<p>The Abeno Harukas building, which opened in 2014, is Japan’s tallest, stretching 300 meters above its namesake Abeno district. The Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel’s guestrooms occupy most of the 38th through 55th floors of the building – making even the lowest guestrooms loftier than most penthouses. From the upper levels, the incredible scope of the city becomes clear when weather permits. And at night, when the bustling energy of 19 million people far below is channeled into a glittering delta of lights stretching to the horizon, guests can enjoy the vibrancy and excitement of the city over dinner from a calm oasis.</p>

<p>Fittingly, Kanko Kikaku Sekkeisha, the firm which designed the hotel’s guestrooms, chose »orbits« as an aesthetic motif. Overall, the designers sought to emphasize sui – sophistication, class, and comfort – over iki, or flashy modernity. Without being ostentatious, the guest rooms are elegantly appointed, particularly the bathrooms, which pair cool gray marble with deep, Japanese-style soaking tubs. The Japanese are the ultimate connoisseurs of state-of-the-art washlets, and INAX’s Satis and Regio models are given prime real estate here – in some cases, even floor-to-ceiling views.</p>

<p>There are also abundant references to traditional Japanese design. The floral wallpaper patterns, called Ise-Katagami, are drawn from kimono fabric prints. Other touches are even subtler – for example, outer guest-room doors never open directly onto the suite; instead, visitors weave around a partition before reaching the living area, preserving a characteristic »in-between« space that enhances the feeling of depth.</p>