Janu – Aman’s highly-anticipated sister brand – has opened its inaugural hotel in Tokyo, marking the first in its pipeline of 13 properties across city, country and coastal destinations.

Meaning ‘soul’ in Sanskrit, Janu was first announced in 2020 and is a hotel, residence and lifestyle brand based on social connection, equilibrium and human interaction. Wellness is a key component of its philosophy, exemplified at the new 122-key Tokyo hotel.

Urban wellness
Spanning four floors, Janu’s first 4,000sq m multi-disciplinary urban health retreat is designed to encourage social wellness and complement active and passive pathways.

Janu Tokyo’s nine-treatment-room spa features a hydrotherapy and thermal area anchored by a 25-metre heated lap pool, a separate lounge pool – traditionally a place for socialising in Japan – as well as two signature private Spa Houses with cold and hot plunge pools, banyas and hammams.

A recovery studio with a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber is also available.

Stay tuned for the next issue of Spa Business for an exclusive interview with Aman’s global head of health and wellness development, Yuki Kiyono, featuring exclusive insights about Janu’s wellness concept and its ambitious rollout strategy.

Staying active
Fitness also forms a major pillar of Janu’s wellness philosophy which led the Tokyo outpost to be completed with one of the city's largest gyms (340 sq m).

Additional facilities include five movement studios for group exercise – including spinning, yoga, golf simulation and boxing – as well as facilities for personal training, recovery and relaxation.

A diverse daily programme of eight to 12 group classes, ranging from mindful practices such as yoga and breathwork to adventure sessions like Outrace and Skill X fitness, ensures guests make the most of the gym's advanced equipment.

Comprehensive offering
Additionally, a consultation room, hair and nail salon and seven private treatment rooms offer an array of Janu therapies.

For non-hotel guests, a limited number of Wellness Collective memberships are available, inviting the local community to discover social wellness.

Guests can also visit eight distinctive dining outlets in the hotel and two boutiques, one of which is dedicated to health and wellness.

“The opening of Janu Tokyo solidifies Aman Groupʼs status as the unrivalled emblem of ultra-luxury hospitality,” says Vlad Doronin, chair and CEO at Aman Group.

“The strategic decision to launch Janu reflects our commitment to evolving alongside the desires of todayʼs dynamic travellers, particularly the offspring of Aman loyalists, the rising Amanjunkies, who seek uplifting experiences and authentic human connections.”

Countries of interest for upcoming Janu properties include the Turks & Caicos, Montenegro, Portugal and Turkey, as well as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, South Korea, Thailand and the Maldives.

Design details and expansion plans
Janu Tokyo has opened among a landmark building designed by architects Pelli Clarke & Partners and interiors by Jean Michel Gathy of Denniston.

It is the only hotel within the Azabudai Hills – a mixed-use urban district created and managed by Japanese developer Mori Building Co as part of a 30-year urban regeneration project.

A progressive new neighbourhood designed by architectural firm Heatherwick Studios, Azabudai Hills is described as a city within a city, abundant in nature, culture and art.

The location features Japan’s tallest skyscraper and 24,000sq m of green space designed by founder Thomas Heatherwick, alongside offices, residences, educational institutions, galleries and over 150 luxury retail and dining outlets including a Japanese food market.