Rising from the ashes of Japan’s first chain hotel, which closed its doors in 2006 after 43 years of operation, Capitol Hotel Tokyu embodies the synergy of classic and contemporary Japanese elements. The striking 29-story lattice-inspired tower, designed by architect Kengo Kuma, boasts 247 rooms with panoramic views of the city skyline from the building’s top 12 floors; four suites on the fifth floor overlook the greenery surrounding the 500-year-old Hie Shrine.

All guest quarters feature sliding shoji screens, which enhances the sense of space, while the subdued tones of blond wood and pearly-gray fabrics add transparency and lightness to the decor. A host of mod cons, meanwhile, keeps the rooms firmly rooted in the present. The four restaurants here include Suiren, which serves teppanyaki and kaiseki amid views of the hotel’s gardens, and Origami, an all-day affair that guests might remember with nostalgia from the Tokyu’s earlier incarnation

2-10-3 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku; 81-3/3503-0109; www.capitolhoteltokyu.com/en/; doubles from US$377

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