The Peninsula Hotels' glamour and legendary service arrived in Japan, with the opening of its eighth hotel, The Peninsula Tokyo - on September 1, 2007.

Officiating at the ribbon cutting were the respective Chairman and board members of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH) and its partner in The Peninsula Tokyo project, Mitsubishi Estate Company Limited (MEC). A lion dance, a traditional Hong Kong element to ensure good fortune for the launch of a new venture followed the ribbon cutting.

"The sheer variety of Tokyo's attractions are world famous -- not only the bustling streets and booming economy, but also the traditions and renowned culture of the Japanese people, and thus The Peninsula Tokyo attempts to encapsulate all these sentiments in its architecture, interiors, public areas and guestrooms. Together, we shall endeavour to become active and dependable contributors to Tokyo's vibrant community, weaving our magic into the lives of those we serve," said The Honourable Sir Michael Kadoorie, Chairman of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited.

With recent luxury hotels opting to be part of high-rise office buildings or multi-use complexes, The Peninsula is the only freestanding luxury hotel to be built in Tokyo in more than a decade. Standing 24 stories high opposite the Imperial Palace and superbly located in the prestigious financial district of Marunouchi, The Peninsula is poised to become Tokyo's new landmark, offering commanding city views, luxurious comfort, sophisticated facilities, extraordinary dining and the legendary Peninsula service.

With celebrated architect Kazukiyo Sato's vision of The Peninsula Tokyo as a traditional Japanese lantern at the entrance of Marunouchi and Ginza, the hotel is a shining beacon drawing local and international guests to meet the world and experience the Japanese seasons reflected throughout the hotel's design, facilities and services.

The Peninsula Tokyo offers 314 spacious guestrooms, including 47 suites, five restaurants, a modern lounge bar, two ballrooms, six elegantly designed function rooms, a wedding chapel, a Japanese ceremony room, a fitness centre, The Peninsula Spa by ESPA, a fleet of Rolls-Royces and BMWs and three luxury jewellery shops, all making their retail debut in Japan -- Graff, de Grisogono and Chantecler Tokyo.

The dazzling rooftop restaurant, Peter, offers internationally inspired cuisine set in a sensual, contemporary space offering breathtaking 360-degree views of Tokyo and the Imperial Gardens. Designed by the renowned US and Canadian architecture and design team Yabu Pushelberg, Peter stretches the imagination with its chrome polished trees, round "pods" concealing semi-private dining areas and an interactive video wall providing images and entertainment.

Guestrooms are among the largest and most technologically advanced in Tokyo and offer stunning views of the city, the Imperial Palace Gardens and Hibiya Park. Interior designer Yukio Hashimoto, an alumnus of renowned Japanese interior design firm Super Potato, intertwines rich earth tone colours, woods, lacquer, marble and stone with design and functionality to create a luxurious living environment described as "international in design, but Japanese by inspiration."

Peninsula's legendary focus on technology is evident throughout the guestrooms, from the personal nail dryers in each dressing room, to the bathrooms, which turn into spa environments at the touch of a button. Each guestroom features two types of telephone -- a wired phone, which can be synchronised with guests' personal mobile phones to enable the automatic transfer of an incoming calls via Bluetooth synchronisation to any handset in the room, and to make Skype calls in addition to regular calls. The second phone is a portable phone, which functions anywhere within the hotel as the in-room phone and converts to a mobile phone to place outgoing calls outside the hotel throughout the Tokyo metropolitan area.