MARK HARADA and his family check into a hotel that combines form and function with a lot of convenience – just like the city it resides in.
The Mimaru Asakusa is the king of convenience in a city where convenience is king. (Or should that be emperor in Japan?)
So what makes this Tokyo property, part of the MIMARU Apartment Hotel group, that convenient?
Prime position
Let’s start with its location. As its name indicates, the property is located right above Asakusa’s underground Metro and Toei Subway stations. So if you’re rolling in by rail, as my family of three does, your arrival, departure and any train trips in between couldn’t be any easier.
Then, of course, there’s its proximity to some of the coolest, and consequently most famous, attractions and experiences in Tokyo.
From our room in the hotel, we can make out part of the Kaminarimon Gate, which marks the main entrance to Japan’s oldest shopping street, Nakamise Dori. With just a row of rickshaws and a handful of eateries between us, we’re only 150 metres or so away. And just off Nakamise Dori, there are countless restaurants and retail outlets, including a great local supermarket. If all of that isn’t convenient enough, a Family Mart occupies the ground floor of the hotel building.
Do it your way
Past the pretty hotel entrance, well-spoken staff manning a small lobby make check-in a breeze.
We’re told we can even rent (for free) appliances like rice cookers, toasters and other useful items to make our stay more comfortable. There’s also a variety of other amenities available to guests, like games, pyjamas and a range of teas and coffee.
Elsewhere on the lobby floor, there’s a vending machine (this is Japan after all!) and a laundry room (which my wife is more excited about than anyone should be about washing dirty underwear and socks on holiday).
One of the highlights of the hotel, pointed out to us by the friendly receptionist, is the large rooftop terrace, which affords amazing views of the Sumida River and Tokyo landmarks like the Asahi Flame (that sits atop the Asahi beer company’s headquarters) and the tallest structure in Japan, Tokyo Skytree. Whether you’re going up for five minutes or with a drink for an hour, it’s worth the visit.
Big in Japan
The property boasts several room types including the One-Bedroom Apartment, River View One-Bedroom Theater Apartment, Deluxe Two-Bedroom Suite and our abode for three nights, the Family Apartment.
By Japanese standards, the studio-like room is big. In fact, at 35sqm, it’s large enough to comfortably accommodate a sizeable dining table, twin beds and bunk beds. Typical of Japan, it’s also spotless.
Upon first glance, the room seems simply furnished and decorated. But it’s just not in the Japanese aesthetic to have superfluous fittings. Thus everything serves a purpose.
And like a lot of things in Japan, it’s all beautifully presented – from the various lighting settings and textured wallpaper to the gorgeous pine woods and shoji screens that transform the space from quasi to unmistakably Japanese.
Plus, we quickly discover lots of little details that add to the wow factor – like the cool lighting controls that are built into every bedhead (including the bunk beds). The apartment also features air-conditioning, a humidifier, large tv and of course free wifi.
Elsewhere, our abode boasts a well-stocked kitchenette and a typical Japanese bathroom – i.e. one that is super clean and split between dry and wet zones, where the latter becomes one giant shower recess when the water-tight door is closed. The bathtub is also quick to fill, deep and retains its heat – so if you can’t make it to a Japanese onsen, this is the next best thing.
Then there’s the separate toilet, which features the famous Japanese automated bidet, built-in deodoriser and even a “privacy” button that plays the sound of gushing water to obscure any other unwanted sounds!
The Mimaru success story
Launched only in 2018, MIMARU now comprises some 27 properties, 15 of which are in Tokyo (the remaining hotels are located in Kyoto and Osaka). Not bad considering the group had to endure a pandemic for most of that time.
Takayoshi Kofune, Sales Manager for MIMARU Apartment Hotels, tells me the Asakusa property is one of the most popular in the group among Aussie guests – Australians especially love two-bedroom apartments, he says.
And while many Japanese hotel chains cater predominately to the domestic market, MIMARU’s clientele is made up of 95 per cent overseas guests.
“So most of our staff speak great English,” he tells me.
Therefore, visitors get an unmistakably Japanese hotel with the ease of multilingual staff. Convenient, huh?
The writer was a guest of MIMARU Apartment Hotels; however, the hotel did not review or approve the content before publishing.
For more information on MIMARU, click here.
