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

Apr 12 , 2024

Aman has launched Janu Tokyo, the first hotel under its long-awaited new brand. Photos: Handout

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.

If you’re a luxury lover, you’re likely familiar with the ultra-luxe chain with a cult following that was established in Asia almost four decades ago. Since then, Aman has built an enviable portfolio spanning the globe. From Amanpuri, its first property on the island of Phuket, Thailand, which opened in 1988, to its three Bali resorts, and urban locations in cities like New York and Venice, Aman has become the benchmark for all luxury hotel groups. Its avid fans, affectionately known as “Amanjunkies”, embrace the lifestyle wholeheartedly – which makes us wonder how receptive they will be to a sister brand that offers a subtly different take on luxury living.

A Deluxe Room at Janu Tokyo, the first outpost of a new brand introduced by Aman Group

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.

Designer dining: 9 luxury brand restaurants in Tokyo, from Gucci to Dior

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.

A suite at Janu Tokyo with views of Tokyo Tower

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.

Janu Grill is a casual eatery offering meat and seafood dishes

If wellness and fitness are your thing – or if you need a reason to make them so – you’ll want to explore the gym, which takes up an entire floor. It would put to shame many luxury fitness centres in health-obsessed cities like Los Angeles. You can book one-on-one training sessions in private workout studios or join group classes for sessions including yoga or breathwork. A boxing ring and a golf simulator are also part of the offering.

10 fairy tale castles and palaces you can stay at IRL to feel like a royal

The gym at Janu Tokyo offers state-of-the-art equipment

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?

The 25-metre pool at Janu Tokyo is one of the largest hotel pools in Tokyo

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.

While it’s easy to assume that Janu is meant for a younger and hipper crowd than its older sibling, that would be a misconception. It simply attracts a discerning set of social media-savvy, well-travelled urbanites who value discretion, but also want to have a good time. Think of it as Aman’s take on “quiet luxury”. A little less buttoned up, but with subtle hints at sophistication that those in the know will recognise.

Asia travel

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