Tokyo Moxy

Some will dismiss the Moxy as kitschy, as millennial-arrogant. But I find it daring and cleverly space-efficient.

I typically “profile” the groomed-beard wearer whose forearms sport tatted koi fish or a Carnegie affirmation as too cool. (Or at least too cool for me.) So if the Moxy is an extension of that millennial bravado, then I guess I must rethink what I thought I knew.

Moxy is a Marriott brand. Currently, Moxy hotels can be found in Europe, North America, and Asia (where there are three). There are two Moxy hotels in Japan, and on this trip I stayed at both. The first is in Tokyo. Simply exit Kinshicho Station, and walk for about 5 minutes.

When you find yourself facing sliding-glass doors and an alluring mouth that seems ready to invite you into god knows what—to me it looked like the entrance of a pachinko parlor—then you’ve arrived at the Moxy Tokyo.

The lobby reminded me of a fraternity, and the front desk looked like a bar.

The rooms come equipped with a contemporary nod to the rotary telephone. (Typically I don’t like half-hearted attempts at room “ornamentation,” but for some reason it worked for me at the Moxy.)

For those of you who’ve logged a lot of nights in Tokyo, you know that the hotel rooms are often small. Of course, if the hotel attempts to place a chair or a table in the room (I’ve seen this at the APA hotels in Tokyo, the Hotel Gracery, and the Hotel Metropolitan), the space in the room becomes constricting. Moxy’s answer to this is to hang the tables and chairs on the wall. This I found especially clever.

I even liked the wall art. I enjoy a gentle reminder to “Be Awesome Today.”

Even the Do Not Disturb sign was fun.

There’s a Sushi Zanmai down the street (located a block from the Moxy, across from the train station), where I devoured some battered blowfish and seabass.

And there are plenty of other places to grab fried chicken (karaage) and beers.

Of course, should you wish for craft beers brewed in Japan, just go back to the Moxy.

Drinks can be enjoyed at the bar, in the main lobby, or just down the hall in what they call their “library.”

I was surprised to like the Moxy Tokyo. But as they note on their website, “MOXY Tokyo Kinshicho is a little like the neighborhood it calls home: down-to-earth with a bit of an edge.” Further, they promised “furiously-fast free Wi-Fi,” and they delivered.

To make sure it wasn’t a one-off, I also stayed at the Moxy Osaka. It, too, wowed me. I am officially a fan of the Moxy brand, and I’ll make an effort to stay at more of their properties.

Naturally, if you want something more Japanese—more authentic—stay at a ryokan. But if you’re looking for a good, clean, well-located hotel in Tokoyo or Osaka, consider the Moxy.

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