We really didn’t have much of a choice but to stay indoors, it was raining cats and dogs outside Tokyo. It was our first day in Japan and the weather wasn’t really cooperating. Good thing, we actually have something to do indoors a few hours after our arrival. Eat.

TAKING THE TRAIN FROM ASAKUSA

Walking from Wired Hotel Asakusa, then taking the subway from Asakusa to Roppongi Hills—thank you Klook for the very affordable unlimited subway pass—we took shelter at Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s expansive and warm lobby. A few minutes later and we were led to the sixth floor.

I was surprised when our elevator opened to an outdoor garden area. Parts were well covered so it was sheltered from the rain outside. Two restaurants face the garden, The Oak Door, a premium steakhouse, and Shunbou, a Japanese restaurant with emphasis on market fresh ingredients. We headed to the latter.

I’ve been to Grand Hyatt Taipei, staying a few nights there, but from what I’m seeing at Tokyo’s Grand Hyatt, I kept wishing we could’ve stayed even for a single night. More than beautiful, it’s really tastefully decorated and very localized too.

SHUNBOU RESTAURANT AT THE SIXTH FLOOR OF GRAND HYATT TOKYO

That sensibility in design also makes it way to Shunbou Restaurant; the walls are made from roughly cut stones, the tables and chairs retain their woody grains, the plates are imperfectly handmade, and there’s a tree growing right in the middle of the floor.

Besides the main dining hall, the restaurant has five ryōtei -style private rooms. Wondering who ryōtei was, I consulted Oxford-- ryōtei is a term used for elegant residences built in the style of a traditional summer house. Pardon my weak Japanese, lol.

CHILLED SAKE FOR CHILLY WEATHER

A kimono-clad lady started serving us glasses of sake as soon as we sat, it was just perfect for the sour weather, although I kinda wish it was served hot instead of cold. I learned, however, that sake is really best served slightly chilled as it loses some flavor when heated. So, warm sake it was.

A BOWL OF LEAFY APPETIZER

Our lunch consisted of bento boxes. Yep, bento boxes at Grand Hyatt Tokyo. But these aren’t your regular lunch boxes served on popular Japanese restaurants around town. Dubbed as shunsai, it’s a re-imagination of a classic Japanese meal.

SHUNSAI BENTO BOX BY SHUNBOU

Firstly, the presentation itself looks amazing, extremely Instagrammable, as they say these days. Its three levels looks like origami made from wood.

We started on the upper box which holds the appetizers and sashimi, moving to the middle box of charcoal-grilled fish and what looks to be like a mini tonkatsu. And finally the lower box which stores a simmered and deep fried dish, steamed rice, miso soup, and pickled vegetable. We paired these with bowls of steaming seasonal matsutake mushroom rice.

RICE INFUSED WITH EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE SEASONAL MATSUTAKE MUSHROOM

Okay, pardon my food description. I absolutely have no idea what we ate—I took those from the menu—only that everything tastes really good and really expensive! Which is more important, yeah? Anyways, more sake please! It was as good as any first real meal in Japan could be—not counting the McDonald’s burger we wolfed down en route to our hotel from the airport, lol.

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Shunbuo Restaurant at Grand Hyatt Tokyo
Address: 6th Floor, 6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
Contact Number: (+81) 3-4333-8766
Email: tokyo.grand@hyatt.com
Open Hours: 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM | 6:00 PM to 9:30 PM
GPS Coordinates Map: 35.659470, 139.729019