FUFU Tokyo Ginza – Evaluate

FUFU Tokyo Ginza opened in November 2025, bringing the model’s celebrated onsen resort philosophy to the guts of Tokyo’s most refined district. Simply steps from Ginza’s flagship boutiques and glowing towers, but hidden on a quiet aspect avenue, this can be a property that values discretion and privateness. Each suite contains a non-public backyard balcony, a sizzling spring tub fed by waters from FUFU Atami, and meals served within the privateness of 1’s personal eating room. With simply 34 suites throughout 5 flooring, it feels much less like a metropolis lodge and extra like a ryokan within the sky.

The doorway is straightforward to overlook. A discreet doorway on a quiet Ginza aspect avenue, the facade completed in earthy plaster embellished with sculpted symbols produced from soil excavated throughout building.

You step inside and the transformation begins. The bottom flooring vestibule is gently lit and silent, a bamboo fence operating alongside the wall, and a easy flower association suspended, with a single highlight casting the artwork of shadow. That is the place you transition from town to the city resort. You might be guided to the lifts and brought as much as reception on the twelfth flooring, the place check-in occurs in a personal sales space and you might be supplied chilled yuzu juice from Kyoto. Every little thing right here is about privateness. I used to be privileged to be among the many very first friends to expertise this outstanding property, FUFU’s first in Tokyo, and the eye to discretion was evident from the primary second.

All through the lodge, woven bamboo sculptures seem in quiet corners and transitional areas. Easy and calming, in pure tones, they provide visible curiosity and a reference to artisan creativity, a mild reminder that this can be a up to date interpretation of the normal ryokan.

The Suite

The 34 suites vary from Fashionable Suites via Consolation, Valuable Nook, Premium, and Luxurious Nook classes, as much as the flagship FUFU Luxurious Premium Suites which might connect with create a grand house for personal occasions. Government variations on the upper flooring provide enhanced views.

Our Luxurious Nook Suite occupied 115 sq. metres on one of many higher flooring. The doorway vestibule is the place you are taking off your footwear, selecting slippers for the hardwood flooring of the suite’s foyer together with a personal dressing room, separate W.C., and storage for baggage.

Past is the doorway to the suite, the place pale inexperienced tatami mats are so advantageous and delicate they had been a pleasure below naked toes.

Within the dressing space, drawers held two units of pyjamas. Easy white ones, elegant and light-weight, for sporting within the room. And complex darkish blue ones, full with socks and jackets, designed for sporting with conventional geta sandals all through the lodge. This can be a non-public onsen resort, and friends are inspired to put on their good pyjamas wherever, from the rooftop bar to the non-public eating rooms.

A connecting service hatch allowed employees to ship room service and pressed garments with out disturbing us.

The principle salon was beneficiant, with a eating space, two sofas positioned again to again, one dealing with the wraparound backyard balcony, the opposite dealing with the tv and built-in furnishings. The minibar held a bespoke drawer with a Japanese teapot and two ceramic cups. On the counter was the welcome present, Shiose Manju from Shiose Sohonke, a confectioner with over 670 years of historical past. The fragile manju, full of clean purple bean paste in a yam and rice flour dough, was stamped with the FUFU Tokyo Ginza emblem. Beautiful.

The bed room, open to the salon however closable with a big sliding display screen, held two queen beds with western duvets and advantageous linens. The tv was hidden behind sliding paper screens. Minimalist, however lovely.

The play of sunshine all through the day was extraordinary. Morning gentle filtered via the bushes and vegetation of our non-public sky backyard, casting crisp silhouettes on the shoji screens. By noon, the shadows shifted. At nightfall, the room glowed. You change into conscious of time passing in a chilled, pure approach.

The Backyard

The wraparound balcony was in contrast to something I’ve skilled in a metropolis lodge. Japanese geta waited by the glass sliding doorways. Exterior, sofas and chairs sat amongst bushes and vegetation, together with bespoke locations to set down a teapot or a drink. Every suite is known as after its backyard, ours that includes Japanese barberry with purple berries among the many greenery. Excessive glass panels protected us from the breeze whereas framing views of Ginza’s towers. This was our secret backyard within the sky.

The Onsen

The toilet featured a personal sizzling spring tub, the waters transported from FUFU’s personal spring in Atami. The bathtub was edged in bamboo, the tiles textured in a design distinctive to every room. Water trickled consistently from a bamboo spout, velvety and heat, overflowing gently into the moist room the place a small stool and picket bowl waited for laundry earlier than getting into the bathtub.

That first soak, late afternoon, was memorable. The water delicate in opposition to the pores and skin, with the steam rising, the plush backyard past the window. Facilities had been from FUFU’s personal natural line, Komorebi, named for the Japanese phrase describing gentle filtering via leaves.

Yusora rooftop

Earlier than dinner, we visited the rooftop lounge. Yusora is a backyard within the sky. You discover your non-public seating sales space by a stone path winding via clipped pine bushes and punctiliously positioned greenery. Cubicles are positioned all through the backyard providing you a sense of being alone in nature, every with a aspect desk for putting a glass of wine. The complimentary bar runs from 4pm to 8pm every night. As you sit, your toes relaxation in sizzling onsen waters.

We sat as nightfall settled, wine in hand, toes within the heat water, watching the Ginza skyline glitter. It was the right approach to start the night.

Dinner at Ginza Gayu

All eating at FUFU Tokyo Ginza is non-public. The Japanese restaurant Ginza Gayu is discovered on the twelfth flooring. You might be proven to your personal non-public house, ours with views over the glowing towers of Ginza. A devoted server taken care of us all through the night, a captivating younger man who introduced every course with information.

The meal was kaiseki, and it was distinctive.

