The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka

The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka, opened in 1997 as Marriott's first Ritz-Carlton in Japan and Osaka's inaugural luxury hotel, a full decade before the second Ritz-Carlton debuted in Tokyo. Perhaps due to the suite upgrade, the experience redeemed Western-style hotels in Japan. Design and facilities are subjective—timeless and classic, as is Ritz-Carlton's signature style—but the service left little to critique, as expected. Beyond the hotel itself, more intriguing details emerged. Navigating the massive Umeda Station leads to the hotel's tower, the Umeda Twin Towers. The underground passage connecting the tower to the railway features wall lamps exclusively by Louis Poulsen. White brick walls paired with custom white lampshades subtly blend into the bustling crowd. The ground-level commercial complex, Herbis, belongs to Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, while the building and hotel are owned by Mitsubishi Group. Both the hotel and Herbis opened simultaneously in 1997—perhaps these lights have been here since then. Coincidentally, Louis Poulsen recently opened a showroom here, hinting at a long-standing partnership. While exploring, I even stumbled upon a grand pipe organ tucked inside the building—truly impressive.