In our monthly series, we highlight the products, places and experiences we’ve bookmarked – and that you won’t want to miss.

June is one of the busiest months in the culture and design calendar, with our editors firmly on the ground to keep you abreast of every development as it unfolds. From 10 June, our 3 Days of Design blog goes live with minute-by-minute dispatches from Scandinavia's most celebrated design festival. Back home, London’s art and architecture scenes are open wide for London Gallery Weekend and the London Festival of Architecture, offering an unmissable concentration of exhibitions and events.

Elsewhere on the summer roster: theatre, illustration, and – of course – football’s World Cup. Our US editor may be flying the flag stateside, but make no mistake: it’s coming home.

The showcase: 3 Days of Design, Copenhagen

Rosa Bertoli, global design director

Some of the team are off to Copenhagen next week for the 14th edition of 3 Days of Design (our live blog will be a real-time diary of everything we see in town). Throughout the city, Nordic and international brands and studios will be showcasing new pieces and design ideas, and I look forward to the conversations surrounding Scandinavian design and how it has evolved through the eyes of contemporary global creatives.

Having grown from a small four-brand event in 2013, the fair now promises countless highlights. I can't wait to discover the larger-than-life (seven-metre-tall) pavilion by Iittala and 'Tableau' with Hydro, celebrating Alvar Aalto's vase on its 90th anniversary, as well as returning and topical group exhibitions including 'Bread and Butter' (focusing on bathing culture from Japan to Denmark and beyond) and 'Værktøj' (exploring the use of tools within the design practice, in this case the sewing machine). Wallpaper's own Japan editor, Jens H Jensen, a Dane, is co-curating an exhibition with OEO Studio, titled ‘Japanmade Vol.1’, exploring Japanese design through a Danish lens – one of many Japan-focused exhibitions in Copenhagen during the fair.

The production: 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses', National Theatre

Anna Solomon, digital staff writer

I’ve booked tickets to the National Theatre to see Christopher Hampton’s Les Liaisons Dangereuses, a lavish new production directed by Marianne Elliott that revives Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ scandalous tale of sex, power and manipulation. Set amid the opulent salons of pre-Revolutionary France, the story follows the Marquise de Merteuil (Lesley Manville) and the Vicomte de Valmont (Aidan Turner), two master manipulators who wield seduction as a weapon in a ruthless game of influence.

As a devotee of the period drama, I’m looking forward to seeing the 18th-century extravagance of Les Liaisons brought to life on the stage of the National Theatre’s brutalist edifice. I’m equally curious to see how Elliott’s production reinterprets the story for modern audiences. Its themes have resonated for centuries; the question is whether she can sustain that legacy.

The art event: London Gallery Weekend

Hannah Silver, art, culture, watches & jewellery editor

During the first weekend of June, more than 120 galleries open their doors across the city as part of London Gallery Weekend. As well as many exhibitions launching to coincide with the weekend, there is a free programme of talks, tours, events, performances and parties taking place across London, bringing together contemporary artists including George Rouy and Roni Horn with established figures such as Francis Picabia. I am particularly looking forward to Anne Imhof at Sprüth Magers – more on this to follow in our July issue, which goes on sale later this week. Check the full weekend schedule here.

The listening bar: Record Bar Moon Shine, Osaka

Sofia de la Cruz, travel editor

I've just returned from a two-week trip around Japan, where many evenings were spent in vinyl bars, lingering over glasses of umeshu with my partner and striking up conversations with the passionate owners behind these independent establishments. Our favourite was a tiny haunt called Record Bar Moon Shine, almost hidden on the fourth floor of a narrow building in Osaka. Its owner inherited a collection of 5,000 records from his father and has devoted much of his life and spare time to keeping the bar alive. Inside the space, bathed in the crimson glow of a giant pachinko parlour across the street and carrying the faint scent of cigarette smoke, we were introduced to a world of city pop – the glossy, exuberant soundtrack that came to define Japan in the 1980s. The only way to bring a small piece of that experience home was to leave with a stack of records under my arm. They have already become the soundtrack to my June.

The festival: London Festival of Architecture

Ellie Stathaki, architecture & environment director

June is a very architectural month here in London – the London Festival of Architecture 2026 launched on the first of the month, and I am excited to hear from Jayden Ali at his keynote lecture. Meanwhile, the programme, 400-entries strong, is sure to have something for everyone. Discussions, exhibitions and installations abound. Personally, I have a soft spot for activities that allow me to bring the family along at weekends (Lego Challenge, here we come). It gives me an excuse to keep the child in me happy, too. The Serpentine Pavilion 2026 will also be opening its doors to the public on 6 June, while further away, Spain's Concéntrico festival, which kicks off on 18 June, will keep those of us who can attend busy with its own interpretation of architecture and the city. See you on the other side...

