The Ritz-Carlton, Fukuoka is Japan’s Southern Star

A new Ritz-Carlton has landed in Japan’s sixth largest city, bringing globally minded hospitality, sharp interiors and a strong sense of place to a metropolis on the rise

Fukuoka’s newest opening towers above the central Tenjin neighbourhood, the tech hub of what is arguably one of Japan’s most underrated cities, a spirited metropolis bounded by mountains on one side and Hakata Bay on the other. The newly opened Ritz-Carlton brims with global ambition while flaunting an abundance of local touches; designed by Melbourne-based Layan, the hotel is housed in the brand new 25-storey Fukuoka Daimyo Garden City complex, and despite only opening several months back, hums with the rhythm of a much more established operation.

Guests are greeted at street level by a striking, sensuous tunnel of illuminated washi paper before travelling up to the 18th floor sky lobby, where a commanding installation by artist Motoko Mayo welcomes them in. In fact, it’s difficult to find a surface at the Ritz-Carlton that hasn’t had a piece of art commissioned or purchased for it, almost all of it local. The artists, many of whom were born in Fukuoka, work with ceramics, bamboo and textiles, using methods traditional to the region. It’s an admirable and exhaustive effort, resulting in spaces that feel as rich and engaging as they are refined. The designers worked with Tokyo-based art consultancy Inter Culture Art to curate the collection, with the intention of creating a hotel that feels more like the home of a tasteful collector.

Guestrooms are spacious and sumptuous (each one no smaller than 50 square metres) encased in timber panels and textile screens and featuring bespoke fabric and paper lamps by Japanese lighting company Worktecht. The Layan team were conscious of how guests feel while using the spaces and wanted to create a sense of warmth and comfort, choosing timber for its unpretentious, natural quality.

The multiple restaurants and bars include a kaiseki, sushi and teppanyaki spot; an all-day dining restaurant; a tea and coffee house; a tapas and cocktail bar; and a lobby lounge, all of which can be found on the 18th and 24th floors, with expansive views across Hakata Bay and the city skyline.

While a trip to Fukuoka is well worth your time, with all this and more, the Ritz-Carlton truly functions best as an urban resort and as a destination unto itself.

Text by Jeremy Smart
Images by Ben Richards