Shibuya Station and its surroundings have long been one of Tokyo’s primary commuter hubs, popular mostly with younger generations for hip shops and vibrant nightlife. It also attracts photo-snapping tourists to its pedestrian-packed Shibuya Scramble intersection, made famous by the movie Lost in Translation.

Recent major redevelopments turned Shibuya into a mecca for grownups and tech companies, too, including the 47-story Shibuya Scramble Square building with its rooftop observatory, restaurants, shops, offices and Shibuya Stream, the new headquarters for Google Japan.

Meanwhile, rising serenely above the fray since 2001 is Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, a top Tokyo property in the Tokyu Hotels chain, whose parent company, Tokyu Corporation, is a major railway and real estate company. Just five minutes from Shibuya Station, providing easy access to the rest of Tokyo and outlying areas like Yokohama, Cerulean Tower is one of Shibuya’s most luxurious hotels, but with reasonable rates considering the spacious rooms and convenient location.

Employing lots of wood and a combination of Japanese and Western design elements that give it a classy, uncluttered look, the hotel greets guests with a soothing lobby and lounge overlooking a terraced rock garden resembling a flowing river. Guests who wish to embrace the Zen spirit inspired, perhaps, by the rock garden can hire the services of an English-speaking Buddhist monk to lead a Zazen meditation session in the privacy of their room.

The basement houses Tokyo’s only hotel Noh theater, while the third floor contains a gym, a 20-meter indoor heated pool with natural light and jet bath, a sauna, an inviting outdoor wooden deck for relaxation and a staffed babysitting room so parents can dine in one of the hotel’s restaurants or enjoy drinks in a bar. On the 40th floor with glorious views is the hotel’s signature restaurant, Coucagno, serving Provencal cuisine in a refined atmosphere with widely spaced tables that provide intimacy. Bellovisto, a bar featuring live piano music in a romantic setting, shares those views. Its semi-private, fuchsia-colored sofa facing corner windows is considered the perfect place to propose. Other restaurants include those serving a wide range of Japanese cuisine, Chinese fare and continental dishes. There’s also the Cigar Bar and JZ Brat, one of Tokyo’s most respected jazz clubs.

The hotel’s 408 guestrooms, on the 19th to 37th floors above an office complex, offer comfort and tranquility above Shibuya’s bustle. Most popular are the 52 corner twins and kings, which, at almost 530 square feet, provide expansive views of the city, even from the bathtub. The top six floors are reserved for the hotel’s executive rooms, which offer extras including a dedicated sit-down check-in desk and concierge; free use of fitness facilities; and an executive lounge serving a hearty breakfast buffet, afternoon tea and evening cocktails with appetizers, among other services. Needless to say, executive rooms from their high vantage point afford the best views.

While ongoing redevelopment in Shibuya, including a revamping of Shibuya Station, is sure to change the face of this vital area of Tokyo, Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel has kept up with the times and remains a highly respected and popular hotel in the nation’s capital.

Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel

26-1 Sakuragaoka-cho
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8512
tel 81 3 3476 3000