1 Hotel Tokyo — New York's Biophilic Design Brand in the Heart of Akasaka
If you're looking for the most seriously sustainable luxury hotel in Tokyo right now, 1 Hotel Tokyo is the name that keeps coming up. The New York biophilic brand opened in Japan in late 2024 at Tokyo World Gate Akasaka, bringing with it a living moss-wall lobby, natural stone bathtubs in every room, and surfaces crafted almost entirely from recycled wood. On top of that, it is one of the very few luxury hotels in Tokyo that genuinely welcomes your small dog.
1 Hotel Tokyo sits within Tokyo World Gate in Akasaka — a neighbourhood that is calmer than Shinjuku yet just as well connected. Akasaka-Mitsuke Station on the Tokyo Metro is a five-minute walk, putting every part of the city within easy reach. Hie Shrine, a forest-filled Shinto sanctuary in the middle of the city, is seven minutes on foot — making morning walks here feel more like a garden stroll than a pavement march. For travellers who want the convenience of a central Tokyo location without the noise, Akasaka sits in a sweet spot.
"The living moss wall in the lobby makes you feel like you've just stepped into a forest — yet you're in the middle of Tokyo. The stone bath in the room is the first thing nearly every guest talks about when they arrive."
What genuinely sets 1 Hotel Tokyo apart from other luxury properties is its commitment to biophilic design — and it is far more than a marketing tagline. The lobby is covered in a living moss wall that stays green and alive. Corridors, furniture and fittings are built from recycled timber. And in every Deluxe Room you will find a natural stone bathtub that photographers have been posting everywhere since opening day. The architects and designers have thought carefully about making every detail feel close to the natural world.
For pet owners — 1 Hotel Tokyo is one of the few five-star hotels in Tokyo that truly welcomes small dogs: up to 10 kg, one dog per room. Breeds like Chihuahuas, Maltese, Toy Poodles and Shih Tzus are a good fit for the 32-sqm Deluxe rooms. The pet cleaning fee is ¥30,000 per stay — not per night — which means the longer you stay, the better the value works out. Over three nights that averages down to ¥10,000 per night. The room comes set up with a dog bed, bowls, and a welcome touch for your pet.
Pets other than dogs — cats, rabbits and so on — require prior notice so the hotel can consider requests case by case. A few rules to know: dogs must be trained (no biting, no excessive barking), must remain on a leash or in a carrier in all public areas of the hotel, and are not permitted in the hotel's dining spaces — except for service animals. It is worth reviewing these rules carefully before booking, especially if your itinerary includes using the restaurant.
The Deluxe Rooms at 32 sqm are designed around natural materials and a sense of calm. Large windows bring in plenty of daylight, the stone bath anchors the room visually, and the recycled-wood finishes create an atmosphere that feels warmer and more spacious than the floor area alone suggests. Guests who appreciate clean lines and breathing room tend to love the aesthetic here — though if you are accustomed to five-star rooms of 40 sqm or more, it is worth knowing this is not a large room by that standard.
One thing worth flagging: 1 Hotel Tokyo opened in late 2024 and is still finding its feet. With around 82 reviews to date, the feedback overwhelmingly praises the design concept, but a handful of guests have noted that service consistency is still being calibrated — not unusual for a newly opened property. This is the trade-off of being an early visitor: you get the freshness and novelty, but also the occasional rough edge that an established hotel would have long since smoothed out.
The honest bottom line: 1 Hotel Tokyo is a genuinely compelling choice for travellers who value design and sustainability as much as traditional luxury, and for small-dog owners who have struggled to find a five-star Tokyo hotel that truly rolls out the welcome mat. Rooms start from ¥62,000/night, plus ¥30,000 per stay for pets. Do the arithmetic — a three-night stay with a dog works out at a reasonable nightly rate for this calibre of hotel.
Summary from Booking & Agoda
- ✓ Genuinely unique biophilic design — moss wall, stone bath, recycled timber
- ✓ Small dogs ≤10 kg welcome · ¥30,000 flat fee per stay (better value over multiple nights)
- ✓ Quiet Akasaka location · 7-min walk to Hie Shrine
- ✓ Akasaka-Mitsuke Station 5-min walk · easy Tokyo Metro connections
- ! Dogs restricted to ≤10 kg and one per room only
- ! Opened late 2024 · low review count (82) · service still being calibrated
- ✓ Pet cleaning fee ¥30,000 per stay, not per night — great value on longer stays
- ✓ Exceptional biophilic design — moss wall lobby is an immediate wow
- ✓ Other pets besides dogs can be considered with advance notice
- ✓ Deluxe Room 32 sqm · stone bathtub · good natural light
- ! 32 sqm is not large by five-star standards — manage expectations if you prefer spacious rooms
- ! Dogs must stay on leash/carrier in all public hotel areas
- ! Dogs not permitted in the hotel restaurant (service animals excepted)
- 💡If your dog weighs over 10 kg — this hotel cannot accommodate them → consider OMO5 Tokyo Gotanda by Hoshino Resorts, which accepts dogs of all sizes.
- 💡If you need fully consistent five-star service — opened late 2024, only 82 reviews so far → either wait 6–12 months for the hotel to settle in, or book knowing you are accepting some early-days variability.
- 💡If you are staying only 1–2 nights with a pet — the ¥30,000 cleaning fee is a large flat charge → a longer stay of 3+ nights spreads the cost much more favourably, or look for a hotel charging a per-night pet fee instead.