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Imperial Hotel

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A historic Japanese luxury-hotel company whose flagship Imperial Hotel Tokyo has represented Japanese hospitality and international service since 1890.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

Imperial Hotel, Ltd. is a Japanese hotel company headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. Its principal brand and flagship property is Imperial Hotel Tokyo, located beside the Imperial Palace, Hibiya Park and Ginza. The company also operates Imperial Hotel Osaka, Kamikochi Imperial Hotel, Imperial Hotel Kyoto and The Crest Hotel Kashiwa, together with related hospitality, restaurant, banquet, wedding, catering and hospitality-management activities. It is one of Japan’s best-known luxury-hotel institutions and has long occupied a distinctive position between a hotel operator, a national hospitality symbol and a venue for diplomacy, international conferences and major social occasions. The company is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange under ticker 9708. The business originated in the modernization of Tokyo during the late nineteenth century. On November 28, 1887, Kihachiro Okura and Eiichi Shibusawa applied to establish Tokyo Hotel Co. Their stated purpose was to build a large Tokyo hotel capable of accommodating foreign visitors and hosting parties and other events. The initial venture had 21 investors, with the Imperial Household Ministry holding the largest individual stake. The company was formally established in December 1887, construction began after site preparation in 1888, and the name Imperial Hotel, Ltd. was adopted in July 1890. The first hotel opened on November 3, 1890, as a three-story German neo-Renaissance-style building in Hibiya. Imperial Hotel was created to serve a practical national role: providing an appropriate base for overseas visitors while helping Japan present itself as a modern international state. Under Aisaku Hayashi, who became the first Japanese manager in 1909, the hotel introduced operating practices and guest services that were unusual in Japan at the time. These included double-entry bookkeeping, an employee mutual-aid association, an in-house post office and a self-operated laundry. The company also developed supporting activities such as an automobile department, catering, representative offices and later food retail and transport-related services. The company’s most important architectural and cultural turning point came with the construction of its second main building, designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The project was approved by shareholders in 1916, construction began in 1919 and the building opened on September 1, 1923. The opening coincided with the Great Kanto Earthquake. Although the surrounding region suffered catastrophic damage, Wright’s building survived with comparatively limited structural damage and became internationally associated with resilience, modern design and cross-cultural exchange. Its geometric interiors, use of Oya stone and distinctive low-rise Prairie-style composition helped create the reputation of the Imperial Hotel as the “Jewel of the Orient.” The building operated until 1967; its entrance and lobby were later transferred to the Meiji-Mura open-air museum in Aichi Prefecture. During the twentieth century the company expanded beyond rooms. It developed restaurants, banquets, wedding services, food festivals, catering, shops, hotel transportation and business-management capabilities. The Imperial Viking buffet, introduced in 1958, became one of the company’s most recognizable food-service innovations and helped popularize the buffet format in Japan. Imperial Hotel also became a venue for international organizations, government delegations, political and cultural events, royal and celebrity visits, and large conventions. Its guest history includes Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio, Charles Chaplin, Babe Ruth and Major League Baseball players, Helen Keller, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, as well as many government and diplomatic delegations.

