Shinjuku's Kabukicho district is currently abuzz with excitement ahead of the opening of a new 225m-tall skyscraper and entertainment complex this Friday April 14. Tokyu Kabukicho Tower has 48 storeys and five basement levels boasting a wide range of facilities including two hotels, a nightclub, a gaming arcade with a bar and a massive food hall.
The developers aimed to create a space that would appeal to the fun-loving community of Tokyoites of this generation by covering various aspects of music, nightlife, food and art. As part of this goal, they commissioned 26 local artists to create large-scale installations that can be found throughout the building.
These include public art like the giant digital installation of a shape-shifting dog titled 'Kabukicho Larry' by Takeshi Murata, which can be seen from the exterior of the building, as well as private pieces installed in the tower’s hotels. Together, these artworks transform the building into a massive art gallery, creating a unique experience for visitors.
This is especially true of Hotel Groove Shinjuku, a stylish boutique hotel with a handful of themed rooms that double as art installations. There are four types of rooms featuring work by four artists.
In Takuro Tamayama's room, guests will find a breakfast tray stuck to the wall and a crooked mirror. The concept here is to deliberately position familiar objects in unfamiliar ways to give guests the opportunity of experiencing reality a little differently.
Yoshiaki Kaihatsu has created a space plastered with retro cassette tapes and even a boom box. The aim is to prompt guests to consider the diversity of music genres heard around Shinjuku as they look over the district’s cityscape.
Tomoyuki Washio's room also draws inspiration from Shinjuku, with murals that depict the past, present and future of Kabukicho.
Japanese animator nuQ is the only artist whose work can be found on more than one of the guest floors. The artwork, displayed in guest rooms on floors 20 to 38, is a playful 51-second video of exotic characters and city elements, like sushi, trains, neon signs and lucky cat figurines.
Hotel Groove Shinjuku will open on May 14, with bookings now available online.
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