Meguro Gajoen, Historic hotel in Shimo-Meguro, Japan
Meguro Gajoen is a five-star hotel in Shimo-Meguro with 60 rooms spread across three floors, blending Japanese design with modern comfort. Seven restaurants offer different cuisines, while water gardens and carved wooden panels define the interior spaces.
The building opened in 1931 as the Palace of the Dragon God, serving mainly as a wedding venue at first. Its later transformation into a boutique hotel preserved the architectural structure and art collections from the early Showa period.
The name Gajoen translates as Garden of Geese, a motif still visible in decorative panels and textiles throughout the building. Weddings and traditional celebrations shape daily life here, with carved woodwork and lacquer paintings providing a backdrop for Japanese rituals.
The journey takes about 25 minutes from Haneda Airport and around 80 minutes from Narita. The property offers steam saunas, whirlpool baths, and several restaurants with Japanese, Chinese, and Italian cooking.
The Hyakudan Kaidan, a staircase corridor with one hundred steps recognized as a cultural property, leads through decorated rooms filled with early Showa-era art. Many visitors overlook the original Invitation Gate near the entrance, which still recalls the time when this was an exclusive event venue.
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