The day out: Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration

Léa Teuscher, sub-editor

I’m looking forward to the opening of the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration in Clerkenwell, London. I’ve walked past the brick walls of the New River Head building many times (it’s just next to Sadler's Wells Theatre in Angel), and always wondered what it looked like inside. From Friday, we will be able to see how the derelict waterworks engine house and coal stores have been transformed by Tim Ronalds Architects into the UK’s only space dedicated to the art of illustration. It’s a wonderful project, celebrating not only the genius of Blake’s dynamic and whimsical drawings, but also an often overlooked art form. The inaugural exhibitions focus on Blake’s theatrical works, queer comic-makers, and the kaleidoscopic illustration of Welsh-Sri Lankan illustrator Murugiah. I can’t wait to visit the free reference library and look for cockatoos in the boutique.

The sporting event: the World Cup

Anna Fixsen, US editor

My football career ended sometime circa 1999, when I accidentally gave a kid a concussion during a scrimmage. However, with the World Cup landing stateside beginning 11 June, I am ready to re-immerse myself in the sport – sans head injuries. Fortunately, New York’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, is aiming to create a ‘World Cup that belongs to New Yorkers’, not only throwing free fan events across the five boroughs, but also reserving 1,000 affordable tickets to lucky locals for when the matches arrive at MetLife Stadium in a few weeks. I’ve thrown my name in the hat for the cheap tickets, but if Lady Luck isn’t on my side, you’ll catch me watching the games in Brooklyn Bridge Park or a sunny rooftop watering hole. #Goals – in more ways than one!

The new year brings travel into focus. While the months ahead may herald anticipated openings, 2025 has already delivered a series of assured arrivals – hotels led by design, intent and context. From Taipei’s first luxury opening in over a decade to the long-awaited Chancery Rosewood, and a Saudi resort carved into the landscape itself, these projects stand apart. Each has a singular character, and each is worth the journey.

The best hotel openings of 2025

Capella Taipei

Long-awaited in the Taiwanese capital, Capella Taipei marked the city’s first true luxury hotel debut in over a decade. Conceived by André Fu, the hotel occupies part of a newly built glass tower by Tokyo’s Mori Building Group, unfolding as a modern urban mansion shaped by the Hong Kong-born designer’s own encounters with Taipei. The 86-room property sits in a calm, subtle palette, where bespoke fixtures and artisanal details form a sophisticated urban bolthole. Four on-site restaurants sharpen the hotel’s profile, while the dramatic Glasshouse crowns the ensemble with a three-storey bar complex. A minimalist spa, finished with beige barrel-vaulted ceilings, completes the picture with celestial, lunar-led treatments.

Capella Taipei is located at No. 139, DunHua N Rd, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 105

Read our full review of Capella Taipei

The Chancery Rosewood

Once Eero Saarinen’s modernist vision of American diplomacy, the former US Embassy on Grosvenor Square re-emerged this year as The Chancery Rosewood. A sensitive restoration saw British architect Sir David Chipperfield and French interior designer Joseph Dirand recast the Grade II-listed landmark as an all-suite hotel defined by Rosewood’s high-touch hospitality. Across 144 suites, softened geometries, tactile layering, and a palette of neutrals and burnished tones create a cocooning sense of calm; a language echoed through all public spaces and the Asaya Spa. Eight restaurants and bars introduce their own unhurried atmospheres, including the first European outpost of New York institution Carbone and Japanese chef Masa Takayama’s Tobi Masa. Meanwhile, the seventh-floor Eagle Bar opens onto panoramic views across London.

The Chancery Rosewood is located at 30 Grosvenor Sq, London W1K 9AN, UK

Read our full review of The Chancery Rosewood

Desert Rock Resort

Set within Saudi Arabia’s dramatic Hejaz mountains, Desert Rock Resort rises directly from millennia-old granite. Fifty-four villas and ten suites feel almost geological. Conceived by Oppenheim Architecture, the resort doesn’t impose itself on the terrain; it yields to it. Stone quarried during construction was folded back into the architecture. Studio Paolo Ferrari brought the same reverence to the interiors, allowing the raw power of the setting to remain the focal point. Dining unfolds across Nyra’s elemental wood-fire kitchen, Mica’s forward-thinking cocktail programme, Basalt’s reassuring comfort dishes, and Wadi’s lively poolside scene. On the valley’s far edge sits the spa, built against a towering rock face.

Desert Rock Resort is located at 7GQVP67Q+5P 48561, Saudi Arabia

Read our full review of Desert Rock Resort

The Eve Hotel Sydney

The Eve Hotel Sydney arrived as a vibrant new marker on the cusp of the Central Business District. Designed as a warm brick-and-biophilic low-rise by local firm SJB, with landscape architect Daniel Baffsky and interior designer George Livissianis, the hotel balances architectural restraint with bursts of colour. The 102 rooms, hued to the Australian bush, each feature balconies overlooking shingled rooftops and greenery. On the food front, guests can choose between Bar Julius, a European-inflected lobby bar, and Lottie, the rooftop Mexican restaurant and mezcaleria. Also upstairs, the Sukabumi-tiled rooftop pool beckons, though the surrounding mix of native and exotic flora demands equal attention.

