In 2027, a swath of Tokyo’s urban landscape will welcome Japa Valley Tokyo, a 2.5-acre cultural precinct helmed by music producer and creative director of Louis Vuitton Pharrell Williams, fashion designer NIGO, and Japanese hospitality brand NOT A HOTEL. The project attempts to blend retail, art, and hospitality into a unified architectural and cultural experience.
Described by its creators as “reimagin[ing] the tourism model,” Japa Valley Tokyo is a reimagining of California’s wine country through a distinctly Japanese lens. Rather than wine, it celebrates sake brewing traditions, Japanese cuisine, and artisanal craftsmanship.
Meant only to be temporary, the project will rise on the former site of the Shin-Yurakucho and Yurakucho Buildings, both recently demolished as part of a broader redevelopment plan by Mitsubishi Estate. Though tied to long-term changes in the area, Japa Valley will take the form of nonpermanent architecture, serving as a brief experiment in cultural space and tourism.
Early renderings show timber-clad pavilions with arched glass facades, green roofs, and an interconnected grid of landscaped walkways. At the center of the site, a monumental sculpture by contemporary artist KAWS will anchor the space. urv
Programming for Japa Valley Tokyo is set to include saké bars, restaurants, pop-up fashion retailers, and a rotating series of public art installations, turning the district into a cultural laboratory. The intent is not only to create a commercial zone, but to propose a fresh take on urban development.
Williams and NIGO, recently appointed as creative advisors and investors in NOT A HOTEL, envision the space as experiential rather than transactional. Their goal: to fuse streetwear, design, and traditional Japanese culture in a context where cultural depth and urban liveliness coexist.
“I’m looking forward to joining my brother NIGO in this next venture, bringing our different perspectives and design elements together through hospitality,” said Williams.
Since launching in 2020, NOT A HOTEL has rapidly expanded its presence across Japan, operating locations in Setouchi (with architecture by Bjarke Ingels Group), Ishigaki, and Minakami. The brand’s model, offering co-owned vacation properties with hotel-like amenities, has attracted creative talent from across the design and fashion industries.
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