Margie T Logarta examines the moves of Mitsubishi zaibatsu to revive one of Tokyo's most important historical precincts and its impact on the Japanese economy and lifestyle.
In recent years, sections of Tokyo have undergone massive transformation. Look at Roppongi Hills with its Mori mega-complex; Shiodome, once a drab railway terminal, and now an architecturally stunning mélange of 13 skyscrapers; and most recently, Minato-ku’s Tokyo Midtown, which boasts a mixed-use development comprising a tower that includes tenants such as the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and a clinic affiliated with Johns Hopkins Hospital in the US.
But the most ambitious project is yet a work-in-progress – the ongoing revitalisation of the Marunouchi area. Driving efforts to create a stylish and sustainable community with a vibrant business ethos is the Mitsubishi Estate Co., owner of about one third of the commercial space in the vicinity.
Occupying some 131.31ha between the Imperial Palace’s eastern moat and Tokyo Station, Marunouchi has long held an esteemed place in Japanese history. In Nihonggo, “Maru”, means circle and “uchi”, inside, so inside the circle. That coveted spot referred to the reclaimed area near the Imperial Palace where the daimyos, required by the last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu to live in Edo (the old name for Tokyo) as well as shuttle to their fiefdoms, built their neat and sprawling mansions, much like the embassy compounds of today. Sometimes, these contained as many as 5,000 inhabitants in a layout that featured an official residence and private quarters for the warlord and apartments for his vassals.
After the shogunate was abolished, the military took over the land and turned it into drill training grounds, which they eventually sold to Mitsubishi in 1890. With foresight that has since marked its rise to prominence in Japan’s economy, the zaibatsu constructed a grid-like business district, starting in 1894 with Mitsubishi Building No. 1 designed by Brit Josiah Conder. The spate of red brick buildings that subsequently sprung up in the Queen Anne style (which gained popularity after a major fire in 1872 razed wooden buildings in nearby Ginza) prompted the locals to call the neighbourhood either “Little London” or “Bricktown”.
While few examples of Meiji-era Tokyo have survived the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, destruction of war and changing tastes, one notable remnant is currently undergoing a painstaking and sensitive facelift – the Tokyo Station. Inaugurated in 1914, the three-storey brick terminal included an exclusive entrance and set of special rooms for the Emperor and his retinue. At both its left and right ends were octagonal concourses topped with copper-plated domes that are being restored to their former sheen.
Marunouchi was traditionally the business district, teeming with people on weekdays, going dead on weekends. Mitsubishi decided to change that dynamic in 1998, sinking in ¥500 billion (US$4.9 billion) in a 10-year programme to refit or rebuild from basement up, six buildings. Toshio Nagashima, Mitsubishi Estate executive vice-president, recalled in an interview that appeared in the local Metropolis English magazine: “We wanted to turn the district into a vivid city, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
The locality, surrounding the Tokyo Station’s Marunouchi side (the Yasuo entrance is nearer Ginza), provides the stage where Mitsubishi’s blueprint is being realised.
The first phase involved one of the city’s earliest shopping centres, Marunouchi Building or “Marubiru” (established in 1923), which was completed in 2002. The retail and eating options were upgraded and enhanced with the likes of Conran Marunouchi and popular fashion retailer Beams House. Others marked for refurbishment or redevelopment included the Industry Club of Japan and Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Building Development Project, Tokyo-Station Marunouchi North-Entrance, Tokyo Building, Hibiya Park Building (now the Peninsula Hotel) and the Shin-Marunouchi, which enjoyed a relaunch in April 2007.
Shin-Maru’s 153 shops and restaurants, spread out through seven floors, have helped fuel the spurt in human traffic, which on weekends is estimated at 50,000 compared with previous negligible figures. The tenants directory showcases the boutiques of Banana Republic, Brooklyn Museum and Michael Kors and on the sixth floor, Salt restaurant and wine bar by Australian celebrity chef, Luke Mangan.
Change is happening in all sections of Chiyoda City where Marunouchi is located. Evolving rapidly is Marunouchi Naka Dori, the genteel cobbled street, stretching from Tokyo Station to Hibiya Dori, near the Imperial Palace and the recently launched Peninsula Hotel.
