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IQ84, Haruki Murakami’s swirling behemoth of a novel is chock full of the author’s classic themes; magical realism, food, music, sex and love. It’s a massive work full of pivotal moments and I just happen to be in the very location of one of those. Here is how Murakami describes it:
“With its high ceiling and muted lighting, the capacious lobby of the Hotel Okura’s main building seemed like a huge, stylish cave. Against the cave walls, like the sighing of a disemboweled animal, bounced the muted conversations of people seated on the lobby’s sofas. The floor’s thick, soft carpeting could have been primeval moss on a far northern island. It absorbed the sound of footsteps into its endless span of accumulated time”
It’s an odd feeling being somewhere I first visualized in my mind, but now I’m here it’s amazing how vivid Murakami’s prose proves to be and perfectly describes the cavernous lobby of the historic Okura.
Opened in 1962 and located in a quiet section of Akasaka, adjacent to the US Embassy but only a short walk from heady heights of Roppongi this is an establishment that speaks of a bygone era of understated elegance. The large and open lobby as described by Murakami is certainly calming, and visually it’s unlike any other hotel I’ve seen in Tokyo. The décor and the furniture would be described as dated by many, and that’s no lie, it is. To me though it has great retro chic appeal, further enhanced by the now seemingly archaic world map (circa 1960’s) where LED lights glow marking major cities of the world. For some reason I keep imagining bumping into the Sean Connery James Bond sipping a martini, or smoking, or probably both.
It’s certainly not the flashiest or indeed the most fashionable of the more luxurious Tokyo hotels but if you are looking for a place with character and a distinctly Japanese aesthetic whilst you follow in the footsteps of diplomats and dignitaries then it’s a top consideration. You had better be quick though because it’s just been announced that the Main Building will close for a major renovation from August 2015 and it’s likely that the retro chic will be lost to the annals of time…