The Eve Hotel Sydney is located at 8 Baptist St, Redfern NSW 2016, Australia

Read our full review of The Eve Hotel Sydney

Few & Far Luvhondo

Husband-and-wife adventurers Jacob and Sarah Dusek introduced Few & Far Luvhondo, a safari eco-lodge offering front-row access to the raw wilderness of South Africa’s Limpopo province. Designed by Nicholas Plewman Architects in collaboration with Ohkre Collective, the lodge’s six cliff-edge suites take their sculptural cues from Africa’s most emblematic trees, notably the monumental baobabs that anchor the surrounding landscape. Nature continues indoors, where clay-toned earths, sky blues and deep greens echo the terrain. In the kitchen, chef Nhlakanipho Soxhela leads a thoughtful farm-to-table programme celebrating regional cooking. Days unfold through immersive encounters with land and culture, from daily game drives to outdoor yoga sessions or guided mindfulness practices.

Few & Far Luvhondo is located at R523, Waterpoort, 3813, South Africa

Read our full review of Few & Far Luvhondo

La Fondation

Once a parking lot, La Fondation emerged as a brutalist shell softened by warm hues and muted tones that ripple through its ten floors. Paris-based architecture firm PCA-STREAM reimagined the exterior, while New York studio Roman and Williams infused the interiors with a modern, eclectic character, accented by nods to Piet Mondrian’s De Stijl palette and geometry. Muted tones and artisanal detailing define the 58 guest rooms, and two on-site dining venues offer a mix of French classics and contemporary dishes overseen by chef Thomas Rossi. The latest opening from Groupe Galia also introduces open co-working areas, a health club with a climbing wall, a spa with a semi-Olympic pool, and a rooftop garden with views from Sacré-Cœur to the Eiffel Tower.

La Fondation is located at 40 Rue Legendre, 75017 Paris, France

Read our full review of La Fondation

Patina Osaka

With the Osaka Expo pulling global focus, Patina Osaka debuted at just the right moment. Set in a 20-storey glass tower by Jun Mitsui & Associates Inc. Architects, the property, which marked the Japan debut for the Singapore-based group, sits between the Osaka Castle and Naniwa-no-Miya-Ato Park. Tokyo-based studio Strickland shaped the interiors with crisp Japanese geometries, softened by sculptural curves and copper accents that nod to the castle. Five dining concepts anchor the hotel, fronted by P72, where Japan’s 72 micro-seasons inform dishes served beneath a dramatic timber ‘roots’ installation. The Patina Spa is the real draw, offering hyperbaric oxygen, cryotherapy and holistic treatments for a full-spectrum reset.

Patina Osaka is located at 3-91, Banba-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, 540-0007, Japan

Read our full review of Patina Osaka

The Standard, Pattaya Na Jomtien

A ten-building beach resort with plenty of swagger became The Standard’s fourth outpost in Thailand, pairing luxury with the brand’s trademark wit and creative flair. Led by the group’s global head of design, Verena Haller, alongside DIN Studio and Studio Lupine, The Standard Pattaya Na Jomtien occupies a sculptural white complex by Thai firm Onion, whose undulating curves echo their work for The Standard Bangkok and Hua Hin. Its 161 rooms, offered in seven generous configurations, feature high ceilings and sunlight-drenched spaces. Dining spans Sereia, an elegant seafood restaurant sourcing from Thailand’s eastern seaboard, and Esmé, a beach bar channelling CDMX street food. The adults-only spa, Mmhmmm, embraces the mud-bathing renaissance with a dedicated outdoor terrace for the ritual.

The Standard, Pattaya Na Jomtien is located at 8/12 Moo 2, Soi Na Jomtien 10, Na Jomtien, Sattahip, Chonburi 20250, Thailand

Read our full review of The Standard, Pattaya Na Jomtien

Villa Dubrovnik

Long a friend of Wallpaper,* Brazilian architect Arthur Casas and his studio led the reimagining of Villa Dubrovnik, the 1961 modernist landmark perched dramatically above the Dalmatian coast. Guided by the Croatian philosophy of fjaka –an artful devotion to unhurried living – the interiors are measured and serene, grounded in local tradition. Custom blankets and cushions, woven with patterns drawn from regional dialects, thread a quiet sense of place through all 56 rooms. Dining unfolds across moods: Restaurant Pjerin for refined dégustation or à la carte dining, Giardino for relaxed lunches, and aperitivo-worthy views at Libero Bar or the rooftop Galanto Bar. When the Adriatic sun takes its toll, the spa delivers restorative facials, massages, and exfoliating rituals.

Villa Dubrovnik is located at Ul. Vlaha Bukovca 6, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Read our full review of Villa Dubrovnik

W New York – Union Square

W Hotels’ evolution trades party-first theatrics for grown-up confidence, without losing its spark. The shift is clearest at W New York – Union Square, the global flagship, alongside newer openings in Florence and Budapest. Opened in 2000, the hotel has been reimagined by original architects Rockwell Group with a lighter, more assured hand. Its 256 rooms and suites balance scale with playfulness. On the food front, Seahorse pairs heritage and modernity with unmistakable New York ease; the high-energy Living Room (once a ballroom) serves cocktails and light bites, flowing into the laid-back Living Room Café; and upstairs, the 17th floor is home to Union Square’s only rooftop bar.

