Stay · Meguro

Gajoen Tokyo (Hyakudan Kaidan) 雅叙園東京（百段階段）

Japan's most extravagantly decorated hotel. It has a 1935 wooden annex where seven painted banquet rooms are linked by the 99-step 'Hyakudan Kaidan' staircase, along with lacquer, mother-of-pearl and painted ceilings everywhere. It reopened in July 2026 under Hilton.

About

Meguro Gajoen was founded in 1931 by Hosokawa Rikizo as Japan's first comprehensive banquet hall. It was nicknamed the 'Ryugu-jo of the Showa era', after the dragon king's undersea palace, because every surface was covered in art. Its masterpiece is the Hyakudan Kaidan, a 1935 wooden building on a hillside, now a Tokyo-designated Tangible Cultural Property. A staircase of 99 steps climbs past seven banquet rooms. Each was decorated by a different leading artist of the day with painted ceilings, carved transoms and lacquer. It opens to the public mainly for themed seasonal exhibitions. The 1991 modern complex reused much of the original decoration: lacquer and mother-of-pearl doors, painted panels and the famously opulent restrooms. The building is often said to have inspired the bathhouse in Spirited Away, but Studio Ghibli has never confirmed it. After a renovation, the hotel reopened on 27 July 2026 as Gajoen Tokyo with 60 large rooms. It is due to become Gajoen Tokyo LXR Hotels & Resorts, a Hilton brand, around the end of 2026.

Highlights

• Hyakudan Kaidan: 99 steps linking seven 1935 banquet rooms, each painted by a different artist
• Lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay doors and painted ceilings throughout the main building
• Famously lavish, art-filled restrooms in the main building
• Seasonal art exhibitions staged inside the Hyakudan Kaidan rooms
• 60 rooms, all over 70 m², overlooking a garden and waterfall

Tips

• The Hyakudan Kaidan is open only for exhibitions; check the 2026 schedule after the reopening before visiting
• Exhibition tickets have been about ¥1,300–1,600, cheaper online in advance
• Wear socks: you remove your shoes inside the Hyakudan Kaidan
• It is 3 minutes from Meguro Station; combine with the Meguro River or the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Daienji Temple (Meguro)Local Secret · 110 m away
• Tonkatsu Tonki (Meguro)Restaurant · 190 m away
• Coin Lockers · Meguro StationLuggage Storage · 230 m away
• Ramen Tamaru (Meguro)Ramen & Noodles · 280 m away
• Meguro CinemaMovie Theaters · 340 m away
• TorishikiIzakaya · 380 m away
• Ee-chan ShokudoRamen & Noodles · 410 m away
• Gohyaku Rakan-jiTemple · 530 m away