Tokyo Here I Come – So It’s a bit Far from Paris!

Had anyone asked me to go to Tokyo for only fours days (including travel time) I would have said, “thank you but no.” Even my friend, Savvy Traveler Rudy Maxa, sent me an email alluding to the fact that he thought I was losing it. But there was no way I was going to pass on the trip when I heard that Japan Airlines (an Air France co-share) would be upgrading us to business or what the airline refers to as their “Seasons” Executive class. I should confess I was negligent in doing my usual research when preparing for a trip. As it was last minute, I hadn’t bought guidebooks and, with the exception of surfing some Internet sites, my main introduction to Tokyo came from watching the movie, “Lost in Translation.” I’ve watched it since my return and think it captures some of the spirit of Tokyo in a funky sort of way. We were booked at the brand new Conrad Hotel that had opened only five days before we arrived. I anticipated lots of start-up problems but was ever so wrong. The hotel was running like a finely tuned engine. German-born Jan Monkedieck, the hotel’s General Manager, explained that the Japanese won’t tolerate “soft openings” and the day you open is the day everything must be in place. “Not that there won’t be ongoing refinements,” Monkedieck said, “but they won’t be visible to guests.” Monkedieck and his team weren’t kidding. All 290 rooms (68 of which are suites) were ready to go. The hotel occupies the upper ten floors of the Tokyo Shindrome Building, a 37-story tower with a drop-dead view of Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge that spans the city’s Bay. The City View rooms, overlooking the Hamarikyu Gardens, are equally dramatic and have the same amenities that business (and leisure) travelers need and want. · High speed and wireless Internet connects;· Portable telephones that guests can take with them throughout the hotel so they never have to miss a call. Management hopes they will eventually be able to be used as cell phones outside of the hotel;· 37-inch plasma screen televisions and DVD players;· A minibar, safe, iron and ironing board and accessories with which to make tea or coffee when you’re in the mood;· A 1400 square-meter-spa and fitness center. One of its highlights is the 25-meter long over-flow black pool that is reminiscent of a pond rather than a “garish” swimming pool. The pool chairs are placed around it to take advantage of the spectacular views. Even though I speak some Japanese words such as sushi, Suntory, Sapporo, Kirin and a few “please and thank you” sound-a-likes, I immediately came to the conclusion there’s no way to conduct business deals between non-fluent Japanese speakers without a translator. It’s not only a question of language but subtle intonations, plus body language that can easily be misconstrued. Even more than the French, the Japanese are increasingly formal with a deeply imbued sense of protocol. My perception is that the Japanese appear to live by the rules. The majority of office workers eat lunch between noon and 1 p.m. When riding an elevator, all bodies face forward and people ride in silence. If the French are considered unfriendly (a huge misnomer), the Japanese flash fewer smiles at foreigners unless they happen to be in the hospitality business. The subways are spotless and now have transliterations using the Western alphabet. When shopping, don’t expect the sales help to speak English or have a calculator. If you want to do the Yen / dollar / Euro conversion, it’s up to you. Gourmets will be in heaven at the Conrad and never have to leave. There are two Gordon Ramsay restaurants (plus the Chef’s table that can accommodate up to eight people). A sushi restaurant that makes those in the US and France look like poor cousins; the China Blue Restaurant, gives new meaning to the concept of Chinese food. Combine these cuisines with the striking décor and the Japanese art of presentation and diners experience food rarely presented. The Conrad Tokyo could be just another well-designed upscale hotel and call it a day. But its designers insisted on integrating modern décor with a profound Japanese essence of serenity. Dark lacquered wood walls unify all of the rooms, floor to ceiling windows, materials such as black granite and white marbles and bathrooms that are sumptuous. The wall over the bed has a sumie-style cherry blossom painting with subtely patterned Japanese foliage and a hidden bird for guests to discover while sipping tea while stretching out on the wall to wall banquette that spans the width of the room under the window. One of the signatures of super deluxe hotels has become its bathrooms. They are separated from the room by a floor-to-ceiling glass wall with wide wooden Venetian blinds that can be controlled by touching a button in the event that you want privacy (or don’t). The Conrad Tokyo and Shiseido jointly developed a range of exclusive amenities for the hotel. The waffle bathrobes hang on the back of the door and there are even pajamas in the event you forgot yours. I experienced so many new things in Tokyo, albeit the all-too-short duration of my stay, that there’s no way I can write about all of them in one fell swoop. So I’ll stop here. However, stay tuned to read about an incredible experience that wants me to book the next flight back – Japan Airlines / Air France — Seasons Executive Class, bien sur. The barrel seats give new meaning to the word of comfort in the skies. They’re so comfortable; it’s rare I sleep as well. Conrad Tokyo1-9-1 Higashi-ShinbashiMinato-ku, Tokkyo105-7337 JapanTel: (81)3-6388-8000Fax: (81) 3-…