History

Imperial Hotel’s history is closely connected with Japan’s emergence as a modern international state. In the 1880s, Foreign Minister Kaoru Inoue supported the creation of a major Western-style hotel in Tokyo that could receive foreign visitors, provide suitable accommodation for diplomatic and business guests, and host formal social events. On November 28, 1887, Kihachiro Okura and Eiichi Shibusawa submitted an application to establish Tokyo Hotel Co. The original investment group included 21 participants, with the Imperial Household Ministry holding the largest individual share. The company was formally established in December 1887, site preparation began in July 1888 and construction followed later that year. The first Imperial Hotel opened on November 3, 1890, in Hibiya. The building was a three-story German neo-Renaissance-style structure made principally of wood and brick. It was conceived not simply as a commercial hotel but as a national reception facility, reflecting the government’s desire to make Tokyo more capable of receiving international visitors. Eiichi Shibusawa became the first chairman of the board in 1893. In 1907, Imperial Hotel merged with Hotel Metropole, consolidating the corporate name as Imperial Hotel, Ltd. In 1910, the hotel was placed under the patronage of the Imperial Household Ministry, reinforcing its role in official and international hospitality. Aisaku Hayashi became the first Japanese manager in 1909. His background in the United States and his experience with luxury-goods and hotel culture helped him modernize the operation. During his administration, Imperial Hotel introduced a post office inside the hotel, a self-operated laundry, double-entry bookkeeping and an employee mutual-aid association. These initiatives improved service reliability and established a more systematic approach to hotel management. Hayashi also became the driving force behind the replacement of the original building, which was increasingly inadequate for a growing international city and a rising volume of visitors. In 1916, shareholders approved the construction of a new hotel and Hayashi entered into a formal arrangement with Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright’s design was developed over several years, with construction beginning in September 1919. The project used reinforced concrete, brick and large quantities of Oya stone, while Wright also designed interior elements, furniture, lighting and tableware. The building was completed in 1923 with 270 rooms, banquet facilities, a theater and a range of public amenities. It opened on September 1, 1923, on the same day as the Great Kanto Earthquake. The earthquake transformed the building’s reputation. While Tokyo suffered extensive destruction, Wright’s structure remained sufficiently intact to support emergency activity. The hotel provided rooms for corporations, newspapers, news agencies and embassies displaced by the disaster. The building subsequently became a major meeting place for social, political and cultural exchange between Japan and the wider world. Its design and service culture led to its popular description as the “Jewel of the Orient.” During the interwar period, Imperial Hotel hosted travelers, entertainers, political figures and international events. Its history also records a 1924 incident in which right-wing individuals disrupted a dance party, an example of the political tensions surrounding public life in the period. The hotel remained important during the Second World War and its aftermath. It entered into arrangements involving diplomatic accommodation in 1945, hosted a luncheon for General Douglas MacArthur after the war and was requisitioned as quarters for Allied generals and senior General Headquarters personnel. In 1950, it became Japan’s first government-registered hotel. After the resumption of unrestricted business operations in 1952, Imperial Hotel entered a period of expansion and modernization. The postwar decades saw the company build a broader hospitality platform. It managed a dining car on the national railway’s Tsubame express service, opened the Hakata Imperial Hotel, added annex and east-building facilities, and introduced an escalator described by the company as an industry first in Japan. In 1958, the hotel began operating the Imperial Viking buffet. The concept became a landmark in Japanese food-service history and later developed into one of Imperial Hotel’s signature offerings. The company also added food festivals, wedding services, banquet programs, catering, representative offices and specialty retail. Imperial Hotel became a public company in 1961 when its shares were listed on the second section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. In the same general period, it hosted major international meetings connected with aviation, trade and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The Wright Building’s guest rooms closed in November 1967, and its central entrance and lobby began being transferred to Meiji-Mura in 1968. The decision to replace the building was controversial because of its architectural significance, but the hotel argued that modernization and structural requirements made a new facility necessary. The current Imperial Hotel Tokyo Main Building opened in 1970. The company continued to develop its food, banquet and accommodation businesses, including the Gargantua food shop, bridal fairs, wedding facilities, the Imperial Tower, French restaurant Les Saisons, the Frank Lloyd Wright Suite and expanded catering operations. Kamikochi Imperial Hotel, which originated as a mountain hotel in 1933, became an important resort element in the portfolio. Imperial Hotel Osaka opened in 1996, adding a major Kansai base and extending the company’s presence beyond Tokyo. From the 1990s through the 2010s, Imperial Hotel modernized rooms, restaurants, banquet halls and technology while preserving its historic positioning. The company introduced 24-hour room service, high-speed internet, card keys, rooftop greening, premium floors, new restaurants and public exhibitions of historical artifacts. In 2007, Mitsui Fudosan became the leading shareholder. Imperial Hotel also maintained international sales offices and relationships with organizations such as The Leading Hotels of the World, while continuing to host major government, diplomatic, cultural and corporate events. The 2020s brought two strategic priorities: adapting to changes in the hospitality market and preparing the next generation of the Tokyo flagship. In 2021, the company launched serviced apartments at Imperial Hotel Tokyo and decided to proceed with a rebuilding plan covering the Main Building and Tower. The reconstruction was later integrated into the Uchisaiwaicho 1-chome District Development Project, a large urban scheme involving new towers, offices, residences, restaurants, serviced apartments, banquet functions and a new Imperial Hotel Tokyo main building. The project’s current schedule extends to approximately 2036 for the new main building, with other district components expected earlier. The second major priority was geographic expansion. In 2021, the company decided to develop a new Kyoto property using part of the historic Yasaka Kaikan complex in Gion. The project was subsequently named Imperial Hotel Kyoto and was scheduled to open in spring 2026. The hotel opened on March 5, 2026, becoming the fourth Imperial Hotel branded property in Japan after Tokyo, Kamikochi and Osaka. Its concept links Imperial Hotel’s formal hospitality and culinary expertise with Kyoto’s traditional culture and international tourism. The company marked the 135th anniversary of Imperial Hotel’s 1890 opening in 2025 with special packages, food products, events and a guest-story campaign. The anniversary messaging emphasized creating new experiences without abandoning the brand’s elegance and service traditions. Today, Imperial Hotel remains active as a publicly listed Japanese hotel company. Its identity rests on the combination of historic national-hosting duties, high-end accommodation, restaurants and banquet expertise, wedding services, Japanese hospitality, architectural heritage and continued investment in the future of its flagship Tokyo property. Imperial Hotel, Tokyo was established in 1890 in Tokyo, Japan. From its origin, the hotel was associated with the needs of a capital city receiving overseas visitors and with a representational role in Japanese hospitality. This background helped distinguish it from ordinary lodging businesses: the hotel was intended to provide a setting suitable for important guests while presenting a polished form of Japanese service to domestic and international visitors. Across more than a century, the Imperial Hotel name became linked with Tokyo's social, diplomatic, cultural, and business life. Its identity developed around luxury accommodation and a broader hospitality platform that includes dining, banquets, receptions, weddings, and other formal gatherings. The brand's historical continuity has been central to its reputation, allowing the hotel to function both as a place to stay and as an established institution within the city. The hotel continues to present itself as a welcoming institution founded in 1890 and emphasizes service tailored to individual guests. Its public-facing identity combines the expectations of an internationally recognized luxury hotel with Japanese concepts of attentiveness and courtesy. The available reference material does not establish a complete chronology of buildings, renovations, ownership changes, management appointments, campaigns, or operating results. Consequently, this history records only the points supported by the supplied official reference and does not add unverified dates or corporate claims.