W New York – Union Square is located at 1567 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, United States

Read our full review of W New York – Union Square

The shifts of nature are expressed through a contemporary lens across Patina Osaka – from walls framing greenery and the natural material palette of its interiors, through to the garden-grown contents of its plates and meditative music experiences. Its opening is timely: Osaka is shining brighter than ever in the global spotlight this year, courtesy of the high-profile Osaka Expo currently underway and an ongoing tourism boom fuelling a rush of new hotels in a region not typically renowned for its luxury credentials.

Wallpaper* checks in at Patina Osaka

What’s on your doorstep?

Forget the neon buzz and shopping crowds of central Osaka hotspots: the hotel sits a nudge away from the throngs, just opposite greenery-wrapped Osaka Castle and alongside Naniwa-no-Miya-Ato Park, an archaeology-rich site where a former seventh-century palace marking the first Imperial capital once stood. As a result, the hotel feels like a serene, calm and unusually green escape – yet it’s just a quick hop into the city’s urban heart.

Who is behind the design?

The 221-room hotel offers a fresh modern take on urban hotel experiences – with its warm contemporary design, impressive wellness technology (anyone for a chilly cryotherapy session?), culinary innovations (it has three restaurants, a tea lounge and a bar, plus a lushly edible garden on-site), a meditative Listening Room and DJ-soundtracked cocktails. Experiences are rooted in so-called Perpetual Journeys – a sharply curated programme of activities ranging from morning stretches and herb tea workshops to music sessions. It’s the Japan debut for its Singapore-based company, which will deepen its imprint here early next year, with the launch of Capella Kyoto.

The 20-storey glass tower was created by Jun Mitsui & Associates Inc. Architects as a contemporary urban sanctuary, with its clean lines and nature-inspired textures (wood, stone, earth, copper) designed to harmonise with the layered heritage that surrounds it. Inside, the design was masterminded by Strickland, with the idea of seasonal kisetsukan threaded through its creative DNA. Osaka Castle’s signature stone walls and copper roof are mirrored in material accents throughout. Full walls of windows capturing Osaka Castle hovering among a lush expanses of greenery (with bursts of pink cherry blossoms in spring and fiery red autumnal shades later in the year) are also a key visual feature, all complemented by a rich scattering of bespoke contemporary crafts and artworks.

The room to book

From the moment shoes are slipped off in stone genkan entrances, an escapist sense of stillness defines the 221 rooms and suites. Inside, a soothing natural palette (dark woods, woven rugs, textured stone, sage textiles) is balanced with clean contemporary lines, hovering lanterns, modern artworks and crafted furniture. Minimalist white washi paper headboards echo the boulders of Osaka Castle; while a sense of modern Japan is evoked in window-side tatami benches. Outdoor balconies – perfect for sipping a signature Patina tea blend (green and black with a touch of yuzu) – are a highlight in 48 rooms, including spacious corner suites. Bathrooms provide a further sense of sanctuary, with deep bathtubs wrapped in grey stonework accompanied by Bamford amenities and aromatic salts.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Food is imaginatively expressed through the seasons. The buzzy heartbeat is ground floor restaurant P72 (named after Japan’s 72 microseasons). Here, beneath a vast floating wood installation crafted from reclaimed Osaka wood factory scraps, diners enjoy a 70 per cent plant-based menu (my lunch highlight is a fresh and colourful spread of daikon, dill, onion, shitake, garlic and parsley, served on crafted Gifu ceramics). Ingredients are sourced from local farmers, as well as the hotel’s thriving garden, which the restaurant overlooks, home to a constellation of herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables.

Iñaki, on the 19th floor, offers a flavour-packed contemporary expression of Basque cuisine, with castle views and a rich interior reflecting the gradated shades of the seasons, complete with a vast dried flowers and plant installation spanning the ceilings. Home to a Josper charcoal-fired grill, menu highlights include the smoky umami of a delicious foie gras tortellini in broth with pickled plum umeboshi and lemon, and the salty softness of seaweater ice cream with almond foam and olive oil. Meanwhile, Barin serves up teppanyaki dishes at an intimate wood counter, overlooking both the chefs and city views, with a 10m-long gold leaf panel artwork journeying through Osaka’s history; while Nijiri Tea Lounge is a contemporary tea space, offering an array of regional teas in a peaceful windowside space.

At sunset, head to the 20th floor Sonata Lounge & Bar to soak up live DJ sets and castle views, alongside original cocktails inspired by 1970 Osaka (the last time the city hosted Expo) – including the popular Moonshot, blending miso, shiso, cardamon and soda. Music is a key theme at the hotel, reflected in an intimate space with a wall pieced together from 60 Japanese speakers dating back to 1965. Soon to come is also a special Listening Room by OJAS. The immersive audio venture, created by New York-based artist Devon Turnbull, will transform music into reflective meditation, with an experience called Morning Soundscapes unfolding daily between 6 am and 10 am for up to ten guests.

Where to switch off

Wellness ranges from the holistic to the high-tech. The fourth floor is home to a network of spaces dedicated to health-tech innovations not often found in Japan. Testimony to this? I find myself marching on the spot, in special shoes, socks and gloves, in a futuristic-looking cryotherapy chamber, shrouded in misty temperatures as low as minus -196C, for a precise three minutes (although bizarrely, it feels only slightly chilly), before being warmed up from the inside-out with a peaceful Infrared sauna session (my favourite bit). Other innovations include hyperbaric oxygen and hydrogen therapy, and LED body treatments – plus, in six spa suites, personalised facials and massages with seasonal oils (rose-infused in early summer). A high-tech gym, an aerial yoga studio and a heated 20m pool, with Osaka Castle views (plus water-based meditation and stretches) are further highlights.

The verdict

Patina Osaka – the brand’s second hotel and its first city setting – stands out as offering something a little different. Housed in a new glass tower rising from a site steeped in more than 1,300 years of history, the hotel balances a sense of urban sanctuary with art and design, music and high-tech wellness – tapping into the concept of ‘transformative luxury’ that underpins the brand. Staff are warm and refreshingly down-to-earth. Despite the grown-up activities that abound, the hotel is also unwaveringly friendly and welcoming to families.

Patina Osaka is located at 3-91 Banbacho, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 540-0007, Japan.

An ‘all-encompassing voyage’ is how Louis Vuitton describes an expansive new exhibition, 'Visionary Journeys’, which unfolds in Osaka’s Nakanoshima Museum of Art this summer. Coinciding with the World Expo Osaka Kansai 2025, and marking 170 years since Louis Vuitton was founded, it continues the house’s deep-rooted relationship with the country – Louis Vuitton has collaborated with numerous Japanese artists and designers, from Rei Kawakubo to Takeshi Murakami and Yayoi Kusama, and hosted its Cruise 2018 show at the Miho Museum, Kyoto.

Louis Vuitton opens two new exhibitions in Osaka, Japan

Indeed, Kusama – who is responsible for some of Louis Vuitton’s most distinctive, dot-covered handbags, part of a collaboration which began in 2012 – is being celebrated in a coinciding exhibition, also in Osaka (it is the latest iteration of Fondation Louis Vuitton’s ‘Hors-les-murs’ scheme, which aims to bring the Paris institution’s collection of contemporary art to a wider, international audience). Titled ‘Yayoi Kusama – Infinity’, it features a wide-ranging selection of hallucinatory works by the celebrated artist, including her ‘Infinity’ rooms, which use mirrors to give the illusion you are standing within a limitless space (and often feature her most distinctive motifs, from dots to pumpkins). Kusama herself calls the act of standing in such spaces as one of ‘self-obliteration'.

Comprising over 1,000 objects, ‘Visionary Journeys’, meanwhile, is rooted in Louis Vuitton’s near-two-century history, and its foundation in travel – both real and imagined (the eponymous Louis Vuitton, after journeying to Paris by foot in 1837, would become known as a trunk maker for the era’s burgeoning travelling classes). Presenting a more abstracted view of this history, ‘Visionary Journeys’ takes place over 12 ‘chapters’ – from ‘Origins’, which links the house’s early trunks to contemporary iterations of the signature object, to ‘Expeditions’, which traces more adventurous innovations (among them, the ‘Secrétaire Bureau Stokowski’, a travelling desk, and a hardy zinc version of the trunk).

Another chapter explores the links between Louis Vuitton and Japan more closely – from the ‘Japonisme’ of early Louis Vuitton creations, to the collaborations with Murakami, Kusama, Kawakubo, and NIGO – and takes place amid a unique display of floating tatami platforms (a book on the subject, ‘Louis Vuitton Japan’, published by Rizzoli, will also launch in July). Meanwhile, in the atrium of the Endō Katsuhiko-designed museum, guests will find eight enormous trunks constructed from washi, a traditional Japanese paper. Lit from within, they form lanterns, a suitably transportative entranceway to the exhibition, which has been curated by Florence Müller and designed by Shohei Shigematsu of OMA.

‘Visionary Journeys’ at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka, runs until 17 September 2025.

‘Yayou Kusama: Infinity – Selected Works from the Collection’ runs at Espace Louis Vuitton Osaka until 12 January 2026

louisvuitton.com

The Waldorf Astoria Osaka has opened its doors just in time for Expo Osaka 2025. The luxury hotel is a new addition to Osaka’s thriving Grand Green development of shops and hotels and brings a slice of New York glamour to the city.

What’s on your doorstep?

Grand Green Osaka in the Umeda district has been the focus of much development over the last five years. Once an area of former freight yards, it has been transformed into a luxury shopping and tourism destination. Situated next to the city’s central JR station, it's a ten-minute walk or short cab ride from the shinkansen (bullet train), if you’re coming in from out of town. The Waldorf Astoria is the jewel in Grand Green’s crown.

Who’s behind the design?

André Fu, the man responsible for designing some of Asia’s most notable hotels. The influences of art deco New York are felt throughout the carefully considered design, which seamlessly blends Japanese tradition with Waldorf Astoria’s Big Apple DNA. In the hotel reception – situated on the 29th floor – guests are greeted by a breathtaking water feature at the heart of a wooden ‘lantern’ design. ‘I dreamt of a purist space of timber battens, crafted to mimic the visual expression of a lantern,’ says Fu. ‘A place that transcends a sense of quietness, a world that evokes visual continuity and purity.’

A passageway, which invites guests to journey to the hotel’s central meeting areas, is lined with wooden beams inspired by the Inari shrine gates of Kyoto.

‘I see this property as a quintessential interplay of cultures and eras, where the refined geometry and sculptural forms of art deco are reimagined through a distinctly Japanese Lens,’ says Fu. ‘I have drawn inspiration from Osaka’s Yodoko guest house, an art deco-style residence designed in 1918 by Frank Lloyd Wright, integrating layered symmetry, rhythmic patterns, and masterful craftsmanship to create an immersive spatial experience.’

The room to book

We stayed in number 3524 – a fantastic corner residence with sweeping views over Osaka. But you’d be thrilled with any one of the 248 residences. Even the entry-level rooms deliver an impressive sense of openness and comfort.

Each room features a thoughtfully curated mini-bar, blending artisanal local offerings with a selection of international classics. Bathrooms are outfitted with Aesop amenities and vanity kits adorned with a peacock motif, echoing the intricate tilework found in Peacock Alley, the signature Waldorf Astoria restaurant.

Where to switch off?

The on-site spa offers a comprehensive range of treatments, from massage to facials. The thermal spa boasts a jacuzzi, a steam room and a sauna (individual for men and women) and an indoor pool.

Unwind with a session on one of the expansive gym’s Peloton bikes, or take a leisurely swim at sunset, with Osaka’s city lights twinkling in view.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Do book in at Tsukiki. The teppanyaki restaurant offers an omakase menu where top-grade Kobe beef is cooked by expert chefs. The Nodogoro fish was an equally special dish for those not indulging in red meat.

Visitors to the original Waldorf Astoria in New York will feel a sense of familiarity in the triple-height heart of the hotel, Peacock Alley. A custom-made Shiseido art deco clock is the bar’s centrepiece. Make sure you leave time for afternoon tea served on Ginori tableware.

And at Canes & Tales, the 47-seat hotel speakeasy, playful Jazz Age-inspired cocktails are the stars of the show.

The verdict

Seamlessly blending Japanese heritage with New York elegance, The Waldorf Astoria Osaka delivers a world-class hospitality experience in the heart of one of Japan’s most dynamic cities. With its arresting design, impeccable service, and a dining scene that respects both tradition and innovation, the property positions itself as an instant landmark well positioned to serve the Expo 2025 crowds and beyond. Whether you're visiting for business, leisure, or simply to soak in a new chapter of global luxury, this is Osaka at its most refined.

hilton.com/waldorf-astoria-osaka

The 28th floor of a skyscraper in the heart of Osaka is not an obvious place to find the serene stillness of traditional Japanese-style rooms, typically characterised by a play of light and shadow mixed with the scent of tatami, low-lying futon beds and modern tea rituals. This dynamic setting is just one of the elements that define the layered DNA of Four Seasons Hotel Osaka.

Wallpaper* checks in at Four Seasons Hotel Osaka

What’s on your doorstep?

The brand’s fourth presence in Japan (joining two in Tokyo and one in nearby Kyoto) spans 12 levels of a 49-storey tower with a façade inspired by a sailboat courtesy of architects Nikken Sekkei in the central Dojima district. Beyond its corporate veneer, Dojima has emerged as one of Osaka’s most interesting neighbourhoods, home to a flourishing independent coffee scene. Between visits to cultural landmarks such as the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka and the National Museum of Art, Osaka, make time for a coffee at local favourites Nito Coffee & Craft Beer, Embankment Coffee or one of the city’s outposts of Glitch Coffee & Roasters.

Who is behind the design?

The contemporary and elegant interiors at the 175-room hotel were brought to life by the layered vision of a trio of Japan-based studios, each with its own creative imprint: Curiosity, Simplicity and Design Studio Spin.

In a reflection of Osaka’s reputation as a warm, open and friendly city, the lobby – designed by Curiosity – is firmly rooted on the ground floor, unlike many Japanese skyscraper hotels, where check-in often unfolds in escapist upper-level sanctuaries in the clouds. Here, sunlight filters through green plants, wood lattices and textured expanses of stone walls – inspired by nearby Osaka Castle – creating a journey through a series of light-toned flowing spaces.

The flow is tempered by a sweeping modern staircase – the organic amber form of a sculpture by contemporary lacquerware artist Genta Ishizuka at its base – leading up to an expansive light-flooded ballroom, with white geometric curtain textiles by Reiko Sudo of Nuno. Standing out among the pale natural palette of the lobby is the sharply contrasting lift area – a monotone box of deep orange-red lacquer, its reflective surfaces amplified with mirrors and rich carpets, alongside simple black ink etchings by Ayako Someya.

The room to book

There are seven levels of Curiosity-designed guest rooms, from the 29th to the 35th floors – serenely deluxe enclaves of elegantly layered materials in a medley of neutral tones, with light wood lattices framing window-side seating and cubed white textile lighting, plus deep square bathtubs and cinematic skyscraper views across the city, mountains and Osaka Bay.

The ambience tilts on the 28th floor – home to an entire level of contemporary Japanese ryokan-style rooms, designed by Tokyo studio Simplicity. Called Gensui – gen meaning the deepest black and sui for water, reflecting Osaka’s maritime heritage – this floor offers a rare taste of traditional Japanese aesthetics with a modern edge. Elevator doors open, and visitors are immediately plunged into still expanses of darkness. Designed to be experienced barefoot, there are tatami-mat spaces, with low-level furnishings and futon-style beds on a platform set against light washi paper walls and deep black bathtubs.

Book the 88 sq m Grand Tatami Suite for a more expansive take on the contemporary ryokan experience. Alongside a generous living area, a sunken dining table for four and a large daybed positioned by the picture window, guests gain access to the Sabo Lounge, exclusive to the Gensui floor. Here, daily rituals range from an evening sake hour to rotating craft workshops exploring traditions such as daruma painting, mizuhiki and origami, while mornings begin with the option of a Japanese-style bento breakfast.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

The ground floor is home to artisanal bakery Farine – don’t leave without trying its truffle brioche – alongside all-day restaurant Jardin, where a semi-buffet breakfast is offered to all guests. Highlights include the Farine croissant benedict, topped with poached egg, crushed Hass avocado and seasonal sprouts, and the Kara-ffle, an Osaka-inspired savoury waffle layered with dried bonito, seaweed, fried chicken, maple syrup and chilli sauce.

The mood (and glamour factor) soars a notch at the 37th-floor apex, by Design Studio Spin – home to a dizzying monochrome sweep of water-inspired walls that flow into the sultry Bar Bota, with its sparkling city views as intoxicating as the botanicals-infused cocktails. Nearby, a temple-like corridor transitions into Jiang Nan Chun, a fresh modern take on Cantonese cuisine served beneath high ceilings alongside expansive city views and a rich contemporary interior, layering the textiles of centuries Kyoto kimono makers Hosoo with the sculptural form of a plum blossom light.

Also on this level is Sushi L’Abysse Osaka Yannick Alléno, where chef Yasuda Itaru brings together French gastronomy and Japanese craftsmanship through an inventive omakase that might pair fresh seafood with courses such as red endive salad or pear shaped into a delicate leaf and finished with crystallised shiso.

Where to switch off

Simplicity also dreamt up the minimalist serenity of the 36th-floor spa. Home to five window-side treatment rooms, a 16m pool and Japanese-style baths, it has a lighter tone, with minimalist expanses of stone and light wood spanning its curved walls and corner-free corridors. Key to the design were, according to Ogata, notions of ‘blankness’ and ‘transition – from yin to yang, public to private, outside to inside’, conveyed through a minimalist material palette of beige or white soil, timber and stone.

The verdict

It’s rare to find a hotel that balances tradition and modernity with such confidence. Yet Four Seasons Osaka makes the coexistence feel entirely natural, weaving together contemporary design, local craftsmanship and the brand’s characteristically polished approach to hospitality. Whether checking into the ryokan-inspired tranquillity of the Gensui floor or one of the contemporary rooms above, guests are treated to a thoughtfully layered experience that feels distinctly rooted in Osaka while remaining unmistakably Four Seasons.

Four Seasons Hotel Osaka is located at 2 Chome-4-32 Dojima, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0003, Japan. Rates: from ¥80,000

In the second of this three-part series on the tradition and innovation behind Japanese hair art (our journey began with geiko wigmakers in Kyoto), photographer Prissilya Junewin and writer Makoto Kikuchi travel to Osaka to visit hairstylist Yumeko Yume, whose niche salon specialises in styles from the 1960s and 1970s. 

Hair Salon Yumeya, Osaka: niche and conceptual

Located in a building in Shinsaibashi, Osaka, the most well-known shopping district in the city, there is a small hair salon called Yumeya. Its owner, Yumeko Yume, is an avid fan of the Japanese 1960s and 1970s – the mid-Shōwa era. Opening the inorganic yet nostalgic stainless steel door, you will find a fancy space covered in shades of pink with retro music playing in the background.

Yumeko opened her salon here in 2000, with funds she saved from working part-time at public baths and for several salons for about five to six years. ‘I was so young at the time that it was easy to be optimistic about my business,’ she says. Inspired by one of the beauty salons she had worked at before, Yumeko only sees one customer at a time, which is rare even in Japan, a country with a staggering amount of beauty salons.

One of the salon’s main features is its specialisation in hair styles from the 1960s to the 1970s, which Yumeko has been fascinated by since high school. ‘I was interested in the music and manga of the time, but most of all, I loved the fashion scene,’ she explains. ‘I didn’t have a lot of money growing up, so I used to buy all kinds of retro-looking second-hand clothes, like patterned shirts and bell-bottoms.’ 

As an antiques collector, one of her most treasured items is a vintage hair curler. She says, ‘I bought it at a flea market, had it repaired, and still use it at my salon. My mother used to have a curler just like this one, and I adored it.’

When it came to the interior design, Yumeko was adamant that she would maintain the singular style she had honed over the years. In her own words: ‘If I’m going to do this on my own, I’ll do it my way.’ The art deco-style mirror that sets the shop apart was custom-made based on the design of one of her favorite earrings. The green chair, as striking as the mirror, is made by a Scandinavian designer. ‘I love the way it looks, but I found it very uncomfortable to use. On my first day, I ran out and bought a chair specifically for the beauty salon,’ she says with a laugh.

