Tokyo is a city that envelopes you from the moment you arrive—bright, fast and wonderfully sensory. Yet just steps from this energy, TRUNK Hotel has carved out a world designed for urban recharge. At TRUNK Hotel Yoyogi Park, Head of TRUNK Atelier Tomoyuki Tada shares how colour, materiality and thoughtful spatial planning help guests settle into a slower rhythm, especially after long-haul flights or shifting time zones.
A Palette Calibrated for Calm
At the core of TRUNK’s design philosophy is the idea that humans instinctively respond to nature. Rooms at Yoyogi Park are wrapped in soft neutrals and filled with warm materials like wood and rattan. These touches ground the senses and create an atmosphere that invites rest.
Lush pockets of greenery and bespoke, natural furniture echo the tranquillity of the neighbouring park, while corridors are intentionally dark. This contrast heightens the feeling of stepping into a sunlit room overlooking the trees—a moment of quiet grounding after the pace of the city.
At the TRUNK Pool Club, the palette shifts slightly. Accents of blue and pink add lift and energy, creating a gentle balance between playfulness and serenity.
Spaces That Support Both Connection and Solitude
While Yoyogi Park focuses on restoration, TRUNK Hotel Cat Street—its sister property—champions social connection. Its design encourages real, meaningful interaction, whether among guests, locals or travellers passing through.
The TRUNK Lounge and TRUNK Store act as community hubs, designed with careful spatial distance and a timeless feel. They function as “third spaces”—welcoming enough for conversation, but comfortable enough for solitude.
Outside, the public terrace extends this openness. A Keyaki tree—the symbolic tree of Shibuya Ward—anchors the space, surrounded by benches and chairs that naturally draw people together for seasonal activities or spontaneous gatherings.
In contrast, Cat Street’s guest rooms are intentionally quiet. Upcycled timber reclaimed from traditional Japanese houses adds soul and history to the space, its natural grain bringing warmth and grounding to the guest experience.
A First Impression That Mirrors the City—and Then Softens It
TRUNK understands the rhythm guests enter with. The first floor of the hotels is designed to feel like an extension of Tokyo—urban, energetic and connected to the streetscape through material choices that echo the city.
But the moment guests open the door to their rooms, the mood shifts. Spaces become softer, warmer and intimate, carefully balanced to feel both open and cocooning. The design leans on natural textures that the body instinctively recognises as calming, creating a restorative transition guests subconsciously respond to.
The Subtle Detail Guests Often Notice, Without Realising
Throughout TRUNK Hotel Yoyogi Park, copper acts as a quiet unifier. You’ll find it on the L’ombelico pizza oven, within guest room furnishings, at the oyster bed in the Pool Club and in the copper wall lights crafted by metal artist Eiko Miki. This consistent material thread ties the hotel together, creating harmony from check-in to rooftop.
TRUNK Hotel’s approach is a reminder that thoughtful design isn’t about spectacle. It’s about the subtle cues that help people breathe easier, connect deeper and feel grounded in the middle of a bustling city.
Experience TRUNK for Yourself Planning a trip to Tokyo? Explore TRUNK Hotel Yoyogi Park and TRUNK Hotel Cat Street for stays that bring together nature, design and the energy of the city.