Malcolm Thompson, general manager of The Pen, says: “We are very much a part of Mitsubishi’s revitalisation plan. They saw how they attracted a whole new clientele with Shin Marunouchi, and they wanted to have something to bring people to this end as well, which was a hotel – the right sort of hotel.”
The 314-room property, kitty-cornering Hibiya Dori and Naka Dori, occupies the site of the now demolished Hibiya Park Building, where the Hilton Hotels regional headquarters and several airline serving Japan once had offices. In fact, the hotel serves as a walkway between the two thoroughfares, a service it is glad to do, says Thompson. “We’re at the crossroads; we’re a meeting place. And it was a smart idea for Mitsubishi to have the lobby on the ground floor instead of on the 40th floor (as is common in many Tokyo hotels), and make it as welcoming as possible.”
The Peninsula had numerous opportunities of entering the Japanese market earlier, but the ideal location could never be found, that is, until the south edge of Marunouchi presented itself. Since arriving, it has posed keen competition to older rivals Imperial Hotel, Palace Hotel, Four Seasons Marunouchi and Seiyo Ginza, a situation which will deepen when the Shangri-La under the helm of Wolfgang Krueger – formerly of Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Taipei – opens early next year, adjacent to the Tokyo Station.
The veterans, however, aren’t succumbing to pressure, but are determined to improve. Says Seiyo Ginza general manager Lloyd Nakano: “Our owners are committed to capital investments to upgrade our guestrooms and public areas this year. This will include guestroom entertainment – TVs, DVD players, cabinetry, game consoles, general carpeting and more.”
At the Four Seasons at Marunouchi, general manager Michael Branham and his team continue to fine tune their product, especially when it comes to innovative cuisine and meeting services. While on the fringe of Marunouchi, Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Nihonbashi is likewise benefiting from current improvements in the form of refreshed retail and dining that’s giving this historic mercantile centre new momentum.
Marunouchi Naka Dori is fast gaining the reputation as the “Rodeo Drive of Tokyo”, proven by the mushrooming of designer boutiques alongside their more staid neighbours with names like Shin Tokyo, Shin Nisseki, Sumitomo Mitsui, Nippon Broadcasting System and Yurakucho Marui.
Brands known to the discerning and die-hard fashionistas such as Tiffany’s, Comme des Garçons, Graff, Brooks Brothers and Chantecler have come this way and firmly planted their shingles for one and all to see. Adding to the elegance of the precinct are the landscaped paths and strategically placed modern sculptures, creating an atmosphere where art and commerce meld seamlessly. At noontime, Naka Dori becomes pedestrianised, enticing office workers to get some exercise before they scuttle back to their desks.
Even before Mitsubishi initiated the building fever, Marunouchi was already in the throes of a renaissance. It received a kick-start in the early ’90s when it was chosen as the site of the Tokyo International Forum. Designed by Rafael Viñoly and erected in 1996, its swooping curves of steel truss and glass and façade in the shape of a boat have become iconic. It consists of an exhibition and concert hall and a conference centre. There are seven other halls, restaurants and shops and a huge lobby.
Its location between Tokyo and Yurakucho Stations helped tidy up a place that had become run down and somewhat seedy over the years. Nearby, Muji, that emporium of utilitarian (but not cheap) houseware, clothing and furnishings, operates out of a massive flagship store.
This year marks the beginning of the second stage of Marunouchi’s redevelopment designed to take place over another 10 years. Not only will more buildings be given a new lease on life, but the focus on green practices and technologies will receive greater attention. To reduce the effects of global warming and in an effort not to contribute to it, Mitsubishi plans to incorporate more rooftop gardens with ivy-covered walls in its architectural plans, and use pavement material that retains more rain water than conventional asphalt. Underground pedestrian passages will also be increased to improve access and cut down on traffic.
More trees and flowers will be planted along the streets, not merely for aesthetic value but to act as buffers to the usual pollution problems.