  • 2021

    Serviced apartments and Tokyo rebuilding plan announced

    [3]

    Imperial Hotel launched serviced apartments in Tokyo and decided to implement a rebuilding plan covering the Tokyo Main Building and Tower.

  • 2017

    Imperial Times historical exhibition opens

    [13]

    The company opened an exhibition in the Tokyo Main Lobby displaying photographs and artifacts from the hotel’s three principal building generations.

  • 2012

    IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings use Imperial Hotel Tokyo

    [3]

    Imperial Hotel Tokyo served as one of the principal venues for the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings held in Japan.

  • 2007

    Mitsui Fudosan becomes leading shareholder

    [3]

    Mitsui Fudosan became the company’s leading shareholder.

  • 2005

    Frank Lloyd Wright Suite introduced

    [12]

    Imperial Hotel Tokyo introduced a suite using design references, furnishings and materials associated with Wright’s former building.

  • 1996

    Imperial Hotel Osaka opens

    [3]

    Imperial Hotel Osaka opened, giving the company a major hotel operation in the Kansai region.

  • 1990

    Centennial of the hotel opening

    [3]

    Imperial Hotel marked 100 years since the opening of its first hotel in Tokyo.

  • 1970

    Current Tokyo Main Building opens

    [3]

    The replacement Imperial Hotel Tokyo Main Building opened in March 1970.

  • 1967

    Wright Building guest rooms close

    [3]

    All guest rooms in the Wright Building closed as the company moved toward replacing the aging structure.

  • 1961

    Shares listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange

    [3]

    Imperial Hotel was listed on the second section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Products and positioning

A heritage Japanese luxury-hospitality company combining formal omotenashi, international service standards, landmark architecture, premium dining, weddings, banquets and high-profile institutional hospitality.

  • Luxury city hotel · 1890

    Imperial Hotel Tokyo

    The flagship property in Chiyoda-ku occupies the historic Hibiya site near the Imperial Palace, Hibiya Park and Ginza. It provides luxury accommodation, restaurants, bars, banquet halls, wedding facilities, meeting venues, retail, catering and premium guest services. The property incorporates the legacy of the Wright Building through historical displays and the Frank Lloyd Wright Suite. A major rebuilding program is planned as part of the Uchisaiwaicho 1-chome district redevelopment, with a new main building targeted for completion around 2036.

  • Buffet restaurant concept · 1958

    Imperial Viking

    Imperial Viking is Imperial Hotel’s signature buffet concept, introduced in 1958. It helped popularize the modern buffet format in Japan and remains associated with the company’s culinary identity. The concept has been adapted through different restaurants and anniversary programs while retaining its emphasis on broad choice, high-quality preparation and hotel dining service.

