A Creative Journey Through 1 Hotel Tokyo

In one of Tokyo’s most dynamic neighborhoods, a quieter world unfolds the moment guests step inside 1 Hotel Tokyo. Inspired by Japanese landscapes, traditional craftsmanship, and the philosophy of wabi-sabi, the hotel’s design creates a layered experience where nature and city exist in thoughtful balance. Framed by views of Tokyo Tower and the Imperial Gardens, the space feels both connected to the energy of the city and gently cocooned in calm.

The hotel was created through a close collaboration between the 1 Hotels design team and Brooklyn-based architecture studio CRÈME, led by founder Jun Aizaki. Born in Japan and raised between Tokyo and New York, Aizaki brings a cross-cultural perspective to hospitality design, bridging Japanese aesthetic traditions with a contemporary global sensibility.

Natural materials and quiet textures guide the experience throughout the hotel. Oya stone sourced from Tochigi, surfaces inspired by Japanese gardens, and elements that echo forest landscapes all reflect nature’s subtle intelligence. The result is a space that feels both distinctly Japanese and unmistakably 1 Hotels, where beauty and sustainability coexist and where even the smallest details encourage guests to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect.

We spoke with Jun Aizaki, Founder of CRÈME, and Kerry Murphy, Vice President of Design at Starwood Hotels, about the inspiration behind the project, the balance between nature and urban life, and how sustainability and craftsmanship shaped the design of 1 Hotel Tokyo.

Behind the design with Kerry Murphy, Vice President of Design at Starwood Hotels & Resorts

1 Hotels has a strong design language rooted in nature. How did you adapt that philosophy specifically for Tokyo while ensuring the hotel still feels deeply connected to its local context?

Tokyo has a deeply nuanced relationship with nature, shaped by ideas like wabi-sabi and restraint. The design balances that restraint with sculptural impact such as large, expressive trees set against meticulously raked plaster walls and layered wood textures, creating a composition that feels both dramatic and serene. In the lobby lounge, the platform is framed by a Japanese garden that pairs sculptural greenery with understated rock borders and locally sourced boulders, creating a sense of permanence and connection to place.

Materiality is central to grounding the hotel in its local context. Oya stone, an igneous rock found only near the town of Oya north of Tokyo, is used at the façade, elevator vestibules, and arrival lobby wall, giving guests an immediate sense of place upon arrival. Throughout the hotel, locally crafted and sustainable elements reinforce this approach, from the exterior “1” sculpture created by a local artisan using upcycled railroad ties, to pendant lights made from biodegradable banana fiber, ceramic restaurant lighting handcrafted in Japan by Kobe Factory, artwork incorporating traditional washi paper layered with dried plants, and reclaimed scaffold boards from the site repurposed into custom moss wall installations in the guestrooms.

When you walk through the hotel today, are there particular moments in the guest journey that you feel best capture the spirit of the design?

The arrival is the first. Guests step out of the energy of Tokyo and immediately enter a calmer environment grounded in natural materials with bold, textured Oya stone walls, custom preserved greenery and moss art pieces created by a local Japanese artist, dim lighting, stone borders with substantial boulders, and atmospheric music. The transition is very intentional and sets the tone for the entire stay.

Another defining moment occurs upon exiting the elevators. Guests move through a dimly lit compression space lined with Oya stone and layered preserved moss before emerging into the naturally lit lobby lounge with sweeping views of the city. The lounge itself is layered with natural textures including Oya stone walls, an elevated platform wrapped in a Japanese garden, and a dramatic ceiling installation inspired by the patterns of traditional raked sand gardens. A rough-hewn reclaimed wood reception desk adds warmth and substance, while lantern-inspired linen pendants cast a soft glow above the bar that anchors the space.

The guest rooms continue this sense of quiet immersion in nature. Designed to feel restorative and understatedly luxurious, they feature warm wood millwork, ambient lighting, chiseled stone vanity countertops, and textured tile bath walls that feel natural rather than machined. Sculptural trees emerge from planter-style consoles, while locally crafted bamboo artwork and reclaimed scaffold board with moss installations add layers of texture and authenticity. 