To banish the old ghost-town image, Marunouchi drumbeaters have been staging events like a track and field competition and cultural exhibitions in the lobby of Marubiru. When Mitsubishi No. 1 Building is finally restored, a section of it will serve for open-air art festivals as will the future Green Square.
The circle of life continues.
FOUND IN TRANSLATION
The Japanese are renowned for their brilliant copying skills, improving on the original to such a degree of excellence it practically becomes a brand-new invention. And this is what served Hisanori Yamamoto so well, he came home last year a winner.
Yamamoto, the resident pizza chef of the Napule group of restaurants (branches in Naka-Meguro, Omotesando and Tokyo Midtown; www.bellavita.co.jp/napule), bested 200 professionals in a 70-year-old competition in Naples to bag the title of Best Pizza Chef in the 2007 World Cup Pizza Championship. He may not have been the first foreigner to have walked away with the trophy – the Neapolitans who claim to have invented the delicacy, can be gracious in recognising talent no matter where it comes from – but he is certainly the first Japanese.
His butterfly-shaped Pizza Margherita (tomato, sliced mozzarella and basil) was what impressed the judging panel, made up of the city’s prominent individuals. “I didn’t think I was going to win,” he says, startled at the surprise victory.
First timers to the popular Napule Restaurant (we tried the Omotesando outlet and booking is recommended, especially on Friday nights) should definitely try Yamamoto’s Pizza Margherita (¥2,000/US$20), which is delicious but for those who want a real kick, the O’Sole Mio (¥2,500/US$25) with tomato sauce, spicy salami, bacon and egg yolk is irresistible. Servings are good for two guests.
Yamamoto honed his art in the kitchens of Ernesto Cacialli, a flamboyant Neapolitan chef whose most famous patron was former US president Bill Clinton. Attending the G8 Naples Summit in 2004, this “American tourist” dropped by Cacialli’s pizzeria in a working class district in the city for a hearty meal. In honour of that visit, the restaurant’s name was changed to Il Pizzaiolo del Presidente (The President’s Pizza Baker). So much for self promotion.
What is the secret of good pizza? Besides using fresh and quality ingredients, Yamamoto says weather influences the consistency of the dough, and this is the first thing he checks upon waking up. Says he: “When we Japanese do something, we always do it the best way we can.”
STAR CUISINE
Michelin’s latest addition to its portfolio of gastronomic maps, the Tokyo Guide only reinforced what many – both Japanese and expat – residents already knew and adored about their city: it is a food mecca.
The 108-year-old publication’s first Asian edition certainly created a splash during its launch in March, awarding 191 stars to 150 restaurants, even more than Paris, the traditional bastion of haute cuisine. Five Japanese restaurants (two sushi joints included) and three French restaurants (Joel Robuchon among them) were assigned the coveted three-star rating. According to Luc Naret, director of the Michelin Guides, the emblem carries the same weight as one in Las Vegas or the City of Lights.
For 18 months, inspectors from the publication (three were French and two were Japanese) scoured Tokyo, dining in luxurious as well as casual settings, which sometimes included hole-in-the-wall eateries.
The selection was greeted not without controversy – not unexpected in a country that’s passionate about its next meal. (Note the long lines for popular establishments.) Still, the guide comes in handy for visitors strapped for time and yet eager to sample Tokyo food treasures. But don’t forget that the best suggestions still come from a local. Better yet, take that friend along and have a satisfying night out!
Michelin, which was aimed at chauffeurs in the early days of motoring, plans a second Asian guide. But it won’t just say yet which city it is eyeing, although the betting is already on Hongkong. Watch this space.
Michelin’s Tokyo Guide is available at all major Japanese bookstores such as Maruzen. It is priced at ¥2,310 (US$22.57).
MARUNOUCHI NIGHTS
FOUR SEASONS AT MARUNOUCHI
Those for whom time is of the absolute essence, this 57-room bolthole, next to the Tokyo Station, is a godsend. Once entering the seventh-floor lobby, aggravation from a hectic day quickly melts away in the serene residential ambience, dotted with arresting objets d’art. There’s space for only two F&B outlets, Ekki (“train station” in Japanese) Bar & Grill and the Lobby Lounge, and they’re always bustling. The overly spacious Premier Rooms with their floor-to-ceiling windows allow generous amounts of natural light to pour in – go for them!
