Big In Japan

Fraser Hospitality's design-centric brand Capri has just added Tokyo to its stable with a 190-room hotel in Ginza that's set to open in time for the 2020 Olympics. Japan's first Capri by Fraser hotel residence will be designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, whose "visual and intelligent understanding of the movement of space is evident in his architectural designs and choice of unique materials", said Choe Peng Sum, chief executive officer of Frasers Hospitality. In a tribute to Japanese craft and culture, the building features Kuma's contemporary interpretation of a vertical Zen garden and an outdoor urban forest in the heart of the upscale Ginza district. His ethos of challenging traditional urban spaces is in line with Capri by Fraser's own philosophy of "cutting through the conformity of typical hotels while anticipating the changing preferences of millennial travellers in facilities, service and design," added Mr Choe. But more important, it's welcome news for Singaporean travellers looking for hip and well-priced accommodation in Tokyo. But if you can't wait till 2020, a Fraser Suites property will open in Akasaka next year.