Behind the design with Jun Aizaki, Founder of CRÈME

When guests step inside from the city, what kind of transition did you want them to feel?

We want them to be met with a sense of discovery: coming through street-level entrance they are met by a wall of greenery to indicate what is to come Their journey up the elevator to the lobby is much like going up the trunk of the tree; when they emerge they are at the level of "branches" of a tree -- the canopy, if you will -- and met by the 1 Hotel sign on a wall of Oya stone that is populated with various greenery and plants. We want this to feel like a refuge within the city.  From the incredible views of sights such as Tokyo Tower, Imperial Garden, and Prime Minister's Office, guests know they are in the heart of the city but we want them to feel cocooned in the tranquility of the hotel.

Is there an emotion or memory you hope the space quietly awakens, even if guests can’t quite put it into words?

I want guests to feel like they have had the best of both worlds – being in one of the city’s booming neighborhoods while also feeling projected and leaving rejuvenated and refreshed.

Which Japanese landscape references guided you most - moss gardens, stone gardens, forest edges, coastal light - and where do we see them in the hotel?

More than one specific landscape, we wanted to imbue a general sense of being in nature for guests and incorporate as many design cues referencing the organic as possible. These cues are present throughout the hotel, from the natural materials used to the wooden detail feature on the ceiling in the main lobby lounge and bar area.

Jun, in your view, when do “beauty” and “sustainability” truly coexist? What does that moment look like to you?

Beauty and sustainability coexist when nothing in a space feels forced or overdesigned. Sustainability becomes beautiful when it is factored into every decision, not treated as an add-on or a trend.

The philosophy of 1 Hotels, bringing nature inside, honoring local landscapes, and using reclaimed or sustainable materials, makes a space beautiful in both appearance and feeling. The brand never wants to use artificial materials like fiberglass, and at every step of the way aims to use organic materials to adhere to that. That approach really aligns with our own, using materials that are available in nature as much as possible, which naturally becomes sustainable because it goes back to the earth.

Many hotels today are inspired by nature. What do you feel sets 1 Hotels apart in its approach? (Would be great to expand on sustainability being backed-up by data or best proven practices)

The natural world serves as the brand’s foundation. For this project, we focused on bringing the outdoors in, from creating a stone wall with greenery that greets guests upon entry, to the abundant use of plants throughout the lobby and other common areas, to maximizing views in every space of the hotel. There is also a strong commitment to reclaimed, responsibly sourced, and local materials, which gives the spaces a sense of history and authenticity rather than perfection.

You referenced wabi-sabi - where did you allow imperfection, patina, and raw texture to stay “honest,” even in a luxury hotel?

With our use of natural materials, our aim was to never have a space feel too precious or too perfect. We wanted the materials to convey a sense of history and age that they had a life before the hotel. Textures and other signifiers of the mark of the hand, rather than something super clean, allowed us to show time and age.

You mentioned using Oya stone from Tochigi and being inspired by the motes around the Imperial Palace. Could you tell us a bit more about the materials you used and other sources of inspiration?

As mentioned, our source of inspiration overall was nature. There was, of course, a collective desire from the brand and hotel teams to make this a “Japanese” hotel, and one of our great challenges was to never make the design feel like a caricature or cliché. We wanted to utilize traditional Japanese design aesthetics while finding a balance in rooting them in the modern day, a technologically advanced place. We found a middle ground that is neither a cliché nor something alien.

We reference the tradition of gardens and craftsmanship by marrying them with the architectural elements of a modern city, all grounded in nature. Textured walls may reference a raked Japanese garden, while wood and other materials evoke the bark of a tree and other natural elements. Everything for us was grounded in nature.

Nature Above the City

At 1 Hotel Tokyo, design becomes a reflection of the landscapes and traditions that shape Japan. Natural materials, handcrafted details, and living greenery create a space that feels both grounded in place and quietly contemporary. Together, these elements form a sanctuary where the energy of Tokyo meets the calm of nature. Guests looking to experience it firsthand can explore our current offers and discover a stay guided by nature and design.