A taste of undiscovered Japan in an imposing new hotel

The hotel: Nagoya Kanko Hotel Espacio

Check in

The Nagoya Kanko Hotel Espacio is a new hotel within an original 1930s building. Credit:

Despite being the fourth most-populated Japanese city, Nagoya doesn’t feature on many “must-visit” lists. It’s been called the “Detroit of Japan” due to its car-manufacturing focus (Toyota’s headquarters are nearby) and described as boring in a recent Traveller feature story. More generous types call it the “Chicago of Japan”. (Side note: it’s a complete revelation to me that it’s a sister city of Sydney, and that Hyde Park features the Nagoya Gardens.) So arriving at this imposing 1930s hotel, which sits on a broad avenue overlooking Shimozono Park and stepping inside its cavernous foyer (ornately decorated for Christmas during our November visit) is a pleasant surprise.

The look

The Hotel Espacio has a dedicated reception and lounge area.Credit:

We are staying at Espacio, the newly created hotel within a hotel, with guest rooms on floors nine to 11 and an exclusive reception and lounge on level 18. The original Espacio is in Waikiki, Hawaii, and this is the second iteration of the brand; here stealth-wealth greys and neutrals are mellowed by padded curves, soft carpet and delicate chandelier-style lighting. Dramatic views of glinting skyscrapers and the park’s autumn colours from the lounge’s floor-to-ceiling windows lend a New York (or maybe Chicago?) vibe.

The room

The Espacio all-suite rooms come with a separate kitchen and bathroom (with laundry).Credit:

A supremely comfortable king bedroom with more park views includes a lounge area, a table with two armchairs and a suite of cupboards in the entranceway. There’s a kitchen with fridge and stove (but no utensils or servingware when we visit shortly after Espacio’s opening). A generous bathroom includes a shower area with Japanese-style wooden stool and wash bowl, a large bath and Bulgari toiletries. There’s also a whizz-bang washer-dryer – but you’ll probably need Google Translate to work it (same if you want to stream movies on the TV).

Food + drink

There are several Japanese restaurants including one specialising in yakitori.Credit:

You’d want to stay a while to try every restaurant in the hotel; as well as French-influenced brasserie Le Sud, Cantonese restaurant Ryoju and the Jardin lounge for afternoon tea, there are four intimate Japanese venues specialising in tempura, oden, teppanyaki and yakitori, respectively.

Yakitori is a speciality at one of the hotel’s many restaurants.Credit: Trudi Jenkins

At the latter, three different types of chicken – Koshodori, Nagoya Cochin and Okumino Kojidori – are grilled on skewers over binchotan charcoal as we sit at the sleek blond-wood counter. Not forgetting that complimentary drinks and elaborate snacks are available in the Espacio lounge from 7am (light breakfast) to 9.30pm (nightcap).

Out + about

Local attractions include Nagoya castle, the Atsuta Jingu Shrine, Noritake Ceramics and the Toyota museum, where you can learn about the textile origins of the world’s largest carmaker. I wander past the Science Museum, through the supposedly hip Osu Kannon neighbourhood (probably livelier later in the day), to find good coffee at Double Tall Cafe, and then into the charming Hisaya-odori Garden Flarie, a serene oasis of flowers, fountains and a lake that has vintage food trucks and stalls selling hand-crafted jams, biscuits and pastries. Nearby you’ll find Nagoya Tower, and the main shopping district for well-known brands such as Muji.

The verdict

Nagoya is a world away from over-touristy Tokyo and Kyoto, and this hotel is a luxurious base from which to explore it – just make sure you’ve downloaded a translation app onto your phone.

Essentials

Park views from the hotel.Credit: Trudi Jenkins

Nagoya Kanko Hotel Espacio, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, has rooms starting from $532 (JPY 53,800) a night, including breakfast. None is accessible. SLH’s complimentary loyalty club rate is $522 (JPY 52,858) a night, including breakfast. See slh.com.

Japan Airlines flies to Tokyo from Sydney and Melbourne and a JAL Explorer Pass allows you to fly to 30 cities within Japan. See jal.co.jp

Alternatively, you can take a bullet train to Nagoya from Tokyo (1.5 hours).

Our score out of five

★★★★

Highlight
Experiencing the singular craft of the yakitori chef at the hotel’s Yaoyorozu restaurant.

Lowlight
Realising that my non-existent Japanese (“Arigato” is about it) is problematic in this non-touristy city.

The writer was a guest of Small Luxury Hotels and Japan Airlines.