  • Hotel delicatessen and bakery · 1971

    Gargantua

    Gargantua is Imperial Hotel Tokyo’s food shop and a major consumer-facing extension of the hotel brand. It sells prepared foods, pastries, baked goods, confectionery and anniversary products for takeaway and gifting. The shop allows customers to experience Imperial Hotel culinary products without staying overnight and has been periodically renewed as the company develops new retail offerings.

  • Heritage accommodation · 2005

    The Frank Lloyd Wright Suite

    The Frank Lloyd Wright Suite at Imperial Hotel Tokyo interprets the design language of the former Wright Building. It incorporates original or historically referenced carpets, furniture, lighting and geometric motifs associated with Wright’s work and the Imperial Hotel’s architectural legacy. The suite serves as a heritage-oriented premium accommodation and as a tangible expression of the relationship between the hotel and Wright.

  • Extended-stay accommodation · 2021

    Serviced apartments at Imperial Hotel Tokyo

    Imperial Hotel introduced serviced apartments at the Tokyo property in February 2021 as a new accommodation format. The offering broadens the company’s business beyond conventional hotel stays and is intended for guests seeking longer-term residence with access to the service environment and facilities of a luxury hotel.

  • Ceremonial and event services

    Imperial Hotel weddings and banquets

    Wedding and banquet services are central parts of Imperial Hotel’s business. The company helped develop the Japanese hotel-wedding model by combining ceremony, reception, attire, makeup, photography and related services in one venue. Its banquet operations also serve government, diplomatic, corporate, cultural and international events, making event hospitality a core part of the brand’s institutional identity.

  • Hospitality · 1890

    Hotel accommodation

    The brand's principal offering is luxury accommodation in Tokyo, supported by the hotel's historic identity and a service approach centered on attentive, individualized hospitality.

  • Food and beverage

    Dining services

    Imperial Hotel's hospitality scope includes restaurant and food-and-beverage services, forming part of the broader luxury hotel experience for resident guests, visitors, and formal occasions.

  • Events and hospitality

    Banquets and events

    Banqueting and event services extend the brand beyond overnight stays, providing a setting for receptions, business functions, celebrations, and other organized gatherings.

  • Celebrations and hospitality

    Wedding services

    Wedding and celebration services are part of the hotel's event-oriented hospitality offering, using its formal setting and service capabilities for milestone occasions.

Marketing campaigns

  • 2025Imperial Hotel 135th Anniversary

    Japan

    A multi-property anniversary program marking 135 years since the opening of Imperial Hotel in 1890. Activities included special events, accommodation packages, food and beverage programs, limited products and anniversary storytelling designed to connect the company’s history with its future expansion.

    Outcome. The program ran through March 31, 2026 and supported the brand’s positioning around elegant innovation, the opening of Imperial Hotel Kyoto and the planned reconstruction of Imperial Hotel Tokyo.

    Source
  • 2025135-Character Stories of Imperial Hotel

    Japan

    Imperial Hotel invited guests to submit short memories of weddings, travel, events and anniversaries connected with the hotel. The format limited entries to 135 characters to echo the anniversary number and encouraged customers to contribute personal history to the brand narrative.

    Outcome. The company received more than 700 submissions and published selected winning stories through its website and customer communications. Prizes included Tokyo accommodation and Imperial Viking dining vouchers.

    Source
  • 2023Wright Imperial Centennial

    Japan · United States

    Imperial Hotel and the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust commemorated the 100th anniversary of the opening of Wright’s Imperial Hotel with a heritage-focused cultural initiative.

    Outcome. The partners dedicated cherry trees in the courtyard of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago, linking the hotel’s Japanese history with Wright’s American architectural legacy.

    Source
  • 2008Viking Day and 50th Anniversary of Imperial Viking

    Japan

    Imperial Hotel marked the fiftieth anniversary of its Viking buffet concept with anniversary communications and the designation of August 1 as Viking Day.

    Outcome. The anniversary reinforced Imperial Viking as one of Imperial Hotel’s most recognizable culinary innovations and strengthened its role as a signature product line.

    Source
  • 1965Imperial Hotel Food Festival program

    Japan

    The company began a series of food festivals, starting with the Swiss Food Festival, to introduce international cuisine and themed dining experiences to Japanese guests.

    Outcome. The program established food festivals as part of Imperial Hotel’s event and restaurant marketing and contributed to the company’s reputation for culinary exchange.