The starter arrived as a nonetheless life, with small dishes in individually designed ceramics organized on a most important plate, embellished with actual ginkgo and Japanese maple leaves. Snow crab with deep-fried yuba and miso sauce. Sea urchin in bonito broth with wasabi. The appetiser course that adopted was equally visible: ginkgo nuts with chestnut and raisin paste, steamed foie gras soup with carrot sauce and mozzarella, mackerel sushi with seaweed, persimmon with combined nuts and marinated duck.

The soup arrived in a lacquered bowl with a lid, revealed with ceremony: steamed clams with sake, walnut tofu, matsutake mushroom, chrysanthemum greens sprinkled with yuzu zest.

The sashimi was introduced in a basket full of crushed ice: tuna toro, medium toro, lean cuts, peony shrimp with the pinnacle ready tempura-style served aside on a ceramic dish, whereas the shrimp was on a Japanese mint leaf, on the ice.

The meat course was theatre. Wagyu wrapped in enormous autumn leaves, introduced on a big serving dish embellished with foliage and twigs. Our server lifted the wrapped parcels with chopsticks, as if foraging, then positioned them earlier than us, earlier than unwrapping them to disclose the peerlessly ready beef. It got here with grilled taro, lotus root, hawthorn sauce, rock salt, and wasabi.

A sizzling pot adopted: abalone and suppon with white maitake, shiitake mushrooms, Japanese parsley, and goji berries. Then rice, the grains from a uncommon provider, cooked in a particular pot and served with reverence: conger eel tempura, shredded seaweed, candy potato with perilla leaf, pickled greens, miso soup.

Dessert was pear compote with apple ice cream, strawberry, condensed milk bavarois, and carbonated jelly sprinkled with citrus zest.

It was one of many most interesting kaiseki meals I’ve eaten. The seasonal pairing course matched Japanese and European wines to every dish. We started with Ca’del Bosco Cuvée Status, an Italian Franciacorta, with the starter. The appetiser was paired with Koshu NOGI 2023, a FUFU restricted version white from 98Wines in Yamanashi. With the sashimi got here Kaze no Mori Akitsuho, an unfiltered sake from Nara with a contemporary, vigorous character. The wagyu was matched with Tatenohara Cabernet Franc & Tannat 2023 from Domaine Beau in Toyama, a small Japanese producer making wines with actual persona. It was a masterclass in Japanese wine and sake.

Breakfast

Breakfast, additionally served in a personal eating room, arrived in a tall picket field. The server slid open the door to disclose the contents: particular person bowls and lacquered containers in purple wooden, organized throughout 4 tiers. A paper information confirmed us set them out on the mat earlier than us.

The primary tier held seasonal fish and greens, delicately simmered and marinated. The second, a rolled omelette aromatic with dashi, clean grated yam, and handmade aspect dishes together with fufu spicy cod roe and clams with vinegared miso. The third, heat simmered eggplant and deep-fried tofu with shimeji mushrooms. The fourth, assorted Japanese pickles with dried plum.

Alongside got here grilled eel with candy soy glaze, a sizzling pot of Edo-style candy miso with native hen and sakura shrimp dumplings, and rice cooked in a standard pot from grains grown in Yamanashi. Contemporary seasonal fruits to complete.

It was referred to as Igayuuzen, FUFU Tokyo Ginza’s authentic breakfast, and it was a memorable morning ritual.

Sushi Ginga

I didn’t dine on the basement sushi counter, however I used to be proven the house. Sushi Ginga seats simply eight on the counter, the design easy and delightful, with folding screens on the seats, so friends can create non-public cubicles or open them to share the intimate expertise with others. The cooks work straight earlier than you. It’s reserved for friends aged 10 and above.

Vacation spot: Ginza

Stepping out from FUFU Tokyo Ginza into Ginza is an immersive expertise. The lodge is quiet, understated, nurturing, whereas the neighbourhood is glamour and power, flagship shops, and glowing towers.

Ginza’s historical past as Tokyo’s first ‘brick city’ dates to the late nineteenth century, when Western-style Georgian buildings remodeled the district into an emblem of modernity. Lots of these authentic buildings are gone, however just a few landmarks stay. The Wako Constructing on the Ginza 4-chome crossing, with its distinctive curved nook and Seiko clock tower, dates from 1932 and stays probably the most recognisable constructing within the district.

The trendy Ginza is a parade of flagship boutiques. Louis Vuitton’s putting white and gold facade. Tiffany & Co in an enormous glass tower lit within the model’s signature blue. Harry Winston was straight beside FUFU, whereas Bulgari and Hermès had been shut by. Ginza Six affords over 240 retailers throughout a number of flooring, its rooftop backyard open to the general public with advantageous views throughout town. Tokyu Plaza Ginza, with its exterior replicating intricate Edo Kiriko minimize glass, homes over 100 trend and accent retailers.

At night time, the window shows glow. We wandered out in search of karaoke, passing via the lights and power for a late night time out, earlier than returning to the stillness of FUFU.

Last Thought

What stays with me is the quiet and the privateness, the nurturing high quality of this property. FUFU Tokyo Ginza is ultra-luxury, actually, however it’s also one thing extra, a spot that leaves you feeling restored. The room was like an ideal metropolis pied-à-terre, calming and superbly thought of. The tatami delicate underfoot, the sunshine shifting via paper screens, the onsen water velvety in opposition to the pores and skin. Small particulars in every single place: woven bamboo sculptures in quiet corners, still-life flower preparations seen because the carry doorways open, every flooring with its personal type and perfume. I fell in love with this city resort.

FUFU’s philosophy is ‘a spot to savour time.’ In Ginza, surrounded by the tempo and polish of Tokyo’s most refined district, they’ve created precisely that