BELLUSTAR TOKYO, A Pan Pacific Hotel
– 3 min read
A Private Vertical Retreat Above Shinjuku
“True beauty is something that emerges naturally, without intention.” - Yoshida Kenkō
Rising above the dense urban fabric of Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district, BELLUSTAR TOKYO occupies the uppermost floors of the TOKYU KABUKICHO TOWER - a structure conceived not merely as a building, but as a vertical city. The 18th floor and from the 39th th the 47th floor, the hotel establishes a deliberate separation from the restless energy below, creating distance not through isolation, but through elevation.
Opened in May 2023 as part of the Pan Pacific Hotels Group, BELLUSTAR TOKYO operates just 97 keys, an unusually restrained number for a tower of this scale. This decision aligns with a deeply Japanese principle: ma - the meaningful interval between things. Space here is not filled for effect; it is left open, allowing proportion, silence, and view to define the experience.
Guest rooms begin at 41 square metres, offering a sense of spatial generosity rarely found in central Tokyo. Seven-metre-wide windows frame the city as a shifting composition rather than a spectacle. Interiors reference Japanese culture obliquely - through balance, material honesty, and rhythm - rather than through overt symbolism. The result feels closer to shibui aesthetics: understated, controlled, and quietly complex.
Bathrooms are treated as contemplative zones, often oriented toward the skyline, echoing the long-standing Japanese relationship between bathing and reflection. In several suites, soaking tubs are positioned to face the city, recalling the cultural importance of ofuro as a daily ritual rather than a luxury.
At the summit, five penthouses draw inspiration from Tenku - the celestial realm - and from Kachō Fūgetsu, a classical concept expressing awareness of nature through seasonal observation: flowers, birds, wind, and moon. Duplex layouts, atrium voids, and layered vertical sightlines create a sense of openness that resists enclosure, even at altitude.
Dining venues are located entirely within the hotel’s upper floors, reinforcing separation from the entertainment complex below. Restaurant BELLUSTAR presents modern French cuisine, while Teppan Ten‑yu and Sushi JIN-È offer formats grounded in precision and seasonality — values closely aligned with Japanese culinary philosophy. Bar BELLUSTAR, the hotel’s signature bar on the 45th floor, complements the dining programme with expertly crafted cocktails and an immersive beverage experience shaped by Japanese craft spirits and global classics. The city remains present, but always peripheral, never dominant.
Wellness continues this dialogue between height and calm. SPA sunya - named after the Sanskrit word for “sky” and spiritual emptiness - occupies the hotel’s highest level. Treatments incorporate seasonal Japanese elements and natural materials, reflecting the principle of shizen (naturalness), where care follows the body’s rhythm rather than imposing transformation.
Despite its location in Kabukicho, BELLUSTAR TOKYO does not engage with nightlife culture. Circulation is discreet, access controlled, and acoustic separation precise. The hotel does not attempt to soften the district’s reputation; instead, it reframes it. Kabukicho becomes a moving tableau, observed from above, its intensity transformed into abstraction.
Who it’s for
BELLUSTAR TOKYO appeals to culturally literate travellers, repeat visitors to Japan, executives, and guests who value spatial clarity, restraint, and perspective. It suits those who understand Tokyo not as a destination to conquer, but as a city to contemplate.
What sets it apart
Its defining strength lies in elevation used as philosophy. By placing hospitality above the city rather than within it, BELLUSTAR TOKYO embodies a distinctly Japanese idea: distance as a form of respect - and quiet as the highest form of refinement.
https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/bellustar-tokyo
