Japanese designer Keiji Ashizawa has transformed a former hostel in Shintomicho into Tomi Hotel Ginza, a boutique hotel that reimagines hospitality through spacious apartment-style suites designed for families and group travellers.
Located in a ten-storey building between Tokyo Station and Ginza, the 750-square-metre hotel replaces the building’s previous multi-room hostel layout with one self-contained suite per floor. As a result, the project responds to the growing demand for premium group accommodation in Tokyo while maintaining the intimacy of a boutique hotel.
Natural oak, soft neutral tones and carefully curated furnishings define the interiors, creating residential spaces that prioritise comfort, functionality and long-term stays.
Boutique hotel design responds to changing travel habits
Rather than replicating a conventional hotel model, Keiji Ashizawa Design developed interiors that combine the privacy of an apartment with the services of a hotel. Most suites include two bedrooms, generous living areas, kitchens and laundry facilities, while the penthouse offers an expansive living room alongside a single bedroom.
“In Japan, which is increasingly becoming a major tourist destination, it can still be surprisingly difficult to find hotels that are truly suitable for families or groups,” Ashizawa told Dezeen. “We felt this idea made a lot of sense.”
Moreover, the project aims to recreate the feeling of staying in a thoughtfully designed private home rather than a traditional hotel.
“Our aim was to create rooms that feel as if you are staying at the home of a tasteful friend in Tokyo,” Ashizawa explained. “We introduced art, careful styling, and high-quality speakers through a collaboration with an audio brand.”
“The location in Shintomicho was also important,” he continued. “It is not a typical tourist area or entertainment district, but it is still very central in Tokyo. This combination made the concept feel very natural and meaningful.”
Oak interiors and Japanese craftsmanship shape the guest experience
Throughout the hotel, oak serves as the defining architectural material, appearing across flooring, wall panelling, bespoke furniture and built-in cabinetry. Consequently, the restrained palette creates a calm, cohesive atmosphere that reflects Ashizawa’s minimalist design philosophy.
“Oak has warmth, strength, and a beautiful quality that develops over time,” Ashizawa explained.
“In Japan, different types of wood are sometimes mixed within one space,” he continued. “This can work well when there is a high level of skill and control, but in a simple space like this, we felt it was better to keep the material palette unified.”
Traditional shoji screens made from oak lattice frames and washi paper filter natural light in selected bedrooms. Besides introducing a distinctly Japanese architectural element, the screens improve privacy while creating softly illuminated interiors.
“For us, shoji is not only a way to express ‘Japaneseness’, it is a light and delicate architectural element that allows us to bring soft light into the space,” Ashizawa said.
“In this project, some of the openings are located beyond the corridor, so shoji was also a practical solution for controlling light, privacy, and the relationship between spaces.”
“It is a construction method that craftspeople are very familiar with, which means the cost can be reasonable, and it is also easy to repair,” he said.
“In that sense, I believe shoji should be used more often in contemporary Japanese architecture and interiors. It is not simply traditional; it is still very useful today.”
Café and graphic identity strengthen neighbourhood connection
Meanwhile, the building’s lower two floors now house a public Dotcom Coffee café, helping integrate the hotel into the surrounding neighbourhood while creating an active street presence.
“Hotel lobbies can often feel closed and isolated,” he said. “Since the hotel is located in a neighbourhood that is quietly developing, we felt it was important to have a public space on the ground floor that could open the building to the city.”
“Having a small hotel with a cafe on the ground floor may sound like a simple idea, but the fact that it was a cafe we knew well was a key reason for the success of the project.”
The hotel also features high-fidelity Dynaudio speakers, reinforcing its residential atmosphere through carefully considered sensory design.
Additionally, Keiji Ashizawa Design collaborated with Tokyo-based creative studio 6D to develop the hotel’s visual identity. The branding process ultimately influenced interior details, including custom perforated-metal lighting fixtures.
“6D is a rare team that can think about graphics for architecture together with architects,” Ashizawa said. “When they first proposed the use of perforated metal, we felt that it should not only be used for signage, but also for lighting.”
Ashizawa also furnished the hotel primarily with pieces designed by his studio for Karimoku and Ariake, and he adapted several designs specifically for the project. Together, the architecture, interiors and branding position Tomi Hotel Ginza as a refined example of contemporary Japanese hospitality design that balances craftsmanship, residential comfort and urban living.