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What began as a small collection of boutique hotels has grown into one of the most exciting presences in Japan’s hospitality scene, driven by one question: what can a hotel really be? The answer, for The Lively Hotels and Global Agentsit always looked beyond check-in rooms and desks to something more alive.
The brand’s mission was to build genuine urban crossroads: places where travelers, creatives and locals don’t just share a building, but share a moment, an idea, a conversation. Based on this intuition, the group has shaped a portfolio of six hospitality concepts and twelve hotels across Japan, each reading its neighborhood closely and translating what it finds into space, atmosphere and experience.
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
©The Lively Tokyo Abazujuban
Each property is imagined as a small world of its own, reflecting the character of the city around it, while combining modern interior decorationart, technology and hospitality style that puts personalization and well-being at its core. Not just for visitors, but for the people who bring these places to life every day.
Azabujuban is not an obvious choice for a lifestyle hotel — and that’s exactly what makes it right. One of Tokyo’s most layered districts, it carries the quiet confidence of a place that never needed to be announced: a shopping street with more than 300 years of history, luxury residences, foreign embassies and a nightlife scene that balances sophistication with a distinctly downtown ease.
It is in this context that Tokyo’s vibrant Azabujuban arrived in November 2019, designed by Tokyo Studio Crow under the direction of designers T. Fujimoto and N. Sueki. To understand the vision behind the project, DesignWanted spoke with Takeshi Yamasaki, CEO of The Lively Hotels and Global Agents.
You often describe your properties as an “urban crossroads”. When it came time for Azabujuban, how did you and Studio Crow practically translate that concept into spaces that actually encourage people to connect?
Takeshi Yamasaki:
“At LIVELY HOTELS, we often describe our properties asurban crossroads.Places where different people, cultures and ideas naturally intersect. With LIVELY TOKYO AZABUJUBAN, the challenge was to translate this philosophy into a physical space, together with Studio Crow.
Instead of designing a traditional hotel lobby that functions primarily as a transition zone, we approached the ground floor as a multi-layered social environment. The lobby lounge, bar and communal tables are purposefully integrated into one continuous space, encouraging guests to move freely between working, relaxing and socializing. The furniture arrangement, lighting and attractions were carefully designed so that visitors remain visually connected to the activity around them, naturally reducing the barrier to interaction.
Planning also plays an important role in activating the space. Every night we host a free happy hour with free beer and cocktails for guests. Although it’s a simple gesture, it turns the lobby into a lively gathering place where travelers from different countries can easily strike up conversations and share experiences before heading out to explore the city.
Azabujuban itself is a neighborhood where traditional Tokyo culture meets a cosmopolitan international vibe and the hotel reflects this balance. The design combines contemporary urban aesthetics with warm, comfortable materials that invite guests to linger and spend time in the common areas.
Our aim was not only to create a stylish boutique hotel, but to design an environment where interaction happens naturally, where architecture, atmosphere and small moments of hospitality come together to spark connection.”
Lively now has twelve hotels across Japan, each with its own character. What makes Azabujuban stand out in the portfolio, both in terms of design choices and the kind of experience you’re aiming to create?
Takeshi Yamasaki:
“At LIVELY HOTELS, each property reflects the character of its neighborhood and Azabujuban is perhaps one of the clearest examples of how location shapes design.
Azabujuban is a historic district of Tokyo known for its traditional shopping streets and vibrant international community, but it is also an area where space is extremely limited. This limitation prompted us to think very carefully about how each square meter could work harder and smarter. Together with our design partners, we approached the rooms almost like small urban studios, where flexibility and functionality were key.
Many of the design choices revolve around customizable furniture and spatial efficiency. For example, the TV cabinet can be unfolded to become a desk, allowing the same space to serve different purposes during the day. Concealed seating and built-in storage help keep rooms open and uncluttered, while maintaining the comfort expected of a boutique hotel. Even within a compact footprint, we ensured that the shower, toilet and wash area remained independent and equipped each room with large 30cm pocket mattresses from SERTA to prioritize rest and comfort.
Visually, the hotel also has a distinct design language that emphasizes verticality and transparency. You can especially notice this in the lobby, where the dramatic atrium draws the eye upwards and creates a strong sense of spatial movement. In a dense urban environment like Tokyo, this vertical rhythm helps the space feel dynamic and expansive, while enhancing the energetic atmosphere that defines the LIVE experience.
Our Azabujuban location stands out as a project where constraint became an opportunity for innovation. It demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform limited space into a flexible and enjoyable living environment, while providing the energetic and social experience that defines our brand.”
Looking ahead, how do you see the role of hotels evolving in cities like Tokyo? Do you envision them becoming even more integrated into the fabric of local communities or heading somewhere new entirely?
Takeshi Yamasaki:
“In cities like Tokyo, where space is limited and urban life moves fast, I believe hotels will increasingly evolve beyond their traditional role as simply a place to sleep. They have the potential to become essential gathering places in the city. Environments where travelers and locals can naturally cross paths.
We have always been interested in creating what we call “micro-communities” within dense urban environments. Whether through communal lounges, events or curated public spaces, we design our hotels so that they can function not only as accommodation, but also as social hubs where dialogue and cultural exchange can take place organically.
Another important direction is deeper integration with the local community. We work closely with local artists, designers and businesses so that each hotel reflects the neighborhood around it. This helps visitors experience the city in a more authentic way, while also supporting the local creative ecosystem.
Looking ahead, I think the Tokyo hotel market will continue to shift towards experience-driven hospitality. Travelers today are less interested in standard accommodations and more interested in discovering places that feel connected to the neighborhood around them. Hotels will increasingly act as gateways to local culture, working more closely with local businesses, artists and creators to reflect the unique character of each region.
Sustainability and technology will also continue to shape how hotels operate. In recent years, we have been implementing digital services such as online check-in and paperless operations, as well as encouraging resource-oriented practices such as optional linen changes. These initiatives are small but meaningful steps aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which we have committed to as part of our long-term vision.
Ultimately, I believe the future hotel in cities like Tokyo will be less about isolation and more about connection: connecting travelers to the city, connecting people to each other, and creating spaces that contribute positively to the urban community around them.”
