Japan’s best luxury hotels that you won’t want to leave

Best for wellness and quiet escapes

Lounging on the forested slopes of Higashiyama, Banyan Tree brought its beachy vibes to one of Kyoto’s most atmospheric neighbourhoods when it opened in August 2024. Far from any palm trees or sand, this is more about minimalist lines, natural materials and a deep respect for the surrounding landscape, with many rooms enjoying leafy hillside views or glimpses of tiled temple roofs.

The onsen experience is a highlight, providing a moment of respite from surging crowds. Soak in a traditional hinoki cypress bathtubs before indulging in treatments built around wellbeing at the Banyan Tree Spa.

Dining leans refined but unfussy at kaiseki restaurant Ryozen, spotlighting seasonal ingredients with a Japanese sensibility, while the bar is a low-lit spot for a quiet nightcap. Sitting just outside Kyoto’s busier hubs, the location is part of the appeal. Come here to decompress, reset and soak up a slower, greener side of the city.

Address: Kyoto, 7 Seikanji Ryozan-Cho, Higashiyama-Ward, Japan

Best for creatives and social travellers

Marching onwards in its steady conquest of the world’s greatest cities, private members club Soho House opened its first Japanese outpost in early April. It finds itself in good company, located in upscale Aoyama, surrounded by high fashion and avant-garde architecture. The club follows the familiar format, aimed at creative types, and incorporating work spaces, wellness, dining and accommodation –all given a whimsical Japanese-British aesthetic.

Case in point: the colour scheme across the 42 bedrooms is “green tea”, and makes use of upcycled vintage kimono fabric. The rooftop pool is a delightful spot from which to enjoy views of Mount Fuji on a clear day.

As for dining, look out for Tokyo twists on traditional English dishes, such as okonomiyaki-style prawn Scotch egg. At this stage, while some Soho Houses open up their accommodation to the paying public, this one is purely for members. Perhaps it’s finally time to throw caution to the wind and apply for the global All Houses membership, granting access to 48 Houses in 19 countries.

Address: 3 Chome-8-35 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062, Japan

Best for design lovers and couples

Tucked into the quiet lanes of Miyagawa-cho – one of the city’s five geisha districts – Capella Kyoto opened in March with all the polished confidence we’ve come to expect of the brand. A soothing palette of neutrals runs throughout, layered with timber and lantern light, and dotted with Japanese art and artefacts that provide a harmonious sense of place.

Positioned around a peaceful interior courtyard are the 89 guest rooms, including six Onsen Suites with their own hot spring baths. Auriga Spa draws on traditional Japanese and contemporary wellness practices. Meanwhile, the dining offering is superb. Flagship restaurant SoNoMa by SingleThread is a collaboration with Kyle and Katina Connaughton. And need we mention that there’s an in-house bakery turning out delicate confections and pastries? But of course.

Address: 130 Komatsucho, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0811, Japan

Best for business and city breaks

Close to the action but cushioned by the lush grounds of Osaka Castle opposite and Naniwa-no-Miya-Ato Park next door, Patina Osaka opened in May 2025. The first Japanese property from Patina Hotels & Resorts, the hotel’s 221 rooms embrace kisetsukan – the Japanese art of seasonal awareness – with windows framing views of the surrounding parks, and the menu at flagship restaurant P72 reflecting the 72 micro seasons that mark the traditional calendar. Music is a key theme throughout the property, including design touches such as the wall at Sonata Bar & Lounge made from Japanese speakers dating back to 1965 (pictured).

At sunset, this plays host to live DJ sets and cocktails inspired by 1970s Osaka. Then there’s The Listening Room by OJAS (aka Brooklyn-based sound pioneer Devon Turnbull), with its curated vinyl collection and meditative soundscapes. If it all gets too much, an entire floor of the 21-storey hotel is devoted to Patina Wellness, which offers innovative therapies such as cryotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Plus, there’s a 20-metre pool and gym.

Address: 3-91 Banbacho, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 540-0007, Japan

Best for nature-minded travelers in the city

Having welcomed its first guests in March, 1 Hotel’s eco-conscious ethos is already making an impression on the Japanese capital. Thanks to its location up on levels 38 to 43 of an Akasaka tower, the views are impressive, but it’s what’s inside that counts: the brand’s signature style overlaid with a Tokyo sensibility that elevates the reclaimed wood, living greenery and earthy tones to sleek, rather than rustic.

Rooms are designed as biophilic retreats from the city’s intensity, with filtered light, organic textures and subtle tech. Facilities are geared towards wellness, including a state-of-the-art gym, serene spa spaces and communal areas that encourage lingering rather than rushing. Dining follows suit, with seasonal, produce-driven menus and a strong farm-to-table focus – including a daily market stand stocked with fresh fruit that tastes delicious even though it might be not be perfect in appearance.