    Source

Brand decisions

  • 2025

    Launch preparations for Imperial Hotel KyotoProduct launch

    Background

    The Kyoto project moved from construction and planning into commercial launch preparation, including guest-room presentations, dining announcements, management appointments and reservation activity.

    Action taken

    The company announced the Imperial Hotel Kyoto name, began publicizing rooms and restaurants, appointed Reiko Sakata as general manager and opened reservations ahead of the March 2026 opening.

    Aftermath

    Imperial Hotel Kyoto opened on March 5, 2026 and became the company’s fourth Imperial Hotel property in Japan.

    Source

  • 2024

    Revision of Tokyo Tower Building demolition timingStrategy

    Background

    The Tokyo redevelopment program required coordination between continued hotel operations, district construction and the sequencing of new buildings.

    Action taken

    Imperial Hotel revised the expected timing for starting demolition work on the Tokyo Tower Building and indicated a target around the end of fiscal 2030 rather than the previously discussed earlier schedule.

    Aftermath

    The revised sequencing is intended to preserve operational continuity while the broader district redevelopment proceeds.

    Source

  • 2021

    Decision to rebuild Imperial Hotel TokyoStrategy

    Background

    The Tokyo flagship required a long-term response to aging facilities, changing guest expectations and the redevelopment of the surrounding Uchisaiwaicho district.

    Action taken

    The company approved a rebuilding plan covering the Imperial Hotel Tokyo Main Building and Tower and later integrated the project into the wider TOKYO CROSS PARK urban-development framework.

    Aftermath

    The redevelopment plan expanded the potential business area and added future hotel, banquet, restaurant, office, residential and serviced-apartment functions. The new main building is targeted for completion around 2036.

    Source

  • 2021

    Approval of Imperial Hotel Kyoto projectProduct launch

    Background

    The company sought a new high-end destination outside Tokyo and identified Kyoto as an international cultural-tourism market aligned with its heritage and hospitality positioning.

    Action taken

    The board approved development of a new hotel using part of the historic Yasaka Kaikan complex in Gion.

    Aftermath

    The project became Imperial Hotel Kyoto, the brand’s fourth Japanese hotel, and opened on March 5, 2026.

    Source

  • 1967

    Replacement of the Wright BuildingGeneration change

    Background

    The Wright Building had become difficult to maintain and suffered from aging-related problems, including differential settlement. The company also needed a larger and more modern facility.

    Action taken

    Imperial Hotel closed the building’s guest rooms, transferred its entrance and lobby to Meiji-Mura and proceeded with construction of a new main building.

    Aftermath

    The new Imperial Hotel Tokyo Main Building opened in 1970, while the preserved Wright interiors continued as a public architectural legacy.

    Source

  • 1916

    Commission of Frank Lloyd Wright for a new main buildingGeneration change

    Background

    The original 1890 hotel had become too small and outdated for Tokyo’s growing international role and increasing visitor demand. Shareholders approved construction of a replacement building.

    Action taken

    Imperial Hotel engaged Frank Lloyd Wright to design the second-generation main building, with construction beginning in 1919.

    Aftermath

    The Wright Building opened in 1923 and became the defining architectural symbol of Imperial Hotel’s early international reputation.

    Source

Sources15 sources

  1. 1Imperial Hotel (company)en.wikipedia.org
  2. 2Company Overview and Directorsimperialhotel.co.jp
  3. 3Our Historyimperialhotel.co.jp
  4. 4Brand Storyimperialhotel.co.jp
  5. 5The Wright Buildingimperialhotel.co.jp
  6. 6Medium- to Long-Term Management Plan 2036imperialhotel.co.jp
  7. 7Imperial Hotel Kyoto Opening Announcementimperialhotel.co.jp
  8. 8Imperial Hotel 135th Anniversary Releaseimperialhotel.co.jp
  9. 9Imperial Hotel Kyoto Project Decisionimperialhotel.co.jp
  10. 10Imperial Hotel Kyoto and 2025 News Releasesimperialhotel.co.jp
  11. 11Imperial Hotel official websiteimperialhotel.co.jp
  12. 12Frank Lloyd Wright Suite introducedimperialhotel.co.jp
  13. 13Imperial Times historical exhibition opensimperialhotel.co.jp
  14. 14135-Character Stories of Imperial Hotelimperialhotel.co.jp
  15. 15Revision of Tokyo Tower Building demolition timingimperialhotel.co.jp

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