PROOF CREATIVE CELEBRATES THE OPENING OF VIRTÙ AT THE NEW FOUR SEASONS HOTEL TOKYO AT OTEMACHI

TOKYO 12 October 2020 – In a city famous for its glamorous hotels and high-rise bars, a luxurious new hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi, made its sparkling debut on 1^st September. Nestled on the 39^th floor of the new hotel, VIRTÙ is a destination hotel bar that celebrates the long, intersecting history of two capitals, Paris and Tokyo. Opened in collaboration with Proof Creative and the renowned Japanese Design Studio Spin, VIRTÙ offers French-inspired drinking and spectacular views of the bright megapolis that is modern Tokyo.

The golden thread at VIRTÙ is Paris’ and Tokyo’s common position as global capitals of style, now and throughout recent history. As a result, VIRTÙ is a celebration of the potent cultural influence of these two cities, spanning the arts, music, fashion, design, people and architecture. The name ‘VIRTÙ’ signifies the virtues of humankind and their influence on drinking etiquettes.

The gorgeous setting is courtesy of the award-winning team at Spin and centers on a main room with seating for 78 guests, an intimate crescent bar and a unique communal long table that spans the length of the room, inviting guests to interact in a family-style setting. The design fuses French art deco patterns and materials with Japanese textiles and craftsmanship.

The arrival at VIRTÙ marked by an entrance library, home to a working collection of books by the world’s most prominent food and beverage authors. This collection supplemented with hand-picked cocktail artefacts and antiques, each with their own drinking story to tell. Tucked in a hidden walkway behind the library is the Spirits Chambers, which house a collection of the world’s finest French brandies as well as barrels and demijohns of spirits ageing experiments by the VIRTÙ bar team.

The bar and beverage program at VIRTÙ is led by respected Head Bartender Joshua Perez, an American known for his work at a series of legendary New York City cocktail institutions, including Booker & Dax, Experimental Cocktail Club and Milk & Honey. Fluent in Japanese, Perez was drawn by the prospect of returning to Japan to oversee a flagship hotel bar in a culture for which he has a deep appreciation.

Under Perez’s stewardship, guests can expect irreverent and detailed Japanese drinking rituals infused with classic French sensibility. Cocktails at VIRTÙ revolve around seven human virtues: Mercy, Loyalty, Justice, Honesty, Honour, Respect, and Bravery. The interlinking of drinking etiquettes and the strong social code of Japanese culture is purposeful, providing guests an intuitive guide when selecting a cocktail.

Notes Perez, “We’ve taken each virtue to represent a different style or category of cocktail to guide guests along. We start with ‘Mercy’ being low ABV aperitif-style cocktails, ‘Respect’ are spirit-forward, and we end on ‘Bravery’ with more experimental and esoteric drinks. The cocktails combine minimal Japanese styling, fresh local produce, with epitome French flavours, liqueurs and fine aged spirits.

In collaboration with Tokyo’s YYG brewery, the VIRTÙ team have developed ‘Saison de Tokyo,’ a traditional French-style farmhouse ale. The craft beer is made exclusively for Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi and brewed in the YYG brewery in the Yoyogi district.

As is fitting, the food at VIRTÙ highlights the culinary traditions of these two culinary capitals. The bar menu is provided by the neighboring est restaurant, helmed by acclaimed Michelin Star chef Guillaume Bracaval and plays on French cuisine with endemic Japanese ingredients. One of our favourites is the Gyu Katsu Sando, a decadent wagyu beef sandwich on house-made toasted milk bun with VIRTÙ ‘bulldog’ sauce.

The aural direction aligns with the French and Japanese influence, drawing on influential French and Japanese musicians from the 1940s through present day. All expertly curated by the musical styling experts Bellosound. 

The opening of the new hotel and its elegant food and beverage offerings has been led by Regional Vice President and General Manager Andrew De Brito, along with Hotel Manager Anthony Tschudin. “Four Seasons Tokyo at Otemachi is in the perfect spot for guests to experience the best of Tokyo as we bring a freshness to the city,” notes De Brito, “In Japan, the art of hospitality is known as omotenashi; here at Four Seasons, it is how we take care of our guests every day.”

VIRTÙ is a project three years in the making and the latest in a long series of collaborations between Proof Creative and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, dating back to the opening of Manhattan Bar in 2014 and including the acclaimed Caprice Bar in Hong Kong, Charles H. in Seoul and Bar Trigona in Kuala Lumpur. VIRTÙ development work was led by Spirits Evangelist Bobby Carey, with support from Creative Director Jason Williams and Creative Project Coordinator Jonathan Teo.

“Four Seasons Asia has developed a reputation for beverage excellence, and we have every confidence that VIRTÙ and Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi are another step in that journey. It has been an honour to collaborate with Andrew, Anthony, Joshua and their entire team on this latest Four Seasons landmark opening,” notes Carey.