Address: 2 Chome-17-22 Akasaka, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0052, Japan

Best for honeymoons

Set on a sugar-white stretch of island sand, and open since March last year, Rosewood Miyakojima is all about switching off in style. The brand’s first foray into Japan, this leans hard into the escapist brief: low-slung villas, endless sea views and a blissed-out kind of luxury.

Accommodation comes in the form of standalone villas, many with private pools, outdoor terraces and uninterrupted views of the famously clear Miyakojima water. Interiors are breezy and tactile, mixing natural materials with a polished, contemporary edge. Facilities tick all the high-end resort boxes without feeling overdone. There’s a serene Asaya spa for long, languid treatments, a sleek fitness space and multiple pools that invite you to do very little, very slowly. Dining spans refined Japanese to relaxed beachfront fare across four restaurants, with a strong focus on local seafood and seasonal produce. One of Okinawa’s less trodden spots, Miyakojima – known as the “Island of Prayers” – is closer to Taiwan than Japan, though flights from Tokyo (1700 kilometres away) are regular. All of which is to say: it’s remote. But that’s the point. This is a place for unplugging, decompressing and embracing island time.

Address: Nikadori-1068-1 Hirara, Miyakojima, Okinawa 906-0008, Japan

Best for families and rural getaways

Once a barren wilderness covered in volcanic ash, the Koiwai countryside regenerated over the course of 130 years, evolving into a diverse, thriving forest. Spread across eight hectares, this elevated farmstay opened in April, offering an entirely different experience of Japan, rooted in nature, rural heritage and slow living.

Twenty-four secluded villas are scattered in quiet harmony across the natural landscape. Designed by Shiro Miura of Kyoto-based Rokkakuya, and constructed in red pine and cypress selected from the surrounding woods, the rooms focus on the appreciation of the world outside. Three sauna pavilions – called Forest Springs – each feature a wood-fired sauna, cold plunge and fireplace, while outdoor activities include horseriding and hiking. Farm-to-table dining calls upon the bountiful produce from the surrounding area, as well as seafood caught off the coast of Sanriku.

Address: 68-77 Maruyachi, Shizukuishi, Iwate District, Iwate 020-0507, Japan

Best for serene luxury

Considered the first urban sanctuary in the Aman portfolio after its 2014 debut, Aman Tokyo occupies the top six floors of Otemachi Tower, just blocks from Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace Gardens. The hotel has Aman’s naturally coolly postmodern design, however still instils a Japanese aesthetic; a traditional koto player strums in a soaring lobby dominated by a rock garden and 30-metre-high architectural feature resembling the interior of a washi paper lantern; a wall sculpture by plaster artist Syuhei Hasado celebrates the fall of faded cherry blossoms; all while aromatic hinoki-wood scents the spaces.

The spa is also an attraction in its own right. With onsen-style hot baths and steam rooms, a 30-metre pool that boasts panoramic city views and a fitness centre with cardio and weight machines, as well as dedicated yoga and Pilates studios, it might be hard to walk out the front door.

Address: The Otemachi Tower, 1 Chome-5-6 Ōtemachi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan

Best for location and classic hospitality

Located in the historic Gion district, the Imperial Hotel Kyoto carries forward the legacy of the Yasaka Kaikan, a nationally cherished landmark built in 1936. The hotel officially opened its doors in March 2026, preserving the building’s architectural legacy within its small luxury hotel. Expect authentic culture, refined service, and exceptional experiences while being surrounded by a historical landscape like no other.

Address: 289 570 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, 605-0074, Japan

Best for iconic city views and nostalgia

After an extensive refurbishment, the iconic Park Hyatt Tokyo (also known as the hotel from Lost In Translation) is back with a major facelift. With newly renovated interiors, including custom furnishings and a new layout led by Studio Jouin Manku, this significant transformation will not go uninhabited, so we recommend booking your stay soon.

Address: 2, 3 Chome-7-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo 163-1055, Japan

Best for seclusion

There’s a meditative beauty to Kyoto — from the ritual of a tea ceremony and the precision of a multi-course kaiseki meal, with Aman Kyoto’s secret garden adding to the calm. The ryokan-inspired resort is located at the heart of a forest, despite its location a stone’s throw from the city’s golden Kinkaku-ji Temple and 16 other UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Delight in a steaming private onsen and light-filled suites and pavilions set in tranquil glades.

Address: 1 Okitayama Washimine-cho, Kita Ward, Kyoto, 603-8458, Japan

Best for business and refined city luxury

The Four Seasons Otemachi opened in late 2020, joining the longstanding Marunouchi property in delivering elegant, elevated accommodation to travellers in Tokyo. This hotels sits on the cusp of Ginza and Asakusa, making it a perfect place to explore all facets of the city.

Across 190 guest rooms, the hotel offers urban edge with traditional touches. There’s a full-service spa that offers massages, body treatments and facials, as well as access to an indoor pool, spa tub and sauna.

Address: 1 Chome-2-1 Ōtemachi, Chiyoda City, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan