Will the revamped Park Hyatt Tokyo keep its cinematic soul?

Some places reside in the mind with a vividness that precedes any real visit. The New York Grill and Bar at Park Hyatt Tokyo is one of them: an atmospheric perch on the 52nd floor of Dr Kenzo Tange’s Shinjuku Park Tower, forever immortalised in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation (2003), where Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray drift into a tender, transient friendship high above the neon-washed city of contrasts.

As Park Hyatt Tokyo readies for its grand reopening – following an extensive transformation that began with its temporary closure in early 2024 – a question lingers for film fans: will the hotel keep its cinematic soul? The fortunate news is that the New York Grill and Bar will remain untouched, still clad in John Morford’s original black-ebony-and-walnut palette, its soaring windows pulling the skyline inside, its intimate tables offset by Valerio Adami’s riotous murals of New York landmarks. Window tables will again frame vertiginous views: Mount Fuji to one side on a clear day, Shinjuku’s skyscrapers to the other. In the kitchen, new chef de cuisine Ben Wheeler will continue the serving of beloved classics, including the signature Caesar salad and Hokkaido seared scallops.

Elsewhere, change at Park Hyatt Tokyo is afoot, courtesy of Paris-based Studio Jouin Manku. Guest rooms and suites are being reimagined, with a layout designed for a more fluid flow, while a new Park Suite category will frame views of Yoyogi Park, Meiji Shrine and Shibuya. In addition, Girandole, the brasserie-style restaurant, will return, this time, in partnership with Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse. Also, resuming operations with a renewed glow is The Peak Lounge and Bar, with its two-storey soaring glass atrium and surrounding lush bamboo grove.

While the easiest way to enjoy a soft, honeyed Coppola moment is by indulging in the New York Bar’s signature Lost in Translation cocktail – a sweet mix of Kikuizumi Daiginjo sake, sakura liqueur, Peachtree schnapps and cranberry juice – we hereby propose a more subtle, insider approach. First, stay in the Diplomat Suite or a Deluxe Room, where much of the film was shot. Next, seek out the indigo-toned bowl used for wasabi nuts – the very design that Johansson holds in a scene. Made by Japanese glassmaker Toyo-Sasaki, it was discontinued a decade ago but is still produced exclusively for the hotel. Finally, for a Suntory moment, order Hibiki 17 Year Old Whisky neat or on the rocks.

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A version of this article appears in the October 2025 Issue of Wallpaper*, available in print on newsstands, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today