’s closure but was demolished between 2021 and 2022. Plans described in reference material call for an apartment tower and an office tower on that portion of the site. The hotel grounds also include the Okura Museum of Art, whose collection of Japanese and East Asian art was assembled by industrialist Okura Kihachiro. The present property continues to operate under Okura Hotels, combining luxury accommodation, restaurants, bars, events, conferences, and heritage-oriented design within a redeveloped urban complex.
- 2021
South Wing demolition period begins
[1]The South Wing is demolished during the 2021–2022 period described in reference material.
- 2019
The Okura Tokyo opens
[1]The replacement complex opens on 12 September with the Okura Prestige Tower and Okura Heritage Wing.
- 2015
Main Wing closes
[1]The historic Main Wing closes in August and is subsequently demolished for redevelopment.
- 1976
JVC VHS launch hosted at the hotel
[1]JVC uses the hotel as the venue for the launch of the world’s first VHS videocassette recorder.
- 1973
South Wing opens
[1]A 388-room South Wing opens on 26 November, expanding the original property.
- 1972
Intercontinental affiliation ends
[1]The hotel ends its connection with Pan Am’s Intercontinental Hotels division.
- 1964
Joins Pan Am’s Intercontinental Hotels division
[1]The hotel becomes part of Pan Am’s Intercontinental Hotels division while retaining the Hotel Okura identity.
- 1962
Original Main Wing opens
[1]Yoshiro Taniguchi’s 408-room Main Wing opens on 20 May in Minato, Tokyo.
Products and positioning
A heritage luxury hotel combining Japanese hospitality, diplomatic and business-hotel credentials, internationally oriented service, and modern reinterpretations of its celebrated 1960s design.
Hotel tower · 2019
Okura Prestige Tower
The Okura Prestige Tower is the contemporary high-rise component of The Okura Tokyo. It rises 41 storeys and includes 368 internationally styled guest rooms as well as office space. The tower supplies modern luxury accommodation, business facilities, restaurants, event capabilities, and views across Tokyo while remaining connected to the Okura brand’s Japanese service traditions.
Hotel tower · 2019
Okura Heritage Wing
The Okura Heritage Wing is the lower-rise, traditionally oriented component of the rebuilt property. It contains 140 guest rooms and was designed to preserve the atmosphere and design vocabulary associated with the original Main Wing. Its Japanese-influenced rooms and public areas provide a heritage-focused alternative to the more contemporary Prestige Tower.
Hospitality · 1962
Luxury accommodation and suites
The hotel offers luxury rooms and suites across its two principal towers. Accommodation ranges from internationally styled rooms in the Prestige Tower to more traditionally Japanese rooms in the Heritage Wing. The property has also historically maintained high-security and diplomatic accommodation capabilities, including the Imperial Suite in the former hotel complex.
Food and beverage · 1962
Restaurants, bars, and banquets
Food-and-beverage and event services are central to the hotel’s business. The property provides restaurants, bars, banquet rooms, conference facilities, and services for diplomatic, corporate, wedding, and social events. The former Orchid Room and Orchid Bar were especially associated with the original hotel’s design identity, and elements of that legacy were carried into the rebuilt complex.
Museum and cultural facility
Okura Museum of Art
Located on the hotel grounds, the Okura Museum of Art houses Japanese and East Asian art collected by industrialist Okura Kihachiro. Although distinct from the hotel’s accommodation operations, the museum contributes to the site’s cultural positioning and reinforces the Okura complex’s association with Japanese art, design, and heritage.
Brand decisions
2019
Transition to The Okura TokyoGeneration changeBackground
The hotel required a replacement for its aging Main Wing and sought to prepare the property for renewed international demand connected with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Action taken
The Okura Prestige Tower and Okura Heritage Wing opened on 12 September 2019, providing 508 rooms and combining contemporary facilities with heritage-inspired design.
Aftermath
The property continued operating as an active luxury hotel under the name The Okura Tokyo and preserved the site’s association with Japanese modernist hospitality.
2015
Redevelopment and demolition of the original Main WingStrategyBackground
The original Main Wing had become an internationally recognized example of postwar Japanese modernist design, but the property owner pursued a comprehensive redevelopment of the site.
Action taken
The Main Wing closed in August 2015 and was demolished. The replacement project retained, recreated, or reinterpreted selected elements of the historic interiors rather than preserving the entire building.
Aftermath
The decision triggered criticism from architectural and travel commentators, but it led to a new two-tower complex that opened in 2019 and retained a visible connection to the original hotel’s design.
Recent events
- 2022
Hotel Okura Tokyo South Wing is demolished[1]
Other
The South Wing, which had opened in 1973, was demolished during 2021–2022 as part of further redevelopment of the hotel site.
- 2019
The Okura Tokyo opens after major redevelopment[1]
Product launch
The redeveloped property opened on 12 September 2019 with the Okura Prestige Tower and Okura Heritage Wing, ahead of the planned 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The complex provided 508 rooms and preserved or recreated elements associated with the former Main Wing.
- 2019
Hotel Okura Tokyo opens as The Okura Tokyo after major redevelopment[1]
Product launch · Other
The replacement complex opened on 12 September 2019 with the Okura Prestige Tower and Okura Heritage Tower, offering 508 rooms and a combination of contemporary and Japanese-style accommodation.
- 2015
Hotel Okura Tokyo's original Main Wing closes for demolition[1]
Other
The historic 408-room Main Wing closed in August 2015 to make way for a major redevelopment. The closure generated criticism from architectural and travel commentators concerned about the loss of a celebrated modernist interior.
- 2015
Historic Hotel Okura Tokyo Main Wing closes for demolition[1]
Other
The original Main Wing closed in August 2015, ending the operating life of the celebrated 1962 building and beginning redevelopment of the site.
Sources2 sources
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