Comments on: The Life and Death of the Sofitel Hotel

By: dave

dave — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 22:57:50 +0000

I was stunned the day before yesterday to walk through Ueno Park with some friends and, turning to point out the staggering Sofitel Ueno where I spent a very memorable visit, found just a blank space. I thought I was hallucinating – where could a 26-story hotel go? Michael, if you send your email address to me I will send you some panoramic shots of the view from the 22nd floor which you can add to your gallery. Sigh. How could they tear down such an iconic building?

By: OM

OM — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:16:10 +0000

I stayed in this hotel twice in 2002, it was such a great experience. The rooms were great, bathrooms were huge with walk in showers. They had the Toto “self-cleaning” toilets and the whole place emphasized the whole Japan “experience” of mixing modern and traditional design. The location was great, just a small walk from the rail station and I’m sad to learn that it is not there. I’ve been itching to get back to Japan for a visit and quickly looked up this hotel on the Sofitel web site when I could not find it I Google’d “sofitel ueno hotel” and found this page.

Thanks for the update.

By: k

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:38:35 +0000

You can see part of the FLW Imperial Hotel – entrance and lobby w/repro furniture and dishes – was moved to Meiji Mura in Inuyama, Aichi. It’s easier to get there on Meitetsu (shuttle buses to/from the station) than JR (might have to take the Takayama honsen, IIRC).

By: MJG

MJG — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:07:37 +0000

It is a shame they tore it down, but I don’t think any of us would have them keep it up if it wasn’t making a profit. Wabisabi is part of it for sure, but there’s also just plain reality. Things that fail should be allowed to fail (AIG!). Converting to apartments Tornadoes I guess was not-profitable either.

nicola Houston and a student in York, thanks for sharing your memories of staying there- it must’ve been a great view over Ueno. SY thanks for sharing your experience- I didn’t know it was a hotel either when I first saw it.

Alfie you make a great point about the Imperial Hotel- I did a little checking on that though and it seems there are contrasting reports on the demolition, some stating that it wasn’t a fickle tearing down but actually quite a necessary one. The Imperial was structurally damaged by the earthquake and wasn’t sound to stand- they had to destroy it. Who knows really, but I imagine there was some of that even if it’s not wholly true.

Jason thanks again for sharing those photos.

Finally, isuna you have a very good point, probably I should head down there again and explore the pond.

By: isuna

isuna — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:11:00 +0000

on the latest shot from Michael, it seems the pond has… overgrown! *pond ?haikyo*

By: nicola Houston

nicola Houston — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:43:21 +0000

so sad, i stayed at this hotel in feb 2006, 10 months before it was torn to the ground. I have fab memories of it. It stood right next to the zoo and park. I have great pics from my room window of mt fuji. those pics alone are worth the room rate. i cant believe its away. how disappointing.

nicola (glasgow, scotland)

By: SY

SY — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 12:33:31 +0000

Time files and things change. I remember I saw the unique building(I didn’t know it was even a hotel.) with pedaling the duck boat 3 years ago. Shame that it is gone now.

By: Student Accommodation York

Student Accommodation York — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:35:21 +0000

One of my friend had the experience with this hotel.He was telling me about his experience.I got excited.I should go once.

By: Tornadoes28

Tornadoes28 — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:49:47 +0000

I’m surprised it was torn down. Even if the hotel failed, it was relatively new. If the rooms were large enough, maybe it could have been converted to apartments.

By: Alfie Goodrich

Alfie Goodrich — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:05:00 +0000

Thanks for this article. Great memories. Yes, too bad they took it down but – after all – this is not only the country where the transience of things is celebrated [wabi sabi]. But, always worth remembering when it comes to architecture, this is the country/city that tore down a Frank Lloyd Wright, in the form of the Old Imperial Hotel. It survived the 1923 quake. It survived WW2. It did not survive the construction state mentality, however. If you can tear down a FLW, you can tear down anything.