CONTACT: Pacific Century Place, 1-11-1, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-6277, Japan, tel 81 3 5222 7222, www.fourseasons.com
IMPERIAL HOTEL
Important foreign visitors to the Imperial Palace needed a place to stay, and so the hotel was born in 1890, serving as an early showcase in Japan for western-style hospitality and technology. Frank Lloyd Wright’s new structure in 1923 set the stage for its supremacy as Tokyo’s premiere social hub, which it was for many years. Aware of growing competition, the Imperial initiated a major renovation that included the redesign of the Imperial Floors by UK-based designer Julian Reed.
CONTACT: 1-1 Uchisaiwai-cho 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8558, Japan, tel 81 3 3504 1111, www.imperialhotel.co.jp
PALACE HOTEL
Immaculately spick and span, this understated reliable glides to the beat of its own drum. Attendants at service stations on each floor are a quaint throwback to another time, but they are there to respond to your every need. The 389 guestrooms and suites all feature wide double windows – which can be opened when the weather is nice – looking out to the Imperial Palace and Gardens. The same view is available in several of its restaurants such as Zuilin, which serves Shanghainese cuisine.
CONTACT: 1-1-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ky, Tokyo 100-0005, Japan, tel 81 3 3211 5211, www.palacehotelstokyo.com
THE PENINSULA
Located across from the Imperial Palace and minutes’ walk to business, shopping and dining in the Ginza and Marunouchi precincts, The Peninsula Group’s latest sprig has a fantastic address. Sizeable investment has been made in the guestrooms, and it shows in the attention to luxurious details such as the automatic nail dryer in the decadently spacious walk-in wardrobe-cum-dressing area and well-appointed bathroom lined with the grape-based Davi line of amenities. The sleek bar at Peter affords another choice aerie to take in Tokyo’s spectacular nightscape. The lobby is much smaller than its bigger sister in Hongkong but no less busy.
CONTACT: 1-8-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006, Japan, tel 81 3 6270 2888, www.peninsula.com
SEIYO GINZA
This boutique gem with only 77 guestrooms and suites continues to be the choice of visiting celebrities, including artist Yoko Ono. And deservedly so, furnished with all the comforts and conveniences of a stylish private residence. We never get over how well appointed and spacious the bathrooms here are, and what a joy it is to linger in them. The restaurants also come in for special mention: Repertoire for classical French cuisine, Attore for Italian (recognised by the Italian government for authenticity), Kitcho and Takewaka for Japanese and Prelude Bar & Lounge for high tea.
CONTACT: 1-11-2 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan, tel 81 3 3535 1111, www.seiyo-ginza.com
And nearby...
MANDARIN ORIENTAL
Soaring windows in the public spaces are specially designed to create a sensation of being suspended in the air. This extends to the guestrooms especially the suites, which are some of the largest (from 90sqm) in the city. The bars and restaurants (among them Signature, the French-inspired restaurant awarded a star in the new Michelin Tokyo Guide) also make the most of the urban panorama and that’s why they’re always packed.
CONTACT: 2-1-1 Nihonbashi, Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103 8328, Japan, tel 81 3 3270 8800, www.mandarinoriental.com
SHANGRI-LA
With the opening in March next year of the 206-room Shangri-La – the last launch of an international brand in the foreseeable future – Tokyo Station will be properly bookended by two five-star hotels (Four Seasons is the other) along its Yaesu Street entrance. Occupying the top 11 floors of the 37-storey Marunouchi Trust Tower Main Building (artist’s rendering, right), the hotel will feature two restaurants (Western specialty and Chinese) and a bar on the 28th and 29th floors and also introduce the chain’s signature CHI, The Spa to the Japanese market. A health club and indoor swimming pool complete the leisure facilities. Guestrooms come with the expected perks of satellite/cable TV, broadband internet access and a pillow menu among others.
CONTACT: Pre-opening office at tel 81 3 5645 6321, www.shangri-la.com
