Muji Hotel Ginza: New accommodation in Tokyo takes Japanese minimalism to the next level

We step inside the huge new complex and bring you a walkthrough of every floor before it opens to the public.

Back in 2017, we were excited to hear that Japanese company Mujirushi Ryohin, also known simply as Mujirushi or Muji, would be opening their first hotel in Japan.

This announcement from the globally renowned brand also came with the news that the largest-ever Muji store would be opening in the same complex beneath the hotel, and with other surprises like a dining level and exclusive products unavailable for sale anywhere else, we couldn’t wait to see what it would be like when it opened in 2019.

It’s been a long two-year wait, but now the time has finally come for the Muji Hotel to open its doors to the public this week, and we were lucky enough to step inside before the official opening. When we arrived, the first thing that struck us was the huge scale of the new Muji building, which is located in Tokyo’s swanky Ginza district.

After entering the shiny new building, we headed straight up to the hotel lobby on the sixth floor, where we stepped out from the elevator into a space called Atelier Muji.

Atelier Muji sits beside the hotel lobby on the sixth floor, showcasing artworks and handcrafted items in two gallery areas.

▼ There’s also a shop where you can purchase exclusive goods.

Atelier Muji also has a salon bar, which features a sleek, minimalist design in keeping with Muji’s simple design aesthetic. The bar will be open between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. every day.

On the menu are drinks, cocktails, and special nibbles like Pear and Sweet Bean Paste and Pomelo Peel Chocolate.

▼ There’s also a library…

▼ A lounge…

▼ Meeting areas…

▼ And a great view down into the lower levels, where the world’s largest Muji store is located.

▼ Walking through Atelier Muji brings you to the lobby of the Muji Hotel.

The reception area boasts a very Muji aesthetic, featuring natural materials like wood and stone.

Muji Hotel’s Wa Japanese restaurant, located beside the lobby, will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, with seating for 51 diners.

Some of the Japanese-style offerings at the restaurant include udon noodles and teishoku meal sets, with a menu that utilises ingredients from different areas around Japan so diners can enjoy a variety of regional specialties.

▼ The hotel guest rooms are located on the seventh to tenth floors of the building.

The minimalist Japanese design is evident even in the hallways here, which feature traditional Japanese plastering.

There are 79 rooms at the Muji Hotel, which come in a variety of layouts, ranging from compact 14-square-metre (150-square-foot) rooms through to a gorgeous 52-square-metre suite.

Let’s take a look at some of the different rooms on offer, starting with the 14-square-metre semi-double “Type A” room, which is very reasonably priced at 14,900 yen (US$133.66) per person per night, or 19,900 yen for two people.

Despite its small size, this room has everything you need, and fits a lot into a small space thanks to its clever design and furnishings.

At the foot of the bed is a small table and chair, along with a free packet of Muji snacks, which are waiting for guests in every room.

▼ Hidden in the wall is a compact closet, complete with Muji hangers.

And by the chair at the foot of the bed is the sink and coffee area, featuring a large number of Muji items.

Every room is fitted out with a bluetooth speaker so guests can listen to the radio or play their favourite music in the room.

One of the best things about all the rooms at the Muji Hotel are the gorgeous bathrooms, which come with high-quality shower heads and washlet toilets.

The 20-square metre Type B Double Room is slightly more spacious, with a double bed, a longer desk area and more closet space. There are four of these rooms available, which come with a price tag of 27,900 yen per night.

▼  There’s also a small seating area in front of the television…

▼ And a beautiful, spacious bathroom.

The 24-25-square metre Type C Double Room is priced at 29,900 yen per night, and comes with a low double bed and a cosy lounge area.

One of the special features seen in all of the hotel rooms is the unusually high ceilings, which help to create a sense of space in the otherwise compact quarters. According to UDS, the company behind the hotel’s design, this building used to be home to offices, and the high ceilings were perfect for the type of hotel they wanted to create.

The former office spaces came with some unusual room configurations, which the designers utilised by creating long corridors leading into the main part of the room.

▼ Other nice touches found in many of the hotel rooms include Muji air purifiers…

▼ Television screens that can be swivelled around to face the lounge or bed…

▼ And a variety of books for guests to read during their stay.

Another feature in all rooms is this touch panel screen, which can be used to control the lights, air conditioning, and even the curtains.

The 34-35-square-metre Type D Twin Room is priced at 35,900 yen per night, and comes with a Muji sofa bed in the lounge area and a bathroom with a full-sized bathtub.

Type E and Type F twin rooms measure 36-37 square metres and are priced at 36,900 yen.

▼ Type E

▼ Type F

The beds here, which are designed to look like Japanese futons, sit upon raised tatami floors beside a sofa bed area.

These rooms come with wooden desks, tall bookshelves filled with books, and wooden flooring in the toilets.

▼ These rooms also contain bathrooms with full-sized bathtubs.