More than half of her customers are so-called ‘Shōwa maniacs’, people who love the culture of Japan's Shōwa era. They collect items from that time and wear fashion that faithfully reproduces the clothing of the era. Many of them visit the salon for special occasions, such as weddings, or dress-up events held within the Shōwa fan community.

 ‘In addition to Osaka, there are also many customers from other parts of Japan, such as Kobe,’ continues Yumeko, ‘and of course, there are also some people who come in for daily haircuts, which makes me very happy.’

The requests from these enthusiasts are diverse and specific. Some bring in photos of popular actors of the time and ask for a ‘millimeter-by-millimeter’ likeness, while others show reference images of characters from manga, such as comics by Osamu Tezuka and Aim for the Ace! by Sumika Yamamoto. Yumeko says that basic fundamental skills are necessary to accurately recreate such Shōwa-era hairstyles. ‘The first hair salon I worked at had a variety of customers, from the young to the elderly. I think the fact that I was trained in the essentials there helped me to develop my skills today.’

In addition to running a hair salon, she also organizes events for Shōwa enthusiasts, some of which focus on music from that era, and Shōwa-themed flea markets in a venue that still retains the interior design of an old cabaret to this day. 

She adds: ‘Osaka is very competitive, so you never know when a place will go bankrupt. The interior is really cool, and I want it to keep it going somehow, so I try to hold events that make it attractive for young people to come. It’s not that I have any big ambitions to pass it on to the younger generation, but I would be happy if the community could expand, even if only a little.’

Onset interpretation: Moe Koga. Production: Mothership Tokyo  

For seasoned shoppers, ‘Where shall we lunch?’ used to be a question fraught with existential angst, especially after a successful retail spree through a bold-faced named couturier.

This is no longer the case for Louis Vuitton loyalists dropping into the marque’s new four-storey flagship store in Osaka where in-house architects inserted a café and restaurant at the top of the billowing white façade – the latter stylishly mimicking the sails of traditional Higaki-Kaisen cargo ships.

Both venues are collaborations with Yosuke Suga, the celebrated Japanese chef overseeing a pair of serene spaces lined with terrazzo and furnished with, in the case of Le Café V, coloured discs that mimic the sea and a prow-shaped bar; and in the adjoining Sugalabo V restaurant – a bijou, moodily lit space wrapped around an open kitchen accessed through a speakeasy-type panel – with trompe l’oeil cube floors, dark panels, and high leather-swathed stools.

Le Café V, in particular, pairs its sunny room with an equally relaxed menu of Turzum and Kagoshima teas, satsuma juice, and an Earl Grey-infused gin and tonic to go with crab macaroni au gratin, and a crisp Croque Monsieur oozing with Raclette and Abondance. Or skip all that and head straight for the millefeuille scented with Madagascar vanilla.

ADDRESS

2-8-16 Shinsaibashi-suji
Chuo-ku
Osaka 

VIEW GOOGLE MAPS

While the pared-back, funky and minimal facilities hotel model popularised by the likes of the Ace and Zoku may already be a familiar one in the West, it has yet to gain a significant foothold in Asia. With the launch of its Moxy diffusion brand in Osaka, the Marriott group hopes to change all that.  

Geared explicitly towards a more adventurous and socially upwardly mobile Japanese clientele, the Moxy Osaka Honmachi is both a gamble and lively experiment in minimising extraneous elements without sacrificing comfort. Considerably aiding the cause is local based studio Wise Labo, who have taken an 11-storey undergarment warehouse and showroom in a quiet neighbourhood of hole-in-the-wall eateries, sushi bars and seal makers, and carved out 155 remarkably comfortable and spacious rooms.

In the bedrooms panelled in rough-hewn timber veneer, tables and chairs (modified from the original Yabu Pushelberg designs) fold away when not required, and bulky wardrobes have been replaced by wall hooks, while bar fridges are relegated to the ground floor lobby cafeteria which is stocked with fruit-infused water, ice-cream, instant noodles, salads, snacks and tinned smoked fish. 

For road warriors, there are plenty of cosy nooks and work desks, alongside a large conference room and a surprisingly well-stocked gym. 

ADDRESS

2-2-9 Kawaramachi
Chuo-ku

VIEW GOOGLE MAPS

A Brazilian Jabuticaba tree branches elegantly from a square-based planter, taking centre stage in the minimalist Ito-Biyori café in Osaka. Utilising a warm palette of oak and Southern Japanese Hemlock, the interiors, by local architect Yasuo Imazu of Ninkipen Studio are earthy and stripped-down, reflecting the clean, organic and seasonal food on the menu. A large, circular mirror in the centre of a wall breaks up the space’s straight edges while Wishbone chairs by Danish furniture designer Hans J. Wegner suggests and undertone of comfort to the otherwise deceptively simple room. Sliding window panels connect the cafe’s interior to the patio outside, a former parking lot converted into a garden by designer Akemi Hatta, allowing guests to enjoy homemade pastries and cakes with a side of nature.

ADDRESS

Chome-27-6
Midorigaoka 1
Toyonaka-shi
Osaka 560-0002

VIEW GOOGLE MAPS