Shibuya / Jingumae (Cat Street)

TRUNK(HOTEL) CAT STREET

★★★★★

TRUNK(HOTEL) is the hotel Tokyo's design and fashion crowd recommends, and the reason is its sense of place. It sits on Cat Street, the meandering pedestrian lane of independent boutiques, sneaker stores and cafes that links Shibuya and Harajuku, and it has become a neighborhood hub as much as a place to stay. The concept is what the owners call "socializing": the hotel's ground floor is a busy lobby lounge and bar open to the street, with a coffee stand, a shop of locally made goods and an all-day restaurant serving a mix of French, American and Japanese dishes, and on any evening it is full of locals as well as guests. Upstairs, there are only a handful of rooms — fewer than twenty — and each is different, designed with Japanese-made furniture, natural materials and a commitment to sustainability that runs throughout the property: upcycled furnishings, staff uniforms made from offcuts of local industry, refurbished bicycles for guests and a deliberate avoidance of waste. The larger rooms and suites have terraces, and the top suite is a dramatic space for entertaining. The hotel hosts rotating art exhibitions, has a chef's table, and runs a rooftop chapel used for weddings. It is affiliated with Design Hotels, part of Marriott, and the group also operates newer properties elsewhere in Tokyo, but Cat Street is the original.

This is a hotel for travelers who want to feel part of contemporary Tokyo rather than insulated from it. The lobby bar is the social heart of the area in the evenings, and that energy is the point; light sleepers should ask for a room away from the street side. Because there are so few rooms, the stay feels personal and staff get to know guests quickly, and the design, all warm wood and texture, has a relaxed confidence quite different from Tokyo's big chain hotels. Rates are high for the room sizes, reflecting the location and style rather than square footage.

Location is the great asset. You can walk to SHIBUYA SKY and the Scramble in about fifteen minutes, to Harajuku and Omotesando's flagship architecture in ten, and to Meiji Jingu in about twenty. Shibuya Station puts the whole city within reach, including the Yamanote Line, the Ginza Line and the Narita Express. Around the hotel, the side streets of Ura-Harajuku and Jingumae hold some of Tokyo's best independent coffee, vintage clothing and small restaurants.

Who it suits: couples and solo travelers interested in design, fashion, food and nightlife, and anyone who wants to stay in the most youthful, creative part of Tokyo. It is less ideal for families needing space, or for travelers seeking traditional Japanese hospitality or classic luxury amenities like a pool or spa. Book directly or through the Marriott Bonvoy program, which the hotel participates in through Design Hotels, and reserve a table at the restaurant for at least one dinner even if you are out exploring the rest of the time.