BnA Art Hotel Koenji. Creative Spotlight.
Stay in an art piece - the pretty exciting proposition from creative collective BnA. Based in Koenji, a district of Tokyo west of Shinjuku, BnA stands for Bed and Art. Taking an innovative approach to showcasing local artists, this collective decided to go further than just opening a standard gallery - instead they have created a unique hotel experience where you stay in a room that’s been decorated by a featured artist, so you don't just look at it the work, you get to actually stay in an art piece.
This novel idea was born out of two insights. The first, that many of Japan’s contemporary artists were struggling to make a living through their art. The second, that visitors looking to experience independent art scenes and galleries were unable to find what they are looking for. Taking an exciting new approach, the collective decided to launch an independent art hotel where local artists lend their talents to bring the unique rooms to life, and then get to share the profits from the room bookings in a model that is the first of its kind Japan.
The Koenji area itself provides the perfect setting for this great hotel concept - one of Tokyo’s coolest neighbourhoods Koenji is full of retro character, with the majority of buildings small and reminiscent of pre-boom Japan. Wandering through the narrow maze of lane like streets you’ll find many tiny restaurants, bars, shops and galleries - an amazing place to spend an afternoon and evening discovering great local food and hidden treasures.
The art hub features just two rooms, so you’ll be assured a totally unique experience and personalised service from the friendly crew. On the ground floor, they have created an intimate cafe-bar area, where local creatives and artists can get together over a drink or two. The backroom gallery offers a blank canvas for local artists to showcase their work and also acts as an events hub for music and cultural events.
The vision for BnA began back in 2014, when entrepreneurs Yu “Taz” Tazawa and Yuto Maeda met architect Keigo Fukugaki. As Keigo become heavily involved in the Japanese street art scene through architectural projects for Facebook Japan and #bction, Keigo and Taz soon realized they felt similar frustrations with the contemporary art scene in Tokyo.
The art hotel concept started life as an AirBnB experiment, before the collective launched their hotel concept in 2016. The idea was such a success that a new design studio hotel launched in Tokyo’s Akihabara district - a larger space that offers Tokyo urban living designed by Japan’s leading creators. A brand new Kyoto venue is in the pipeline for next year.
Website: https://www.bna-hotel.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnahotel/
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