Miyako Hotel Lobby – Los Angeles, California

I wasn’t particularly overwhelmed by Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. Even pre-Covid, it looked rather tired. There were new-ish malls around with a total lack of character. The Miyako Hotel stood out above the rest.

As hotels go, this is no Four Seasons. However, it was definitely higher in scale than the surrounding neighborhood. We discovered it as we explored the area.

The Miyako Hotel is part of a Japanese chain of hotels. Wikipedia indicates that there are 19 in Japan and only 2 in the United States. Both are located in Southern California. This lobby reminds me of the ones I’ve seen in Japan. Modern, spare, bright, and a little cold.

There are certainly moody, dimly lit places in Japan. However, even upscale hotels and restaurants in Japan can be brighter than the US or European counterpart. Perhaps the Japanese like a lot of light.

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