{"id":6176,"date":"2014-06-09T11:51:04","date_gmt":"2014-06-09T10:51:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insidejapanblog.com\/?p=6176"},"modified":"2015-06-29T18:08:43","modified_gmt":"2015-06-29T17:08:43","slug":"tokyo-okura-jumping-from-the-page-to-real-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2014\/06\/09\/tokyo-okura-jumping-from-the-page-to-real-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Tokyo Okura- Jumping from the page to real life!"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6176&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6176\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6176&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6176&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6176%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6176\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F6176\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p>IQ84, <a title=\"Murakami\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Haruki_Murakami\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Haruki Murakami\u2019s<\/a> swirling behemoth of a novel is chock full of the author\u2019s classic themes; magical realism, food, music, sex and love. It\u2019s a massive work full of pivotal moments and I just happen to be in the very location of one of those. Here is how Murakami describes it:<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cWith its high ceiling and muted lighting, the capacious lobby of the <a title=\"Okura\" href=\"http:\/\/www.hotelokura.co.jp\/tokyo\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hotel Okura\u2019s<\/a> main building seemed like a huge, stylish cave. Against the cave walls, like the sighing of a disemboweled animal, bounced the muted conversations of people seated on the lobby\u2019s sofas. The floor\u2019s thick, soft carpeting could have been primeval moss on a far northern island. It absorbed the sound of footsteps into its endless span of accumulated time<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-6180\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405.jpg?w=468\" alt=\"IMG_1405\" width=\"468\" height=\"351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1405-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 468px) 100vw, 468px\" \/><\/a>It\u2019s an odd feeling being somewhere I first visualized in my mind, but now I\u2019m here it\u2019s amazing how vivid Murakami\u2019s prose proves to be and perfectly describes the cavernous lobby of the historic Okura.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-6179\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400.jpg?w=468\" alt=\"IMG_1400\" width=\"468\" height=\"219\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400-300x141.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400-1024x481.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400-1200x564.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400-900x423.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400-720x338.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400-1440x677.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400-390x183.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400-780x367.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1400-510x240.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 468px) 100vw, 468px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Opened in 1962 and located in a quiet section of <a title=\"Akasaka\" href=\"http:\/\/wikitravel.org\/en\/Tokyo\/Akasaka\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Akasaka<\/a>, adjacent to the US Embassy but only a short walk from heady heights of Roppongi this is an establishment that speaks of a bygone era of understated elegance. The large and open lobby as described by Murakami is certainly calming, and visually it\u2019s unlike any other hotel I\u2019ve seen in Tokyo. The d\u00e9cor and the furniture would be described as dated by many, and that\u2019s no lie, it is. To me though it has great retro chic appeal, further enhanced by the now seemingly archaic world map (circa 1960\u2019s) where LED lights glow marking major cities of the world. For some reason I keep imagining bumping into the Sean Connery <a title=\"Bond\" href=\"http:\/\/www.007.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">James Bond<\/a> sipping a martini, or smoking, or probably both.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-6178\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396.jpg?w=468\" alt=\"IMG_1396\" width=\"468\" height=\"351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/img_1396-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 468px) 100vw, 468px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s certainly not the flashiest or indeed the most fashionable of the more luxurious Tokyo hotels but if you are looking for a place with character and a distinctly Japanese aesthetic whilst you follow in the footsteps of diplomats and dignitaries then it\u2019s a top consideration. You had better be quick though because it\u2019s just been announced that the Main Building will close for a major renovation from August 2015 and it\u2019s likely that the retro chic will be lost to the annals of time\u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? 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Help us by sharing it! IQ84, Haruki Murakami\u2019s swirling behemoth of a novel is chock full of the author\u2019s classic themes; magical realism, food, music, sex and love. It\u2019s a massive work full of pivotal moments and I just happen to be in the very location of one of those. Here is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2362],"tags":[1661,1899,2203,2206],"class_list":["post-6176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-places-and-where-to-stay-in-japan","tag-iq84","tag-murakami","tag-tokyo-hotel","tag-tokyo-okura"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6176"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8407,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6176\/revisions\/8407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}