Trunk Hotel, Tokyo

Calling all fashionistas, hipsters and arbiters of cool. Tokyo finally has a boutique hotel to call its own and it’s located in the fashion district of Shibuya, minutes by foot from Omotosando, one of the best shopping streets here and home to luxury brands Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

The property is situated on a traditional Tokyo street in a small four-story building with tiered terraces and gardens. The building size is only the starting point for the intimate experience the hotel offers with a more unique feel than that of a modern high-rise hotel that’s so common of Tokyo. The Trunk has just 15 rooms and there’s a world class craft cocktail bar and two restaurants onsite. Your stay is enhanced with Western style service, but everything else retains Japanese simplicity, elegance, and sensibility.

Did We Mention Cool?

Everything about the Trunk exudes cool. The lobby is decorated with contemporary art and furnished with custom wood furniture made by local designers Truck of Osaka. During the day locals set up “coffice” which translates to coffee and office, keeping scheduled meetings and connecting to the world via the internet. At night the bar scene draws the beautiful people in to sip innovative cocktails. A rotating schedule of nightly events where the locals gather keeps the buzz going.

The Trunk bills itself as the transmission point of a new style of social contribution called “Socializing” which is to live true to yourself, without undue pressure, but with a life-size social purpose. You could call this hanging out, lol!

The Scoop on Accommodations

Accommodations range from standard to standard plus which includes a balcony with single bed and shower. The standard plus loft and balcony junior suite are slightly larger with a queen and two twins and there are three suites boasting a full 1,500 square feet of space with a 750 square foot terrace. Each room is individually decorated with contemporary art and custom furnishings make the spaces seem personal almost as if you’re staying in someone’s home. A full range of amenities are Trunk branded.

Eat, Drink & Shop

Onsite restaurants are Trunk Kitchen and Trunk Kushi. Kitchen is a Japanese inspired bistro serving global cuisine. Kushi(yaki) bar is a modern robata and Yakitori grill.

In the lobby, the Trunk store carries organic Japanese edibles and craft beers plus well-designed Japanese products that qualify as amazing finds like a teensy, weensy square umbrella (because it’s hip to be square), sandals, hand blown Trunk branded water glasses, and mugs made from recycled materials.
Fashionistas and hipsters aside, as Tokyo gears up for the 2020 Olympics, we can anticipate seeing more boutique hotels like the Trunk. Being the first, let the Trunk lead the way for a new style of hospitality in Tokyo.