Review / Why Aman’s new concept Janu is the ‘quiet luxury’ of hotels: Janu Tokyo is in the Azabudai Hills complex, which includes an outdoor mall with brands such as Hermès and Dior, in sight of Tokyo Tower
You can only imagine the excitement in 2020 surrounding Aman’s announcement that it would launch a new brand. What’s more, its first outpost would be in Tokyo, a city that never fails to enchant – and also the location of one of Aman’s most popular existing hotels. After all, it’s not every day that a luxury hotel group, especially one as scrutinised and beloved as Aman, unveils a whole new concept.
Located in the chic enclave of Azabudai, a leafy neighbourhood popular with wealthy expats and also the site of many embassies, Janu Tokyo is part of the high-end residential Azabudai Hills complex, which also includes an outdoor mall with brands such as Hermès and Dior, alfresco dining and a smattering of independent boutiques. It opened its doors in March this year.
Housed in a building designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners with interiors by Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston, Janu Tokyo’s common areas, and 122 rooms and suites, are minimal yet warm. Grey tones with black and marble accents give them a distinctive urban feel while also paying homage to the austere aesthetic that we’ve long come to associate with Japanese design. Inviting rather than forbidding, the interiors are accented with floral arrangements and bonsai trees, the latter curated by Tokyo-based Tradman’s Bonsai. Most rooms offer balconies with sitting areas where you can relax and admire the expansive views of Tokyo’s skyline, including the nearby Tokyo Tower, or the stylishly clad locals walking their equally stylish pets in Azabudai Hills.
Janu Tokyo’s restaurants have already become the hottest reservations in town. Janu Grill, Janu Mercato and Janu Lounge are great spots for a delicious and less formal meal, while Cantonese eatery Hu Jing and Japanese restaurant Iigura provide more rarefied experiences. With eight venues to choose from, you have plenty of options in which to hang out and mingle with savvy locals.
The indoor pool is breathtaking: at 25 metres, it’s one of the largest hotel pools in Tokyo and lies next to a heated lounge pool for those who prefer to relax and be pampered with some soothing hydrotherapy.
Then there’s the spa, where you can indulge in all kinds of treatments – including the Janu Signature Massage, performed with the use of wooden bronze-capped tools and focusing on pressure points to boost circulation.
Facilities and pampering aside though, the million-dollar question is: how does Janu differ from Aman and what’s the reasoning behind the debut of this new brand?
Janu is the Sanskrit word for “soul” (FYI, the Sanskrit word aman means “peace”). The idea at the heart of the new concept – which will see 12 more properties open over the next few years – is that of “connection”. Unlike Aman hotels, which prize themselves on the level of intimacy and seclusion they provide – whether they’re on a remote beach or in the heart of a metropolis – Janu can also offer you the privacy you need, but it is at heart more welcoming, with buzzy restaurants and bars.
- Janu Tokyo is designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners with interiors by Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston – but the million-dollar question is, what will ‘Amanjunkies’ think? We took a first peek at the property
- Amanpuri was the group’s first property – opened in Phuket, Thailand – in 1988; since then, it has added rural retreats including 3 on Bali, and urban locations in cities like New York and Venice