New luxury ryokan in Tokyo

Auberge Tokito is located in an unassuming neighborhood on the outskirts of central Tokyo, giving it a quiet feel. Featuring just four suites, a kaiseki restaurant and a dedicated tea room, this exquisite resort offers a peaceful and rejuvenating experience in the city. Designed by renowned architect Shinichiro Ogata, it reinterprets traditional Japanese inns through a modern lens: clean, minimalist lines; warm, natural materials; an intimate garden; and narrow pathways that guide guests gently through the hotel.

It’s only a minute’s walk from Tachikawa’s JR Nishikuni Station, but it feels very different from urban life. The transition from the outside world to the tranquil atmosphere of the hotel is instant.

Spacious suite

Upon arrival, guests pass through a grand entrance into a softly lit reception lounge, furnished with vacuum tube amplifiers and a carefully curated collection of vinyl records. A seasonal welcome drink selected by the in-house sommelier sets the tone before guests are escorted to their suites – each measuring 106 square meters and accessed via a stone-paved garden path. Each room has a private open-air bath with water sourced from mineral-rich hot spring water 1,300 meters underground in the hotel. Floor-to-ceiling garden views, a vintage record player and bouncy horsehair pillows complete the experience.

The rooms feel like private residences – spacious, comfortable, and with the same thoughtful design found throughout the hotel. Natural textures dominate: light woods, washi-like textiles, soft lighting that warms rather than illuminates. As a unique perk, each suite features a dedicated massage room as well as spacious living space and private gardens.

Tokyo facilities

While it’s certainly tempting to spend the entire afternoon relaxing in your own suite—especially for those taking advantage of the in-room spa services—it’s also worth exploring the grounds. Guests can participate in a variety of activities, including private pottery lessons with the hotel’s producer, Yoshinori Ishii, where you can create your own pieces. Fire was fired at the scene, Your creation will be delivered to you upon completion.

Also recommended is a visit to the charming Saab Tea Rooms; a tea experience offering a variety of carefully selected teas, delicious snacks and desserts. (The tea room is also open to day visitors, but reservations are required.)

Dinner is served in the Shokubo dining area, where guests can choose from a table facing the courtyard, one of three private booths, or (if space permits) a seat at the counter to watch the chefs at work up close (preference is given to overnight guests). No matter where you sit, you’ll have an extraordinary experience.

craftsman kitchen

Food is at the heart of the Tokito experience. Ishii is a world-renowned chef who puts effort into every step of the cooking process—he even handcrafts most of the restaurant’s plates and bowls. He said the restaurant is centered around a culinary philosophy of “artisan cuisine,” with multi-course meals crafted by multiple skilled chefs that are not restricted by the technical rules of traditional kaiseki cuisine. The business prides itself on sourcing high-quality and rare ingredients from across Japan, directly from sustainable producers, fishermen and experienced hunters, while also using food that might otherwise be thrown away.

General manager and chef Kenji Okawara, who leads the team with Ishii, believes it’s crucial for Tokito’s chefs to look beyond “tradition” to food that’s in season. “March is probably the best time to eat mountain vegetables in Kyoto, but in Hokkaido, things are different,” he said. “We source ingredients from a variety of producers across the country, which gives us more flexibility and allows us to be more creative than at an established kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto, where ingredients tend to be sourced locally. We have fewer restrictions, which means we can surprise our customers.”

The menu changes every few months, but one constant is “ujio”: a rich, sticky kelp and salt seasoning that serves as a soy sauce substitute. Ishii came up with the idea while working as executive chef at trendy London restaurant Umu. “I’ve seen customers smear soy sauce on fish, which ruins the flavor of the ingredients,” he said. Designed to “enhance the taste of seafood,” the alternative is made from Rausu kelp, a rare, umami-rich kelp from the Rausu region of Hokkaido. “It’s proven to be very popular.”

passion project

Ishii and Okawara met while working at the famous Kyoto national cuisine restaurant Yoshicho Arashiyama. The two became very close and then went in different directions. Okawara worked in several Michelin-starred restaurants, boosting his domestic reputation. Meanwhile, Ishii headed overseas, living in New York and Geneva before taking over Umu, which went on to become the first Japanese restaurant in Europe to receive two Michelin stars.

Tokito brings them back together. The property, formerly home to Mumon-an, an 80-year-old kaiseki restaurant, was purchased by an urban development company called Tachihi Holdings, which contacted the pair to ask if they would be interested in operating the property. It’s a true passion project for the duo: the culmination of years of honing skills, intuition and perspective, not just in cooking, but in hospitality and craftsmanship. Auberge Tokito’s core mission is simple: share the depth and beauty of Japan—its ingredients, traditions and meticulous care—with guests from around the world.

Although rooted in history, the inn is not bound by history; it is a thoughtful, luxurious blend of modernity and tradition. “We want to still be here decades from now, and to do that, we have to keep evolving,” Ishii said. “Our way of thinking is to respect ancient customs but not be bound by them.”

More information

To book a room at Auberge Tokito, please click here.