The 25-square metre “G Type” room features a long hallway lined with a desk and sink area, a wardrobe, and a door leading off to the bathroom.

The main star here is the gorgeous bunk bed unit, which is perfect for friends travelling together. There are four of these rooms available, at a cost of 29,900 yen per night.

Each bed comes with its own bookshelf, filled with enough books to keep you entertained for days.

The Type I room is the suite, which, at 52 square metres, is the largest room in the hotel. This is the only suite in the hotel, priced at 55,900 yen a night for two people, with additional charges for an extra one or two guests.

▼ This room comes with its own lounge room, which has two sofas and a large coffee table.

▼ There’s also a desk and seat area by the front door.

The suite also has an impressive library area, with a low chair, small coffee table, tatami mat floors, and bookshelves filled with dozens of books.

The bathroom in the suite is unlike any other in the hotel, as it contains a full-sized bath made from hinoki cypress.

As soon as you step into the shower and bath area, you’ll find yourself surrounded by the glorious scent of cypress, which makes you feel like you’re about to step into a wooden bath at an expensive onsen hot spring resort.

All the furnishings, bedding, and amenities in the hotel rooms can be purchased at the Muji store, which is located beneath the hotel. Spread out across five levels, this is the largest Muji store in the world.

The fifth floor contains furniture like dining tables, chairs, beds, and storage shelves. There’s also a variety of bedding on offer here, along with the lamps and coat hangers seen in the hotel rooms.

The Muji Support service is also located on the fifth floor, which assists customers with interior advisers, made-to-order items, and deliveries.

Hidden at the back of the fifth floor is a very special corner containing a collection exclusive to the Ginza store. These “Indigo Splashed Pattern Fabrics” are part of the “Found Muji” series, which re-tailors locally made products for modern lifestyles.

The fourth floor is one of the most interesting areas of the store, with an eclectic mix of household goods, baby items, books, and a customisation service.

One corner here is dedicated to Tokyo-based interior brand Idée, which sells original furniture and foreign-sourced goods to create comfortable living environments.

And if you liked the sofa from your hotel room, you can purchase it here on the fourth floor.

Liked one of the books in your hotel room? Head to Muji Books, where you’ll be able to purchase it and take it home.

▼ There are a number of unique books and items here as well, which make perfect gifts.

Muji Books also has a coffee machine, where customers can purchase a cup of coffee for 100 yen and take a seat with a book by the window for a short period of time.

Next to Muji Books is a special Customisation Service, which offers a number of options like embroidery, photobook making and letterpress printing, so you can personalise your Muji purchases.

Parents will love the children’s area, which will keep kids entertained while mums and dads shop.

Another spot that deserves mentioning is the Nursing Room, known as the “Baby Care Room” in Japanese, which has cute stroller parking out the front.

▼ Inside are soft diaper changing tables and private nursing rooms with privacy curtains.

Toddlers can stay entertained with books while parents fill up baby bottles at the hot water supply area.

▼ Muji water and snacks can be purchased from the “Muji Pocket” vending machine inside the nursing room.

▼ The third floor of the store is dedicated to beauty products…

▼ Bath goods…

▼ Small appliances…

▼ Diffusers…

▼ Underwear and socks…

And travel accessories, which are lined up on shelves around a display made up of transport timetables pegged onto strings.

Don’t forget to explore the far reaches of the room, where you’ll come across a hidden collection of bicycle goods!

The stationery section is beautifully set up for browsing, with dozens of items lined up in gorgeous display boxes.

And when you go to pay for your items, you won’t mind waiting in line with this mesmerising wall at the checkout counter.

▼ The second floor is dedicated to clothing and shoes.

While the ground floor is filled with Muji-brand food and drinks, which are stacked up on shelves and inside refrigerators.

▼ There’s also a juice bar, a bakery, and a fruit and vegetable stand.

Along one wall is a Tea Blending stand, where customers can choose from over thirty different teas.

▼ The teas can be personalised with stamps and special packaging for gift-giving.

Downstairs in the basement level is the Muji Diner, which serves meals from 7:30 in the morning.

The Muji Diner aims to provide meals with a focus on freshness and simplicity, using locally sourced vegetables and fresh meat and fish.

▼ Some of the meals available here include grilled fish teishoku sets for 850 yen.

▼ There are also salad bar options, and dishes designed to be enjoyed with wine.

▼ The Tofu Kitchen serves up fresh tofu throughout the day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

▼ The bright dining area has a cosy, casual atmosphere.

The new Muji flagship store and hotel complex is scheduled to open to the public on 4 April. It’s a great place to stay, shop, and relax in the heart of Tokyo, and fulfils our dreams of living in a tiny Muji house… for now.

Hotel information
Muji Hotel Ginza / ムジホテル銀座
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Ginza 3-3-5, 6th floor
東京都中央区銀座3-3-5 6F
Website

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