Japan Revisited

In 1992 I was a young marketing manager working for the Origins cosmetics brand when I was given the opportunity to work on the launch of the brand in Japan. Since it was in the 1990s I don’t have the Instagram proof, but I still remember the sensory overload of Tokyo, the Japanese ladies laughing at my poor “onsen” etiquette in Hakone, the amazing food options in the basement of Isetan department store and working in Shinjuku with my Japanese counterparts. Now more than 30 years later I’ve headed back for a long overdue revisit.

My 60 year old body doesn’t handle long haul flights like my 20-something used to… even flying in Delta’s comfortable Premium Select, the journey took its toll. Luckily the Hotel Gajoen in the residential area of Meguro City is the perfect place to recover. In the 1930’s the hotel was a hotspot for society weddings and social events. Today it is a boutique hotel with relaxing rooms, multiple restaurants featuring international cuisine, beautiful gardens and an incredible collection of Japanese art created by early Showa Era artisans and carpenters.

The best part of my day was reconnecting with my Wharton / Lauder classmate Miyuki. A walk along the Meguro river with a dinner in a local izakaya is the perfect cure for jet lag!