There are seasonal ikebana arrangements, tatami-mat flooring, kimono-style outfits for guests and a steaming hot onsen spring water bath.
So far, so ryokan, the traditional-style Japanese inns that dot the country. Until a screen slides open in one of the guestrooms, and 11th-floor views of office towers come into focus, confirming we are in Tokyo¡¯s Otemachi business district.
These days, ¡°Tokyo¡± and ¡°ryokan¡± are words that don¡¯t often appear in the same sentence, with the capital more famous for its five-star skyscraper hotels than traditional inns. One establishment, however, is determined to change this: Hoshinoya Tokyo, which recently opened its doors as the city¡¯s first ¡°luxury high-rise ryokan hotel.¡±
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