Even travelers who love Tokyo’s high-octane pace occasionally crave a serene re-treat. Now, at last, there is a typically Japanese inn or ryokan, complete with a proper hot-spring spa, right in the middle of Tokyo. As conceived by Azuma Architect & Asso-ciates, the property is set back from the street, beyond a courtyard with an artful cluster of trees.

Materials like chestnut, bamboo, and tatami matting provide warmth and texture while shoji screens and hand-plastered walls promote relaxation. Traditional plaster, mixed with compressed earth, covers sidewalls in the restaurant's vestibule. Large-scale wood planks surround a meditation island.