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Palace Hotel Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan · Palace Hotel · Grand Luxury
Across the outer moat from the Imperial Palace's Ōte-mon Gate, Palace Hotel Tokyo sits on land that held an Imperial Household Forestry Office in 1937, then SCAP-ordered Hotel Teito in 1947, then the 1961 Palace Hotel. Closed in 2009 and rebuilt, it reopened in May 2012 retaining shigaraki exterior tiles, the Chiyoda Suite ink wash, and the Royal Bar's original counter. Japan's first Evian spa faces the palace plaza, and Esterre with Alain Ducasse holds a Michelin star.
- 290 rooms
- Opened 1961
- Neighborhood: Ōtemachi
- Rooms from 485 sq ft (45 m²)
- Architect: Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei
- Interiors: GA Design
About Palace Hotel Tokyo
- The site began as a 1937 Imperial Household Agency forestry office, then became government-run Hotel Teito in 1947 under Allied occupation orders.
- Palace Hotel opened 1 October 1961 and won the Architectural Industry Association Prize in 1963 for blending modern form with Japanese aesthetics.
- The 2012 rebuild kept original shigaraki façade tiles and restored the Royal Bar's historic counter inside a new Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei tower.
- It was the first hotel in Japan to host an Evian spa, set beside a pool with floor-to-ceiling views of Imperial Palace Plaza.
- Palace Hotel Co. Ltd., a private consortium founded by Masatomo Yoshihara, owns and operates the house across the outer moat from the Imperial Palace.
History
Originally opened in 1961, the Palace Hotel was completely rebuilt and reopened in May 2012 as one of Tokyo's most refined moats-edge luxury hotels, owned and operated by Palace Hotel Co., Ltd.
The setting
Palace Hotel Tokyo holds perhaps the most coveted address in the Japanese capital: directly across the outer moat from the Imperial Palace, at 1-1-1 Marunouchi — a location that places the Emperor's residence one minute on foot from the front door. The hotel's rooms face the palace gardens and the stone walls tracing the boundary of Edo Castle, seat of the Tokugawa shogunate from 1603. To the east lies Marunouchi's grand Naka-dori, lined with luxury flagships and the Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum; Tokyo Station's Shinkansen platforms are a short walk further, and Ginza's Chuo-dori begins within easy walking distance south.
Restaurants and bars
- Crown — Restaurant · French
- Wadakura — Restaurant · Japanese kaiseki
- Esterre — Restaurant · Modern French (Alain Ducasse) · One MICHELIN Star
- Royal Bar — Bar · Cocktails
Amenities
- evian SPA TOKYO
- Pool
- Fitness center
- Concierge
- Imperial Palace running route
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Fine dining
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Three Keys (2026)
- World's 50 Best Hotels 51-100 (2026)
- Travel + Leisure World's Best Hotels (2025)
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