Check Into a Soulful World of Wellness At Janu Tokyo

You’ll find both guests and locals at this world-first Aman offshoot.

At first, it’s clear you’re entering the sleek serenity of a property within the Aman cosmos. The hallmarks of the minimalist luxury hotel group are everywhere: a black stone counter here, a hanging textile with ink-like etchings of trees there. In the corner, a century-old bonsai. Yet, after rising in an elevator to the buzzy fifth-floor lobby and progressing through Janu Tokyo’s layered spaces of soaring ceilings and vivid blue artworks, you start to get a sense of what sets it apart.

While Aman properties are all about restrained design and immersive escapism, the 122-room Janu – which means “soul” in Sanskrit – is rooted in the idea of connection and community. Its location is key to this concept. As the only hotel in Azabudai Hills, the newly realised “city in a city” near Tokyo Tower, it’s noticeably embedded in its locality, towering over a central green hub fringed with modern sculptures, designer flagships and flowers (their names accessible by neat QR codes). This is no remote retreat – Janu is right in the thick of things.

Despite the tranquillity of sakan plaster walls and shoji-style sliding doors that reveal a luxurious bathroom, it’s hard to spend long in your room. Be lured out by the hotel’s galaxy of restaurants and bars, which are open to non-guests, too. Among them are scarlettoned modern Cantonese spot Hu Jing; Sumi, a lively counter restaurant with imaginative charcoal-grilled dishes; Iigura, which serves Edomae sushi at a hinoki cypress bench; and relaxed, street-level Janu Mercato, with deli counters, craft coffee and outdoor tables overlooking the gardens.

Wellness is also a protagonist. There are private rooms for simulated golf sessions, boxing and yoga, plus two private spas with banya and hammam bathhouses. After completing a morning circuit session, recover with a swim in the elegant 25-metre pool, followed by a sauna, steam and Japanese-style soak. Just like everything else at this urban oasis, your stay will strike a balance between invigoration and relaxation.

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