Client: Tobu Railways – Tokyo, Japan
Year: 2025
Client Brief
The Luxury Collection, a renowned brand within the Marriott International’s Luxury Division, represents an exquisite collection of hotels and resorts that are celebrated as “Hotels that Define the Destination“. Each property in The Luxury Collection stands for a unique expression of local culture and timeless elegance, carefully curated to provide unforgettable experiences.
The proposed, new Ginza property, situated in Tokyo’s most iconic and premium district, embodies the brand’s commitment to offering authentic luxury rooted in history and exceptional modern service.
As a new Luxury Collection hotel, Marriott International brand standards stipulate that the hotel undergoes brand identity, visual identity and brand experience development exercise. Normal has been tasked to develop the Brand Identity, Visual Identity and Brand Experience for the proposed Luxury Collection. The hotel currently under construction and Normal is supporting the process of the branding.
Scope-of-work
For this project, our scope of work includes crafting a comprehensive brand identity, visual identity, and brand experience that reflect the distinct essence of The Luxury Collection in Ginza. Our approach integrates meticulous attention to detail in defining the brand’s voice, visual language, and guest experience, ensuring a seamless blend of modern luxury with local traditions. From hotel naming, logo design and color palettes to immersive storytelling and experiential touchpoints, we are developing a cohesive brand narrative that resonates with well heeled collectors and explorers and positions this property as a must-visit destination in Tokyo. Our work aims to elevate the Ginza property’s presence while maintaining The Luxury Collection’s hallmark of exclusivity and refined elegance.
Project commenced in August 2024 and is expected to be completed by Q1 2025.
The cultural tradition that shaped the terraced paddy landscape and rice fields connected by canal system is the ancient philosophical concept of Tri Hita Karana that dates back to the 12th century. It roughly translates to ‘three causes of wellbeing’.
Rice, seen as the gift of god, is cultivated by water from springs which flows through the temples, out onto the rice paddy fields. This water management (Subak) sustained a harmonious relationship with natural and spiritual world, therefore allowing prosperity – a unique response to the challenge of supporting a dense population on a rugged volcanic island.
Tri Hita Karanadraws harmony of realms of the spirit, human world and nature through an intricate series of temple rituals, offerings and artistic performances that emphasise dependence on the life-sustaining forces of the natural world.
Tri Hita Karana philosophy and Subak system, as a manifestation of it, are part of UNESCO World Heritage.
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